The Problem with Impeaching Former President Donald J. Trump
Congress shouldn’t abuse its powers to disqualify private citizens from holding office.
As Congress once again looks for another excuse to ignore resolving problems within its legislative purview, the threat to impeach former President Donald Trump is becoming greater with each passing day.
But impeaching the former President isn’t a threat to just his legacy -- it’s a threat to all aspiring politicians. By impeaching a citizen who doesn’t hold office, Congress would be setting a dangerous standard allowing Congress to impeach anyone it didn’t like.
Again the problem isn’t the impeachment itself but rather the consequences thereof.
If a person is impeached, they can no longer hold or run for office.
Imagine how this could play out in 2022 if Republicans were to regain both chambers.
Sitting Vice President Kamala Harris draws the ire of vengeful Republicans for working with President Biden on executive orders for a national “Green New Deal” program. Biden, on the cognitive decline, has declared his intention to require due to no longer being mentally fit enough to hold office. Meanwhile embittered Republicans in the House draw up the articles of impeachment for VP Harris.
Then, like Trump’s second impeachment, no official hearing for impeachment is had. There are objections raised by a few dissenting members of the Republican majority in both the House and Senate, but collectively no one is able to stop the enraged political majority.
The votes are rushed through and in a party line vote former VP Harris is impeached for “a plot to destroy democracy by decree” and the former Senator is convicted by both chambers. Accordingly national chaos ensues as the Democrat party litigates the impeachment while also cautiously searching for new leadership. At this point no one in the United States of America feels truly “united.”
Surely this scenario would be an unmitigated disaster.
Of course it would take a super-majority in the Senate to succeed in impeachment — which is an unlikely prospect for Republicans. But should the day come where circumstances are in Republicans favor — and given their historical memory — perhaps 50 or even 100 years down the road a similar play could be made. This too would be a disaster.
To avoid this all too real threat — and the additional threat of a Congressional majority preventing people it didn’t like for running for Congress — former President Trump must not be impeached. The future of our republic may depend on it.
*An edit to this piece at 7:12PM took place to better account for the fact that even if Republicans take back the Senate and House with majorities, they would need a super-majority for impeachment.
Zigmund Reichenbach holds a M.A. in Philosophy from West Chester University. You can occasionally find him covering news stories of national interest at Real News or you can follow him on Twitter @zreichenbach1. To support the creation of articles like these visit the RootsRSNG’s Patreon.
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