Dems: "We've been very weak." WAPO impeachment update

[lindysalsagal]

‘We’ve been very weak’: House Democrats decry their oversight of Trump, push Pelosi on impeachment

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/weve-been-very-weak-house-democrats-decry-their-oversight-of-trump-push-pelosi-on-impeachment/2019/09/22/94fb9510-dd51-11e9-8fd3-d943b4ed57e0_story.html

By Rachael Bade and Josh Dawsey September 22, 2019 at 3:14 p.m. EDT

Democrats’ frustration with Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s unwillingness to impeach President Trump is reaching a fever pitch following reports that Trump pressured Ukraine to investigate a political rival — a step the California Democrat declined to endorse Sunday.

An increasingly vocal group of House Democrats are starting to dismiss their own oversight of Trump as feckless, even accusing their colleagues of emboldening the president by refusing to stand up to what they see as lawless behavior.

At the very least, these Democrats say, the House should be taking more aggressive action to break the unprecedented White House stonewalling, possibly even fining defiant Trump officials, an idea Pelosi dismissed this year.

“At this point, the bigger national scandal isn’t the president’s lawbreaking behavior — it is the Democratic Party’s refusal to impeach him for it,” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), a longtime impeachment backer, tweeted late Saturday night. “It is one thing for a sitting president to break the law. It’s another to let him. . . . The GOP’s silence & refusal to act shouldn’t be a surprise. Ours is.”

[empedocles]

1. Fining defiant trump officials is on the way, with foundation in place, as part of

a disciplined, well-considered strategy.

Impeachment Now, has not been, and is not now, disciplined, well-considered strategy.

Consider the comparative; wisdom, track record, credibility, and broad base winning appeal against trump, of Speaker Pelosi v. the very 'voluble from the start', 1st term Congressperson AOC!

[NewJeffCT]

17. fining via Inherent Contempt is a first step

but, when Mnuchin, Ross, the Acting DNI, etc don't pay their fines, are they going to take the next step of tossing them in the House jail?

Sure, it hasn't been used in 80 years, so may be dusty and moldy, but it's certainly better than the Concentration Camps on the border.

[RKP5637]

2. The democrats look weak and ineffective, that is the perception by many!!! tRump just runs over many

democrats with seemingly no repercussions.

[empedocles]

3. . . . a perception by many on the Dem farthest left. The real decisions on trump will

be made, as the decisions for a Dem Congress in 2018 were made, by voters across the political spectrum. That is how democracy works. Not necessarily by a segment of one party, or even one party, which the Founders very forcefully tried to prevent.

[ecstatic]

5. I'm nowhere near far left and

that's my perception as well. It's the perception of everyone who's paying attention.

[spanone]

6. farthest left?

[dalton99a]

8. Voters put Democrats in charge of the House.

[Maven]

19. LOL at the "Democrats have to represent conservatives too!" argument

It's a perennial favorite.

Also, there are never-Trump conservatives calling it treason and banging the impeachment drum while our own leadership sends strongly worded letters.

[JHB]

21. So who is the "farthest left"? What policies and positions relegate one there?

Where is the dividing line, as you see it?

Define it, please, because a number of people have already raised their hand and pointed out you are mistaken.

[Snackshack]

4. AOC is right.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

7. no. TrumPutin continues to be the biggest scandal

AOC is voicing some widespread frustration, but she's not right to conflate that frustration with Trump's and GOP's continuing assaults on democracy, decency, and law.

[ArcticFox]

13. No, she's right

Trump is running roughshod over the nation. Anyone can see he commits high crimes and misdemeanors constantly. Democrats were elected because the people wanted them to do something (like impeach the MF, duh). Those Democrats have, since then, ignored this mandate and failed the people.

For those who, like me, have been waiting over a decade for Democrats to grow a spine and do the will of the people, this is all very discouraging. If Democrats can't do the right thing even now, what's the point in trying to get them elected?

[Hermit-The-Prog]

15. NO. not impeaching is NOT a bigger scandal than caging children

You might want to take a break from the news, if it's making you wonder why you should try to get Democrats elected.

[ArcticFox]

16. Here's a way to look at it

I expected all of this from Trump. I'd hoped for much better from the Democratic House.

When the snake bites you, you can't blame the snake. It's a snake after all.

[Duncan Grant]

9. We have updated our "Chimp & Cheney" offense.

Just wait until congress returns from the holidays. It’s going to be fireworks! I just know it.

(By the way, what genius gave Allen Weisselberg an immunity agreement?)

[Skittles]

10. NO SHIT

[Wellstone ruled]

11. Yes,the line in the sand has

been crossed. Fully understand the Collegiality of House and Senate Members,but when you are being used as a Freind rather than a Representative of your Constituency,then it is high time to take those personal relations off the table and practice the rule of law.

Our Nation's patience has been worn thin by these actions. Many of us know the mind set of many of our Representatives. As one mentioned who worked the Hill,so many could give a shit less about their Constituent's until six months before elections and then suddenly they find those Public Events in order to preach their concerns. Oh btw,make sure get out their and vote and bring your Relatives along.

[Trueblue Texan]

12. I've not been hearing Nancy Pelosi in recent months...

...saying anything about refusing to impeach or anything much about impeachment at all. I've been hearing lots of squawking about that notion and her opposition to impeachment from various sources here and in the MSM. But what I've been actually seeing and hearing from Pelosi is her standing back calmly and letting the process move forward as it should. Yes, it's slow and I know everyone's hair is on fire. But we have to get this right. We can't let our strategy get shot down by a technicality. We need to move forward steadily, legally, while not allowing ourselves to be distracted by all the noise and chaos the Trump administration is so great at serving up.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

14. Kick

[Hotler]

18. No shit, and for way too long.

when the blue wave went through I was hoping that our party would find a spine and stop playing nice. I'm still waiting for that to develop.

[smirkymonkey]

20. Same here.

I am beyond frustrated.