Change The Constitution. Make Impeachment Votes Secret Ballot.

Robo said:
Why would we need to change the Constitution? The two Houses of Congress have the constitutional authority to make their own rules as long as they don't violate anybody's constitutional rights. The only constitutional mandate I know of concerning voting in impeachments is the mandate for a 2/3ds majority to convict.

Careful what you wish for Trump would likely have been acquitted by a 7/8 majority, huh? NAH! Never happen Democrats HATE Mob ain't that honest, or for that matter honest at all!
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There IS one good idea floating around, that is to require 3/5ths of the House to pass articles of impeachment, rather than the simple majority it now is.
Don't think that proposed amendment will get far until after the election though. This is being proposed by a Senator from Florida.
 
why is it that whenever lefties/righties want something bad enough, they are willing to surrender their own republic and the power of the people to get it?????
 
CFM said:
Not a peep about the EC being archaic or out of date until Hillary got her ass kicked under its provisions.
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not that I like supporting or defending anything you have to say, but at least here you are right about something. During the whole run up to the election, I seem to remember a shit ton of idol worshiping liberals crowing about how trump doesn't have the electoral votes to win.............
 
SmarterthanYou said:
not that I like supporting or defending anything you have to say, but at least here you are right about something. During the whole run up to the election, I seem to remember a shit ton of idol worshiping liberals crowing about how trump doesn't have the electoral votes to win.............
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Thanks. I'm right about a lot more than you're willing to admit.
 
Life is Golden said:
Nope, it was good as gold when Owebama won. :laugh:
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Don't be shocked when they say Obama also won the popular vote.

That would be a valid response if the Constitution also said you had to win the popular vote, too. No mention of popular votes at all when electing a President. In fact, the founders didn't believe the general public should vote for President. The only reason a State's popular votes determine how its EV's are divided is because the States themselves chose to do it that way.
 
PoliTalker said:
It is now obvious what must be done.

Politics must be suppressed at a time when the nation needs justice.
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You actually favor an Article 5 Convention of States? Or do you erroneously believe you can "change the Constitution" by some other means? Why is it when libs lose, they always want to change the rules?
 
Hello Tacomaman,

Tacomaman said:
Not a bad idea, except that elected officials are accountable to their constituencies. That cant happen if their votes are secret.
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An impeachment trial should not be a matter of legislators representing the positions of their constituents. The goal is to do impartial justice, the thing they all swear to do. By making the votes public, that guarantees that partiality will be injected into the proceedings. Every Senator/juror considered as a part of their judgement, how their vote would be perceived by their constituents, something which has nothing to do with the evidence. In an ordinary trial, jurors are sworn to decide the case based solely on the evidence presented. In order to make the Senate trial as just as possible, the Senators/jurors should have the influence of any consideration for how their votes will be perceived lifted, so that they may focus more solely on the evidence of the case and only the evidence of the case.
 
Hello Flash,

Flash said:
It is not like the vote would have been very different with a secret ballot.
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I should think it would. I have heard several times that when some trusted Republican friends speak candidly, they acknowledge that what Trump did was wrong, but then publicly thy tote the party line.

They goal of a trial is not to do partisan politics.

The oath attests to that. "SHALL do impartial justice."

One of the easiest ways to remove partisanship is with the secret ballot. No repercussions for the voting record.
 
PoliTalker said:
Hello Flash,



I should think it would. I have heard several times that when some trusted Republican friends speak candidly, they acknowledge that what Trump did was wrong, but then publicly thy tote the party line.

They goal of a trial is not to do partisan politics.

The oath attests to that. "SHALL do impartial justice."

One of the easiest ways to remove partisanship is with the secret ballot. No repercussions for the voting record.
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You don't think it would have changed any Democratic votes? You are suggesting only voting to impeach and convict would have been "justice" which is obviously a partisan belief.

Be honest PolitTalker, you would only be happy with the conviction of Trump and are happy with any changes in rules or procedures that would accomplish that result.
 
Eagle-Eye said:
Are you out of your mind? You want the removal of a president to be behind closed doors in a smoke filled room? The whole reason for sunshine laws is to keep political actions on the up and up. What a slippery slope you propose. Typical leftie didn't get your way so change the system so you can cheat next time.
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I have to agree,if you can vote for impeachment behind closed doors,you can vote for impeachment in the light of day
 
Completely antithetical to a republic. The People have Right to know what their representatives vote for.
 
Hello Flash,

Flash said:
You don't think it would have changed any Democratic votes?
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If there were a secret ballot in the House it might have changed some Democratic votes. No, I certainly do not think a secret ballot would have changed any Democratic votes in the Senate. What Trump did was wrong and it hurt America. Of course he should be removed from office.

Flash said:
You are suggesting only voting to impeach and convict would have been "justice" which is obviously a partisan belief.
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I can clearly see that Trump is guilty of a high crime against the USA. It is not based on partisanship. It is evidence based.

Flash said:
Be honest PolitTalker, you would only be happy with the conviction of Trump and are happy with any changes in rules or procedures that would accomplish that result.
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I do believe justice will be done when Trump is removed from office and the best case would be if by impeachment. I would totally support starting right back in again with another impeachment. Call Bolton. Call all the first hand witnesses who know what happened. Call Trump to the stand. It is absurd to take the unsworn word of the accused.

I would not support just any rule change just to get Trump removed. I would support rule changes that make sense, like a secret ballot. It is often said that impeachment is a political process. But I do not believe it is intended to be one. The oath does not say Senators swear to do impartial politics. They swear to do impartial JUSTICE. If we are trying to do justice then politics needs to be left out of it as much as possible. And one of the easiest ways to do that is secret ballots.

What, are you afraid the Republican Senators, freed of the criticism over their vote, will vote their conscience instead of the party line?

If you truly think it wouldn't change a thing, then why do you object to the idea? If you really believe what you say then it shouldn't matter.
 
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