Impeachment Is Politics

Responding to the Democrats efforts to impeach President Donald J. Trump, Missouri’s senior US Senator Roy Blunt has been dismissive. “There has never been a likelihood in a partisan impeachment that you would remove the president so you have to look at what else it might be about. And it is all about politics”

That is an interesting observation considering that it is coming from the chair of the Senate Republican Policy Committee, which is viewed as a legislative think tank charged with guiding his party’s discussion of major bills and issues. As chair, Blunt is the fourth-ranking Republican in the Senate.

What exactly does Blunt think “politics” is?

By common definition, politics is the manner in which people in groups make decisions regarding how authority and power will be distributed in the group. In a democracy politics encompasses not only the process by which leaders are elected, but it also refers to how governments make rules and laws and how leaders are allowed to exercise their authority.

In our American system we do not allow elected government leaders to dictate who will own land, who will be educated, who will have decent health care, or who will have wealth, but our elected government leaders do have much to say about all of these questions. As our economy has become more and more complex, their decisions have taken on greater importance.

The Framers of the US Constitution have been accused of not anticipating the rise of political parties. But as proof of their appreciation for how government should work, they were quite specific in allocating the powers of the government they created among the three branches.

To the legislative branch they gave the power to make laws affecting a wide range of governmental responsibilities. In order to insure careful consideration of all proposed legislation, the Framers created a bicameral Congress, requiring both to approve legislation.

Executive power was given to the President with a fixed term of office. He was also assigned the responsibility of Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy as well as the militia of the several states when called into service of the United States.  In the exercise of his powers, however, the US Constitution calls for the President to seek the advice and consent of the Senate when making key appointments or making treaties with foreign countries. He was not given independent sources of revenue.

A judiciary was established in the US Constitution with a significant degree of independence from the other branches so it could serve as an impartial arbiter regarding any legal conflicts that might arise. Interestingly, it does not assign to the judiciary a major role in the impeachment process.  

The Framers were quite deliberate in creating a process for the removal of a president rooted in the Congress.  To the House was given the “sole Power of Impeachment.” No super majority is required. To the Senate was given “the sole Power to try all Impeachments.” A two-thirds vote of the Senators present is required for conviction

Managing the processes set up by the US Constitution is what “politics” in America is all about. In the beginning of the nation, the Constitution laid out what was expected of each branch and the various states. Changes have been adopted over the years, primarily relating to expanding the right to participate to groups left out in the initial document. The essential expectations for government leaders have not changed.

Senator Blunt is not the only member of the US Senate to denigrate the concept of “politics.” Several of his colleagues have been equally disdainful and there is a tendency in the general public as well to reject the legitimate role of “politics” in normal course of public discussion.

In the current matter of the impeachment of Trump, politics is definitely involved. Impeachment is a political process laid out in the US Constitution and placed in the hands of the Congress.

Frequent references have been made to elections, 2016 and 2020. But the question of whether or not Trump should be impeached involves more than just the winning and losing of an election. A president also must be held accountable for the manner in which he exercises the power of his office, for that power is formidable.

Regardless of how you might feel about this specific impeachment, you should wish to see those responsible consider the issues seriously and weigh fully the consequence of their vote.

Politics is the process of determining how government should function in the public interest. Only by the exchange of views in a respectful and equitable manner can public policies be developed with broad popular support.

Perhaps if we can come to recognize that politics is not only to be expected, but is necessary to rational and fair government, it might reduce some of the hyperpartisanship that has stifled effective government in the United States for almost four decades now.