Article Link
Two weeks ago, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi announced that the House would begin impeachment proceedings against Trump after the whistleblower complaint was released. The complaint suggested that trump may have been soliciting foreign interference in the 2020 election for his own political gain. After confirming his call with the Ukrainian president, Trump recently made a public request that China also investigate Joe Biden. While countless Democrats in Congress have blatantly supported the impeachment of Trump, few Republicans have come out in support of the proceedings. As the fate of an impeachment trial lies in the Senate, some say that GOP senators' calculations are almost entirely political as they weigh their political futures and their allegiance to the president. 11% of Republicans support impeachment, while 86% oppose it. When Senator Mitt Romney tweeted that Trump's appeal to foreign nations is wrong, Trump fired back with an expletive saying that Romney has been fighting with him from the beginning, which signals other Republicans that if they speak out against the president, there will be consequences.
What do you think?
If more evidence emerges that is not in favor of Trump, do you think Republicans will express support for impeachment or remain loyal to the president?
How do you think the media affects Republican officials' decision to speak out about impeachment? If right-leaning media outlets were more critical of Trump's call with Ukraine and his request for China's interference, do you think Republican officials who might be afraid of jeopardizing their political future would openly express support for impeachment?
I do not think president Trump should be impeached based off of his call with Ukraine and this request with China because it has yet to be proved that he has violated the law. What he has done is definitely improper and inappropriate for the President of the United States to be doing, but it is not illegal. As for Republican support for Trump, while I do think most of the party would like to replace Trump with Pence because he is a more conventional and “stable” Republican, I don’t think many more Republican politicians will openly defy Trump because I don’t think the people in this country that support him are going to stop supporting him through these allegations. Trump won the presidency by highlighting how he wasn’t like other politicians that didn’t really care about the people, and if Republicans start to jump ship and agree with the Democrats, I think that would just strengthen the support from his core group of supporters because it plays into his narrative of being disliked by others in the party for being an unconventional politician.
ReplyDeleteUnless I am mistaken, I believe it is against the law to encourage foreign countries to interfere with US elections. Therefore, his request with China and call with Ukraine is grounds for an impeachment inquiry. I agree with Nathan that Republicans will largely not show support for impeachment; unless they rally together to oppose Trump, I doubt any one political will be willing to risk their career. And even if it did, I think it would play into his “repressed” narrative garnering him further support from his base. What is most likely to happen based on Republican’s lack of support for the process is the impeachment will not resolve with Trump being removed from office.
ReplyDeleteI think Trump's actions—soliciting judicial input from foreign countries to smear a political opponent—are unethical to say the least. Since China’s criminal justice system is quite severe, Trump's scanty accusations could have resulted in tremendous harm to Biden if China accepted his offer (fortunately, China did not). Trump's actions may or may not be against the law. However, the law is made to protect basic principles, which are evidently being violated, and we should constantly modify the law to prevent such loopholes. Part of the beauty of American democracy is the ability of the Legislative Branch to check presidential powers, so let the whistles blow. Initially, Republicans will be more skeptical and Democrats more believing, but once the truth is out, it’s out. Ultimately, universal human laws will overcome political boundaries.
ReplyDeleteTrump has been known to do whatever it takes to protect his position and he does not act by half-measures. His recent escapade in asking for assistance from other countries can be construed as just another political gambit to make sure that he wins in the 2020 election. Doing so can have two clear benefits for him: first and foremost, he may be able to gather leverage against Biden that Trump can use against him later; second, Trump can also assess how much control he has over other countries. If they agree to help him in an act that blatantly interferes with American politics, then he knows that he can essentially ask anything of those countries. If they do not agree to his demands, then he knows of which country to be wary of in the future. An action that may seem unethical and impulsive can actually be a calculated measure to gauge the loyalty of other countries as well as hurt one of his main competitors.
ReplyDeleteI believe that even if more evidence comes out against Donald Trump, most Republicans will still remain loyal to him and not support impeachment. The “Never Trump” movement would be the most similar to any movement against Trump, and currently almost nobody truly belongs to that movement and it proved ineffective. Most Republicans, even those that have criticized him heavily in the past such as Ted Cruz, have acquiesced to his presence. Republicans have united around Trump much more than Democrats have united around anyone. The media absolutely plays a role in this, but it is not necessarily as much the mainstream media as it is more niche sources. These hyper-partisan sources have proven to be very influential, and are part of the reason that Trump has such high support. If overall media was more critical, then it would be easier for Republicans to turn on Trump.
ReplyDelete