Inside the Beltway: It’s over: Voters reject Trump impeachment

NEWS AND OPINION:

Impeaching President Trump: It is the favorite dream of many Democrats, particularly House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, who is already making plans for a formal inquiry into the matter.

The majority of Americans do not have the belly for it, plain and simple. The notion that the nation would rejoice over impeachment proceedings against Mr. Trump is fantasy, plain and simple. The majority of the public consistently opposes the idea, and multiple polls have confirmed this trend in the last six months. And here comes another one: A Monmouth University poll finds that 6-out-of-10 voters condemn impeachment while 52% say even the aforementioned House inquiry is a “bad” idea.

“Among those who say an impeachment inquiry is a bad idea, the top reasons include feeling that Trump has done nothing wrong (27%), it would be a waste of time and money (22%), the inquiry would be a partisan witch hunt (13%), Trump has done a good job as president (12%), and Congress should be working on other issues (10%),” the poll analysis says.

Others say the inquiry is a waste of resources, will ultimately backfire against Democrats and that it is too late in Mr. Trump’s term of office to start the process. Some also felt there was “no point” in impeachment because the Senate would not vote to remove the president.

“Donald Trump is not a popular president by most measures, but the appetite for impeachment remains low,” notes Patrick Murray, director of the independent Monmouth University Polling Institute.

More voters say a failed impeachment process would help Mr. Trump than harm him. About a third believe that a formal impeachment process without a conviction will put Mr. Trump in a stronger position to be reelected next year. Another, 23% say it will put him in weaker position, while 36% say it will have no significant impact on his reelection.

There could also be some unexpected collateral damage, however. The survey reveals that 34% of voters say an impeachment process without conviction will put the Democrats in a weaker position come 2020; 27% say it will strengthen their standing while 31% say it will have no significant impact either way.

More numbers in the Poll du Jour at column’s end.

OBAMA REAL ESTATE

Former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama are in the process of buying a “mega-expensive” estate on Martha’s Vineyard — a spot where they spent many a summer vacation while in the White House.

“Multiple island sources tell us the Obamas are in escrow for the estate owned by Boston Celtics owner, Wyc Grousbeck,” notes TMZ, the celebrity gossip website.

“We’ve learned they made an offer. The property is listed at $14,850,000,” TMZ advises.

Some minimal details: the main residence is 6,900 square feet and sits on 29 beachfront acres. There are seven bedrooms, incredible interiors, vaulted ceilings, massive stone fireplaces, spiral staircase, two guest wings — well, you get the idea.

’THIS BLATANT CHARADE’

Some of the Democratic presidential hopefuls may rue their own rhetoric.

“Serious question: Have any of the 2020 Democrats actually read their health care plan? Sen. Kamala Harris proudly declared she wanted to eliminate all private insurance. Sen. Bernie Sanders is literally selling stickers that say ’I wrote the damn bill.’ But now it seems they’ve just gotten around to reading it,” says Michael Ahrens, communications director for the Republican National Committee.

He reports that Mr. Sanders recently informed an Iowa worker that his bill would allow unions to negotiate health care benefits.

Uh-oh. The Washington Post then described this moment as Mr. Sanders “acknowledgment of a role for private coverage,” noting that the democratic socialist’s campaign has “railed against others for not taking a hard-enough stance against such plans.”

Yes, well.

Mr. Ahrens also notes that Mr. Sanders mocked Ms. Harris for changing her position on a government takeover of health care for the third time.

“The bottom line: At this point, Sanders and Harris should launch the International Brotherhood of Health Care Flip-Floppers union. Did they not know it eliminates all private plans? Did they not know it will more than double our taxes? The American people will see through this blatant charade,” Mr. Ahrens advises.

Since Mr. Sanders has just released his own version of the “Green New Deal,” the GOP will have a brand new set of claims to investigate.

“Make no mistake about it. The climate crisis that we face today is similar to the enormous challenges faced by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1941, when the United States was attacked at Pearl Harbor,” Mr. Sanders advises in his rationale, which also guarantees that his plan will create 20 million new jobs.

WE ALREADY KNOW THIS

Yes, we already know this, but we might as well review the latest findings. From Rasmussen Reports:

“Distrust of political news reporting remains at a record high, with just over half of voters now convinced that most in the media are out to get President Trump,” the pollster says.

“Just 32% of likely U.S. voters trust the political news they are getting. Most (54%) do not. Fourteen percent (14%) are not sure,” wrote Rasmussen of its survey of 1,000 likely voters, conducted Tuesday and Wednesday.

WEEKEND REAL ESTATE

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POLL DU JOUR

• 61% of registered U.S. voters say President Trump should not be impeached and compelled to leave office; 94% of Republicans, 64% of independents and 25% of Democrats agree.

• 35% overall say he should be impeached; 2% of Republicans, 30% of independents and 69% of Democrats agree.

• 5% say they “don’t know”; 3% of Republicans, 6% of independents and 6% of Democrats agree.

• 51% of voters overall say it is a “bad idea” for the House Judiciary Committee to conduct an impeachment inquiry; 89% of Republicans, 52% of independents and 20% of Democrats agree.

• 41% say an inquiry is a “good idea”; 8% of Republicans, 39% of independents and 72% of Democrats agree.

• 6% say they “don’t know”; 2% of Republicans, 8% of independents and 8% of Democrats agree.

Source: A Monmouth University poll of 689 registered U.S. voters conducted Aug. 16-20.

• Follow Jennifer Harper on Twitter @HarperBulletin