Source Landlord Economics (ID: SEALAX)

Author | Kigamei Xiu

The gavel of the US House of Representatives knocked it down, and it was entered in the history of the United States on December 18, 2019. On this day, the current US President Trump is impeached by the House of Representatives. Trump became the third president in US history to be impeached by the House of Representatives. The impeachment case will then be referred to the Senate to determine whether he can continue to serve as president.

In order to effectively analyze and predict the impeachment bill against Trump, we need to know about the past of the “Presidential impeachment bill” in the United States, and to understand common sense in American politics and law, so as not to be blinded by some bad voice .

What is impeachment?

“Impeachment” is a U.S. federal constitution that grants members of the U.S. Congress the right to trial key members of the federal government. The right to impeachment is derived from Article 2, paragraph 4, of the United States Federal Constitution concerning the main administrative system: The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other High crimes and Misdemeanors. All civilian officials of the President, Vice President and United States of America shall be removed from office upon impeachment and conviction for treason, bribery or other felonies and misdemeanors.

Four U.S. Presidents who have been under impeachment pressure

Although the terms are very simple, careful consideration of the terms combined with the American political system can sum up that impeachment has several characteristics: First, it is widely applicable.

From a vertical perspective, the object of impeachment can be from the president to all civil servants; horizontally, the object of impeachment is regardless of power functions and departments. It can be an important member of the executive branch, a member of parliament, or Federal judge.

Second, the impeachment offence is broad. The felonies listed in the clauses are only treason and bribery, and other reasons are broadly summarized as “other felonies or misdemeanors.” A felony, as its name implies, is a serious violation of federal law, while a misdemeanor appears more controversial. We see that in the original text, the term misdemeanor is not like crimes for felonies, but Misdemeanors. In my opinion, the translation of this term into “misconduct or out of order” is more accurate. The power to determine an effective “impeachment crime” belongs to the House of Representatives.

Again, the consequences of impeachment are serious. Any official who is found guilty of impeachment will be immediately dismissed, and the Senate can also be removed from office while barring him from holding any office in the federal government in the future. Although the impeachment was successful only to relieve him of his post, if he acts suspected of violating the provisions of civil law or criminal law, he still faces judicial trial. Then, once the impeachment charge is convicted, it basically means that the political career of the impeached politician has died, and his reputation has been wiped out in this reputation-oriented society in the United States.

Even if the impeachment charge is not convicted, it will have a serious negative impact on the reputation of the impeached politician and cause turmoil in relevant government departments. When the impeachment involves White House officials or is directed against the President, the atmosphere is the most tense and the situation is the most severe, and the consequences can be described as not serious. Let us review the two impeachment cases in the history of the United States and the impeachment resolution to be initiated, and examine how the major political agenda of the United States is operating.

Second, the first presidential impeachment case—Johnson ’s death is alive

Let’s go back in time to 1867. Because President Lincoln was assassinated at the end of the American Civil War, Andrew Johnson, vice president, succeeded the presidency and presided over the reconstruction of the South after the civil war . It can be said that since Johnson took over, he was in a political environment that was very unfavorable to him. Johnson, a Yankee in the eyes of northern politicians. Johnson is a senator from Tennessee. After the outbreak of the civil war, Tennessee joined the Southern Alliance and became part of the rebel continent. And Johnson did not fall to the south with Tennessee. He resolutely defended the federal unity with his independent thinking and independent mode. Coupled with his Southern MP, Lincoln’s visionary needs such a person as a member of his cabinet to represent the political correctness of the South. However, in the eyes of other cabinet members, he has always been rejected as a Yankee.

Johnson, a stubborn Democrat in the eyes of Republicans. The collapse of the Southern League after the civil war left Southern Democrats to lose most of their seats in Congress. Only a few who supported unification or abolition of slavery kept the Democratic (only 12 seats) legitimate seats in Congress. At the time, there was no conflict between support for unity and the preservation of slavery, and there were not a few members of Congress who held both views. At this time, the Republican Party became famous because of its noble cause to liberate black people and its victory in the civil war. It became the oldest party in the history of the United States. After 70 years (interrupted 16 years), the Republican Party ruled the White House. Occupied the majority of seats in the House and Senate for a period of time. The Republican leader at this time was Sadie Stevens, a representative of the radical abolitionist. This is destined that Congress will never make the president feel better when the president’s opinions conflict with the Congress.

Johnson, the traitor in the eyes of the southerners. After joining the northern camp, Johnson experienced several attacks and assassinations. Although he did not die like President Lincoln, he still has a lot of risk. At the time of the reconstruction of the South, there were also Southerners who were proficient in political means. If they wanted to obtain status, they had to choose to cooperate with Republicans and rely on the Republican Party to help President Johnson.

It seems that Johnson’s political sense of smell is not sensitive, and the specific problem-solving method is far less smooth than Lincoln’s old way, but it also shows that he was on the side of the federal side before the civil war. He failed to realize that the entire political environment was extremely unfavorable to him, and he was totally in adversity. When the administration was rebuilt, Johnson immediately led the South and advocated a series of lenient policies toward the South, such as political pardons for the insurgents in the South, and the removal of Lincoln Cabinet member Army Secretary Stanton. He also returned to Stanton), vetoed Congressional legislation, and acquiesced to the Southern State’s efforts to reinstate and exploit the “Black Code” of the Blacks, to encourage the Southern Plantation Economy and the restoration of the Democratic Party. In addition, the infamous racial terrorist organization 3K Party was also formed under Johnson