Why Not Censure The President?

Russia Gate investigators must be getting warmer.

We know this drill. President Donald Trump deflects from more pressing inquiries into his misdeeds by tossing out destabilizing, baseless accusations -- the "sky is falling"... "Martians have landed."

Time and again, it's like he's a child insisting to his parents that his brother broke the vase by playing ball in the house, when all the while little Donnie was the only one home.

Tweeting that our previous president is a "bad (or sick) man" only more sharply defines the bigoted lines of division in this country. 

And it threatens to tarnish the reputation of a man, President Barack Obama, who has more integrity in his left pinky finger nail than Trump will ever have in his entire body.

Unfortunately, this is what the Deflector in Chief does best. Forget legislating, or looking out for the American people's best interests. He's really good at projecting his own shortcomings and crimes on the other guy.

If President Trump has any evidence whatsoever of the previous administration wiretapping him, he should cough it up. Otherwise, he should shut up.

Either way, there undoubtedly would have been good reason for legally eavesdropping on Trump -- given his seeming bromance with Russia President Vladimir Putin. 

In the meantime, what will it take, what will Trump have to do for one or both congressional house leaders to lay aside their corrupting Republican Party allegiances in defense of their country,  and say "enough"?

When will the House or Senate consider censuring the President?

Censure is partly defined as a "formal, and public, group condemnation" for elected leaders "whose actions run counter to the group's acceptable standards for individual behavior."

Trump's presidency so far, just six weeks in, has been anything but, "acceptable." President Trump hasn't been acting right from the get-go. His antagonistic, divisive and deceitful tweets and policy signings are actually America's greatest threat.

For the sake of America's stability at home and standing abroad, Trump needs to quit the reckless, groundless accusations, the inciting attacks and blatant lies. And if he doesn't, it's Congress' duty to intervene.

President Andrew Jackson in 1834 was censured by a Wig Party Senate for "withholding documents," an apparently partisan-motivated move. Secretary of Treasury Alexander Hamilton was the first to be targeted by congressional Censure, though the vote fell short.

In 1842, Whigs also settled for voting to censure President John Tyler after failing to get enough votes for impeachment.

A majority vote in either house is needed to censure. Arguably, the censure is a ready made disciplinary tool for times such as these.

Trump is President of the United States. He needs to act like the President. Not a circus sideshow barker.

Other than appointing a special prosecutor to head a probe into President Trump's ties to Russia, censuring the President is the least Congress can do -- and it could help lay the groundwork for impeachment.

Russia Gate. Don't Forget Sessions' Ties To Page

The scrutiny of newly minted United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions' possible ties to Russia should include his apparent relationship with Russian oil operative and President Donald Trump's former foreign policy advisor Carter Page.

Sessions reportedly introduced Trump to Page last Spring. Now, Page is bizarrely defending himself, deflecting questions on his Russian relations of late on cable news.

This is "Russia Gate" -- definitely.

Just Words

President Donald Trump sounds like an old high school football coach searching for his glory days.

The United States will "win again," he promises. But what does that really mean?

Like much of The President's first speech to a joint session of Congress last night, he seemed to say the right things.

But when you dig a little deeper, you realize there's nothing there. Let's be real, when has what Trump said meant diddly?

When has his words measured up to the truth of his actions? In fact, most of the promises the President made Tuesday night, he was already breaking.

Smoke and mirrors baby. Smoke and mirrors. With a discount special of snakeoil. Buy one. Get another free.

One fact checker had the President lying some 50 times in the speech.

Perhaps, the most absurd thing he said was that we need to promote clean air and water for the future -- this on the very day he rolled back President Barack Obama's clean water rules.

The list goes on.

As Bernie Sanders pointed out, it's what Trump didn't say that's just as important as the misleading things he did.

What are his plans for social security, Medicaid and Medicare? Why didn't he offer a peep about climate change?

No matter how even-toned his delivery or appealing his rhetoric, nothing Trump says will negate the chaos he's already created and the damage already done in his first turbulent month as President.