Liberal Forum

Termin8tor » 10 Dec 2019 6:22 pm » wrote:

The polarization and political passion manifest in the politics of impeachment today was anticipated by the Constitution’s designers.

This problem is a product of the kind of issues that prompt calls for impeachment—alleged abuses of office and violations of the public trust.

Indeed, in The Federalist, Number 65, Alexander Hamilton predicted that we would face exactly the kind of political discord we are now experiencing:

The prosecution [of alleged political crimes] will seldom fail to agitate the passions of the whole community, and to divide it into parties more or less friendly or inimical to the accused. In many cases it will connect itself with the pre-existing factions, and will enlist all their animosities, partialities, influence, and interest on one side or the other; and in such cases there will always be the greatest danger that the decision will be regulated by the comparative strength of the parties than by the real demonstrations of innocence or guilt.

The design problem for America’s constitutional architects was to invent an institution that could mitigate this problem.

Should the impeachment trial be conducted by the Supreme Court?

Hamilton reported that the Court lacked the political fortitude to weather the storm that would attend any verdict: the Court’s legitimacy as a final tribunal for ordinary legal disputes would be undermined if it took on the issue of high politics as well.

The Court might be able to mitigate partisanship, but it would risk its own legitimacy in doing so.

The Senate, on the other hand, was a more promising venue because it was a political body, but not as tightly tethered to factionalism and political passion as the House.

It was designed to take a longer view and was therefore a promising site for such extraordinary trials.

The idea was that rather than lowering the Supreme Court down to high politics, the Senate would be raised up.

To raise the Senate up to the demands of high politics, the Framers decided that the Senate would need to recompose itself into a new institution—an impeachment court.

This transformation was serious enough that senators would have to take a new oath of office.

According to Article I, section 3, clause 6 of the Constitution, senators, when sitting on a trial of impeachment, “shall be on Oath or Affirmation.”

When they are elected to the Senate, all senators swear a general Oath to uphold the Constitution.

But the Oath taken in an impeachment trial is different.

It is a juror’s oath and a judge’s oath—not a legislator’s oath.

Rule XXV of the Senate Rules in Impeachment Trials provides the text: ”I solemnly swear (or affirm) that in all things appertaining to the trial of ____, now pending, I will do impartial justice according to the Constitution and laws, so help me God.”

For an impeachment trial of a president, the chief justice of the Supreme Court presides.

He can be overruled by a majority vote of the other judges/jurors—which is to say the senators.

But it is vital to remember that the Constitution asks them to remember that they are not sitting as senators, but now as judges and jurors.

https://thebulwark.com/the-senate-as-an ... ssion=true

Termin8tor » 11 Dec 2019 7:29 am » wrote:Former FBI Director James Comey will hopefully spend most of the rest of his life in federal prison.

Termin8tor » 11 Dec 2019 7:29 am wrote:Former FBI Director James Comey will hopefully spend most of the rest of his life in federal prison.

You're a **** headcase.

You're a **** headcase.

IG Report Shows Comey Lied To Congress About FBI Investigation Of Trump Campaign
Not only did the Obama administration’s FBI target the Trump campaign in the heat of the 2016 presidential election, but it used an intelligence briefing of Trump to gather ‘evidence’ on him.


....Comey falsely testified that the FBI had not launched an investigation into the Trump campaign.
https://thefederalist.com/2019/12/10/ig ... -campaign/

Termin8tor » 10 Dec 2019 1:21 pm wrote:Trump has been far, far, far tougher on Russia than Obama ever was, psycho.

****. Everything he does benefits Putin.

Termin8tor » 10 Dec 2019 1:21 pm wrote:
He doesn't need a pretense. Wray is a hapless double talking bureaucrat who on and off has allowed his agency to cover up the biggest scandal in US history. Lately he seems to have been more cooperative.

And why was Wray agreeing with Horowizt, not with the two officials who have far more information?

You mean Barr and his ventriloquist's dummy Durham?

Misty » 12 Dec 2019 10:24 am » wrote:Just last week the WH & their allies slammed a Democratic impeachment witness just for merely bringing up the President's son Barron in a hearing.

Press Sec Stephanie Grisham called it a "classless move" & FLOTUS said Pam Karlan "should be ashamed"

Today the POTUS is mocking a young girl with Aspergers.





Where is the FLOTUS on this?
BE BEST Melania, BE BEST.

Termin8tor » 11 Dec 2019 1:44 pm » wrote:

Misty » 10 Dec 2019 5:56 pm » wrote:You mean Barr and his ventriloquist's dummy Durham?

Why do you constantly smear conservatives of high integrity while lying on behalf of Democrat criminals?

MarkMathews » 12 Dec 2019 10:33 am » wrote:Hey Misty... I need a good meme or gif that really trashes the Prez. Do you have anything fresh?

Misty » 12 Dec 2019 10:37 am » wrote: I have to assume that you are being facetious.

Misty » 12 Dec 2019 10:37 am » wrote: I have to assume that you are being facetious.

solon » 12 Dec 2019 11:57 am » wrote:Ignorant pathetic Treason Monkey TRAITORS like H8er HATE FACTS and HATE REALITY and they HATE academia because like the media they wont tell the LIES the right wants pushed. They teach kids HOW to think and critical thinking skills do not LEAD to Treason Monkeys like H8er. They HATE thinking people since they know THEY cant think. They have NO critical thinking skills which is why most of them are GUTLESS COWARDS like H8er who RUNS SCREAMING away everytime you shove FACTS in his face

Termin8tor » 12 Dec 2019 12:03 pm » wrote:

Misty » 12 Dec 2019 10:37 am » wrote:I have to assume that you are being facetious.

Hey psycho, have you seen that I'm being stalked?

MarkMathews » 12 Dec 2019 10:42 am » wrote:

Misty » 12 Dec 2019 10:37 am » wrote:I have to assume that you are being facetious.

No... I'm deep-state on this other lib site and I need something to please my fans there. They all think I'm a fellow lib. Imagine that. : )

Termin8tor » 12 Dec 2019 7:16 pm » wrote:

Misty » 12 Dec 2019 7:14 pm » wrote:

Termin8tor » 12 Dec 2019 12:03 pm » wrote:Hey psycho, have you seen that I'm being stalked?
I might need years of therapy to recover.

Good.

I know what I'll do.
I'll whine endlessly about it, as I pump my chest and declare how strong and courageous I am.