The Daily Dose/June 6, 2019
By Gaylon Kent
America’s Funniest Guy
Leading Off
The clamor for the House of Representatives to impeach President Donald Trump is growing. We’ll share some thoughts on this at the end of this item, but first, let’s take a look at the impeachment process.
The Constitution states the House has the “…the sole Power of Impeachment” and that the Senate has “…the sole Power to try all Impeachments” with conviction requiring “…Concurrence of two thirds of the Members present”. It further states who can be impeached: the president, vice president other civil officers (mainly federal judges) and they can be impeached for “…Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors”. There are no criminal penalties for conviction, only removal from office and the Constitution, with typical compression, does not define high crimes and misdemeanors.
That’s because everybody knew what high crimes meant back then: infractions committed as part of special duties inherited after taking an oath of office that can only be done by someone in that position. It was a phrase the Founding Fathers were well familiar with, the phrase having been used by the English and British parliaments since the 14th century. Misdemeanor is not defined by the Constitution, either and it is almost interesting to note the House has not always issued articles of impeachment for criminal offenses.
Over the centuries the House has impeached 19 federal officials: 15 federal judges, two presidents, one Cabinet secretary and one US Senator. The presidents were Andrew Johnson in 1868 and Bill Clinton 1998. Both were acquitted in their US Senate trials, Johnson by one vote. The House Judiciary Committee had drawn up articles of impeachment against President Nixon, but Nixon resigned the presidency before the entire House could act. The House also investigated President James Buchanan but declined to do anything.
We’re still working our way through the Mueller Report, but we think there is enough to go on to warrant an impeachment investigation by the House. Now, that doesn’t necessarily mean we want to see the president impeached. This country is divided enough. But America is entitled to see what an impeachment investigation turns up. Maybe an investigation would turn up sufficient evidence for impeachment, maybe not. We don’t really care, but you and me – we the people – are entitled to know.
It’s too bad the ultimate decision will be based on what is in the best political interests of the Democratic Party instead of what is in the best interest of this country. As a practical matter they Democrats probably won’t impeach Trump because good luck getting the GOP controlled Senate to vote to convict the president, an acquittal that would probably make Trump seem like Rocky in his supporter’s eyes, galvanizing them and perhaps reelecting him.
Today At The Site
The Diary of a Nobody: The MOD keys have been found, and it’s a slow day at the VSO. Today’s Diary.
I only had a couple of phone calls and Bob from the post stopped by…He had some paperwork that was a couple of years old and he asked about an old claim he’d had denied…I looked it over and told him no, you can’t receive payment for the same disease twice, even if there are two presumptive causes, in this case, Agent Orange exposure and some deal at Camp Lejune in the 1960s. There was really nothing I could do for him, and I think Bob just wanted to get out of the house and away from his wife for a while.
It’s Sparrow, an average man passing an average life.
The drivel simply does not stop: please click on the button to read The Diary of a Nobody. $5.99 includes all entries, past, present, and future.
On This Date
In 1944 – The Allied invasion of Normandy, France – known as D-Day – begins, as 155,000 Allied troops land on the Normandy beach in northern France. Commanded by American General Dwight Eisenhower, the attack began shortly after midnight with aerial, naval bombardment, and with an airborne assault and the amphibious landings began at 6:30am. The invasion force consisted of 5,500 landing and assault craft, 289 escort vessels and 277 minesweepers and remains the largest seaborne attack in human history. The Allies lost 4,400 men on D-Day, the Germans about 1,000.
In 1946 – What would become the NBA is formed on this date in New York City, by ice hockey arena owners looking to fill open dates. Known then as the Basketball Association of America, it would field twelve teams that first season, with the Philadelphia Warriors defeating the Chicago Stags 4 games to 1 for the first BAA title. The BAA would merge with the National Basketball League to form the NBA in 1949. Today the NBA regards the BAA as its predecessor and recognizes its records and, in fact, considers the NBL merger as an expansion rather than a merger.
In 1981 – Kim Carnes is at #1 for the fourth of nine non-consecutive weeks with Bette Davis Eyes. For Carnes, it was her second of eleven Top 40 hits and it remains her only #1 song. Bette Davis Eyes went to #1 in nine other countries, including Norway and Italy, and was Billboard’s #1 song of the year, the second biggest of the decade and was ranked 17th on the Hot 100’s 60th-anniversary chart in 2018. It was originally recorded by Jackie DeShannon – who co-wrote it with Donna Weiss – in 1974, though it was not released as a single.
Quotebook
Money can be lost or stolen, health and strength may fail, but what you have committed to your mind is yours forever.
Louis L’Amour
The Walking Drum
Answer To The Last Trivia Question
One Sweet Day by Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men (1995-96) and Despacito Luis Fonzi and Daddy Yankee featuring Justin Beiber (2017) hold the record for most weeks at #1 on a Billboard pop chart with 16 weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100.
Today’s Stumper
What charter members of the Basketball Association of America are still in the NBA? – Answer next time!
