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Puerto Rican Gov. Ricardo Rossello, left, was forced to resign Wednesday after nearly two weeks of sustained protests over his leaked chats and accusations of corruption. President Donald Trump and Republicans declared victory following the testimony of former Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who maintained that he had not exonerated the president of obstruction of justice, while Democratic leaders signaled their continued reluctance to begin impeachment proceedings against Trump. (Photo: World Travel and Tourism Council/Gage Skidmore/Flickr/cc)
Need a 'Blueprint to Remove Trump'? Look at What Puerto Ricans Did in Just 16 Days
"In less than 16 days, Puerto Rican Gov. Ricardo Rosselló is expected to resign after mass protests. I can't even recall all the horrible shit Trump has done in the last 16 days."
Jul 25, 2019
While many progressives were dismayed to learn on Thursday that Democratic leaders remain reticent to call for impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump, some looked with admiration at the hundreds of thousands of Puerto Ricans who successfully forced their governor from office with days of non-violent protests.
Gov. Ricardo Rossello's resignation Wednesday night followed nearly two weeks of historic, sustained demonstrations by Puerto Ricans angry over leaked messages showing the governor and his associates denigrating his constituents, as well as a corruption scandal.
Puerto Ricans have given "their fellow Americans the blueprint to remove Trump," wrote one progressive critic on social media.
Meanwhile, in the wake of former Special Counsel Robert Mueller's testimony before the House Judiciary Committee, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) reportedly dismissed Rep. Jerrold Nadler's (D-N.Y.) suggestion in a closed-door meeting that House committees begin drafting articles of impeachment against the president.
"Don't wait for politicians--organize general strikes and get in the streets! It's time we show Trump where the real power is!"
--Jesse Hagopian, Rethink Schools
At the hearing, Mueller testified that Trump was "not exculpated" for obstruction of justice. His testimony confirmed that Trump ordered former White House Counsel Don McGahn to fire Mueller and told former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski to order the Department of Justice to limit the special counsel's probe.
A number of observers noted after the hearing that those facts--along with Trump's alleged violation of the Constitution's emoluments clause, advocacy for violence against his political opponents, attacks on the free press, and other alleged misconduct--provided enough evidence for Democrats to draft articles of impeachment.
"In less than 16 days from the time the first news broke of his horrible and hateful comments, Puerto Rican Gov. Ricardo Rossello is expected to resign after mass protests," tweeted Human Rights Campaign press secretary Charlotte Clymer. "I can't even recall all the horrible shit Trump has done in the last 16 days."
One observer noted that Puerto Ricans in New York rallied at Grand Central Station in support of people living on the island territory.
A poll taken this month by the Washington Post/ABC News showed that 37 percent of American adults currently support beginning impeachment proceedings. A survey released by Gallup on July 3 revealed that 45 percent of Americans, including 81 percent of Democrats, say the president should be impeached--a greater share than that which backed impeachment proceedings when officials began pursuing impeachment for Presidents Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton.
"The Puerto Rican people showed how you impeach a bigoted politician: Don't wait for politicians--organize general strikes and get in the streets!" wrote author and educator Jesse Hagopian. "It's time we show Trump where the real power is!"
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
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While many progressives were dismayed to learn on Thursday that Democratic leaders remain reticent to call for impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump, some looked with admiration at the hundreds of thousands of Puerto Ricans who successfully forced their governor from office with days of non-violent protests.
Gov. Ricardo Rossello's resignation Wednesday night followed nearly two weeks of historic, sustained demonstrations by Puerto Ricans angry over leaked messages showing the governor and his associates denigrating his constituents, as well as a corruption scandal.
Puerto Ricans have given "their fellow Americans the blueprint to remove Trump," wrote one progressive critic on social media.
Meanwhile, in the wake of former Special Counsel Robert Mueller's testimony before the House Judiciary Committee, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) reportedly dismissed Rep. Jerrold Nadler's (D-N.Y.) suggestion in a closed-door meeting that House committees begin drafting articles of impeachment against the president.
"Don't wait for politicians--organize general strikes and get in the streets! It's time we show Trump where the real power is!"
--Jesse Hagopian, Rethink Schools
At the hearing, Mueller testified that Trump was "not exculpated" for obstruction of justice. His testimony confirmed that Trump ordered former White House Counsel Don McGahn to fire Mueller and told former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski to order the Department of Justice to limit the special counsel's probe.
A number of observers noted after the hearing that those facts--along with Trump's alleged violation of the Constitution's emoluments clause, advocacy for violence against his political opponents, attacks on the free press, and other alleged misconduct--provided enough evidence for Democrats to draft articles of impeachment.
"In less than 16 days from the time the first news broke of his horrible and hateful comments, Puerto Rican Gov. Ricardo Rossello is expected to resign after mass protests," tweeted Human Rights Campaign press secretary Charlotte Clymer. "I can't even recall all the horrible shit Trump has done in the last 16 days."
One observer noted that Puerto Ricans in New York rallied at Grand Central Station in support of people living on the island territory.
A poll taken this month by the Washington Post/ABC News showed that 37 percent of American adults currently support beginning impeachment proceedings. A survey released by Gallup on July 3 revealed that 45 percent of Americans, including 81 percent of Democrats, say the president should be impeached--a greater share than that which backed impeachment proceedings when officials began pursuing impeachment for Presidents Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton.
"The Puerto Rican people showed how you impeach a bigoted politician: Don't wait for politicians--organize general strikes and get in the streets!" wrote author and educator Jesse Hagopian. "It's time we show Trump where the real power is!"
While many progressives were dismayed to learn on Thursday that Democratic leaders remain reticent to call for impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump, some looked with admiration at the hundreds of thousands of Puerto Ricans who successfully forced their governor from office with days of non-violent protests.
Gov. Ricardo Rossello's resignation Wednesday night followed nearly two weeks of historic, sustained demonstrations by Puerto Ricans angry over leaked messages showing the governor and his associates denigrating his constituents, as well as a corruption scandal.
Puerto Ricans have given "their fellow Americans the blueprint to remove Trump," wrote one progressive critic on social media.
Meanwhile, in the wake of former Special Counsel Robert Mueller's testimony before the House Judiciary Committee, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) reportedly dismissed Rep. Jerrold Nadler's (D-N.Y.) suggestion in a closed-door meeting that House committees begin drafting articles of impeachment against the president.
"Don't wait for politicians--organize general strikes and get in the streets! It's time we show Trump where the real power is!"
--Jesse Hagopian, Rethink Schools
At the hearing, Mueller testified that Trump was "not exculpated" for obstruction of justice. His testimony confirmed that Trump ordered former White House Counsel Don McGahn to fire Mueller and told former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski to order the Department of Justice to limit the special counsel's probe.
A number of observers noted after the hearing that those facts--along with Trump's alleged violation of the Constitution's emoluments clause, advocacy for violence against his political opponents, attacks on the free press, and other alleged misconduct--provided enough evidence for Democrats to draft articles of impeachment.
"In less than 16 days from the time the first news broke of his horrible and hateful comments, Puerto Rican Gov. Ricardo Rossello is expected to resign after mass protests," tweeted Human Rights Campaign press secretary Charlotte Clymer. "I can't even recall all the horrible shit Trump has done in the last 16 days."
One observer noted that Puerto Ricans in New York rallied at Grand Central Station in support of people living on the island territory.
A poll taken this month by the Washington Post/ABC News showed that 37 percent of American adults currently support beginning impeachment proceedings. A survey released by Gallup on July 3 revealed that 45 percent of Americans, including 81 percent of Democrats, say the president should be impeached--a greater share than that which backed impeachment proceedings when officials began pursuing impeachment for Presidents Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton.
"The Puerto Rican people showed how you impeach a bigoted politician: Don't wait for politicians--organize general strikes and get in the streets!" wrote author and educator Jesse Hagopian. "It's time we show Trump where the real power is!"
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