Long Train of Abuses

Article II, Section 4. of the U.S. Constitution: The President, Vice President and all civil officers of the United States, shall be removed from office on impeachment for, and conviction of, treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.

Article IV, Section 3: Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying war against them, or in adhering to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort. No person shall be convicted of treason unless on the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act, or on confession in open court.

Article I, Section 3: (in part) The Senate shall have the sole power to try all impeachments. When sitting for that purpose, they shall be on oath or affirmation. When the President of the United States is tried, the Chief Justice shall preside: And no person shall be convicted without the concurrence of two thirds of the members present.

Judgment in cases of impeachment shall not extend further than to removal from office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust or profit under the United States: but the party convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject to indictment, trial, judgment and punishment, according to law.

When is enough treason enough?  When it is treason enough to cry “treason” and to act on it?  Is there honor enough left to the Chief Justice and sitting members of the Senate that they will act on oath an affirmation?

America must now contemplate such questions (or bury their heads down rabbit holes).  We have an person leading the executive office of the United States Government that is difficult to address as Mr. President, a title that should both be earned through votes and respect.

One could argue that Donald Trump successfully received the electoral votes – perhaps  because most electors are were dissuaded to vote against a person already under federal investigation by the hefty fines states levy against electors who vote against the recipient of the most votes in that state.

It seems that the Trump has set out to destroy governmental agencies.  Not fix, modify, reform, or improve them.  Destroy them.  Education, Environment, Financial, even the State Department.  It seems he tries to destroy international institutions, at least though lack of funding, and foreign governments through threats, bombastic statements, or decrease in funding.

This alone is not treason.  Treason is conspiring with a foreign government against your own, and Trump has been under investigation for this since before he was elected president.

I’ve seen many liberals and progressives online pushing Article II Section 4 of the Constitution – “The President, Vice President and all civil officers of the United States, shall be removed from office on impeachment for, and conviction of, treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors” – and have seen none pushing the other relevant Aritcles and Sections quoted above – “No person shall be convicted of treason unless on the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act, or on confession in open court,” AND “The Senate shall have the sole power to try all impeachments. When sitting for that purpose, they shall be on oath or affirmation. When the President of the United States is tried, the Chief Justice shall preside: And no person shall be convicted without the concurrence of two thirds of the members present.”

To date one person has stated in open court that the president ordered him to break the law (some time just shortly before he was elected president), but the order was to cover up a financial payment (a high crime or misdemeanor perhaps) but not treason.

There’s undoubtedly more out wrongdoings out there, and many have already surfaced.  Leading de facto the Grand Old Party, Trump has pulled the party – if it wasn’t already there – into a Russian fetishism ranging from usurpation in Ukraine to love of a Russian infiltrator.  During his candidacy for high office several of Trump’s team met with a Russian lawyer at one of Trump’s glorious hotels.  The list goes on.

We know what the facts are if we have rejected all reality.

It comes down to this.  House Representatives must file an article of impeachment for an officer – yes, the president is merely an officer of the executive branch of a democratic government that answers to the people – to be removed from office.  At first glance, and at second glance and all the glances thereafter, it seems that these Congressional Representatives are weenies more interested in their temporary careers than in carrying out their oath of office to serve the Constitution of the United States.

That is to say,  my Congressman, and many others, simply hem and haw at the idea of filing an article of impeachment.  Such an act should not be taken lightly – cries of treason and impeachment are common, and acting on such cries is thankfully uncommon – but attempts to join with a foreign country to destroy our own (that is what Trump is doing) must be addressed as such.