Just after the formal Hearing vote a certain someone, (I won't mention her name), walked into the den and said something like: "Well, they have done it, they just voted to impeach him."
When I explained that the Hearing had only voted to present impeachment charges and that the House still had to formally vote on those charges before they could be sent to the Senate for a trail to vote on removal for office, it was news to her. She thought a vote for impeachment meant removal.
When I explained that it didn't, she said: "Well, at least he can't run for election again."
You can imagine the look on her face when I told her that it was almost certain that the Senate would not convict the president and remove him from office and that he certainly could run for re-election.
My point is; Although she may not be politically knowledgeable, she is not a dummy. So I am wondering if she is representative of the average American voter? Do you suppose a majority of voters have the same thoughts about the results of this impeachment process?
I wonder how many voters think impeachment automatically means removal and disqualification?
GA
There is no doubt a considerable amount of misunderstanding about the process, even among the junkies on these forums much less among the average Joe/Jane who doesn't pay close attention.
I know this doesn't apply across the board...but what I have experienced personally over the last few weeks is this...
Friends/Family who claim Democrat have similar thoughts as your example.
Friends/Family who claim to be Independent or Republican knew that it takes conviction in the Senate for removal and/or preventing from holding future Office of Honor.
The exceptions were my friends/family older than 50...almost every single one of them, regardless of political affiliation, knew it takes conviction in the Senate.
Most of the redneck Trump supporters around here can't understand how impeachment works either. Nor how a POTUS should act, for that matter.
Notice that I didn't use "insults" or insinuative name labels in my post.
Nor did I mention support for or against POTUS...I just stated party affiliation claimed and how they stated understanding of the impeachment process.
I didn't insult anyone as the rednecks around here are proud of the moniker. They'll admit it themselves if asked.
Hi Double Scorpion. I am a bit surprised by your "Democrat" category. But only because I hadn't given party affiliation any thought.
The ignorance, (descriptively and non-derogatorily used), of my one sample example was the point of the OP.
My question wasn't about whether the average voter is a dummy or their political knowledge was affected by party affiliation, but only a wondering about general political knowledge of the average voter - which I think will have a large impact on their view of the political news they absorb.
Now, with your noted anecdote, I have to wonder if party affiliation does affect how much attention the average voter pays to political issues.
GA
It doesn't seem to have hurt Bill Clinton.
I get your point Diane, but Pres. Trump will be the first impeached president to run for re-election, (a second term).
GA
Sadly, what I'm seeing is that a great many people have no clue as to what the articles of impeachment, or even the expected House vote of impeachment actually means. Likely over half in my rough estimation.
That is also another consideration relative to public opinion of the process. With past impeachments, there was an actual "crime" to be considered in the average voter's determination of right or wrong, guilt or innocence. With this impeachment, that same average voter will have to form an opinion of the "truth" of the charges based on an understanding of just what it is about the abuse of power and obstruction of Congress that is crime enough to warrant Impeachment/Removal from office.
Of course, I am still wondering about the size of the segment of voters that think like my unnamed "she," but I would be worried if it was as much as the half that you mention.
Or maybe not. I remember my late elderly mother speaking to me about her Medicare issues during the "wheelchair over a cliff" advertisements of a past administration. She didn't know any better either.
GA
Now he will have no career employees on his calls and will limit distribution of notes.
If he gets away with this he'll know no bounds. He learned nothing from the Mueller Report. Or perhaps he learned he could indeed do anything he wanted without fear of being reprimanded by his party. Looks like the latter....
He doesn't want career employees on his calls. We would not have known about the Ukraine plot w/o career employees. The international area is reeeal dangerous. Decisions can't be made off the cuff. Tough Trump loves rocket man, rocket man is still testing! Erdogan, Putin and MBS are heartless murderers.
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