# The Trump Impeachment Inquiry **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [September 24, 2019, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771 "2019-09-24T20:23:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 145
**Author:** ![KidCharlemagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2019, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/2881 "2019-10-17T15:41:17Z")
> [@KarlGauss](#): > > But this time he’ll only get support from the 40 percent, so Trump’s opponent _will_ win, whoever she/he is. That’s as of now. I pray to the Magical Sky Pixie you’re right. ---
**Author:** ![Akaj](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akaj/32/145_2.png) [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2019, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/2882 "2019-10-17T15:52:25Z")
> [@KidCharlemagne](#): > > I don’t understand why a group of Dems in the House don’t conspicuously work on an infrastructure (or anything whatever) bill to show the people that they are still moving forward on important issues. Hold a press conference to unveil it and make a big deal about still getting work done. it doesn’t matter if it’s a damn resolution that’s half a page long - it’s just propaganda. That’s a good point – if all the news coming out of the House is impeachment impeachment impeachment, it reinforces the GOP story. They should be making just as big a deal about positive initiatives – even if we all know that anything passing the House will die a silent death in the Senate. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2019, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/2883 "2019-10-17T15:54:56Z")
> [@KidCharlemagne](#): > > I don’t understand why a group of Dems in the House don’t conspicuously work on an infrastructure (or anything whatever) bill to show the people that they are still moving forward on important issues. Hold a press conference to unveil it and make a big deal about still getting work done. it doesn’t matter if it’s a damn resolution that’s half a page long - it’s just propaganda. If they did that, do you think it would actually get mentioned in the news? ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2019, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/2884 "2019-10-17T15:59:21Z")
2 very strong posts, **KidC**. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2019, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/2885 "2019-10-17T16:03:13Z")
> [@KidCharlemagne](#): > > I don’t understand why a group of Dems in the House don’t conspicuously work on an infrastructure (or anything whatever) bill to show the people that they are still moving forward on important issues. Hold a press conference to unveil it and make a big deal about still getting work done. it doesn’t matter if it’s a damn resolution that’s half a page long - it’s just propaganda. [That’s more](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-congress-infrastructure/u-s-democrats-seek-up-to-2-trillion-to-invest-in-aging-infrastructure-idUSKCN1RN1VZ) [or less](https://www.ttnews.com/articles/defazio-house-transportation-panel-likely-take-infrastructure-bill-early-next-year) what [they are doing](https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/subjects/infrastructure_development/6363). Now, it would be nice if the press would focus on this, so that people don’t think that they are not doing these things, but infrastructure isn’t sexy and doesn’t get eyeballs. But you are correct, few people know much about the things that the democrats are doing that are not Trump impeachment related. Do you have any suggestions on how to make their actions more conspicuous? ---
**Author:** ![Akaj](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akaj/32/145_2.png) [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2019, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/2886 "2019-10-17T16:05:03Z")
> [@scr4](#): > > If they did that, do you think it would actually get mentioned in the news? Why wouldn’t it be? Isn’t every mainstream media outlet beside Fox News in the pocket of the Dems? Kidding aside, I agree that the public’s attention span probably can’t handle impeachment + another idea. But Dem reps need an answer to rebut the “witchhunt instead of ignoring America’s needs” narrative with the folks back home. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2019, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/2887 "2019-10-17T16:05:42Z")
> [@Akaj](#): > > That’s a good point – if all the news coming out of the House is impeachment impeachment impeachment, it reinforces the GOP story. They should be making just as big a deal about positive initiatives – even if we all know that anything passing the House will die a silent death in the Senate. At which point the conservatives point out that impeachment must not be that important any more if the Democrats have other things to talk about. Please try to remember that there is no right path to take when you are automatically wrong. ---
**Author:** ![KidCharlemagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2019, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/2888 "2019-10-17T16:12:03Z")
> [@scr4](#): > > If they did that, do you think it would actually get mentioned in the news? Definitely. Hold a big press conference. If Fox doesn’t cover it, which is unlikely, no harm done. If they utterly slam it, that’s good too. The people just need to see “Democrat” and “infrastructure bill” in the same sentence. Republicans realized long ago that’s politics is driven by propaganda and perception. All I ever hear regarding some Democratic initiative is how the Republicans are gonna spin it. Let’s do some spinning of our own! To those who say “we’re above that” I say: We can keep letting the Republicans spin the ball in one direction or we can apply an equivalent opposing force and at least achieve net zero spin. ---
**Author:** ![ShadowFacts](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shadowfacts/32/2934_2.png) [@ShadowFacts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowFacts)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2019, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/2889 "2019-10-17T16:20:54Z")
[Trump ordered diplomats to work with Giuliani on Ukraine, Sondland testifies.](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/oct/17/gordon-sondland-testimony-trump-giuliani-ukraine?CMP=fb_gu&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&#Echobox=1571324417) > [@The Guardian](#): > > Donald Trump instructed US diplomats to go through his personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, to make the Ukrainian president’s access to the White House dependent on launching investigations into Trump’s political opponents, the US ambassador to the EU has testified. ---
**Author:** ![KidCharlemagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2019, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/2890 "2019-10-17T16:21:33Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > [That’s more](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-congress-infrastructure/u-s-democrats-seek-up-to-2-trillion-to-invest-in-aging-infrastructure-idUSKCN1RN1VZ) [or less](https://www.ttnews.com/articles/defazio-house-transportation-panel-likely-take-infrastructure-bill-early-next-year) what [they are doing](https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/subjects/infrastructure_development/6363). > > Now, it would be nice if the press would focus on this, so that people don’t think that they are not doing these things, but infrastructure isn’t sexy and doesn’t get eyeballs. But you are correct, few people know much about the things that the democrats are doing that are not Trump impeachment related. Do you have any suggestions on how to make their actions more conspicuous? Turn the thing into a fucking carnival. Call the press for a “big announcement” on the steps of the Capitol building. Give it a slogan. Create a viral moment where Pelosi says something badass and then puts on her sunglasses and drops the mic. Basic marketing. The Dems need to shitcan half their strategists and replace them with marketing experts. The people want bread AND a circus. Give 'em what they want. I would much prefer politics not work this way, but that is the reality. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_stamos_left_ear/32/3198_2.png) [@John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Stamos_Left_Ear)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2019, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/2891 "2019-10-17T16:24:06Z")
> [@KidCharlemagne](#): > > I don’t understand why a group of Dems in the House don’t conspicuously work on an infrastructure (or anything whatever) bill to show the people that they are still moving forward on important issues. Hold a press conference to unveil it and make a big deal about still getting work done. it doesn’t matter if it’s a damn resolution that’s half a page long - it’s just propaganda. There have been many stories in major media about how the Democratic House has done exactly that. Here’s [Newsweek from last May](https://www.newsweek.com/republicans-democrats-house-senate-100-bills-1433843). [Here’s one](https://www.statesman.com/news/20191017/commentary-democrats-are-doing-peoples-business-while-republicans-serve-themselves) from just today in the Austin Statesman that points out 250 passed bills that the Senate has ignored. So… Yeah, the word is out there that this is happening. Press releases have been sent out. There are two problems: One, the impeachment is the biggest story. Two, people - even you, evidently - don’t pay attention to this kind of shit. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2019, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/2892 "2019-10-17T16:25:26Z")
> [@Akaj](#): > > That’s a good point – if all the news coming out of the House is impeachment impeachment impeachment, it reinforces the GOP story. They should be making just as big a deal about positive initiatives – even if we all know that anything passing the House will die a silent death in the Senate. Actually, Senate Democrats are talking this week about all the important bills that Moscow Mitch won’t bring to the floor, but nobody seems to care. [https://www.mymotherlode.com/news/local/890469/democrats-well-force-votes-on-health-care-taxes-climate.html](https://www.mymotherlode.com/news/local/890469/democrats-well-force-votes-on-health-care-taxes-climate.html) Criticizing the House for doing nothing is a clever talking point, but it isn’t factual. The House has passed 340 bills this year. The Senate has passed 115. Only 62 laws have been enacted. Oh sure, quite a few of those bills are post office renaming bills or whatever, but the fact is that the Republican-controlled Senate is the problem. It’s not a catchy talking point, but it is 100% the truth. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2019, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/2893 "2019-10-17T16:25:54Z")
> [@KidCharlemagne](#): > > Definitely. Hold a big press conference. If Fox doesn’t cover it, which is unlikely, no harm done. If they utterly slam it, that’s good too. The people just need to see “Democrat” and “infrastructure bill” in the same sentence. Republicans realized long ago that’s politics is driven by propaganda and perception. All I ever hear regarding some Democratic initiative is how the Republicans are gonna spin it. Let’s do some spinning of our own! To those who say “we’re above that” I say: We can keep letting the Republicans spin the ball in one direction or we can apply an equivalent opposing force and at least achieve net zero spin. [Seriously?](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-congress-infrastructure/u-s-democrats-seek-up-to-2-trillion-to-invest-in-aging-infrastructure-idUSKCN1RN1VZ) > [@The Headline](#): > > U.S. **Democrats** seek up to $2 trillion to invest in aging **infrastructure** Do you have any suggestion on how to get the american public to pay attention to what is going on? They are doing what you are suggesting, but people, including yourself, are not noticing. ---
**Author:** ![KidCharlemagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2019, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/2894 "2019-10-17T16:28:29Z")
> [@John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](#): > > There have been many stories in major media about how the Democratic House has done exactly that. Here’s [Newsweek from last May](https://www.newsweek.com/republicans-democrats-house-senate-100-bills-1433843). [Here’s one](https://www.statesman.com/news/20191017/commentary-democrats-are-doing-peoples-business-while-republicans-serve-themselves) from just today in the Austin Statesman that points out 250 passed bills that the Senate has ignored. So… Yeah, the word is out there that this is happening. Press releases have been sent out. > > There are two problems: One, the impeachment is the biggest story. Two, people - even you, evidently - don’t pay attention to this kind of shit. That’s why I said “conspicuously.” You can have a great product, but it won’t sell if you don’t proactively market it. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_stamos_left_ear/32/3198_2.png) [@John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Stamos_Left_Ear)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2019, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/2895 "2019-10-17T16:30:22Z")
Newsweek pointed it out. I could mention more outlets as well. But you already have been shown by others as well as myself that Democrats are doing these things and publicizing them. ---
**Author:** ![KidCharlemagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2019, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/2896 "2019-10-17T16:31:17Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > [Seriously?](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-congress-infrastructure/u-s-democrats-seek-up-to-2-trillion-to-invest-in-aging-infrastructure-idUSKCN1RN1VZ) > > Do you have any suggestion on how to get the american public to pay attention to what is going on? They are doing what you are suggesting, but people, including yourself, are not noticing. See post #2889. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2019, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/2897 "2019-10-17T16:36:21Z")
> [@KidCharlemagne](#): > > The Dems need to shitcan half their strategists and replace them with marketing experts. The people want bread AND a circus. Give 'em what they want. I would much prefer politics not work this way, but that is the reality. Can’t remember where I saw “the Dems brought a book to a Twitter fight”. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_stamos_left_ear/32/3198_2.png) [@John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Stamos_Left_Ear)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2019, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/2898 "2019-10-17T16:36:48Z")
[The Hill](https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/449780-a-list-of-the-democratic-legislative-priorities-being-held-up-in-the-senate) [ABC News](https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/halfway-year-congress-passed-17-laws/story?id=63258594): “So far this year, more than 100 bills have passed the House but have not made it through the Senate or onto the president’s desk, including a voters’ rights bill, a climate bill, and the Equality Act, sweeping legislation that protects LGBTQ people from discrimination in the workplace, housing, service and public accommodations.” [NPR](https://www.npr.org/2019/10/16/770712263/impeachment-inquiry-overshadows-hopes-for-moving-legislation-forward): “The House, controlled by Democrats, has passed dozens of bills that have languished in the Senate. That includes legislation like expanded background checks for gun purchases, campaign finance reform and a $15 minimum wage bill. Still, House Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi says lawmakers will continue to work outside their impeachment inquiry. She’s pitching her own plan so the government can negotiate lower prescription drug prices. And the House is negotiating with the administration on a new trade deal with Canada and Mexico. But she recently told reporters Trump is less responsive on those issues with the impeachment inquiry ramping up.” You need anything else? ---
**Author:** ![KidCharlemagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2019, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/2899 "2019-10-17T16:47:24Z")
> [@John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](#): > > [The Hill](https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/449780-a-list-of-the-democratic-legislative-priorities-being-held-up-in-the-senate) > > [ABC News](https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/halfway-year-congress-passed-17-laws/story?id=63258594): “So far this year, more than 100 bills have passed the House but have not made it through the Senate or onto the president’s desk, including a voters’ rights bill, a climate bill, and the Equality Act, sweeping legislation that protects LGBTQ people from discrimination in the workplace, housing, service and public accommodations.” > > [NPR](https://www.npr.org/2019/10/16/770712263/impeachment-inquiry-overshadows-hopes-for-moving-legislation-forward): “The House, controlled by Democrats, has passed dozens of bills that have languished in the Senate. That includes legislation like expanded background checks for gun purchases, campaign finance reform and a $15 minimum wage bill. Still, House Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi says lawmakers will continue to work outside their impeachment inquiry. She’s pitching her own plan so the government can negotiate lower prescription drug prices. And the House is negotiating with the administration on a new trade deal with Canada and Mexico. But she recently told reporters Trump is less responsive on those issues with the impeachment inquiry ramping up.” > > You need anything else? You realize this confirms my point and doesn’t refute it? It’s not reality, it’s perception. It’s marketing. Donald Trump didn’t get to where he is on substance. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2019, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/2900 "2019-10-17T16:48:58Z")
Sonland testifies.: “Based on the President’s direction, we were faced with a choice: We could abandon the goal of a White House meeting for President Zelensky, which we all believed was crucial to strengthening U.S.-Ukrainian ties and furthering long-held U.S. foreign policy goals in the region; or we could do as President Trump directed and talk to Mr. Giuliani to address the President’s concerns,” Sondland said in his opening statement. “We chose the latter path, which seemed to all of us – Secretary (Rick) Perry, Ambassador (Kurt) Volker, and myself – to be the better alternative,” Sondland continued. “But I did not understand, until much later, that Mr. Giuliani’s agenda might have also included an effort to prompt the Ukrainians to investigate Vice President Biden or his son or to involve Ukrainians, directly or indirectly, in the President’s 2020 reelection campaign.” > **[Ambassador breaks with Trump, testifying the President directed diplomats to...](https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/17/politics/sondland-deposition-impeachment-inquiry/index.html)** > > US Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland was directed by President Donald Trump to work with Rudy Giuliani on Ukraine, he told Congress on Thursday, and was left with a choice: Abandon efforts to bolster a key strategic alliance or work to... [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771.md?page=144) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771.md?page=146)