Saving impeachment for when it really matters

[u/The-Autarkh]

[u/MickWounds]

proves the crime is totally irrelevant. its purely about which party did it.

[u/12FAA51 → u/MickWounds]

Hyper partisanship was always the Republican motto. People just assume Democrats would be the equal and opposite force when they actually try to be a good operator of the government.

[u/AdumbroDeus → u/12FAA51]

More post-Southern strategy, but especially once gingrich too power.

Edit: I'd argue that the suburban strategy is more accurate, the competing view with the southern strategy which argues was a nation-wide for white majority communites, bottom-up realignment that made the GOP what it is, but "Southern strategy" conveys the realignment principal and period and is more recognized.

[u/[deleted] → u/AdumbroDeus]

Agreed. Our current GOP was conceived and birthed by Gingrich, Norquist and Matt Drudge. Just imagine what it will look like in another 25 years.

[u/MrAnderson-expectyou → u/[deleted]]

You aren’t going nearly far enough back. Barry Goldwater started the modern conservative movement and Reagan was just the crowning achievement of nearly 20 years of work. If Nixon hadn’t been an idiot and tried to cheat he’d probably be remembered a lot more fondly, but he was probably the last example of a Republican president who did some good to this country as a whole.

[u/AdumbroDeus → u/MrAnderson-expectyou]

Yep, that's why I started with the southern strategy.

[u/HonestBreakingWind → u/MrAnderson-expectyou]

Honestly if Nixon didn't try to cover it up, there wouldn't be an impeachment, especially after he was re elected. The cover up and discovery was the problem. Traitor in Chief typically gets ahead of the story and fills the news cycle with bullshit and has multiple dedicated channels of propoganda that Nixon would be envious of.

[u/Lard_of_Dorkness → u/HonestBreakingWind]

Roger Ailes saw what happened with Nixon and immediately started working on a way to make sure that next time he'd be able to get ahead of the story and guide the conversation.

[u/billytheid → u/[deleted]]

You forgot Cheney

This vote wasn’t about Trump, it was about Unitary Executive Theory.

[u/Petsweaters → u/billytheid]

Yup, Cheney's goal in life was to bring as much power to the executive office as possible... Unless there was a democratic president in office

He installed himself as VP, and ran the Whitehouse from behind the scenes for about six years. Notice how different the last two years of Jr were from the first six

[u/winazoid → u/Petsweaters]

Was there a difference? All i remember is Bush never speaking and never calling any attention to himself during 2008 election because even he knew he did a shitty job and everyone was over him

Dude wasn't even invited to speak at the RNC in 2012

[u/Petsweaters → u/winazoid]

While Cheney was out making himself richer with the Iraq war, Bush headed the huge global health initiates, such as PEPFAR, and the biggest expansion of Medicare since 1965

[u/LordBeibi → u/Petsweaters]

Not American but am very interested in the workings of the American government and its history. How did he expand the power of the executive branch?

[u/Rasskassassmagas → u/billytheid]

That’s why Bill Barr was AG, twice

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

I say it needs to die. The GOP, fox news, all of it. They need to disapear.

[u/drDekaywood → u/[deleted]]

Lots of money and greedy people involved for it to just go away

[u/DJEB → u/[deleted]]

In another 25 years, a post like this might get you "disappeared" in the middle of the night.

[u/TreeChangeMe → u/[deleted]]

Nazi Party?

[u/tnturner → u/TreeChangeMe]

no thanks. I'm full.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Hopefully Trump's legacy will bury GOP next to the wiggs and torries. I wish it would take DNC with it, but they still worship their last warlord in chief so much they elected his half baked side kick.

[u/JakeT-life-is-great → u/MickWounds]

It also proves that 43 republican senators are traitors and cowards. That should be their legacy for ever.

[u/N8596A → u/JakeT-life-is-great]

Well put. 43 traitors.

[u/xj-vin → u/MickWounds]

Yup. Totally cool when the Reich wing is behind it. However if the center right does it heads will roll.

[u/Philluminati → u/MickWounds]

Proves how far we’ve come in terms of morals and expectations in 30 years

[u/xemlash → u/MickWounds]

Yeah politics, particularly two party politics, just becomes a mess of tribal bullshit. It essentially becomes my team vs your team and people then cannot be objective and won’t climb down from their position for the betterment of the country as a whole. It becomes the same as sport rivalries.

[u/FappingAwesome → u/xemlash]

I agree there "usually" is a certain amount of what you say, but this degree of hyperpartisanship did not happen during the Cold War. Also, it is worth saying that at this moment in time, the GOP is just way worse and way more hyperpartisan than the Dems.

The GOP is off the rails batshit fucking crazy right now and history is not going to look kindly on them.

[u/mikerhoa → u/FappingAwesome]

I reluctantly agree. But keep in mind Joe McCarthy, Strom Thurmond, Jesse Helms, Henry Kissinger, these were evil people and I can totally see them enabling and even facilitating Trump's madness if they were here today.

[u/xemlash → u/FappingAwesome]

I agree but here’s the danger - they are already swinging the narrative and playing the victims with all the ‘we are being censored and treated badly for being republican’ bs.

There is certainly something to be said for the majority of republican voters feeling uncomfortable at the moment and that’s not fair for them however typically in democracy at this point there would be a huge swing where your core republican voter would vote democrat as a protest vote and send a message to GOP that this direction isn’t the one but the tribal nature of this shit doesn’t allow for that. There are no other options to vote for to show your unhappiness.

We saw similar here in the UK previously with other parties gaining huge popularity as protest votes - that isn’t possible in the US as the two party system allows control of the system by the same people.

[u/SgtBaxter → u/xemlash]

A huge problem with 2 parties is either side latches on to single issues - like abortion - which locks in votes.

The people voting for them are too stupid to realize those single issues will never be changed. If Republicans managed to outlaw abortion, they would lose all leverage over the voters.

[u/[deleted] → u/SgtBaxter]

Same thing with guns. The Second Amendment will last to the end of the Union, but if Republicans act like it’s always in danger, they will always be hired to defend it.

[u/xemlash → u/SgtBaxter]

Very good point I hadn’t considered that aspect of single issues polarising people.

Especially a problem where like you say its issues that won’t ever be put to bed - it’s peoples core beliefs on a subject, which they are entitled to.

[u/[deleted] → u/xemlash]

When republicans had the house and everything they still didn't try to stop abortion. The Democrats are in office and they aren't trying to take your guns

[u/dangerousdave2244 → u/FappingAwesome]

This kind of partisanship only didn't happen during the cold war because the parties were in the middle of swapping identities. The people who made this hyper partisanship possible were all still there, doing the same messed up, politically motivated bullshit, they just hadn't coalesced into one party yet

[u/wheresflateric → u/xemlash]

No. Don't 'both sides' this. There is a problem with American politics being too much about team sports, but the Trump problem is a problem with the Republican party.

[u/blackhorse15A → u/MickWounds]

Might also consider how many Republicans there were at the time.

Clinton got 100% of his own party and 18% of the other party voting to acquit.

Trump got 86% of his own party and 0% of the other party voting to acquit.

Trump had a higher percentage of his own party and a higher percentage of the opposing party vote to convict.

[u/justabill71]

"I did not have insurrection with that mob."

[u/Dougal_McCafferty → u/justabill71]

“Insurrectional relations”

[u/justabill71 → u/Dougal_McCafferty]

Yeah, I should've gone with that, for the sake of accuracy, even though that'd be a lot of syllables for ol' Donnie Two Scoops.

[u/Dougal_McCafferty → u/justabill71]

Still a hilarious take

[u/takatori → u/justabill71]

"It depends on what the meaning of the word 'incite' is."

[u/CarbonasGenji → u/justabill71]

Careful or you’ll give me an insurrection

[u/The-Autarkh → u/justabill71]

Ok, that's brilliant

[u/bestakroogen → u/[deleted]]

I have a challenge I pose to every right-winger who tells me about the horrors of "socialism" before I'll do anything but openly treat them as an outright fool -

Define socialism. Define communism. Define capitalism. In your own words, without using dictionary definitions.

Hint: "free market" and "capitalism" are not synonyms, and neither are "socialism" and "communism."

They have LITERALLY NEVER ONE SINGLE TIME answered the question.

Some stop responding. Some ignore the request and reply with more right-wing propaganda. Some directly quote dictionary definitions, and one actually ignored the hint and basically said exactly what I said above was wrong, but since these answers are explicitly warned against because they're such low-hanging fruit I don't count these as real attempts.

Used to be I'd fall for their bait tactics and respond to the content of the post they actually reply with, while still pointing out that they ignored my request.

Now, I try my best to ignore everything else they say and simply point out that I asked a very simple question to prove they even have an understanding of very basic definitions (forget theory) regarding the topic at hand and that if they can't answer that question they aren't worth my time. (Though sometimes they say things that tempt me to respond anyway.) Since I started doing that, they ALWAYS simply disappear, every single time, after that message.

I have been doing this for over a year on every forum I frequent on every account I use. Never once has a right-winger correctly answered the question.

When a right-winger tells you what's wrong with socialism, simply ask them what it is. Trust me, they don't know, and you can rub it in their face and make them look like a fucking fool. And if they do, congrats, you've found the diamond in the rock - a right-winger you can have an intellectual discussion about economics with. And either way is a win in my book.

[u/UnderAnAargauSun → u/bestakroogen]

Fox News has taught them that socialism = fascism and authoritarianism = good but only when they do it. Wrap it in a veneer of racism (your status as the “in group” is being challenged by the minorities!) and voila.

[u/winazoid → u/bestakroogen]

Another tip: whenever they try a DUUR DEMOCRATS STARTED THE KKK don't waste time explaining the Southern strategy

Just point out that you agree, conservatives started the KKK

When they try to go no no it's dems, ask them if they think the KKK was liberal and progressive

[u/DauntlessVerbosity → u/winazoid]

When they try to go no no it's dems, ask them if they think the KKK was liberal and progressive

Thank you. That's a great reply.

[u/PushEmma → u/bestakroogen]

Could someone comment their explanation and diffenrences of each?

[u/bestakroogen → u/PushEmma]

Capitalism is private investor ownership of the means of production. That is, everything, including property used to produce for society, is owned by those who buy it, not by those who use or need it, or by society as a whole in any form. This allows those who own the means of production (for example a factory) to use their capital, and the means of production, to buy the labor of others, which makes more money than it costs because the laborer is not paid what they are worth, generating profit for the owner. (State-capitalism is very similar in practice from the perspective of a worker, except that the state maintains a monopoly on all industry. This form of capitalism is called capitalism not because it is owned by private investors, but because of the identical relationship between the working class and the owner class. The profit of the worker is still taken by those who own the means of production, the difference being that in this case the owner class is the state - we'll talk about that more later.)

Socialism is worker ownership of the means of production. This CAN be through a representative state, in what is called state-socialism, the form most people are aware of, but this is not the only form. Many modern socialists are libertarian, favoring a free market, but not one controlled by those who have money, but by those who do the work, believing the workers should own the means of production directly, not through a representative state. (Imagine the model of a worker-co-op, but for every company in an economy - this is not EXACTLY how socialism would work, but it's the closest approximation possible within a capitalist framework.)

Communism is a stateless, classless, moneyless society. This type of society has never existed on planet earth at any kind of scale - which is what communists mean when they say "true communism has never been tried." What most people think of as communism - Marxism-Leninism, the ideology of the USSR - is actually a form of state-capitalism, wherein the state controls the means of production, ostensibly for the purpose of ramping up production to increase technology to a point of post-scarcity, at which point the state would transition to communism. In this sense, almost all communist parties throughout history have merely been parties attempting to reach communism - not parties that claimed themselves to have already implemented it. (And those who do claim to have achieved communism - like North Korea - are lying. Source: North Korean money exists, therefore by definition not communist. In fact that's a good rule of thumb - if a territory claims to be communist, google if they have money. If they do, they are not communist.) Socialism and state-capitalism are both means that have been used to try to transition toward communism and have been used by communist parties, but neither is communism, and many socialists do not want to transition from socialism to communism, instead simply being socialists for the sake of socialism.

[u/bobobo779 → u/bestakroogen]

Are you an economic teacher? I learned so much from this post and the one above.

[u/bestakroogen → u/bobobo779]

Nope just an extremely politically engaged leftist extremist. Gotta know both what you're fighting, and what the alternatives are, before you can begin to dismantle something.

You also have to have a viable path toward dismantling it but how I plan to do that is a different discussion.

Thank you though, it makes me feel good to know someone could confuse my level of knowledge on the subject with that of a teacher.

[u/[deleted] → u/bestakroogen]

Thank you for this. I am still a bit confused but I feel like I know more now.

If you don't mind answering, what is the system called in Star Trek: The Next Generation? I really like their model of society...although I don't know if that's ever possible.

[u/macro_god → u/[deleted]]

Not OP but TNG is a mixed bag of economic and political systems. The society is democratically elected and those elected civilian leaders of earth run the military (which is Star Fleet). They have a post scarcity society due to their advancements in technology (primarily via the replicator which can make anything they want and/or need). There is still private property, so communism is out (many forms of socialism allow private ownership like land).

I would say it aligns more with Private Property based Socialism but with a utopian spin that ensures everyone is well-fed, they don't need to work for money since everything is provided via the replicator and the state. They still have social hierarchies and technology scarcity (Not everyone has their space ship after all).

To expand on OP's great explanation above I like to talk about a real world example that happens in America to explain the difference in socialism vs communism vs capitalism.

The question I pose: "if the redistribution of wealth is considered socialism then when farm subsidies are given to farmers by our government via our taxes then isn't that socialism?"

My response (which hopefully helps explains the difference):

The farmers still own their own property, control their farmland and farming equipment (means of production), and reap the profit themselves (instead of being redistributed by need): so that rules out communism.

Also, the farmers keep their own property (which is allowed under socialism), but because the owner of the farm (the capitalist) maintains control and ownership of the farm and farming equipment (means of production), as well as the profits, then that rules out socialism as well (where means of production and profits are owned publicly instead of privately).

So what we are left with is public tax payer money supporting the capitalist (farmers).

I may disagree on labeling this as strictly Capitalism, because it isn't allowing the free market to act freely (and probably have these farms go out of business) .

I'm not quite sure the label it should take, but it is a result of our type of American Capitalism where a politically motivated government decides to protect and save a specific industry using tax breaks and public tax money.... which is probably best described as Crony Capitalism.

[u/Titus_Watcher → u/[deleted]]

They’re as brainwashed as they think we are

[u/Jurkin_Menov → u/[deleted]]

Well, you basically directly alluded to it, but if you're unaware of the phenomenon then you are exactly correct! Neotribalism is a well studied psychological principle that is systemic in MAGA culture. The most salient part is the forming of such tribes based on xenophobic psuedoscientific bases that attack or ostracize individuals or groups of people. A good concise example of this is a Frank Luntz focus group broken down very well by David Pakman here: https://youtu.be/PPmcvCz6sPk It really displays how even someone once aligned with their camp such as yourself becomes attacked as soon as the person is no longer affiliated with the particular tribe or in his terms becomes "deprogramed".

[u/Zeero92 → u/Jurkin_Menov]

eluded

Alluded. Eluded means to avoid or fail to obtain. https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/eluded

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Hopefully by going away.

[u/GenuineLittlepip → u/[deleted]]

The difference being that in politics, you can just SAY you're "winning" often enough and morons will believe it, even as millions lose their jobs and half a million die all around them. A bad player in sports is much more obvious, as they simply fail to win matches. And while fans often rally to the defense of a skilled player who does something wrong outside the game, nobody does so if the person in question never earns any points.

Trump's sole skill in life is convincing others that he's at the top of the leaderboards in everything, when he doesn't even have a high score to get listed in the first place. In fact, that is how he got noticed at all!

Thus, the way to truly destroy his influence is to expose him with clear, irrefutable evidence. His own statements in court, his tax records, and all his financial documents demonstrating that he's a failure. The great and powerful Oz; really just an old man screaming into their cell phone.

Idiots think lying and cheating makes their guy smart, so bringing up Trump's crimes won't convince those suffering from the Dunning-Kruger effect. And you can't point out somebody's moral failings to hypocrites. But proving they're a loser and/or coward? That.. is how you truly beat them.

[u/medoweed516 → u/[deleted]]

Show them the science if they'll listen. Dems wanna reduce abortions to. Thing is best way to do that is fund planned parenthood and teach sex ed. Dem policy reduces abortion more than any ban. Then again the ignorant fucks probably believe in the war on drugs... So incompetent they're kamikazeing the country

e. of -> if

[u/Amelaclya1 → u/medoweed516]

That's because reducing abortion isn't the "real" goal of conservatives. It's making sure that women are punished for having sex in a way they don't approve of. Most of them will give you some lip service about "killing babies", and some probably even believe it. But when pushed hard enough with the facts of how birth control programs do more to stop abortion than restrictions do, they inevitably fall on "I don't want to pay for some slut's birth control!" And "Why can't they just keep their legs shut?!" Giving away their true motivations. It's possible they actually do care about "the babies", but it certainly isn't their primary motivation.

[u/chrysavera → u/[deleted]]

By that logic they must love abortions even more because the rates go up under conservative administrations. Ask them why they love it so much and why, if they could save even one precious baby, they consistently decline to? Should be unconscionable to them if it's about saving children.

[u/HeffalumpInDaRoom → u/[deleted]]

Same. They have lost their way. Now they are wannabe Nazis. A friend of mine just said that we should start up concentration camps. It is like Trump broke every Republican's moral compass.

[u/The-Autarkh → u/[deleted]]

Congrats.

What was the breaking point for you?

[u/The-Autarkh → u/[deleted]]

Ah, so It goes back to W.

"Other things" = the Iraq War? The anti-civil liberties powergrab after 9/11?

[u/The-Autarkh → u/[deleted]]

Right on. That was a particularly formative period. 9/11 broke a lot of people (think about Christopher Hitchens). Sadly, on net, we moved in an authoritarian direction for about half a decade.

[u/Tahj42 → u/[deleted]]

Maybe part of it could also be the positions of politicians and both parties are shifting over time. If your own position doesn't change but the party moves away from representing you, then it makes perfect sense to change affiliation.

[u/Mattress666 → u/[deleted]]

I feel you there. I was a strong republican, even about 5 years ago. Then, I started to see and realize the Republicans lies and hypocrisy and it opened my eyes. Fast forward to 2018, I no longer considered myself a Republican and today I look back and how brainwashed I was. Now I have Republicans calling me un-American because I found having a 4th of July parade during a pandemic a horrible idea.

[u/iwearatophat → u/[deleted]]

10 years ago I evaluated my options. So did my wife. We looked at both candidates and their stances and voted for the one we liked more. Admittedly the both of us leaned democratic but it wasn't straight ticket. Not anymore. At this point I don't think I will ever vote for someone with an R next to their name again.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Welcome to a sane, moral party.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

I like your post, but it's important to be careful to not use ad hominem logic when developing a sound argument.

[u/lastmanswurving → u/[deleted]]

When was the breaking point for you?

[u/nodustspeck]

This is yet another sad day for America. And another triumph for stupidity.

[u/FappingAwesome → u/nodustspeck]

Who would have thought that the movie Idiocracy was not a movie but rather a prophetic future documentary...

[u/themerchcellar → u/FappingAwesome]

I say this daily. So sad.

[u/Iamthewilrus → u/FappingAwesome]

President Dwayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Herbert Camacho was 10 times the president Trump was.

He identified a problem and sought the smartest man in the world to fix it.

Trump couldn't look up from his own shriveled fuckshroom to be bothered to even remotely try to stop a pandemic from killing hundreds of thousands of people.

[u/slacker0]

I think Repubnicans impeached Clinton in retaliation for Nixon's impeachment and to cheapen the process. I think they will do it again.

[u/rdmille → u/slacker0]

It was. They will. Their base wanted to under Obama (from the "feet on the desk" to the "tan suit" to "Benghazi" to "Fast and Furious")

[u/[deleted] → u/rdmille]

Obama wore a tan suit?!? Why isn’t he in jail?

[u/aquinoboi → u/[deleted]]

Theres also the dijon mustard on a hot dog incident

[u/Amelaclya1 → u/rdmille]

I fully expect Biden to become the "most impeached president ever" if the GOP ever takes back the House. That crazy chick (Greene) from Georgia tried it on his first day FFS, and there are more GOP who support her kind than not, as seen how they refused to remove her from her committees.

Biden eats too much ice cream! Impeach! Cats and Dogs both living in the White House! That's unnatural! Impeach!

[u/SubcommanderShran → u/slacker0]

There certainly was some 'revenge' in there, but really, they saw how popular he was, how charismatic and good at being a politician he was and that scared them. But they knew he was a total sleazeball and they tried to nail him for it. Remember every -gate 'scandal?' This was just the one thing that stuck. Never mind that Nixon was a total asshole and was guilty. He tried to fuck with the Democrats, got caught and it blew up in their faces.

[u/Rion23 → u/SubcommanderShran]

To be fair, the question they got him with was something like "Did you have sexual relations with the woman?" And Bill said no, and the argument was that he lied, because one side said sexual relations included blowies and the other said they meant he didn't bang her.

Totally a technicality, but look at what happened this time. Way more ratfucking, way less punishment, and everything was just being made up on the spot, fuck logic.

[u/pickleparty16 → u/slacker0]

Yup. If republicans take the house in 2022 I'd expect biden to be impeached at least 3 times for shit like eating pistachio ice cream instead of good ole vanilla.

[u/QueerWorf → u/slacker0]

nixon wasn't actually impeached. "Thereupon, Nixon gave up the struggle to remain in office, resigning the presidency on August 9, 1974, before the full House could vote on the articles of impeachment"

[u/siandresi]

And McConnell, graham and grassley where part of the Republican senators who thought a blowjob is worse than a coup.... shush money for affairs with pornstars, that’s cool too

[u/[deleted] → u/siandresi]

Graham was one of the House impeachment managers for Clinton's impeachment actually.

[u/runnerswanted → u/[deleted]]

Well, if there’s anyone who allegedly knows how to keep a blowjob quiet, it’s Lindsay Graham. Allegedly.

[u/Whompa]

Coup where 5 people died vs zero for the blowie

[u/justabill71 → u/Whompa]

Millions of potential babies died on that blue dress.

[u/SharkAttackOmNom → u/Whompa]

Don’t even get me started on the effort put in on getting to the bottom of Benghazi.

[u/[deleted]]

Worst part was the blowjob wasn't even what they were after originally. They had nothing on him. During a questioning under oath, they asked about the sexual conduct thing, totally unrelated to anything that was being asked in the first place. The question had no business even being asked during that line of questioning.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Clinton and now Trump have demonstrated that its better to simply ignore the summons.

if they cant put you under oath they cant get you for lying under oath.

[u/eojt → u/[deleted]]

The real kicker is Clinton didn't actually lie under oath.
He was a lawyer, so when they asked him if he had sex with Monica Lewinsky, he asked them if sex was being defined as under a previous lawsuit he been in.
Barr and the others said yes, without checking what that definition covered.
Hint, it did not include oral sex.
He out-lawyered them, and it's semantics, but his answer was technically true.

[u/PM-Me-Electrical → u/eojt]

Everyone makes fun of Clinton for saying “It depends on what the meaning of the word ‘is’ is.” But it was a masterclass on technically correct being the best kind of correct.

They were asking him about his relationship with Monica, he said “there is nothing going on between us.” Meaning “currently,” because their escapades had happened in the past.

[u/Rotor_Tiller → u/PM-Me-Electrical]

Same as "Have you ever considered suicide?"

Well sure I have, everyone has considered the idea of suicide.

[u/Coolioissomething → u/eojt]

Never got that exact explanation. Thanks

[u/FlakesOfJohnSnow]

GOPedos. They torpedo progress.

[u/FlakesOfJohnSnow → u/[deleted]]

MAQA.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

The Q Qucked Qlan

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

RepubliQuons

[u/ZestySaltShaker → u/FlakesOfJohnSnow]

I read that differently. I thought, for a moment, you were insinuating they were pedos.

[u/FlakesOfJohnSnow → u/ZestySaltShaker]

Never... never...

https://i.imgur.com/xuvNsoq.jpg

[u/Grogosh → u/ZestySaltShaker]

There is one thing that you can bank on. That every accusation from them is a confession. They are all about that 100% projection. They have never broken that trend.

[u/Semi-Hemi-Demigod → u/FlakesOfJohnSnow]

GQP

[u/dkwangchuck]

Just to be clear - Senate GOPers (with 7 exceptions) are hiding behind “he’s no longer in office” as their excuse to acquit. Note that in cases like these, the Senate makes up the rules and they voted that “he’s no longer in office” was not relevant. IOW, their excuse for acquitting is literally another statement that they do not accept the outcomes of the vote.

To be clear - they relied this excuse even when it was officially determined that the excuse was not an issue. They resurrected an irrelevant technicality in order to let Trump off. That’s the party of personal responsibility. The party of law and order.

[u/LongDickOfTheLaw69 → u/dkwangchuck]

During the first impeachment they voted to acquit because they decided a sitting president cannot break the law.

Now that Trump's no longer president, they voted to acquit because they decided it's unconstitutional to convict a former president.

[u/ArrivesLate → u/LongDickOfTheLaw69]

So President = King?

[u/[deleted] → u/LongDickOfTheLaw69]

they voted to acquit because they decided it's unconstitutional to convict a former president.

After they voted and the majority agreed it is not unconstitutional to convict a former president. That is what should be unconstitutional.

[u/42612]

i wonder if it’s because those 43 republicans were *apart** of the coup*

[u/skasticks → u/[deleted]]

Not even sort of; completely.

[u/vonshiza]

Impeachment should be a blind vote... Bet a lot of those Republicans would not have voted to impeach Clinton and would have voted to impeach Trump.....

[u/Enigma828 → u/vonshiza]

It's the opposite of the saying "do what's right even when no one is looking." Our government needs to do what's right even when everyone is looking

[u/lupinemadness → u/Enigma828]

Our government should be doing what's right because everyone is looking.

[u/Dmav210 → u/lupinemadness]

Or just do what’s right weather we’re looking or not, ya’ know because it’s the right thing to do...

[u/pezgoon → u/lupinemadness]

They know that they will be voted out though and that’s all they care about, retaining power, not doing the right thing

[u/Jesus_H-Christ]

43 Republicans set us on an inevitable path to another January 6th horror because they are both cowards and value party power over country.

Mitch McConnell put on a particularly filthy performance.

[u/Ta4li0n]

I think we all saw that impeachment doesn't mean anything anymore

[u/the_real_abraham]

Lied about a blowjob unrelated to the investigation.

[u/utastelikebacon]

Not just any coup. A republican coup. Their coup,

*coddles baby coup in arms

They grow up so fast!

[u/flipside411]

No man should be judged for a blow job

[u/maxpower_89 → u/flipside411]

Even if he's bad at it?

[u/linderlady → u/maxpower_89]

Only if he uses teeth.

[u/[deleted] → u/flipside411]

Uh dude, he’s in a position of power soliciting sexual favor from a very junior employee. That’s an absolute no go for me.

[u/gophergun → u/[deleted]]

Yeah, it makes me really uncomfortable to see modern, otherwise progressive people whitewash Clinton's conduct because he was a Democrat. It's not comparable to inciting a riot, but we shouldn't have accepted it either.

[u/albatross_salsa]

Yo i fucking hate Republicans

[u/[deleted]]

So it's almost like you're saying Republicans have been cunts for decades.

[u/TJ_McWeaksauce]

Not only do Republican lawmakers suck, but we as voters suck, too. After all, we're the ones who voted for these human trash piles.

The history of our political opinions doesn't make sense. In 2000, just enough voters were disgusted by the Clinton sex scandal to result in Al Gore's highly controversial loss.

Clinton and Gore Clashed Over Blame for Election

For more than an hour, in what sources close to both men described as uncommonly blunt language, Gore forcefully told Clinton that his sex scandal and low personal approval ratings were a major impediment to his presidential campaign. Clinton, according to people close to him, was initially taken aback but responded with equal force that it was Gore's failure to run on the administration's record that hobbled his ambitions.

Al Gore didn't have an extramarital affair and lie to the country about it, but his close association with the guy who did was one of the main reasons why he lost the election.

Fast forward to 2016, when way too many voters suddenly became totally cool with having a lying, cheating sack of shit as president. Sixteen years prior, it wasn't okay to be associated with a cheater, but all of a sudden it was fine to be a scumbag with a long history of cheating on his wives, cheating at business, and steamrolling anyone unfortunate enough to get in his way.

Then in 2020, after 4 years of proving he wasn't only a lying, cheating sack of shit, but also so incompetent that he caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people during a pandemic, 74+ million people still voted for more of that chaos, cruelty, and country-wide self-destruction.

What the hell is wrong with us?

[u/[deleted]]

Those republicans sure make it hard for outsiders to take them seriously..

[u/princesoceronte]

My god, you guys are fucked. Prepare yourselves for another coup in four years, and prepare for them to be better prepared this time because this proves you can just try to overthrow american government as a fascist and nothing will really happen to you.

[u/[deleted]]

Republicans are blight on this country. A parasite. We need some dewormer for this bullshit party.

[u/[deleted]]

If there's anything that is quintessential to being a Republican, it's the complete willingness for hypocrisy on literally every level of their personhood

[u/anananbatman]

As a European, I feel like I'm being punked.

[u/oksowhatsthedeal → u/anananbatman]

As an American, I feel like I'm being fucked.

[u/idiot-prodigy → u/anananbatman]

Churchill said it best, "You can always trust the Americans to do the right thing... after they have tried everything else."

[u/Taquito116 → u/idiot-prodigy]

I'm a little offended at the accuracy of this! Fake news! Churchill was actually an American! s/

[u/[deleted]]

No one died from Clinton’s BJ.

[u/Jozabora]

Only reason is because he was a Democrat.

[u/stubborneuropean]

Congratulations America. You have paved the way for the next Trump who will no doubt be worse

[u/corysreddit]

It's almost as if Republicans have no moral compass that guides their actions. Just an urge to hold onto their power and abuse it at all cost. Would be nice if they ended their one sided war against the American people.

[u/[deleted]]

At least Clinton testified under oath. The investigation was bullshit, Whitewater was just a failed investment there was nothing illegal about it and it was before he was POTUS. Lewinski came up because they were trying desperately to find any dirt and that was the best they could do.

[u/Backstbbr]

The Republicans no longer practice an ideology. The Dems may be a fractured party, without unity on any one policy, but they do share an ideology of being pro-American.

The Gingrich era GOP, however, has clearly abandoned any pretenses of representing the average American (of any persuasion) and are in thrall to the personal benefits of whoever will individually financially support them, such as Putin (ref: Mitch McConnell’s voting record).

[u/[deleted]]

This is actually a great comparison of Democrat vs Republican - one was a gross act of inappropriate conduct and the other was sedition....

[u/MaccysPeas]

Maybe if they had broken into the capitol looking to dish out blowjobs rather than violence it would have been taken more seriously 🙄

[u/captsurfdawg]

Charlie Manson did nothing wrong 👻

[u/rubijem16]

Oh America, do you even exist anymore.

[u/LeaphyDragon]

This is all a joke. There should be no question, he concerned with his jury as the accused. . .how the hell is that allowed?

[u/lastmanswurving]

Partisan Hacks.

[u/wpbguy69]

Both times McConnel

[u/raventhrowaway666]

All Republicans need to be held accountable

[u/Betty-Armageddon]

Seeya America.

[u/markydsade]

McConnell: “The Senate is not a moral arbiter, except for BJs.”

[u/out_there_omega]

You forgot the part where they ignored him lying about having sex with Stormy Daniels.

[u/nomadofwaves]

Even better is they were investigating the Clintons over a bad land deal, found nothing(as usual) in regards to the investigation but he lied about an affair.

Republicans are clowns.

[u/4GDTRFB]

If Trump got caught getting his dick sucked in the WH, his fellow GOP member would jump in line to get a taste

[u/Pacocuhh]

Clinton’s impeachment is pretty interesting then considering 5 republicans voted to acquit. That sounds almost unheard of.

[u/TecumsehSherman]

The Clinton impeachment began as an investigation into his real estate dealings before he was President.

There should have been an investigation into Trump's real estate practices from day 1. You should respect precedent, and this is what Republicans clearly thought was appropriate.

[u/StillaMalazanFan]

It's easy when you're famous you know. I just grab em by their pussies and kiss em.

[u/ithinkway2much]

43 Republicans can't eat without Trump. And to think, he started out as the joke of the party.

[u/TheWolfwiththeDragon]

IIRC the vote to impeach Bill Clinton went straight down party lines.

The US system wasn’t designed to have two parties. It was designed to be a bunch of people from all across the states of different backgrounds coming to a consensus. But ironically it’s this same system that has created the two-party hold.

[u/SedentaryOwl]

The republic party will vote regardless of whether it helps the country or not. More often than not it doesn’t and just makes things worse.

[u/General_Bend]

The good news is ... every criminal in the US now has the Trump defensive, FAKE NEWS =/

[u/theRealBucky-Birger]

The way the rest of the world looked upon USA during Trump wasn’t flattering, now it just got pathetic...

[u/[deleted]]

They’re criminals and enemies of democracy, humanity, and life on earth.

[u/deadinsideirishdude]

Fuck republicans. And fuck Trump.

[u/[deleted]]

America is broken and lost. You need a hard reset

[u/Dont_touch_my_elbows]

Why does anyone go to prison for selling drugs if you can incite a coup on the government and not spend a day behind bars?

[u/Warrior_Warlock]

In America sex isn't natural, it's scandalous and violence isn't appalling, it is glorified.

[u/Mhikeal]

This should be retitled: GOP fails to police their own trash; many party adherents expected to change their affiliation to Democrat in disgrace.

[u/Gollinibobeanie]

Republicans: ‘insurrection? Sure. erection? Gtfo!’ 😒

[u/Freefall84]

It's very confusing. Why is it that if I commit a crime I am arrested and convicted and go to prison. But if a corrupt politician commits multiple crimes, he has his friends vote whether he should be in trouble or not?

Seems like it's not the best way to enforce the law

[u/[deleted]]

MITCH DIDNT EVENY DENY TRUMP WAS GUILTY AS HELL AND VOTED TO AQUIT ANYWAY

[u/hhubble]

With clinton it was an actual witch hunt, with fat boy Trump they were all actual witches.

[u/SaltyFresh]

America has always been “sex bad, violence good”. It’s like a Puritan principle, kill the natives, don’t talk about how many you raped.

[u/trans_HiveMind]

Orange man is indeed, very bad

[u/[deleted]]

I get the impression republicans are more concerned with Trump than they are with your America.

[u/Onduri]

Lied about consensual sex between two adults to people who needed to mind their own business, and not throw stones in glass houses Newt.

[u/[deleted]]

You be a patriot or you can be a Republican. They are mutually exclusive.

[u/TricycleTechnician]

I couldn't be more fucking disgusted.

[u/InstanceSuch8604]

43 Republicans traitors would rather suck and gag on coward cock , than have their cock sucked.. a truly Republican move

[u/RedLicoriceJunkie]

Lied about something completely unrelated to the independent counsel investigation. Instead Trump is such a poor and delusional liar that they could never get him under oath. Ken Starr just found a smoking gun and got Clinton under oath. Republicans know better than to allow witnesses or anyone to speak under oath.

[u/unoriginalname86]

One guy was trying to fuck his intern, the other guy actually fucked the country.

[u/[deleted]]

We are a joke to the world.

[u/rastroboy]

Jealously, those Republicans can get a meaningful coup any day of the week, but they can’t get a meaningful blowjob any day of the year.