# Presidential Prosecution - Why is there such a gaping void in our constitution? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [June 16, 2017, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-prosecution-why-is-there-such-a-gaping-void-in-our-constitution/789120 "2017-06-16T15:11:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 66
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2017, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-prosecution-why-is-there-such-a-gaping-void-in-our-constitution/789120/66 "2017-06-20T02:52:17Z")
> [@YamatoTwinkie](#): > > Right now, you’re probably right. But come 2018 elections, if Trump’s approval ratings continue to sink below 25%? They’ll drop him like a hot potato. > > You have to look at it from their perspective: There’s just no incentive for impeachment currently. The FBI and Senate investigations are still in the early stages, with a lot of smoke but no (clear) fire. Trump still has significant popularity with his base. Regardless of how many of them probably feel about Trump personally, and how many of them would probably prefer Pence, the best course of action is to ride it out, get legislation passed, and play tepid defense for Trump (with just enough support to satisfy their base, and just weak enough praise to say “i-told-you-so” when he catastrophically fails later on) . To do otherwise risks angering their constituents right now, and getting primaried. Especially if the investigations don’t turn up anything conclusive, and Trump (miraculously) manages to turn off Twitter, does something presidential, and his approval ratings climb above 45%. > > But once the mid-terms get close, and assuming Trump’s base support starts to erode, and his general poll numbers are below the 30’s, every R in congress in vulnerable districts is going to start looking for the exits. If faced with a electoral tsunami, the R’s are going to abandon ship and preserve their own jobs. Trump is going to, rightly or wrongly, live or die on his approval numbers, his down-ballot effects on the 2018 and 2020 elections, and all the political tea-leave readings from the state and special elections in between those years. > > The founding fathers decided to (i think wisely) put the brakes on the presidential removal. The president was elected for a reason. Having a president get kicked to the curb every time his or her poll numbers dip below 50% means that the president is never going to be able to make tough decisions that may upset the masses. That’s why such a high bar is needed for impeachment in the senate. With 6-year terms, they should ideally be able to make a decision farther-removed from mob-rule. Unfortunately, the Senate never even sees it unless the House votes to impeach. Guess who holds their biggest majority in decades? Contrary to what seems to be the consensus opinion around here, I doubt the Dems will win the House back in 2018. The Pubbies still have all the electoral advantages, and Dems can’t seem to be bothered to get off their asses and do anything about it. Nor do I have any faith in those so-called ‘moderates’ who voted for change for change’s sake, regardless of what clown they put in to damage our national standing, dignity, and institutions and gave complete control. If they’re dumbfucks enough to do it once, they’ll buy the Republican bullshit again. Who are they going to get primaried by? Trump’s numbers aren’t going to drop significantly. He’ll maintain just about the same level of true believers for whom it’d be an honor to eat his shit. They can rationalize anything. --- _[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-prosecution-why-is-there-such-a-gaping-void-in-our-constitution/789120)._