A Point-by-Point Refutation of Republican Arguments Against Impeachment
Today the U.S. House of Representatives considered a single article of impeachment against President Donald J. Trump for incitement of an insurrection. The full text of the article is brief and straightforward: it lays out how the president’s actions on the day of the attack on the Capitol — and in the months leading up to it — directly resulted in violent insurrection and continues to represent a grave danger to the republic.
The debate in the House was also brief as these things go, but since most of you have jobs and don’t have time to watch every minute of the weird squabbling process that our great constitution allows for and something called a “Rules Committee” improves upon, I watched it for you. [pause for applause]
The arguments offered by the Democrats (as well as a small number of surprisingly normal and sober Republicans) mostly echoed the article of impeachment because, well, there’s not much to add. There was a violent/deadly attempt at a power grab; the President was provably in on it; he doesn’t really deny it; and he plans to do it again.
So what arguments could the opposition possibly offer in response? What follows is, like, basically exactly everything they said today with a point-by-point refutation that I think you’ll agree gives their claims the correct amount of respect.
Freedom of speech means we can do whatever we want!
That’s not what freedom of speech means.
The libs are cancel-culturing us! We have no way to speak!
You’re speaking right now, so…
The libs didn’t accept election results too!
Yeah pink hats are the same thing as pipe bombs.
The libs lied about Russian collusion!
Sit down, comrade.
Just wait for the peaceful transfer of power!
LOL, okay.
We need more time to investigate!
Here’s the YouTube video, investigate away.
We want to spend this time helping Americans!
Yeah, helping yourself to their money.
We’ll stop insurrecting if you tell Black people to stop demanding their rights!
Black people are aware of your feelings on this matter.
People are mean to us on Twitter!
Hold on, tweeting this…
Trump is the best president ever!
Sir, the mask goes over your nose.
You’re just doing this to get revenge on Trump for doing such a good job!
President Trump, is that you wearing a pair of Groucho Marx glasses?
You are dividing us, we need unity!
Sir, put down the crowbar.
“Let he who is without sin cast the first…”
Sir, put down the stone.
Everybody shut up and look at me!
Ma’am, put down the Glock.
— — — — — — — — —
Vote on agreeing to the resolution:
Yea: 232 (10 R, 222 D)
Nay: 197 (197 R, 0 D)
NV: 4
The resolution is adopted. The president is impeached. Again.
