To send or not to send

[Rvaughn]

...that is the question.

The House has voted to impeach President Trump. It now goes to the Senate. When trying an impeachment, the Senate in effect becomes the jury and the supreme court.

However, there is now talk of the House withholding the articles of impeachment from the Senate, apparently to try to force the Senate to agree to their parameters for the trial. (I am not sure I understand this, exactly — I have not heard or read much yet, but this is how what I heard sounds.) Is this just more political circus? It is not like they have a different Senate from the one the House knew they would have to send the results to when they started impeachment proceedings.

I wonder if this actually has more to do with another part of the process. It is my understanding that under the Senates rules, Senators must be present for the trial every day (except Sunday, I think) until a final judgment is rendered. For however long the trial lasts, it would hog-tie the five Democratic senators who are currently running for president — Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Amy Klobuchar, Cory Booker and Michael Bennet. They will be stuck serving as jurors in the trial of the incumbent of the president they are running to replace. This would seriously impede their ability both to campaign and raise funds, and surely give a leg up to their Democratic opponents (and I guess to Trump himself, as far as campaigning and fundraising).

It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

[Sandy]

Trump wants the senate trial over quickly, to keep it out of the news cycle and so that he can say, "Ok, see, I was exonerated." He is keenly aware, as his comments suggest, that the longer this lingers, the wider the gap grows between the majority who want him gone and the shrinking minority who still support him. Reading and absorbing facts has a way of changing minds, at least, if you're literate and can read. As long as the house hangs on to the articles, the impeachment stays in the news cycle. And knowing this president as well as they do, there is every likelihood that he will pull some other illegal act. Giuliani is already back in Ukraine sticking his nose into what isn't his business. That proves the bribery and "quid pro quo" that Republicans said was the "standard" for determining impeachment before they realized there was a quid pro quo. I'm certain there's an open channel between Russia and the Trump campaign for propaganda and money and perhaps help hacking into voting machines. If the articles stay open, the senate can't do anything and the Democrats can expand if necessary.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/if-the-se ... e-articles

[Haruo]

My guess is that the House will hold off as long as they can, unless the Senate agrees to a fairly robust set of rules about calling and hearing from witnesses. If the Senate agrees to allow the subpoenaing of the witnesses that Trump refused to allow in the House, then I would proceed with all due speed, if I were the House.

[William Thornton]

Game of chess. I don't think the House has to send the articles. Suppose the Senate could sue them. If the House Dems want to control the Senate trial, maybe they should run for Senator from their states.

...but, there's another great debate tonight.

Biden is 77 years of age. Ready for a stroke, I hear.
Warren can't do math.
Buttegieg is the most intelligent sounding of the bunch.
Yang and Steyer...not exactly on fire.
Bern...forgotten.
Klobuchar...may kick some little "b" butt, tonight.

Missing Gabbard who has more guts than the rest.

[Rvaughn]

[Sandy]

[William Thornton]

Yes, Robert.

[KeithE]

The lack of respect for the Constitutional role of the Senate that McConnell displays is astounding.






McConnell’s abuse of power rivals that of Trump. The nation must not allow either of these men to be re-elected.

[William Thornton]

[Sandy]

[KeithE]

[Rvaughn]

[William Thornton]

I'll go with being laconic, not iconic, in my senior bliss years.

Almost every Dem was on board. Any departure from the party line was courageous.

[Sandy]