Letters to the Editor: Nancy Pelosi all but guaranteed a Democratic president’s impeachment

To the editor: Former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) cemented his legacy when he chose to employ the “nuclear option” to shred the Senate’s long-established requirement of a 60-vote majority for judicial nominees to go to the floor for approval. By lowering the political bar to require only a simple majority, Reid got what he wanted, which was faster confirmation of President Obama’s nominees.

However, only a few years later, Washington’s political landscape flipped, and we saw the new Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) use Reid’s precedent to apply the nuclear option to Supreme Court nominees and ensure the confirmation of President Trump’s picks.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) has now cemented her legacy by pushing through Trump’s impeachment. Like Reid, she achieved her immediate goal, but once Republicans regain control of the House, you can be absolutely certain they will impeach a Democratic president.

Like the nuclear option, Pelosi’s “campaign impeachment” will establish a precedent. Our democracy is threatened not by foreign adversaries, but by internal division and hatred.

James Willis, Oxnard

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To the editor: Regardless of one’s stand on impeachment, it should be recognized that Trump and the GOP are frightened. Claiming innocence in all matters and preventing many White House officials from testifying, they are hiding in the corner waiting for this whole thing to go away.

If there truly has been no offense committed, they should all stand up and willingly tell their side of the story, in person and under oath. They should not be hiding behind social media posts.

I am convinced more than ever that the Republican Party, of which I am still a registered member, is going down the path of totalitarianism. I can never support Trump and his legion of boot lickers, but I hold out hope that Trump’s potential defeat will return the party to sanity.

Burt Boss, Cathedral City

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To the editor: Raise the white flag, throw in the towel. I can no longer listen to any of the discussions on impeachment or my head will explode.

Let’s be honest: Nothing will change until next November, so why do we continue to listen to all of the rantings and ravings?

Yes, we have a lunatic in the White House, but the other side is just as culpable in this mess. CNN is pulling hard to the left, while Fox News is pulling just as hard to the right.

Is the desire to be in control so overwhelming that our politicians have lost their backbone and caved? Can no one follow their conscience? I would be floored if one of our leaders stood up and said, “I don’t care if I get reelected, I have to do what’s right.”

Is that too much to hope for?

Gary Emerling, Westlake Village