I blame the DNC for the delay in implementing this or any other coordinated resistance tactic, and this one is meant to break through the media stonewall and hit maga voters over the head. If you can stand to read the NYT's Thomas Edsall, today he lays out the lack of proactive plan by Democrats, in contrast to the very tightly planned Project 2025 agenda.
What does the DNC exist for if not to unify Democrats? With hundreds of individual Congressional members, each having their own busy schedule, no one has the time or inclination to mount a coordinated response. What the hell does the DNC do other than raise money? They have the access and the platform to get all of our Dem reps on a freaking call, get some consensus, and move forward together. Because one by one, nobody can do dck.
The DNC might raise more money than just sending out endless appeals for more money. Is that all it exists to do? It should be presenting what Democrats stand for, a common-sense platform based upon listening to peoples' needs, and making efforts to unify and solidify the voters.
DNC, DNC, DNC…When do we get a discussion of 17% primary turnouts? When do the rank and file begin to assume the responsibility placed on them as participants in a democracy.? We blame and we blame and we are still basically inert at the polls.
Not here in Oregon, where we have had all-mail voting for more than 20 years. Wiki says, "Political scientists say Oregon's vote by mail system contributes to its highest-in-the-nation rate of voter turnout, at 61.5% of eligible voters." Don't let the Loser take away the most straightforward and effective voting method that we have.
It's not impeachment. It's a simulacrum meant to show what would be happening if Republicans had any balls. Since Dems are shut out of governing anyhow, they may as well show folks how it's supposed to be done. Fox News will have to cover that outrageous slur against the country's most famous convicted felon.
What else is the House doing ? From this description, it’s an opportunity to lay it all out front and center for as long as it takes. Sounds good to me.
No, impeachment is the appropriate response to the 'high crimes and misdemeanors' committed by Trump and almost every one of his cabinet members. Even if the co-conspirators in the senate block it, we must have the crimes on record.
If the Democrats take the House, they SHOULD do every one of the impeachments recommended here. It's not as though the Republicans in congress would be doing anything good for the country anyway.
You know what a waste of time and resources looks like? Every ongoing single grant and project that was cancelled by this maladministration or ends up in limbo for years. The destruction of the NIH, FDA, CDC, NSF, NOAA, and NASA science. If the projects can't finish, then every bit of effort and every penny spent over the years before cancelling was wasted.
Well, yes, the House could impeach Thomas and Alito for their corruption and Kavanaugh for perjury during his confirmation hearing.
But as we saw in Trump's fully justified impeachments, the only way the senate would convict and remove them would be if the Democrats get a 60-seat majority and six Republicans joined to vote to convict, or some other route to 66 guilty votes. Unless something changes drastically, I don't see that happening.
But impeachment could definitely work for RFK, Jr. and possibly Hegseth, who have committed enough egregious, public mistakes to earn some guilty votes from senate Republicans.
Oh, his format is just hard to read. He creates a theme and then illustrates it with excerpts from emails or other quotes by the individuals he is citing. Jen Rubin's style is far more fluid :)
Way to go, Norm!!! This is a fantastic, even genius idea -- creating weeks of political clarity with the drama and substance of theater, but in reality confers the kind of gravitas and integrity to oversight that the American people deserve, and as befits the hallowed institution of our Congress. It would be a far cry from the low bar of governance the Republican Party has set. You are thinking like a Founding Father would!! It would be a fitting response to the horrors that currently consume the Nation, about which Congressional Democrats merely wring their hands and seem as flummoxed and caught as off guard as most of us feel. Our democracy has been hijacked by fascist ideologues currently at war with America; Democrats in Congress, as well as across the country, need to stand up and do their part to save the plane of thought democracy rides upon!
Absolutely like a Founding Father. Do you think Jefferson, Hamilton or Adams would be wringing their hands over this fool of a president? Hell no. They'd be going after his cronies, big time. And the first asshole to be impeached should be Miller.
Norm, hope you’re slipping your idea(s) through to the Dems because they are good ones. Long ago, Prof. Timothy Snyder suggested this should be the way to combat these monsters (mumsers). Let’s do this!
"Under House rules, impeachment resolutions are highly privileged and supersede any other pending business."
Thank you for this point of education. If I'd learned it in my Government & Civics class long ago, I'd forgotten it. Yes, invoking impeachment proceedings would bring more far-reaching attention to these peoples' atrocities and illegal behavior, and a shadow cabinet that loudly reports on their actions sounds to be an excellent idea. We need and deserve more accurate information than we're being fed. Now, what to do about the media that doesn't do it?
This is the BEST practical and effective political solution I have read or heard about since Trump's second election. The crisis is NOW and our so-called leaders must take action NOW. Here are the nearly perfect next steps to take to restore our democracy and hold the fascists and grifters now in power accountable for their appalling actions. Congratulations and THANK YOU, Mr. Ornstein!
The DNC should have anticipated this and had the workings in place even before inauguration. Even someone like me, without political wisdom, saw this eventuality. Hell, I even dreamed he'd nuke CA to make his agenda work. Make this happen starting tomorrow and make sure MSM attends. The workings of government must grind to a standstill now. Then people will start paying attention. Get this done DNC! Any delays are compounding the damage to our country.
Well, I may be alone in my sentiments, but I think impeachment against Cabinet members is an excellent idea. Of course, it wouldn't fully take, but it would bring to the forefront all of their criminal misdeeds, and really make Trump squirm. Of course, he would show it as rage, but that's no different than he ever is, as unstable as he is. Let's get it done!
The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.
Without our health we are in incapable of doing anything so first order of business is definitely getting RFK out before he kills us all! How on earth is he able to make such frightening decisions on any aspect of our health with no medical or scientific degree or knowledge! Worse yet he challenges and disrespects years and years of scientific research that scientists have dedicated their time to in order to improve our lives; in less than 6 months he doing his best to dismantle all of it! Congress wake the hell up!!
At the same time, Trump's tariffs and immigration vendetta are threatening our food supply. Since we'll have no allies left in about 10 minutes, if we lose our farm and processing output at the same time that we lose the medicine we all need, we are doomed.
Love it ... use every tool available to bring attention to the risks to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness due to the #47 regime ... and slow down the GOP members of congress letting those risks happen.
They are required to track constituent messages whether they act on them or not, so expressing your concerns puts you on the books along with all the others who do so on the same topic. Add your voice so those guys can't look away.
I share your Senators and have, evidently, gotten the same offensive platitude-filled letters. Still, we must write and call them, over and over. Maybe at the very least we can cause them a little anguish about their electoral success next time around.
I do write to them. My point is that it is unlikely that any of my representatives would initiate an impeachment of any of the members of Trump's Cabinet.
I just e-mailed my Rep. Maxine Dexter, whom Norm suggests on a physician-staffed impeachment of RFK with a link to this article. She pays attention to every constituent contact. Let's get the ball rolling.
I blame the DNC for the delay in implementing this or any other coordinated resistance tactic, and this one is meant to break through the media stonewall and hit maga voters over the head. If you can stand to read the NYT's Thomas Edsall, today he lays out the lack of proactive plan by Democrats, in contrast to the very tightly planned Project 2025 agenda.
What does the DNC exist for if not to unify Democrats? With hundreds of individual Congressional members, each having their own busy schedule, no one has the time or inclination to mount a coordinated response. What the hell does the DNC do other than raise money? They have the access and the platform to get all of our Dem reps on a freaking call, get some consensus, and move forward together. Because one by one, nobody can do dck.
And they might raise more money if they show more gumption.
The DNC might raise more money than just sending out endless appeals for more money. Is that all it exists to do? It should be presenting what Democrats stand for, a common-sense platform based upon listening to peoples' needs, and making efforts to unify and solidify the voters.
Yeah, I'm done donating. My money went to Harris.
DNC, DNC, DNC…When do we get a discussion of 17% primary turnouts? When do the rank and file begin to assume the responsibility placed on them as participants in a democracy.? We blame and we blame and we are still basically inert at the polls.
Not here in Oregon, where we have had all-mail voting for more than 20 years. Wiki says, "Political scientists say Oregon's vote by mail system contributes to its highest-in-the-nation rate of voter turnout, at 61.5% of eligible voters." Don't let the Loser take away the most straightforward and effective voting method that we have.
We have mail voting.
Cld not agree more. Why isn’t this happening. Who even knew there was a Shadow Cabinet? But $$, requests? oh yes it’s always there!
Projection of blame onto the victims of the WH crime syndicate.
BTW, impeachment is a futile waste of time & resources.
It's not impeachment. It's a simulacrum meant to show what would be happening if Republicans had any balls. Since Dems are shut out of governing anyhow, they may as well show folks how it's supposed to be done. Fox News will have to cover that outrageous slur against the country's most famous convicted felon.
What else is the House doing ? From this description, it’s an opportunity to lay it all out front and center for as long as it takes. Sounds good to me.
No, impeachment is the appropriate response to the 'high crimes and misdemeanors' committed by Trump and almost every one of his cabinet members. Even if the co-conspirators in the senate block it, we must have the crimes on record.
If the Democrats take the House, they SHOULD do every one of the impeachments recommended here. It's not as though the Republicans in congress would be doing anything good for the country anyway.
You know what a waste of time and resources looks like? Every ongoing single grant and project that was cancelled by this maladministration or ends up in limbo for years. The destruction of the NIH, FDA, CDC, NSF, NOAA, and NASA science. If the projects can't finish, then every bit of effort and every penny spent over the years before cancelling was wasted.
If they take the house, does that mean Democrats can also impeach SCROTUS?
Well, yes, the House could impeach Thomas and Alito for their corruption and Kavanaugh for perjury during his confirmation hearing.
But as we saw in Trump's fully justified impeachments, the only way the senate would convict and remove them would be if the Democrats get a 60-seat majority and six Republicans joined to vote to convict, or some other route to 66 guilty votes. Unless something changes drastically, I don't see that happening.
But impeachment could definitely work for RFK, Jr. and possibly Hegseth, who have committed enough egregious, public mistakes to earn some guilty votes from senate Republicans.
What's your beef with Thomas Edsall?
Oh, his format is just hard to read. He creates a theme and then illustrates it with excerpts from emails or other quotes by the individuals he is citing. Jen Rubin's style is far more fluid :)
This is an excellent idea. It should have been implemented 7 months ago.
So let’s do it now…no more waiting out any more of the GOP destruction of lives.
Way to go, Norm!!! This is a fantastic, even genius idea -- creating weeks of political clarity with the drama and substance of theater, but in reality confers the kind of gravitas and integrity to oversight that the American people deserve, and as befits the hallowed institution of our Congress. It would be a far cry from the low bar of governance the Republican Party has set. You are thinking like a Founding Father would!! It would be a fitting response to the horrors that currently consume the Nation, about which Congressional Democrats merely wring their hands and seem as flummoxed and caught as off guard as most of us feel. Our democracy has been hijacked by fascist ideologues currently at war with America; Democrats in Congress, as well as across the country, need to stand up and do their part to save the plane of thought democracy rides upon!
Absolutely like a Founding Father. Do you think Jefferson, Hamilton or Adams would be wringing their hands over this fool of a president? Hell no. They'd be going after his cronies, big time. And the first asshole to be impeached should be Miller.
I am wondering if Norman Ornstein has shared his proposal with the leaders of Indivisble.org.
It seems like this is something tht activist groups can help lobby for.
Norm, hope you’re slipping your idea(s) through to the Dems because they are good ones. Long ago, Prof. Timothy Snyder suggested this should be the way to combat these monsters (mumsers). Let’s do this!
"Under House rules, impeachment resolutions are highly privileged and supersede any other pending business."
Thank you for this point of education. If I'd learned it in my Government & Civics class long ago, I'd forgotten it. Yes, invoking impeachment proceedings would bring more far-reaching attention to these peoples' atrocities and illegal behavior, and a shadow cabinet that loudly reports on their actions sounds to be an excellent idea. We need and deserve more accurate information than we're being fed. Now, what to do about the media that doesn't do it?
This is the BEST practical and effective political solution I have read or heard about since Trump's second election. The crisis is NOW and our so-called leaders must take action NOW. Here are the nearly perfect next steps to take to restore our democracy and hold the fascists and grifters now in power accountable for their appalling actions. Congratulations and THANK YOU, Mr. Ornstein!
Some of us called for the Democrat Party to function in the manner of a British opposition party, as early as last January or February.
Such a step seemed at least a minimal antidote to idiocy.
Obviously, that would have included formation of a shadow cabinet.
That said, such assertive stepping out against the regime would require a robust plan, and superb organization, to carry it out.
The idea is still there, waiting to be implemented.
There is a sense in which it is not all that complicated. But it does require energy and intent.
I suggest that Pete Buttigieg, who is between jobs at the moment, do the organizing. Crickets from the DNC.
The DNC has seemed to be somewhat crickets, since Trump and Musk assumed office last January.
The DNC should have anticipated this and had the workings in place even before inauguration. Even someone like me, without political wisdom, saw this eventuality. Hell, I even dreamed he'd nuke CA to make his agenda work. Make this happen starting tomorrow and make sure MSM attends. The workings of government must grind to a standstill now. Then people will start paying attention. Get this done DNC! Any delays are compounding the damage to our country.
Well, I may be alone in my sentiments, but I think impeachment against Cabinet members is an excellent idea. Of course, it wouldn't fully take, but it would bring to the forefront all of their criminal misdeeds, and really make Trump squirm. Of course, he would show it as rage, but that's no different than he ever is, as unstable as he is. Let's get it done!
BRILLIANT, Norm! What can Contrarians do to make this happen? Send a copy of your column to all Dems mentioned?
đŸ’¯! Clear them all out!
Article || Executive Branch
Section 4 Impeachment
The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.
Without our health we are in incapable of doing anything so first order of business is definitely getting RFK out before he kills us all! How on earth is he able to make such frightening decisions on any aspect of our health with no medical or scientific degree or knowledge! Worse yet he challenges and disrespects years and years of scientific research that scientists have dedicated their time to in order to improve our lives; in less than 6 months he doing his best to dismantle all of it! Congress wake the hell up!!
At the same time, Trump's tariffs and immigration vendetta are threatening our food supply. Since we'll have no allies left in about 10 minutes, if we lose our farm and processing output at the same time that we lose the medicine we all need, we are doomed.
Love it ... use every tool available to bring attention to the risks to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness due to the #47 regime ... and slow down the GOP members of congress letting those risks happen.
The time is now. Write your Senate and House members. Better yet, call them.
My House member is Scott Perry. My Senator are McCormick and Fetterman. There is no point in writing to them. :-(
They are required to track constituent messages whether they act on them or not, so expressing your concerns puts you on the books along with all the others who do so on the same topic. Add your voice so those guys can't look away.
Oh yes there is. Public opinion can even move the massive ship of state if there is enough of it and it persists. Silence is complicity.
I share your Senators and have, evidently, gotten the same offensive platitude-filled letters. Still, we must write and call them, over and over. Maybe at the very least we can cause them a little anguish about their electoral success next time around.
Still write to the Senators.
I do write to them. My point is that it is unlikely that any of my representatives would initiate an impeachment of any of the members of Trump's Cabinet.
I’m glad you write to them. Someone from Sen. Fetterman’s team may reach out more than someone like Susan Collins’ team, etc.
Fetterman is a Democrat!
Then let him speak and vote as a Democrat.
And how do we get the Dems to do this??
I just e-mailed my Rep. Maxine Dexter, whom Norm suggests on a physician-staffed impeachment of RFK with a link to this article. She pays attention to every constituent contact. Let's get the ball rolling.