Might Trump be willing to bargain away his presidency to avoid impeachment and imprisonment?

[MiniprotesterTodd]

Think about it. Most of us have probably heard the rumors that Trump expected to lose in 2016 and was prepared to cry foul, then use the resulting outrage to create instant demand for Trump TV. There is only one way for that possibility to be resurrected, and impeachment and removal won’t get him there.

Trump needs to resign while not admitting guilt on the brutal truths exposed on his Ukraine dealings. If he were to resign on his least damaging travesty, paying off Stormy Daniels, then he could continue to rail against those that extracted him and launch Trump TV on that.

I see four players in this: Trump, Pence, Democrats, and Republicans. And I assess what all of them can offer and hold out for in what I call: “The Art of the Impeachment Deal: the Leverage in Resignation.”

See what you think, and then vote in the poll at the end of it. Spoiler alert: my master plan of the best deal for everybody includes Pence resigning too but in a very defined way. Otherwise, if Republicans let it all play out naturally, they’ll be toast for a generation. Enjoy the dream, and tell me if it’s a worthy scheme...

[link:https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/10/18/1893429/-Art-of-the-Deal-to-Avoid-Impeachment-the-Leverage-in-Resignation|

[C_U_L8R]

1. He doesn't hold many cards

As much as I'd love to see him expelled from office right now, I'd rather see him ultimately in jail.

[MiniprotesterTodd]

9. If you could get a Dem President next month, would that offset letting Trump off the hook?

This is one of the notions that the article plays with, so please click the above link and see what the bargain consists of.

[Miguelito Loveless]

2. No, because he will never admit he was wrong

[Phoenix61]

3. This. It will nail him in the end. nt

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

5. +1,000

He'll claim the process was rigged and unconstitutional (!) and refuse to give up the office. We don't have a process established for physically removing a president from office if he won't leave.

Melania, on the other hand, will be on the first plane to NYC, where she'll have her lawyer look over her pre-nuptial agreement.

[Miguelito Loveless]

6. Oh, she will file for divorce so fast

The pre-nup will combust.

[MiniprotesterTodd]

10. But Trump won't have the keys to Air Force 1

Or Marine 1. If he doesn’t want to leave the White House, fine, but no more golf. No more Big Apple. If he does want to leave, he’ll have to do so without a helicopter, a motorcade, or a jet to get to NYC or Florida.

I don’t think Trump would make a very patient squatter. He’s addicted to perks (and addirol).

[PSPS]

4. LOL. This trial balloon is popping up everywhere. The kremlin is really exploring this avenue.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

7. My personal take is that he is so utterly convinced

Last edited Wed Oct 23, 2019, 02:34 AM - Edit history (1)

that he has done nothing wrong that he will try to remain in power even as he is dragged from the Oval Office.

He's delusional. More to the point, he's a total narcissist, which means that to him no one else is real. Only his perceptions matter. And so, he will plug on to the end.

I think it's also important to understand that for him everything is a version of NY real estate stuff and reality TV. If you look at his actions through those lenses, a lot makes sense.

[MiniprotesterTodd]

8. From the article: HOW THE DEAL MIGHT LOOK AND WORK

The link to the article in Daily Kos lays out all the cards. But this is how they’re played.

So here is how the deal of this century can be structured.

Trump resigns, but gets to choose what impeachable offense he’ll cite as the reason. Ukraine is way too messy and pulls in too many others. A better exit story would be admitting wrongdoing in the conspiracy with Michael Cohen in paying off Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal, a clear campaign violation. He can also claim health issues if he needs a little extra sympathy from his base.

Trump will agree to use all remaining money left in his inaugural fund towards paying back money earned in violation of the emoluments clause. If any money is still owed, that can come from his current campaign fund. He will issue no pardons before leaving office to anyone connected to his misdeeds. And he will offer closed-door, sealed testimony of his co-conspirators after leaving office. That way he can’t expect to be pardoned for perjury.

Pence is sworn in, but the deal requires that he is only President for two days. In those two days he’s only allowed to do three things of importance. Since Trump wouldn’t do this deal without a blanket pardon, Pence will give him one. Trump’s family, however, won’t get off completely. Don Jr. and Jared Kushner will have to plead guilty of obstruction of justice and conspiracy for different acts, but each will receive a suspended sentence and serve no jail time if they implicate co-conspirators. No pardons on Trump extend forward, however, so any future crimes can be prosecuted.

The second win for Pence will be signing significant legislation that has bipartisan support. This can be something like a comprehensive firearm background check bill that will have already made it through Congress. The third accomplishment for Pence will be to fire the ICE leadership for allowing private contractors to willfully house refugees in cruel conditions. If there is any true Christianity in Pence’s veins, this nod to the Golden Rule will be what he’s able to cherish from his short legacy as POTUS 46.

That same day, change will come to the House. Nancy Pelosi will step down as Speaker, and Hillary Clinton will be voted in as new Speaker of the House. This position does not require currently holding office in that chamber. Then the following day, Pence will also resign, again citing a reason of his own choosing.

Clinton will become the 47th US President, and the first woman. And she will pardon Pence on her first day. She will name Stacey Abrams as her VP. Abrams, already stung by voter suppression tactics in her governor’s race in Georgia, will immediately take the lead in pushing for election and campaign finance reforms. Pelosi will return to Speaker and add Abrams’ input to a re-write of H.R. 1, the House bill focusing on campaign finance and election reforms.

Clinton, however, will not seek re-election and today’s candidates will be able to continue their bids for the White House. Whomever wins, Abrams will be their running mate.

Now the Clinton factor may be a bit of a reach. A better replacement for Pelosi would be Adam Schiff. But he wouldn’t take the job for only a year. He’d run for reelection. Does anybody want Pelosi to stay and be President for awhile? More than a year?

[Timmygoat]

11. Just had a thought

When seeing the pullout by US troops, with rocks etc thrown at them.
Trump finally got his big parade, too bad he was not there to enjoy it!