Thread by @AdamaEsq

A short thread on #impeachment.

I have pre-existing conditions—I fear my life & that of my friends being taken away.
I have close friends with DACA—I fear their right to be here being taken away.
I'm a Latino parent—I fear my child will be discriminated against worse than I was

I'm the survivor of an in-person death threat against me & my family, from a MAGA extremist who hated me just for who I am—I fear him or another carrying out those threats.

I'm an attorney—I fear the erosion of the rule of law.

I'm a patriot—I fear Russian interference in the 2020 election.

I'm a voting rights advocate—I fear a system is currently being created that will lead to permanent minority rule, & that that minority will use political power to permanently restricts the rights of the majority.

I am #TheResistance—I want 45 out of office because he worsens at least one of these fears every day.

BUT my fears don't control me—they drive me to act. EVERY day I do what I can to create a world where none of my fears will be realized. I view EVERY decision through that lens.

I want Donald Trump impeached—I don't currently support impeachment.

That may sound like a contradiction but it's not. The goal is to get him out of office by any (legal) means necessary. Without 20 R Senators & every (even the moderate) D, impeachment won't succeed in removal.

I want 45 impeached, but we don't have almost any Republican support. I disagree with many of @justinamash's policies, but deeply respect his conviction to his principles. He was the only R to support impeachment—WAS being the the operative word. We don't even have 1 R anymore.

We don't even have every D in the House for impeachment.

Some see that as a failing in D leadership. I don't. Because I think they see what I see. Impeaching Donald Trump TODAY will lead to his reelection. To losing the House. To the realization of our fears.

I read the #MuellerReport.

I know the crimes 45 & members of his campaign committed.

I know the only constitutional remedies are either an impeachment trial in the Senate or an election.

I know not impeaching sets a terrible example for the future—it endorses lawlessness.

But think through the consequences of an impeachment. Let's take it as granted that the House has the votes to impeach (which it doesn't).

What about the Senate? Will every Democrat vote to convict? Even the moderate ones from deep red states? Extremely unlikely.

What about the Rs in the Senate. Will a single R vote to convict? Again, extremely unlikely.

If you're Donald Trump, you're emboldened. A bipartisan majority just said you're innocent of the crimes we all know he committed. He will make that the centerpiece of his 2020 campaign.

What about people who don't pay as close attention as we do. Put yourself in the head of an average voter. 45 says he's exonerated by a bipartisan majority. Ds say he's still guilty. Who would you believe? Let's be honest, it's 45… and the world shifts more toward our fears.

The best argument I've seen for impeachment now was that impeachment hearings could lead to public support for removal. I think this week's #MuellerHearing proves that won't happen. They may have worked once, but as of this week, hearings just don't work to shift public opinion.

The next best argument for impeachment now is that Congress has more legal power in an impeachment hearing. That's undoubtedly true. But they also have lots of oversight power, and are winning these cases in court.

It is true that the court process is a little slow because Trump is challenging every oversight subpoena. Do you *really* think he wouldn't challenge every subpoena of an impeachment inquiry? It would take just as long.

So what do WE do?

We can't rely on Congressional leadership to move public opinion. The #MuellerHearing proved it's outside their power.

But it's not outside OUR power.

WE are the public.

Hearings don't move the public, WE MOVE HEARINGS.

We let everyone we know, especially the Rs, about the crimes 45 and his campaign committed during the 2016 election. About the continuing crimes against humanity. About the blatant racism.

And we let them know that THEIR silence is acceptance. That we demand THEIR action.

We demand that they hold their friends and family to the same standards.

We bring everyone we know to every town hall this summer. We ask every member of Congress if they would request assistance from

We bring everyone we know to every town hall this summer. We asked every member of Congress if they would request assistance from a foreign power who engages in cyber attacks against us, and is shooting at our troops in the field today. nytimes.com/2018/05/24/wor…

We sustain this until their is support in the Republican electorate for Trump to be removed from office.

THEN we impeach, or depending on timing, let the 2020 election remove Trump from office.

If we follow this path, the future moves away from our fears, to our hopes & dreams.

A related post from my friend @DHStokyo. She brings an important perspective. It's not just that the #MuellerHearing didn't move public opinion; the media failed to cover the substance.

https://twitter.com/DHStokyo/status/1154751039599345665?s=19

I think the solution is the same. Only we can save ourselves.