If you've read the news lately or scrolled through social media, you've likely heard rumors that Donald Trump may soon be subject to impeachment, which could result in the end of his presidency. Although the last 4 months have been nothing short of change and controversy, do Trump's most recent actions really warrant the end of his leadership? And even if they do, will he actually be impeached?
Each and every person has their own opinion of Trump's actions. Whether or not we believe his recent political measures to be right or wrong, he still must hold himself up to the highest governmental standard. This first and foremost applies to his adherence to the United States Constitution - a document that has guided our country for over 200 years. This document holds incredibly crucial information that guides the impeachment process and determines the fate of leaders who are said to be at fault. According to the Constitution, a President can only be removed from office for "treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors." If Trump is found to be guilty of any of these components, sure, he just might be impeached. That won't happen, however, and here are the three reasons why:
1. We have a Republican House and Senate.
For the first time since 1928, all 3 branches of government have a Republican majority. Even the Supreme Court has a 5-4 majority in favor of the Republicans. To bring the impeachment vote to the floor, there must be a simple majority vote from the House of Representatives. If this vote passes, the article is passed to the Senate where a two-thirds majority vote is required for conviction. There is an incredibly slim chance that this vote would pass unless Trump committed a truly heinous crime; and thus far, that hasn't happened. In addition, as a matter of comparison, previous Presidential impeachments were faced by opposing parties who held the majority and wanted the President out for more reasons than just one. This is not the case right now and henceforth makes it difficult for the vote to even reach the Senate.
2. The process itself would destroy the Republican agenda.
Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell want their political ideas to become reality. They want taxes cut, spending decreased, and favorable conservative policies passed. An elaborate impeachment process would only slow this down and put their agenda at risk of destruction. The current structure of the United States government is favorable towards the Republican timetable, and impeachment would distract from the support needed to benefit the red party nationwide. Ryan and McConnell are the only ones who get to decide if Trump's actions should be investigated; so what are the actual odds they choose that option when they have such a massive agenda to carry out? Slim. Very slim.
3. Trump technically hasn't done anything illegal.
It goes without saying that our President's decisions over the last four months are nothing short of contentious and questionable. Regardless of what party or candidate you have previously supported or currently side with, Donald Trump is unlike any leader the United States has ever seen. However, this does not mean that the judgement of his governmental decisions should be handled any differently than past presidents. If another politician in a different governmental branch had released critical information to the Russians, we would have something to talk about. Because Trump is the literal Commander-in-Chief of the United States, it is his choice as to whether or not he wants the Russians to receive these sensitive details. The explicit presidential powers in the Constitution are vague enough that Trump will most likely be able to get away with much more than he already has. It's much harder than it looks for a President to carry out an illegal action
Ultimately, what we have is the best case scenario for The Donald, and I don't see impeachment happening anytime soon, if at all.