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How To Make Your Voice Heard As The Trump Impeachment Proceedings Begin
The last 24 hours of news have been dominated by conversations about impeachment, understandably so. The formal impeachment inquiry against Donald Trump means that the process has officially begun — but the nation is still far from any sort of conclusion. Now, votes will be taken in the House of Representatives and potentially the Senate to decide whether or not POTUS should leave office — which is why it's so important you know how to make your voice heard on the Trump impeachment proceedings now.
Now that an impeachment inquiry process has begun, the next major step happens when the House of Representatives holds a vote on whether or not Trump should be formally charged with impeachment. After that, if there are enough votes for impeachment in the House, an impeachment trial will take place in the Senate.
In other words, the trajectory of the impeachment process is still not yet set in stone. Much of the decisions made by representatives and senators could still be swayed by the will of their constituents. So if you want to contact your Congress member about the Trump impeachment inquiry, there's never been a better time to act, and it's definitely not too late to make a difference. Here are some of the best ways you can make your voice heard:
Contact Your Lawmakers
The most direct way to make your voice heard is to let your lawmakers know how you feel about impeachment. You can look up the info on your representatives and senators here and here.
If you're nervous about talking to a lawmaker on the phone, consider writing down one or two sentences beforehand so that you have a mini-script to work with. Also, you should always remember that your representatives' job is to represent the interests of their constituents. Your call isn't a disruption; it's a helpful way for your representative to know how their constituents feel.
Share Accurate & Relevant Information On Social Media
During any given political or news event, there's always a risk of people spreading misinformation, either accidentally or intentionally. So if you feel strongly about the impeachment proceedings, one of the best things you can do is present clear information about what's going on. That way, your friends and family have access to the facts.
You can share the various polls that reveal how much popular support there is for impeachment among the American people, for example. Or you can learn more about the phone conversation between Trump and the president of Ukraine, and why it led to Nancy Pelosi's announcement of a formal impeachment inquiry.
Understand Everything There Is To Know About Impeachment
The impeachment process is a long and complicated affair. It can take months, and even if a president is impeached it doesn't mean they're going to have to leave office. So if you care about impeachment proceedings, you should consider taking some time to learn the ins and out of the entire impeachment process.
Put Pressure On Your Senators, Specifically
Once you learn about impeachment proceedings, you know that the Senate makes the final vote on whether or not a president has violated the law. Specifically, a presidential impeachment proceeding takes place in the Senate, and two thirds of the Senate body must vote "guilty" in order for the president to be ousted from office. And given that the Senate is Republican controlled, this is all the more important. You should prioritize calling your senators over any other representative, if the impeachment proceedings matter to you.
As for the House, it has its own role in the impeachment process: the House of Representative is where impeachment charges originate. A majority of members must vote in favor of impeachment in order for the president to be formally impeached. There are currently 235 Democrats in the House; 218 votes are needed for a majority vote.
In any scenario, it can never hurt to equip yourself with as much relevant knowledge as possible. But if it starts to become too much, and you're dealing with news-fatigue, you could always spend a few minutes scrolling through some of the funnier impeachment memes and tweets to lighten your mood. Once you're feeling up to it, you can get back on the grind.
