Voters voice doubts over impeachment hearings: 'This is just useless politics'
Well it seems like this "made for TV" mini series is falling a little flat. Not at all surprised. Perhaps like all series, this one needs to be cancelled.
"I'm not a politician. I can't say that he should be removed, but he's guilty," Robin Walton told ABC News on her way to Sunday services at Ebenezer Baptist Church in downtown Atlanta. "You cannot extort or bribe a foreign government into getting dirt on a political opponent to sabotage our free elections.
"More than two-thirds of Americans in a new ABC News/Ipsos poll agree that Trump's July phone call with Ukraine was "wrong." But, notably, 71% said their views on Trump's potential impeachment formed before the public hearings began.
About 1 in 3 Americans said their opinion was solidified even before the Ukraine story broke, according to the poll. Only half of Americans think Trump should be impeached and removed from office.
(MORE:70% of Americans say Trump's actions tied to Ukraine were wrong: POLL)
Ebenezer, the historic spiritual home of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and a hub of political engagement in the city's African American community, was buzzing with talk of impeachment on a recent Sunday. Members told ABC News politics and faith often go hand-in-hand.
"I trust God first. There is so much trauma -- crisis -- in the world," said one emotional Ebenezer congregant who asked not to be named. "I'm just looking for someone to lead us out of this mess."
Ernest Fry told ABC News he opposes Trump, but expressed frustration with the impeachment hearing.
"I've been following them off and on, but, you know, they aren't going to do anything, it's taking too long -- leave it to the voters," Fry said.
That sentiment was echoed by a family of longtime Georgia Democrats from their breakfast table 20 miles north in Gwinnett County, which has been rapidly diversifying ethnically and politically.
"It just seems like a big waste of time. What's it going to accomplish for us?" said Dan Cleveland, a 46-year-old public high school teacher and father of three. "He does bad stuff, but there are so many other things that we should be doing. This is just useless politics."
Two couples overheard debating impeachment over a meal at Rose & Rye, a Midtown watering hole, seemed equally exasperated.
"No matter what he does, they won't do anything," a woman said, referring to Trump and Republicans.
Across town at Paschal's, a historic local restaurant near Spelman College, families in their Sunday best devoured the famous fried chicken and cornbread over talk of football and politics.
"We have to speak up and be fearless. I'm proud that they finally have taken those steps to start these hearings," said Alisha Thomas Cromartie, a former Georgia state representative and host of the Fearless Chic podcast for young African American women. "I am becoming more and more interested in the conversation because people understand how important this is. This is not a political ploy."
For many Americans, keeping up with impeachment has not meant watching gavel-to-gavel coverage in real time. Many seek out highlights in the evening, either on the news or via social media.
"We're watching [coverage] every day," said the Thompson family, all nodding in agreement, as they shared brunch together after Sunday services.
(MORE: 5 key takeaways from Tuesday's impeachment hearings)
Belief in accountability was the most frequently cited reason for supporting the impeachment hearings, but there's also widespread recognition that Democrats don't have the votes in the Senate to remove Trump from office.
"Impeach and remove is a conversation we've been having with the younger people of color we work with, which leads us to conversations about the Senate. Impeachment has now become a local issue in Georgia," said Nse Ufot, executive director of the New Georgia Project, a nonpartisan voter advocacy organization that's significantly boosted registration of African American voters across the state.
Ufot said the impeachment conversation is helping highlight the stakes in turning out to vote: "Democrats only need four seats to flip the Senate and two of them are in Georgia in November of 2020," Ufot told ABC News.
Dr. Raphael Warnock, senior pastor of Ebenezer, told ABC News he's been telling members of his spiritual community "their civic engagement is part of their Christian responsibility."
"If you believe in human dignity, everyone ought to have a voice and so you ought to register voters, and you want to fight valiantly against voter suppression," Warnock said.
When asked what the stakes are next November, Warmock said: "Nothing less than the soul of this country."
Ahhhh daytime TV. The drama!! Instead of "As the World Turns" we have "As the Wet Dream Fades".
Clearly the worm has turned. There are polls now showing support for impeachment dropping among independents.
The worm is beginning his testimony in about 5 minutes. Sondland has turned on Trump. Today will be a disaster for Trumpworld.
This independent thinks the impeachment process should go on full speed ahead although Trump will likely die of a heart attack or a stroke before it's completed. When Trump tells the country that he doesn't have a serious medical condition, the safe bet is that he does.
I am so curious as to what happened at Walter Reed.
A checkup?
Nope.
Yeah that's why he was in and out an hour or so later.
And obviously it was...............
or we would have heard.............SOMETHING.
You have to be kidding me. Trump's press secretary would only have told you more lies. And believe it or not, doctors don't generally share information about their patients - it is against the law.
Voters do have a right to know about the President's health, especially when he's up for re-election and he's a fat old man with terrible eating/exercise habits. After all, he tried to make it all about Hillary's health - but no surprise, he's a total hypocrite who refuses to provide the transparency he screeches about expecting from others.
Riiiiiiiggggggghhhhhhttttttttt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
It's all those "nothing burgers" Trump has eaten that has led to his heart disease. Anyone claiming Trump is in great shape and isn't trying to hold in a laugh as they say it must be either blind or mentally unstable.
Still hoping?
Yes. If that's what it takes.
Really? If that’s what it takes to be rid of he whom you didn’t vote for?
Couldn't beat him in the election, so I suppose anything goes now.
Desperate times and all...……………………..LMAO!
Is that really something that you want to be on record as having said?
Trump and his followers are the ones saying "anything goes".
Of course, or I wouldn't have written it. See, I stand by what I write, JR.
Hilarious from you.
I don't see Trump supports posting hundreds, if not thousands of unsubstantiated articles on a little known web site, day in and day out.
I also don't see Trump supporters assaulting those that do not think like them, all in the name of hating Trump.
Who is it again that prefers the "anything goes" idea?
"This is just useless politics."
That sums it up.
Did you think it was useless when Clinton was impeached?
I'm in the "Present". Not the Past.
But, to answer your question.....Impeachment without an actual removal is a useless endeavor in my book !
Well then, impeachment is never going to be a useful endeavor - because as divided as our country is along partisan lines, I don't think Congress will ever vote to remove a President. Both parties are only interested in retaining their power, and neither actually gives a flying fuck about our country. No matter what Trump is proven to have done, the Senate will not vote to remove him. Just as Clinton wasn't removed from power when he was impeached.
I tend to agree with you about this, btw. Impeachment seems like a waste of effort when we know that the partisans will refuse to do their damn jobs and put our country and constitution first.
My only hope is that the impeachment hearings will make some people realize just how unfit Trump is and it will reduce his chances of re-election, but if the Democrats don't come up with some better candidates, that might not matter.
That's ALWAYS a "Given". Just watch folks wanting to be in, or stay in government every election cycle. A NO BRAINER !
"My only hope is that the impeachment hearings will make some people realize just how unfit Trump"
Why is Trump more unfit than all the others in congress that really don't "Give a Fuck" ?
Because Trump isn't some Professional Politician that voters actually voted for ?
We aren't in this fucking mess because Trump was "Elected". We're in this fucking mess because of the "Professionals" that have been in office, Before Trump.
His utter lack of ethics, honesty, competence, maturity, intellectual curiosity, common decency, integrity, sanity, intelligence, compassion, common sense - plus his pathological greed, narcissism, insecurity, etc. make him FAR worse than the others. Although I am really pissed off at the GOP Congress for refusing to do their job of checks and balances, too. They work for us, they are not supposed to be GOP toadies or Trump toadies.
In other words.....you don't like "BLUNT". You just want "Sugar and Spice" !
"Handing out Candy" makes you "Feel" good ?
That's all Government has done for you, Before Trump !
Oh.....by the way....that "Candy" actually costs you …..Every Fucking Time !
No, I want competent and ethical, and someone who puts our country ahead of his own interests.
And who tells you who is actually "Competent" and "Ethical" anyway !
The "Media" maybe ?
The "Professional Politician" themselves ?
Ever wonder how the "Professionals come out of office as millionaires ?
Probably NOT ! It wouldn't be "Prudent" if one needs the movie version of "Competent and Ethical" we're always shown !
They generally don't, unless they went in as millionaires. It's the speaking engagements and lobbyist jobs that make them rich afterwards. Speaking engagements - I have no problem with those, if someone's dumb enough to pay $200k to hear someone talk for a half hour, it's their money to throw away. The lobbyist jobs and stuff like that - including the industry jobs that Trump's worshippers come from - should be illegal, as should Trump's swamp creatures from industry who are serving their industry instead of our country. But then, virtually nobody Trump brought on board gives a shit about our country.
He is now.
How ?
So it is your position that trump is not a politician?
Nope !
Does his actions make you think he is ?
Realy... So the president of the US, a republican, the defacto head of the republican party is not a politician....
Sure.
Sure ?
That's your answer to my question ?
Again:
"Does his actions make you think he is" ?
What does that question even mean? It is ridiculous on its face.
What does any of them do that would make one think they are a politician....
Maybe if I bring in your part of the conversation, with some definitions and images thrown in too !
Here ya go:
"Does his actions make you (Ender), think he is a Professional Politician " ?
Hope that helps?
And I could ask, what makes you think he is not a politician....
According to what I am getting from you is one could say none of them are or all of them are, depending on how one wants to have their perception to be.
You could….but actually answering mine would be super-duper !
Because there is nothing to answer. He is a defacto politician.
Sure there is.
I'm sure by now, you should know what a "Professional Politician" is supposed to do by now. You vote for them....don't you ?
Trump is clearly not a professional politician. He’s upsetting the establishment and that’s why so many of us will figuratively go to the mat to keep him in office until the election.
Sorry but Sondland is making Shifty Schiff and his lawyer look real stupid.
You're calling Schiff "shifty" but Sondland appears to have the worst memory of any human on the planet. Proclaiming he can't remember what he said because he was invited to the meeting last minute. What kind of ridiculous claim is that? "My brain won't work right without at least a days prior notice! Make sure you tell me of upcoming meetings so I can turn on my brain functions!".
Overall, Sondland is confirming everything the other witnesses have testified to. The only thing he keeps stressing which is an obvious attempt to appease his master Trump is that he didn't hear directly from Trump that those specific investigations were what was holding up the military aide and invite to Washington. He's basically setting himself up to be the fall guy claiming it was just his personal understanding and his perception gleaned from everyone around Trump, Giuliani, Mullvaney, Pompeo. But he claims to never have heard the Trump directly make that connection, just his cadre of underlings who basically told him "Yeah, Ukraine has to deliver a public announcement naming Burisma and the 2016 election before the President will release military aide and schedule a trip to Washington which is obviously a huge thing of value to the Ukrainians".
Quick....what did you do and say on November 6th, 2019.
Just popped in my head !
Seems some here think "Sondland" is the best Democrat Witness !
In fact, there is a seed/article on NT right now, that notes that "Sondland is throwing Trump, and everyone else under the bus".
Based on what you noted in your comment.....how do you "REALLY FEEL" about Sondland right now ?
I have to recall conversations with insurance clients all the time and have no problem remember what I told a certain client on a specific day even going back more than a year. I don't think I'd have much trouble recalling a cell phone call with the President of the United States even if I had spoken to him often. Once reminded of the call, Sondland still claims he can't recall. They were even just joking at the pages and pages of "I don't recall's" from Sondland so far and Sondland laughed, smirked and essentially agreed. He says he never takes notes, but is so busy with everything from the EU and the President he can't recall any specifics of anything he's ever done. Now why would a person like that choose not to take notes if they apparently have issues remembering things? He seems better suited as a mob boss attorney/fixer like Michael Cohen, who just does what the boss orders but "can't recall" who told him to do what he did, as if the idea just magically appeared in his head and he just assumed that's what the boss wanted.
You sound like Sondland !
I "Have to" do certain things, but I can't recall an actual thing "Specifically".
Sondland is trying to escape perjury charges from his attempts to cover up for Trump. It's a delicate balancing act. All the other testimony has caught him so he now has to tell the truth while making it appear that he was always trying to be honest. Fear of jail is a very motivating factor for some of these Trump worshippers; an even bigger factor than their treasonous support of party and Trump over their country.
How so?
Didn't you listen to his multipage opening statement ?
Your Post is sooooooo wrong ....but it's coming to light in this Hearing. he laughs a lot when things get HOT about his Double remembrances !
It was "Quid-Pro-Quo"...… It wasn't "Quid-Pro-Quo" !
I don't remember you posting this when Hillary said the same more than 3 dozen times during her inquiry. Did you simply forget to post it?
If you and the person that gave you a thumbs up don't see it, then I feel sorry for you.
She is right, hence why our country is fucked.
In what way? Please don't use "feelings" as your answer.
Thanks
And that shows how close to a dictatorship we are. The people no longer think their voice matters. When the head of state is being impeached for possible treasonous offenses... and the population says "well, politics as usual." we are done.
I know I have said it before, and I hate being proven right in this case, but American Democracy is over. Part of our government is going to agree to a true imperial presidency as long as it means they can keep sucking the taxpayer teet at the congressional level.
And make no mistake, congressional reps are the biggest mooches on planet earth.
Trump is our resistance to progressives dictatorship over America. Patriots stand with our President.
[Deleted]
And you consider yourself a patriot. Tell me, what makes a patriot vs a progressive or a liberal, democrat.
Did you serve in the Military? Did you shed your blood for America?
Please do tell why your a patriot and they are not?
You mean like trying to undo the will of 63 million people to oust a duly elected President since the day he took office, all in the name of "feelings"?
I watched some of it while waiting at Doctors office and a little at home, reminded me of this place.