Re: POTUS 45.13 - CNN is still Fake News
We were a different people in the 1980s, no matter what one thinks of Reagan as a person or president. He could not have behaved like trump is today and survived politically.
I don't think the Iran/Contra affair was all that similar to trump's offenses either. While Reagan's actions were possibly impeachable I don't think he behaved as he did because he had the cover of a republican Senate and I also don't think it was a more serious constitutional crisis than Watergate. Watergate struck at the very heart of the rule of law, Iran/Contra was much more a political crisis, illegal as hell sure, but to me it never rose to the level of a president trying to obstruct justice like Watergate did.
I also don't think the scandal had much or anything to do with the Senate returning to Democratic control either as hardly anything (anything at all?) was known about it in November of 1986. Most of the Democratic gains in 1986 came at the hands of republican Senators who would not have won their seats in 1980 without Reagan's coattails. And anyway, the House never came close, either in 1980 or at any other time during Reagan's presidency, to being controlled by republicans so Reagan could still have been impeached had the congress wanted it.
I also think trump's "outsider" status will have absolutely no bearing on what congress does beyond how much they might protect his presidency by working with him on legislation. republican's care about 2 things, the little "r" and their chances of reelection. As long as they believe the latter is safe, the former will dictate their actions. If trump does stuff they like, they'll be right there with him, if he doesn't they'll excuse his actions like Paul Ryan or a handful of posters here do. Only those who fear a loss in November '18 will act even remotely patriotically. Worse yet, those who fear a primary challenge from the extreme right will behave in an even more treasonous fashion.
Originally posted by Kepler
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I don't think the Iran/Contra affair was all that similar to trump's offenses either. While Reagan's actions were possibly impeachable I don't think he behaved as he did because he had the cover of a republican Senate and I also don't think it was a more serious constitutional crisis than Watergate. Watergate struck at the very heart of the rule of law, Iran/Contra was much more a political crisis, illegal as hell sure, but to me it never rose to the level of a president trying to obstruct justice like Watergate did.
I also don't think the scandal had much or anything to do with the Senate returning to Democratic control either as hardly anything (anything at all?) was known about it in November of 1986. Most of the Democratic gains in 1986 came at the hands of republican Senators who would not have won their seats in 1980 without Reagan's coattails. And anyway, the House never came close, either in 1980 or at any other time during Reagan's presidency, to being controlled by republicans so Reagan could still have been impeached had the congress wanted it.
I also think trump's "outsider" status will have absolutely no bearing on what congress does beyond how much they might protect his presidency by working with him on legislation. republican's care about 2 things, the little "r" and their chances of reelection. As long as they believe the latter is safe, the former will dictate their actions. If trump does stuff they like, they'll be right there with him, if he doesn't they'll excuse his actions like Paul Ryan or a handful of posters here do. Only those who fear a loss in November '18 will act even remotely patriotically. Worse yet, those who fear a primary challenge from the extreme right will behave in an even more treasonous fashion.
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