Andy Rowell

Church Leadership Conversations

  • Sept 26, 2019: Trump slashes number of refugees permitted to enter the United States

     

     

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    Matthew Soerens
     
    @MatthewSoerens

     
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    @WorldRelief

    Denounces Proposed FY2020 Refugee Cap of 18,000

    World Relief Denounces Proposed FY2020 Refugee Cap of 18,000 — World Relief
    Today, the Trump administration announced its intention to set a refugee ceiling of just 18,000 for FY 2020. World Relief strongly opposes this cut to the nation’s refugee resettlement program, which…
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    Samantha Power
     
    @SamanthaJPower

     
    This is an abomination. For our leadership in the world, for the American economy (talk to Buffalo, NY and Clarkston, GA), for our self-understanding as a nation, and for the world’s most vulnerable.
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    POLITICO
     
    @politico
    ·
    President Trump has slashed Obama’s proposed 2017 refugee cap by more than 80% since taking office. bit.ly/2lv1Wp9
     
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    Amy Sullivan
     
    @sullivanamy

     
    I have no doubt that Stephen Miller put this draconian refugee policy in motion long ago, but announcing it just as Trump needs to shore up support re: impeachment is an…interesting move.
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    Galen Carey
     
    @GalenCarey
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    Each line on the graph below represents 20,000 people who had to flee their countries, can't stay where they are, at least in safety, and whose futures have been put on hold. Defending these cuts by pointing to asylum seekers on the border most of whom will be denied ring hollow. twitter.com/dukekwondc/sta…
     
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    Wendy R. Sherman
     
    @wendyrsherman

     
    Imagine how many of us would not be here in America if this had been the number when our parents or grandparents found refuge here… outrageous and unAmerican decision by Trump administration.
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    BBC News (World)
     
    @BBCWorld
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    US slashes refugee limit to all-time low of 18,000 bbc.in/2nyPCEP
     
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    Rich Stearns
     
    @RichStearns

     
    We turned away Jewish refugees fleeing the Nazis in WWII. I thought our national conscience had learned a lesson. Guess not.
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    Galen Carey
     
    @GalenCarey
    ·
    Alas. That the administration had already telegraphed plans to slam the door on refugees by slashing the # to be resettled during FY2020 by 40% to a new low of only 18,000 takes away none of the sting. Incredibly inconsistent w/ the pledged commitment to religious freedom.
     
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    Mandy Rodgers-Gates
     
    @MandyRG77

     
    So at what point do white evangelicals realize that the individualized charity and ministry they say are what *really* matters (vs. government policy) CAN'T ACTUALLY HAPPEN BECAUSE OF – wait for it – GOVERNMENT POLICY?!?!
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    Matthew Soerens
     
    @MatthewSoerens
    ·
    The number of persecuted Christians & other religious minorities resettled to the US has already declined drastically. It is likely to decline even further now It undermines the administration's admirable rhetoric about international religious freedom newspressnow.com/ap/national/re
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  • Sept 20 and 25, 2019. On impeachment

    A thread by Andy Rowell

    It would take 20 of 53 Republican Senators to convict Trump of impeachment charges. 22 voted against his wrongdoing at least once (of 3 instances) in 2019. Recall Jeff Sessions was the only Republican senator who endorsed Trump in the 2016 Republican primary. They know he's bad.

    Andy Rowell@AndyRowell
     · 
    Replying to @AndyRowell

    March 2019

    "National emergency Senate vote count: Twelve Republicans joined Democrats to vote against the president's unilateral move to fund his border wall."

    View image on Twitter

    Andy Rowell@AndyRowell
     

    22:
    Lamar Alexander
    Roy Blunt
    John Boozman
    Susan Collins
    Tom Cotton
    Steve Daines
    Cory Gardner
    Lindsey Graham
    Josh Hawley
    John Kennedy
    Mike Lee
    Martha McSally
    Jerry Moran
    Lisa Murkowski
    Rand Paul
    Rob Portman
    Mitt Romney
    Marco Rubio
    Ben Sasse
    Pat Toomey
    Roger Wicker
    Todd Young

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    Impeachment is first a technical or legal issue.
    Constitution: "The President, Vice President and all Civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors."

    But there is also the political calculation whether 1/2 the House AND 2/3 of the Senate would consider voting for impeachment. This counting votes and building support and revision is similar to the interpersonal process that occurs when Congress considers any legislation. The House could vote to impeach many times and have numerous Senate trials (with the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court presiding) if the Senate did not convict the first time. Technical / legal reasons for impeachment to explore:
    1. Treason
    Thread:
    2. Bribery
    Thread:

    3. High Crimes and Misdemeanors
    Using presidential power to impede (obstruct) investigation of himself and offering pardons as bribes.

    Andy Rowell@AndyRowell
     · 
    Replying to @AndyRowell

    22:
    Lamar Alexander
    Roy Blunt
    John Boozman
    Susan Collins
    Tom Cotton
    Steve Daines
    Cory Gardner
    Lindsey Graham
    Josh Hawley
    John Kennedy
    Mike Lee
    Martha McSally
    Jerry Moran
    Lisa Murkowski
    Rand Paul
    Rob Portman
    Mitt Romney
    Marco Rubio
    Ben Sasse
    Pat Toomey
    Roger Wicker
    Todd Young

    Andy Rowell@AndyRowell
     

    Data point for whether there would be 20 Republican Senators who would convict to impeach for "treason," after Helsinki, @EKamarck on July 19, 2018:
    "14 Republican Senators condemned Trump specifically . . . . Another 24 condemned Putin." https://www.brookings.edu/blog/fixgov/2018/07/19/after-helsinki-can-trump-count-on-protection-from-the-gop-senate/ …

    U.S. President Donald Trump awaits the start of a meeting with members of the U.S. Congress at the White House in Washington, July 17, 2018. REUTERS/Leah Millis - RC1C1DA39DE0

    After Helsinki, can Trump count on protection from the GOP Senate?

    A Republican-supported vote to convict Trump in the Senate if articles of impeachment pass the House wouldn't be out of the question in the next Congress.

    brookings.edu

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    Andy Rowell@AndyRowell
     · 
    Replying to @AndyRowell

    Investigative journalists should not have to uncover every instance of bribery and foreign emoluments, then Congress investigates, then public pressure mounts for the politician to resign.
    If you don't want to be transparent about your finances, you can't serve in federal office.

    Andy Rowell@AndyRowell
     

    In summary, it is unconstitutional and impeachable for President Trump to not be transparent with Congress about any financial records he has that may have to do with bribery or foreign emoluments. Congress should subpoena and fight for all current and relevant past records.

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    And again, impeachment is not necessarily partisan.

    If a Republican president is impeached, the Republican vice-president would replace him.

    Republicans could decide this is best for them as a party.

    Andy Rowell@AndyRowell
     

    Impeachment is not necessarily partisan. Impeach a Republican president and you get a Republican president. Impeachment is much less invasive than the Electoral College, which was supposed to prevent terrible presidents but no longer functions as designed.

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    Andy Rowell@AndyRowell
     

    I continue to think about how impeachment and conviction and removal of a President need not be partisan because the Vice-President who is of the same party becomes president.

    Pence and sensible Republicans could have long ago made the decision that impeaching Trump was best.

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    Andy Rowell@AndyRowell
     · 
    Replying to @AndyRowell

    22 Republican Senators who opposed Trump on big votes in 2019. With damning financial evidence, 20 might convict Trump and promote Pence to president. Maybe the momentum would shift the vote to 100-0.

    But only Collins and Moran voted against Trump on all three of these issues.

    Andy Rowell@AndyRowell
     

    I continue to try to emphasize that conviction and impeachment of a president is not a partisan move in that a person of the same party remains president. Republicans might do this in their own self-interest.

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    September 25

    If you're not following the news, as of tonight, it is somewhat likely President Trump will be impeached by the House by the end of the year. Speaker Pelosi announced yesterday that articles of impeachment would be drafted. A majority of the House as of today have said they approve of the impeachment investigation. A majority of the House is needed to impeach. But that in itself is just a symbolic denunciation.

    It is unlikely that 20 Republican Senators will join the 47 Democrats and Independents to convict him and remove him from office (2/3 vote needed) and elevate Vice-President Pence to the presidency. Twenty-two Republican Senators have opposed Trump on major constitutional or national security votes in 2019. Four of those (Mitt Romney, Ben Sasse, Susan Collins, and Pat Toomey) have today expressed their concern with Trump's asking for investigations into his political opponents. Eleven Republican Senators voted today against the emergency declaration at the border. But it is still very unlikely there will be 20 who would vote to remove him.

    A thread by Andy Rowell

    Ukraine is just one typical high crime. The habit of using presidential power to pressure people to do illegal favors for his personal benefit rather than the nation's benefit by threatening or bribing them is the common thread with Ukraine, Comey, Cohen, McGahn, and Lewandowski. Impeachment is the only way to restrain a president, who uses illegal means to become president (campaign finance law), has presidential exemption from being indicted, uses presidential power to control staff, presidential pardon to bribe, and presidential privilege to be secret.

     

    Previous comments on Facebook about impeachment: 

    Andy Rowell
     
    Mar 3, 2018 ·  · Americans need to get more used to the concept of impeachment. It is not execution. It is a check and balance. The Republicans will still have a Republican president to appoint Supreme Court Justices, etc. Republicans are going to wish they did it for their reelection (and for the country and the world).

     

    Andy Rowell
     
    Jul 16, 2018 ·  · Impeach. Wake up.
     

    Andy Rowell
     
    Jul 17, 2018 ·  · It is not Republican or Democratic, it is not conservative or liberal, it is not political, and it should not be controversial to say that this is the most dishonest and incompetent president in the history of the United States.
     

    Andy Rowell
     
    Dec 10, 2018 ·  · Grandma and Grandpa, what did you do when Trump was president? Well honey, we kind of knew that he was incompetent and immoral but we were busy with work and kids (and watching Netflix and ESPN). Respectable people didn't speak up about politics back then.
     

    Andy Rowell
     
    Dec 20, 2018 ·  · I think tonight there is a majority in the House and two thirds of the Senate that think he should not be president.
     

     
     

     

  • Sept 23-25, 2019: As story emerges that Trump asked for political favors from Ukraine, calls for courage abound

     

     

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    Ashley Parker
     
    @AshleyRParker

     
    Among the invited Republican lawmakers: Representatives Liz Cheney, Doug Collins, Matt Gaetz, Jim Jordan, Kevin McCarthy, Mark Meadows, Devin Nunes + Steve Scalise. And Senators Capito, Cramer, Johnson, Perdue + Risch
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    Ashley Parker
     
    @AshleyRParker
    ·
    This morning, the White House invited a dozen Republican lawmakers to the White House to review the transcript before it was released to the public — and to discuss among themselves and ask questions of White house officials. At one point, Trump called in from New York. (1/2)
     
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    Ed O'Keefe
     
    @edokeefe

     
    On Capitol Hill,

    @MittRomney

    tells

    @alanhe

    , “I did read the transcript, it remains troubling in the extreme, it’s deeply troubling.”

     
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    George Conway
     
    @gtconway3d

     
    I agree with this. There may be Republican senators who won’t say a word until the moment they say “guilty” when the roll is called at the end of an impeachment trial.
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    Tony Schwartz
     
    @tonyschwartz
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    Oddsmakers say Trump Republicans senators won't vote to impeach Trump. I believe all bets are off. Most Republican senators privately hate him & his power over them. If they believe, by banding together, they can push him out, I think there is a very reasonable chance they will.
     
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    Benjamin Wittes
     
    @benjaminwittes

     
    Ok so Congress now wants to impeach Trump. But what should members include in articles of impeachment? And—harder question—what should they not include. An initial stab…
    So You Want to Impeach the President
    What to include—and what not to include—in articles of impeachment.
    lawfareblog.com
     
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    Jon Meacham
     
    @jmeacham

     
    “Shall any man be above justice? Above all, shall that man be above it who can commit the most extensive injustice?” –George Mason on impeachment, 1787
     
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    Joanne Freeman
     
    @jbf1755

     
    John Adams (1798) In virtuous republics, the will of the majority is the will of the whole. But in "Republicks vicious and criminal, the Minority always resorts to <foreign> Influence for <Aid and> support, and for assistance [to] overthrow and take Vengeance on the Majority."
     
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    Justin Amash
     
    @justinamash

     
    Just do what is right. Stop waiting for others to act first. Take responsibility for yourself and set an example.
     
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    Shane Claiborne
     
    @ShaneClaiborne

     
    This is a very unhealthy man… in need of Jesus & in need of repentance. Thousands of people are feeding into his narcissistic madness. Shame on any Christian who defends him. The next generation will judge this one, and God will judge every nation on earth.
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    Aaron Rupar
     
    @atrupar
    ·
    Trump ends his bilateral media availability with the Polish president by claiming that "if a Republican ever did what Joe Biden did … they'd be getting the electric chair right now," before calling the assembled journalists "crooked as hell."

     

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    Jon Meacham
     
    @jmeacham

     
    For Republicans, this is a Margaret Chase Smith moment: Stand up for country over party. History will reward you.