As oft asserted via the Intramuralist, we talk about what people are talking about. It can be deep, shallow, silly, sentimental, controversial or intense; our goal is to converse respectfully, especially, always of the one who feels differently than we do. In 2019’s America, such can be incredibly difficult; it takes work; it takes intentionality; it takes sincere respect of all people. Such doesn’t make it any lesser of a goal.
My sense, therefore, is we should talk about impeachment. However, many people are actually not talking about impeachment. Why? Perhaps because it’s too argumentative… or perhaps because too many unanswered questions are in play. With all due respect — and with the recognition that all respectful opinion is welcome…
- What did Pres. Trump do?
- When did the idea of impeachment begin?
- How many people made up their minds on what Pres. Trump did before the impeachment process ever began?
- How many people made up their minds without hearing all the evidence?
- Have we heard all the evidence?
- Do we need to hear from more who claim to have relevant information?
- What’s the basis for the current timetable?
- Are those on the left and right being honest and transparent about their basis for the current timetable?
- How partisan is the process?
- Does that matter?
- Is the process fair?
- How much has partisanship mattered historically in the impeachment process?
- Was the process partisan and/or fair during Pres. Clinton’s impeachment hearings 21 years ago?
- If older, are each of us responding the same or differently than we did 21 years ago?
- Is a different response justifiable or no?
- Is there any undetected hypocrisy in ourselves?
- How much do policy differences play into impeachment opinions?
- How much does a soaring economy affect our perspective?
- How many people’s opinions are based upon who they voted for in the 2016 election?
- How many people’s opinions are based upon Pres. Trump’s personality?
- How many people’s opinions are based upon where they get their news?
- How limited is our perspective?
- How objective is the media?
- Does the media have an agenda?
- Are there no Republicans who support impeachment?
- Are there no Democrats who oppose impeachment?
- Is their support or opposition to impeachment based more on evidence or polling data?
- Are there Republicans who would support impeachment if they didn’t fear retaliation by Pres. Trump?
- Should polling data matter?
- How much does the next election matter?
- Who is faking objectivity?
- Is the media handling this similar to the processes involved with Presidents Nixon and Clinton?
- Are we aware that the House has impeached 19 federal officers since 1789, initiating impeachment proceedings 62 times?
- Is it relevant that the Washington Post published “The Campaign to Impeach President Trump Has Begun” on January 20, 2017?
- Are there any current questionable activities that were accepted in the Obama and Bush administrations?
- Was military aid intentionally withheld from the Ukrainians pending investigation of the Bidens?
- When Pres. Trump referred to the Biden’s, was it in reference to the 2016 or 2020 election?
- How much military aid was given to Ukraine under previous presidents?
- Do Pres. Trump’s activities constitute “high crimes and misdemeanors”?
- What exactly is the definition of “high crimes and misdemeanors”?
- Are all/some/or none of Pres. Trump’s activities impeachable?
- What will the Articles of Impeachment include?
- How do we objectively qualify and quantify “abuse of office”?
- If the withholding of evidence from Congress is an impeachable offense, does it matter that Pres. Obama admitted intentionally withholding evidence from Congress in regard to the
Fast and Furious” investigation? - Does the motive to damage Pres. Trump politically prior to the 2020 campaign exist?
- How does this all affect the 2020 election?
- Does Pres. Trump have an organized strategy in all this, or is he rhetorically flying by the seat of his pants (and his Twitter account)?
- Does the impartiality of the whistleblower matter?
- Does his contact with Rep. Adam Schiff’s office matter, which occurred prior to making his complaint public?
- Why did Rep. Schiff wrongly claim there was no prior contact with the whistleblower?
- Are the overseas activities of Hunter Biden relevant?
- Is a focus on Hunter Biden simply a decoy to defer blame?
- How much should Hunter Biden’s character reflect upon Joe?
- What is the role of Rudy Giuliani?
- If it’s unlikely that Pres. Trump will be removed the Senate, what is the purpose of impeachment?
- Were Republicans motivated by the same measure when the House impeached Pres. Clinton?
- How do we react to Rep. Al Green’s disgust that not one person of color was called upon among the impeachment experts in the House hearings?
- Does Michael Bloomberg’s recent entry into the presidential race have anything to do with the current impeachment focus?
- Why are Rep. Schiff’s eyes always opened really big?
- Why does Rep. Jim Jordan not wear a jacket?
- Why does Pres. Trump seemingly taunt Congress, saying this week, “Do it now, fast”?
- When Speaker Pelosi said this week, “Politics is not even a consideration in this,” was she telling the truth?
- Does it matter if our elect are telling the truth?
- How much is Pres. Trump manipulating the Constitution for his own purposes?
- How much is Congress manipulating the Constitution for their own purposes?
- What’s next?
- If Pres. Trump is removed from office, will Congress support a President Pence?
- Will the Supreme Court’s Chief Justice influence the process?
- What precedent are we setting for future impeachments?
- Does what the public wants matter?
- How do we heal?
- How should we pray?
- Do a majority in the country see how each of us contributes to the divisiveness?
- Is the majority silent?
- What are we de-emphasizing in order to hold the opinion that we do?
Ugh. Insert sigh here. With all those questions, I get it; it can be exhausting. Too many valid questions are going unanswered.
Respectfully…
AR
Too much has happened that words cannot be shared at this point. So…America will speak next November election.