Wouldn't counting the votes before the impeachment proceeding start

[madokie]

be getting the cart before the horse. our law is innocent before found guilty so how can we say the votes are not there when the trial hasn't even started is what I want to know I guess. we who want impeachment are being denied redress of the many crimes of the bush/cheney cabal in this denial it looks to me like. going into an impeachment trial with ones mind already made up would be illegal wouldnt'it, improper at the least. premeditated even

help me out here to understand how this all works, thanks

[rodeodance]

1. the lid was shut long time ago. Our Dem leaders did NOT try to rally any votes

[madokie]

2. what I'm saying is I sure wouldn't want to go to trial where everyone already knows how they are

going to vote, thats illegal best I can figure out, So in my case and if that is the case then why is the trial of impeachment any different, I can't see it so help me out here.

add: the dems can't know the total of the votes yet could they???

[madokie]

3. Kick

[onenote]

4. two step procedure. three votes

Impeachment is a two step procedure requiring three votes.

The first vote is the one that the full House takes to authorize and direct the Judiciary Committee to investigate and report back with recommendations as to whether articles of impeachment should be considered.

The second vote is a vote by the full House (assuming the judiciary committee reports back with proposed articles)on whether to impeach.

The third vote is by the Senate (assuming articles of impeachment were adopted by the full House) on whether to convict or not.

The problem is not merely that there aren't likely to be sufficient votes to convict. Its that there aren't likely to be sufficient votes to impeach or even to authorize the Judiciary Committee to conduct an inquiry. Even the co-sponsors of DK's impeachment resolution blinked when the opportunity was presented to force an up/down vote on articles of impeachment regarding cheney. Instead they supported referring DK's resolution to the judiciary committee.

By the way, I agree that chimpy/cheney have shredded the constitution, but isn't there a bit of irony citing the principal of innocent until proven guilty and then simultaneously expressing a demand for redress for the many crimes of chimpy/cheney?

[madokie]

7. bad wording on my part

the many alleged crimes it should have been. my bad

[sampsonblk]

5. K & R

Its like polling the jury before you put on your murder case.

[Freddie Stubbs]

6. Most DA's won't bring charges if they beleive that they cannot convince a jury to convict

Well, except for that guy in Durham County, NC.