Whether or not you support impeachment, this moment is a somber time for our country. Whether you’re a Democrat or Republican, Independent or Unaffiliated, now is time of reflection. Impeaching a sitting President on grounds of violating the very Constitution he swore to defend doesn’t warrant celebration. This historic moment we live in should remind us of the values that the highest political office in our country should stand for, what every occupant of that office now, in the past and in the present should strive for and the importance of these values in defining our country.
According to The Guardian, there have only been three United States presidents to be impeached by Congress: Andrew Johnson in 1868, Bill Clinton in 1998 and now Donald Trump in 2019. In nearly 250 years, Congress has used its only Constitutional power to remove a sitting president three times. You might wonder why, especially in the modern political era where divisions across party lines have never been stronger, would Congress enact articles of impeachment only three times? The answer, I believe, is that Members of Congress understand the inherent risks associated with impeaching a sitting president. They understand how this might divide the country, dominate the media and yes, potentially even serve that individual’s political interests. But the power to impeach a president is so much bigger than politics or the era we live in. Instead, impeachment charges the president with violating the Constitution, the sacred text our elected officials swear to abide by, swear to act on and swear to defend. Charging the president with this violation is essentially charging them with failing to comply with very rules and values of the office they sit in.
My friends, no matter what side of this debate we choose to be on, this is indeed a sad moment in our nation’s history. So let us take this moment to think, reflect and remember what the office of the president should look like, should strive to be. Remember that what happens in this moment will be set as a precedent for future generations so that our children and our children’s children can live in a more just, more decent and more united political time. I support the impeachment and removal of President Donald Trump, but don’t think for one moment that I’m happy about it. No, in this somber moment I can’t help but pity those involved in the impeachment trial and pity our president who has been charged with breaking his solemn oath. Today is a sad day.
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