Quote Originally Posted by Dallas Tex View Post
It was unfair when it was done to Clinton, and it's unfair now when it being done to Trump. I'd like to see an end to the wild fishing expeditions and the endless politically motivated investigations. I don't think impeachment was meant to be about blowjobs or subjective interpretations of a phone call.
I disagree.

I think that the matter resulting in Clinton's impeachment was overblown (rimshot!) but yes, he did lie to Congress. That's bad. And I'm happy with the outcome of that proceeding - an impeachment but no conviction. His behavior did not warrant removal from his office.

I do not think the matter Congress is currently deliberating is overblown. Trump withheld assistance aid (aid allocated in support of our country's foreign policy objectives) to pressure a foreign nation into digging up (thoroughly discredited) political dirt on a personal political rival. The pressure was applied through the US Diplomatic Corps (members of which were dismissed when they failed to get with Trump's program) and non-governmental US nationals working for Trump. The "phone call" was only one of a series of actions directed at forcing Ukraine to support Trump's false narrative about Biden. Soliciting foreign interference in domestic politics is an impeachable offense. Extorting a foreign government to interfere in domestic politics is an impeachable offense. I fully believe Trump should be impeached and I also think he should be convicted and removed from office.

But I do not think that will happen. The Majority Leader has already baldly stated that he is coordinating with the Trump administration around the proceedings, which seems to be an anticipatory violation of the oath senators will take before the impeachment proceedings. I will be stunned if there is a serious trial in the Senate.

All of the president's other horrible behavior (his tweets are just one cache of the permanent record he's leaving in his wake) are immaterial to the impeachment proceedings. I find his behavior predictably, exhaustingly loathsome and I mourn for a nation that sees anything to admire in his daily behavior. I feel he's unqualified to lead a Boy Scout troop, let alone the most powerful nation in the history of the world. But those are not impeachable offenses and they should rightfully be addressed at the ballot box.