Republicans should be challenged on the impeachment issue.
In my opinion, they should be forced to defend Donald Trump and his illegal activities. If they cannot defend him, then he should be impeached.
I think the Democrats have been very weak at standing up for themselves. They have not done a very good job at representing the Congress as an equal branch of government, in my opinion. I do not say this simply to be critical of the Democratic Party. I say it because it is a fact.
At the present time, out of 235 Democrats in the House of Representatives, only 135 have come out in favor of an "impeachment inquiry". I guess the other 100 still need to see more "evidence"? The foreign emoluments alone are enough to impeach and, if the shoe were on the other foot, Republicans would have impeached already.
This "vote count" is a perfect example of the Democrats' weakness, in my opinion. They don't have to take a formal vote. They only have to state a position. 218 Democratic votes in favor of a formal impeachment inquiry would send a strong message to an outlaw Administration. Unless Democrats are willing to put up 218 votes to hold this White House accountable, they will continue to be disrespected and ignored.
If they were stronger, they would go on the record as supporting an impeachment inquiry. This would send a powerful signal to the White House and to the Republican Party. You do not have a free ticket to do whatever you want.
If they truly wanted to be strong, they would call for an actual impeachment vote. They should not have to question about whether they have enough votes in their own Party? It should be a given.
If they were truly strong, they would impeach and not worry about the election schedule. They would investigate and call witnesses so long as necessary, in order to get all the facts out to the American people.
Then they could choose whether or not to send the evidence to Mitch McConnell and the US Senate?
If they were truly, truly strong, they would send the evidence to the US Senate and let them choose where they stand? Let them defend their positions. Let them defend the criminal activities of Donald Trump. Democrats should be prepared to defend their positions with facts and the truth. They need to confront the problem head on.
If their position was strong enough, they should be able to persuade a majority to their side. They should be confident in their position. They should relish making it an issue in the next election. They should not run from it.
It should be an issue. And they know it. To follow the polls at this time is just another sign of weakness, camouflaged as political pragmatism.
= new reply since forum marked as read
Although this story doesn't make me feel good at all. WTF? 
Does Schiff think this is the time to give the current DOJ this kind of power? What am I missing?
Congress To Consider Domestic Terrorism Bill
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) introduced legislation that would make it possible to prosecute white supremacist attacks, such as the shooting in El Paso, as acts of terrorism.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/adam-schiff-domestic-terrorism-bill_n_5d56f7b8e4b0eb875f2383a1
snip...
In order to bring domestic terrorism charges under Schiff’s bill, the attorney general or their deputy would have to provide a written certification that the offender intended to “intimidate or coerce a civilian population or to influence government policy through intimidation,” the congressman said.
snip...
The argument in favor of creating a domestic terrorism bill is two-fold: The lack of a broad domestic terrorism statute has historically made federal officials hesitant to call domestic terrorists what they are, and it has also meant that federal authorities have often relied on a piecemeal strategy of gun and drug charges to prosecute domestic extremists.
snip...
The current problem, according to former FBI agent Michael German, is a matter of priorities versus statutory authority. The FBI and Justice Department view eco-terrorists, anti-Trump protesters and so-called “Black Identity Extremists” as more of a threat than white nationalists, German said.
Empowering the attorney general to decide what constitutes terrorism is a “worsening of the situation we have now — where excessive resources are used to target people like anti-Trump protesters with the J-20 case while providing no additional resources to go after white supremacists,” German said.
...then the House, if still the majority, would simply continue with their impeachment.
I hope they have a plan. Elizabeth has a plan. 
