Partisanship Aside, Its Time for Trump to Go

In the vortex of tell-all books, investigations, a disorganized White House and a beleaguered presidency, there apparently is one thing on which Donald Trump and most Americans can agree: Trump did not want to be the President of the United States , and the majority of us do not want him to be president, either.

Therein lies the possibility of a deal. Having been feted around the world with his ego stroked by red carpets and honor guards; with unemployment falling and the stock market rising to record levels; with a new tax code in place and so many of his predecessors policies turned to rubble; and with the Russia investigation yet to produce any charges against him, Donald Trump should declare victory and resign.

If he chooses to remain in the White House, the outcomes may not be good either for him or the GOP. The midterm elections for Congress this November are shaping up as a referendum on Trump. If Republicans in general are associated with him, the referendum could reach into gubernatorial and legislative elections, too. Republicans who defend Trump or who show no inclination to check his erratic behaviors and rash decisions are jeopardizing the GOPs prospects this fall and in 2020, when the next presidential election will be held.

In fact, congressional Republicans should already have put country above party to negotiate Trumps resignation or to force his removal. Having failed to do so, they should be leading the work that several Democrats are doing on articles of impeachment. As unfake journalism and real facts show, there is plenty of substance to go into those articles and there has been for some time.

To be clear, impeachment should never be taken lightly. A president cannot be impeached because he embarrasses us on the world stage; or because he remains stubbornly ignorant about the nations most important issues; or because he is a habitual liar; or because he is a racist; or even because he engages recklessly in nuclear brinksmanship. The Constitution defines impeachable offenses as treason, bribery or other high crimes and misdemeanors. There has long been disagreement in the legal community about what that means, but as the Heritage Foundation explains , many scholars agree that grounds for impeachment include even noncriminal behavior amounting to a serious dereliction of duty.

Impeachment is also a very difficult process by design. To remove a president from office, a majority in the House must vote to impeach him and two-thirds of the Senate must vote to convict him. Finally, impeachment should not be used, or even perceived as used, for political purposes. For that reason, it is in the best interest of the nation that Trump be removed from office by a Republican Congress.

However unlikely that seems, the Republican majority would be rolling the dice to allow Trump to remain any longer as the titular leader of their party and the man in control of so many powers and tools that can be misused. No one including his closest aides can predict what he will do from day to day. And as CNNs Ronald Brownstein observed this week , if one question above all shapes the outcome of this falls election, it will be whether Americans vote to constrain President Donald Trump by electing a Democrat-led Congress that will challenge and resist him.

It is true that from a political standpoint, congressional Republicans face a tough choice. Although only about a third of Americans approve of Trumps performance, a poll two months ago showed he is more popular among likely voters than he is in the general population. His base remains loyal and support appears strong in red battleground districts. That might make incumbent Republicans feel secure about defending Trump and remaining on his team.

But GOP leaders must think about the surprising outcome in Alabama last month, when a Democrat was elected to the Senate for the first time in 25 years. Given Trumps record, Democrats should have no trouble making the midterm election an event that mobilizes female, minority and young voters.

In an ideal world, political calculations like these should be beside the point. The most important thing for the Republic is not whether Congress is controlled by Republicans or Democrats. What matters is that the people we elect to public offices at every level have the moral, intellectual, professional and temperamental qualifications to serve their constituents and the nation honorably and well. Trump does not.

The president has no coat tails for Republican candidates to ride. On the contrary, he is damaging the credibility of our democratic system of government; undermining international peace and stability; ruining our influence around the world; displaying attitudes about science that pre-date the Middle Ages; and leaving diplomatic posts vacant with apparent disdain for international relations.

Many Americans who voted for Trump reportedly did so because they are sick and tired of how things are done in Washington, D.C. But draining the swamp does not mean we should throw out the standards of behavior we expect from our presidents.

The racism we have seen in Trumps remarks and behaviors toward African Americans, Hispanics and Muslims; his mockery of the handicapped; and his misogyny are unacceptable for any American, let alone the President of the United States. And Trump should not be exempt from the retributions for past sexual misconduct that have toppled some of the countrys most distinguished actors, journalists and elected officials.

After one year in office, it is clear that Trump will not become more presidential, more truthful, more emotionally stable, more thoughtful, more measured, more educated or more mature. All partisanship aside, he is not the kind of president we need or should want.

He should go.