Critics have frequently disapproved of Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s decision to formalize impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump. Among other things, they label it as a massive waste of time, citing that since the Senate is politically aligned with Trump, convicting him of any crime is impossible. However, even if the removal of the president from office is the improbable outcome, an official impeachment procedure is still certainly beneficial to U.S. democracy.
The process of impeachment is a major tenet of the Constitution and is designed to punish political crimes. Even if there are concerns that the long hours spent on the hearings could be used for policymaking or community engagement, conducting impeachment when necessary is still the civil duty of the House of Representatives. In fact, Pelosi had proven that she was very reluctant to start the official inquiry, and only did so after something truly substantial surfaced. It is inexcusable to stifle a democratic process simply because political wrongdoing is judged with regards party strength, rather than impartial truth.
The impeachment process will inform the 2020 election. Voters are consistently caught in a flood of information, streaming from websites, news channels and social media. As a result, some citizens simply refuse to scrutinize the intense tribal arena of American politics, and are subsequently absent from the polling booth. However, the impeachment process will encourage them to seriously consider the president’s guilt or innocence. In the aftermath of such a serious charge, voters will be far more driven to express their opinions through the ballot, increasing turnout and establishing a more accurate representation of the people’s will.
The very threat of impeachment also deters future presidential misconduct. Without considerable opposition in the other branches of government, political strongmen are free to subvert our democratic institutions. Even if Trump is not removed from office, he will be far less keen to continually violate executive protocol in the future. Future presidents will also be less likely to engage in destructive behavior.
Given the wealth of evidence implicating Russia in interfering with our elections, the impeachment process is a sign that their encroachment of our democracy will not go unanswered.
Our representatives should be applauded for fighting to preserve the integrity of our elections, not condemned for disregarding the overly partisan power structure that taints Congress. However, the true decision regarding the length of Trump’s presidency will still be in the hands of the American voters.
It is no secret that President Donald Trump has said and done things that are, at the very least, a little bit suspicious, including the phone call with Ukraine’s president that has led to impeachment process. However, the impeachment should not move forward since Trump’s exchange with Ukraine is not considered as “Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors,” as outlined by Article II, Section 4 of the Constitution, and the heavy focus on his impeachment only contributes to the division of our country.
In this day and age, America is already politically deeply divided, with extreme conservatives and extreme liberals. In 2016, the National Public Radio stated that less Americans identified as moderate than somewhat or very conservative/liberal than in 2012. Both parties cling desperately to their beliefs about Trump, regardless of reason or logic. Political arguments at the dinner table and on social media have become more and more common. The efforts to impeach the president only lead to more polarization and a wider gap between the political parties in America. Common ground between Democrats and Republicans is becoming harder to find, and an effort to impeach Trump only harms the unity of our country even further.
Unlike previous impeachment inquiries, Trump’s has a very weak basis. In one of America’s successful impeachments in 1868, Andrew Johnson was accused of dismissing Edward Stanton, contrary to The Tenure of Office Act, which stated that a president could not dismiss appointed officials without the consent of Congress. Trump has not directly opposed any of Congress’ laws. Richard Nixon was accused of spying on his Democratic opponent by listening to phone lines and stealing secret papers. Trump has not snooped on other politicians. Bill Clinton committed perjury by denying the accusations about having a sexual relationship with Monica Lewinsky and was accused of obstruction of justice when trying to convince Lewinsky to lie about the relationship. Even such a severe criminal act did not result in removal, and Trump hasn’t even committed a crime in the first place.
The election for the next president is coming soon. Voters should take into consideration the benefits that Trump has brought to everyday American life more than the impeachment news that the media seems to only show. Though many feel that Trump should be held accountable for his words and actions, the impeachment only further divides America.