Congress OKs War Funding, Minus Timeline
Deadline Demand Dropped By Democrats In Response To Earlier Bush Veto
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Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.: “Senate Democrats will not stop our efforts to change the course of this war until either enough Republicans join with us to reject President Bush's failed policy or we get a new president." (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
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Interactive
Iraq: 4 Years Later
The conflict wears on as the nation struggles to rebuild.
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Interactive
110th Congress
The balance of power shifts and new leadership takes control as the latest session convenes.
Bowing to President Bush, the Democratic-controlled Congress grudgingly approved fresh billions for the Iraq war Thursday night, minus the troop withdrawal timeline that drew his earlier veto.
“The Iraqi government needs to show real progress in return for America's continued support and sacrifice,” said the commander in chief, and he warned that August could prove to be a bloody month for U.S. troops in Baghdad's murderous neighborhoods.
Democrats dropped troop withdrawal deadlines because they were unable to overcome a veto and unwilling to risk cutting off money for the troops, reports CBS News radio correspondent Bob Fuss.
The Senate's 80-14 vote to send the legislation to the president came less than two hours after the House gave its approval on a margin of 280-142. In both cases, Republicans supplied the bulk of the support, an oddity in an era of Democratic control.
Democrats in both houses coupled their concession with pledges to challenge Mr. Bush's his policies anew — and force Republicans to choose over and over between the president and public sentiment on the unpopular war. “This debate will go on,” vowed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada was even more emphatic. “Senate Democrats will not stop our efforts to change the course of this war until either enough Republicans join with us to reject President Bush's failed policy or we get a new president,” he said.
But Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky cautioned against more of the same. “I want to make it clear ... that if all funding bills are going to be this partisan and contentious, it will be a very long year,” he said.
From the White House to the Capitol, the day's events closed out one chapter in an epic struggle pitting Congress against the president over a war that has claimed the lives of more than 3,400 U.S. troops.
Democratic presidential politics played a role, as Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois, then Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, cast votes against the legislation, which was strongly opposed by anti-war activists.
In the House, Republican leader John Boehner of Ohio choked back tears as he stirred memories of the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. “After 3,000 of our fellow citizens died at the hands of these terrorists, when are we going to take them on? When are we going to defeat them,” he asked.
The legislation includes nearly $95 billion to pay for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan through Sept. 30. In addition to jettisoning their plan for a troop withdrawal timeline, Democrats abandoned attempts to require the Pentagon to adhere to troop training, readiness and rest requirements unless Mr. Bush waived them.
The bill establishes a series of goals for the Iraqi government to meet as it strives to build a democratic country able to defend its own borders. Continued U.S. reconstruction aid would be conditioned on progress toward the so-called benchmarks, although Mr. Bush retains the authority to order that the funds be spent regardless of how the Baghdad government performs.
In exchange for providing the war money on Mr. Bush's terms, Democrats won White House approval for about $17 billion in spending above what the administration originally sought. Roughly $8 billion of that was for domestic programs from hurricane relief to farm aid to low-income children's health coverage.
Democrats also won a top priority — the first minimum wage increase in more than a decade. The current federal wage floor of $5.15 an hour will go to $7.25 in three installments of 70 cents.
Five months after taking power, Democrats also insisted on a variety of provisions to aid milk producers, American and Continental Airlines and rural counties hurt by the falloff in revenues from timber harvested on federal lands.
© MMVII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.



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See all 301 CommentsEVERYONE THAT WANTS TO HELP WITH THIS SHOULD BE TALKING TO ALL MEDIA OUTLETS AND TELLING THEM THAT AMERICANS ARE READY TO TAKE WASHINGTON ON AND ITS NOT A FEW AMERICANS ITMILLIONS OF AMERICANS THAT WILL TAKE BACK THERE COUNTRY..
I AM WILLING TO GIVE MY BLOOD FOR ALL AMERICANS TO GET OUR COUNTRY BACK TO WHAT OUR FORFATHERS WANTED.
AM A VET AND AM READY TO TAKE CHARGE OF THIS AMERICAN BOYCOT/COOP IF WE THE PEOPLE DONT DO THIS NOW WE WILL BE GIVENING UP ON OUR CONSTITUTION AND WHAT ALL OUR VET HAVE DIED FOR..
DAVID A BELANGER,VET US ARMY,for-america@hotmail.com
ok so wants to join in on this great american REVOLUTION
they cant kill millions of americans at once so if we charge them all at once we will win and take them out and hang them all..
just like in the old days of the west...hang them from the trees in front of the whitehouse and see how many start telling the truth about what they have done to all us americans..
if the american NOW dont stand up and start a NATIONAL REVOUTION ON THIS WASHINGTON BULL S/H/I/T/ THEN we as TRUE AMERICANS can say nothing!!!
its time to take all this *** and take our government back now..
they are the ones that started this and we will finnish it now..we the people will take our country back and everyone in washington can sit there and thinks we the people are ok with what they are doing..go ahead and let them think that we are comming to take them out
EVERYONE THAT WANTS TO HELP WITH THIS SHOULD BE TALKING TO ALL MEDIA OUTLETS AND TELLING THEM THAT AMERICANS ARE READY TO TAKE WASHINGTON ON AND ITS NOT A FEW AMERICANS ITMILLIONS OF AMERICANS THAT WILL TAKE BACK THERE COUNTRY..
I AM WILLING TO GIVE MY BLOOD FOR ALL AMERICANS TO GET OUR COUNTRY BACK TO WHAT OUR FORFATHERS WANTED.
AM A VET AND AM READY TO TAKE CHARGE OF THIS AMERICAN BOYCOT/COOP IF WE THE PEOPLE DONT DO THIS NOW WE WILL BE GIVENING UP ON OUR CONSTITUTION AND WHAT ALL OUR VET HAVE DIED FOR..
DAVID A BELANGER,VET US ARMY,for-america@hotmail.com
ok so wants to join in on this great american REVOLUTION
they cant kill millions of americans at once so if we charge them all at once we will win and take them out and hang them all..
just like in the old days of the west...hang them from the trees in front of the whitehouse and see how many start telling the truth about what they have done to all us americans..
if the american NOW dont stand up and start a NATIONAL REVOUTION ON THIS WASHINGTON BULL S/H/I/T/ THEN we as TRUE AMERICANS can say nothing!!!
its time to take all this *** and take our government back now..
they are the ones that started this and we will finnish it now..we the people will take our country back and everyone in washington can sit there and thinks we the people are ok with what they are doing..go ahead and let them think that we are comming to take them out
Face it.....you dems fell for the "politician promises" just to get your vote, and they are sailing you down the river.
This happened with the amnesty of '86. They were supposed to seal the border back then. Now look at where we are! They all need to be run out of town!!!!! I'm with forthepeopl1!!!!
"I believe as long as we have troops in the front line, we're going to have to protect them," said Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del. "We're going to have to fund them."
Translation: if this is the true Democrat position then this party will be in the war as long as Bush wants it--because this translates into: supporting Bush as long as he wants to war--it is not the troops that keep themselves in Iraq it is Bush to take away the only tool Congress has to oppose guarantees that no matter what--so long as Bush is in office--as long as he wants a war--the Democrats will fund it--and if they had campaigned on THAT in 2006 they would never have been elected.
So if Democrats had told the American people that the only opposition they could ever make would be token--nobody except their party faithful would have voted for them--after all, this---coupled with illegal amnesty means most American voters got nothing--keep it up Dems--you WILL face a backlash for 2008
By September remember the 11 congressmen who went to the President I bet they will be even more worried about the PARTY come then. Of course the bad thing might be is that they will then know they are through and just keep lock stepping all the way to the elections. But then it is only a year away.
Don't try to blame the Dems for the lock step Republicans actions. They don't have enough votes to veto the President. So give it to them and never let another chimp back in the office of President.
LOL
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EVERYONE THAT WANTS TO HELP WITH THIS SHOULD BE TALKING TO ALL MEDIA OUTLETS AND TELLING THEM THAT AMERICANS ARE READY TO TAKE WASHINGTON ON AND ITS NOT A FEW AMERICANS ITMILLIONS OF AMERICANS THAT WILL TAKE BACK THERE COUNTRY..
I AM WILLING TO GIVE MY BLOOD FOR ALL AMERICANS TO GET OUR COUNTRY BACK TO WHAT OUR FORFATHERS WANTED.
AM A VET AND AM READY TO TAKE CHARGE OF THIS AMERICAN BOYCOT/COOP IF WE THE PEOPLE DONT DO THIS NOW WE WILL BE GIVENING UP ON OUR CONSTITUTION AND WHAT ALL OUR VET HAVE DIED FOR..
DAVID A BELANGER,VET US ARMY,for-america@hotmail.com
ok so wants to join in on this great american REVOLUTION
they cant kill millions of americans at once so if we charge them all at once we will win and take them out and hang them all..
just like in the old days of the west...hang them from the trees in front of the whitehouse and see how many start telling the truth about what they have done to all us americans..
if the american NOW dont stand up and start a NATIONAL REVOUTION ON THIS WASHINGTON BULL S/H/I/T/ THEN we as TRUE AMERICANS can say nothing!!!
its time to take all this *** and take our government back now..
they are the ones that started this and we will finnish it now..we the people will take our country back and everyone in washington can sit there and thinks we the people are ok with what they are doing..go ahead and let them think that we are comming to take them out
They knew this even before the elections of November! Like all slimy politicians, hey just said what you wanted to hear to get elected.
And you folks want to trust these losers on immigration reform?
The Dems never should have put a "radom" date for surrender in this bill in the first place. Now MoveOn has come out and stated that they will "punish" Dems who vote for funding the troops.
All Americans want our troops to come home, no one MORE than a President but adding radom surrender dates is NOT the answer.
If any American wants to complain to the Democrats in Congress they can be reached through www.moveon.org. Really Sad Indeed
Posted by Houser123 at 10:03 AM : May 24, 2007
.....He's working at getting more PORK for his district ..........that's where...........really sad isn't it?? I suppose you support that.....or look the other way
U.S. intelligence agencies warned senior members of the Bush administration in early 2003 that invading Iraq could create instability that would give Iran and al Qaeda new opportunities to expand their influence, according to an upcoming Senate report.
Officials familiar with the Senate Intelligence Committee investigation also say analysts warned against U.S. domination in the region, which could increase extremist recruiting. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the report's declassification is not finished. It could be made public as soon as this week.
Posted by perception5 at 10:08 AM : May 24, 2007
Please name me one Senator or Representative who is not trying to secure 'PORK" for their districts?
That list is real short because its the name of the game in Washington. Murtha is good at it and so are a host of others.
It's not surrender, it's mission accomplished 4 years ago. Time to go home and let the middle eastern experiment in democracy work.
The issue of staying or going is no linger a point of debate. The peole have decided and you and your Fuhrer need to learn to accept the sesults of democracy.
The issue is when and how we bring the troops home. Bush has 3 options:1) Do what the peole want 2) Try to get the Iraqi Parliament to hand over the oil rights to American companies then pull out, or 3) Try to stage a false flag operation in the hope of enacting his own dictator directive and imposing martial law. Staying the course is not even an option.
You can see by the AIPAC advertisement below this PAC is selling influence to American Elected officials. If you follow the money trail you will find that most of those elected officials who support the war in Iraq are under the influence of AIPAC.
http://www.aipac.org/forms/join_aipacClubs.htm
Here are a list of the Republican Senators up for Reelection in 08. Ask them how much AIPAC influences their vote on Iraq? Is their support for Israel more than their duty to the Americans living in their states?
Alexander, Lamar- (R - TN)
Allard, Wayne- (R - CO)
Chambliss, Saxby- (R - GA)
Cochran, Thad- (R - MS)
Coleman, Norm- (R - MN)
Collins, Susan M.- (R - ME)
Cornyn, John- (R - TX)
Craig, Larry E.- (R - ID)
Dole, Elizabeth- (R - NC)
Enzi, Michael B.- (R - WY)
Graham, Lindsey- (R - SC)
Hagel, Chuck- (R - NE)
Inhofe, James M.- (R - OK)
McConnell, Mitch- (R - KY)
Roberts, Pat- (R - KS)
Sessions, Jeff- (R - AL)
Smith, Gordon H.- (R - OR)
Stevens, Ted- (R - AK)
Sununu, John E.- (R - NH)
Warner, John- (R - VA)
Talk is cheap! Actions are what America needs. Remember America is still the Land of the Free, Home of the Brave, the Statue of Liberty Stands in New York Harbor not in the Deserts of the Middle East!
It is very clear what they are doing...they are ramping up for a strike on Iran. They will do this right before 2008, and use the new Iran war as an issue to keep Republicans in power.
Washington is going to be fighting more than Iranians when this new schit hits the fan.
If I were Americans I would stop donations to the campaigns, and pay very close attention to Hillary and Obama's vote. The only decent Dem now is Christopher Dodd. Go get em Chris.
EVERYONE THAT WANTS TO HELP WITH THIS SHOULD BE TALKING TO ALL MEDIA OUTLETS AND TELLING THEM THAT AMERICANS ARE READY TO TAKE WASHINGTON ON AND ITS NOT A FEW AMERICANS ITMILLIONS OF AMERICANS THAT WILL TAKE BACK THERE COUNTRY..
I AM WILLING TO GIVE MY BLOOD FOR ALL AMERICANS TO GET OUR COUNTRY BACK TO WHAT OUR FORFATHERS WANTED.
AM A VET AND AM READY TO TAKE CHARGE OF THIS AMERICAN BOYCOT/COOP IF WE THE PEOPLE DONT DO THIS NOW WE WILL BE GIVENING UP ON OUR CONSTITUTION AND WHAT ALL OUR VET HAVE DIED FOR..
DAVID A BELANGER,VET US ARMY,for-america@hotmail.com
ok so wants to join in on this great american REVOLUTION
they cant kill millions of americans at once so if we charge them all at once we will win and take them out and hang them all..
just like in the old days of the west...hang them from the trees in front of the whitehouse and see how many start telling the truth about what they have done to all us americans..
if the american NOW dont stand up and start a NATIONAL REVOUTION ON THIS WASHINGTON BULL S/H/I/T/ THEN we as TRUE AMERICANS can say nothing!!!
its time to take all this *** and take our government back now..
they are the ones that started this and we will finnish it now..we the people will take our country back and everyone in washington can sit there and thinks we the people are ok with what they are doing..go ahead and let them think that we are comming to take them out
Posted by bluestardad at 10:14 AM : May 24, 2007
...... the Statue of Liberty won't be in New York harbor very long if the Democrats get control of both the White House and hold the Congress in 2008.
Americans will be watching as terrorists fly another plane into that statue....... get a clue Dems.......... the enemy isn't our President.
John, the divider, Edwards is a perfect example saying yesterday that the "global war on terror" is merely a "bumper sticker"........ he's a real "empty suit" .........but a rich "empty suit".
Posted by bluestardad at 10:14 AM : May 24, 2007
Give us the names of Democrats to ask them the same questions--after all, they are the ones who campaigned on stopping the war--but then hamstrung themselves by continuing to fund it. That is like saying a person is opposed to arson but selling matches, lighters and gasoline in a dry, windy forest.
To put it coarser terms--Republicans have held their ground---it is the Democrats that claimed they would stop the rape of Iraq and America, while whining and moaning but still rolling over and gapping their legs for Bush and his war. It ain't rape or even opposition, if you go to the dinner, go to the room, voluntarily take off your clothes, say you don't want to do this, but you will never deny *** to a person and proceed to lay on the bed and gap--Americans are NOT that stupid--this is collusion and the Democrats say they can't help it--
If they really can't help it--then why did we vote for their sorry, lying, helpless, cowardly, convictionless. crowd pleasing, weak resolution passing, illegal amnesty grubbing AZZES? WHY? We already had AZZHOLES in power--we did not need PUZZIES too.
LOL
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Posted by antoniof123 at 09:26 AM : May 24, 2007
Oh, do ****. In September, the Republicans will push it back to Nov or Dec and you and the Dems will be saying wait until then--then it will go to Jan and the Spring--get a clue--Bush will not withdraw before he leaves office unless it is in the very last months--but by then, people will be so disillusioned with the Democrats it will not be an easy win anywhere for them. Most Dems and their Congress do not understand the rest of us who helped them win in 2006:
We want the war stopped. They could have sent the same bill back and put out the info that they DID fund the troops it was Bush who kept rejecting those funds. They should have hung tough and sent him the same bill again and again and again and when people started to die--launch the commercials that showed 1 man standing between the troops and their money and them coming home.
Posted by grgeng at 10:31 AM : May 24, 2007
Here are a few clues. If we all stopped voting--those who are incumbents would remain in office and still carry on and pretend it was a mandate--even if most of America stopped voting, then if one candidate got the 6 votes from their own family (who will vote) and the other got the 12 from his larger family--one of them would still win and still act like they have a mandate. Not voting is like telling everyone to hold their breath--it is not realistic, it is never going to happen and even if it did--somebody WILL start breathing so the point will be moot.
you should know the only thing to do is for all Americans to withdraw from the stockmarket, Mutual funds, etc pronto--the only message Congress and Bush understand is the one of the purse--but we act like we do not know that we control the purse. Stopping paying taxes can land any of us in jail--but withdrawing from the stock market is legal--if most of us do it--the resultant crash will get everyone's attention and surprise--even the owners of Bush and Congress (big business) will stop to do what we want for a change--that simple--but due to the inherent greediness of individual Americans--that like stopping voting is not probable--though if it even started--the rest would HAVE to join in or lose everything. Sort of like a self fulfilling prophecy.
The King said, what I will do is split the baby in half and give you both an equal share.
One woman said ok give me my half, the other women said, let her have him... I would much rather see him alive with her than to be dead with both of us.
The King said to that woman; woman take your child, you truly are the mother.
It seems that this story could apply to what went on with Bush and the Democrats.
The Democrats would rather drop their benchmarks, then to see the military without funds in Iraq, whereas Bush would rather veto the bill and see the military without funds regardless, so he could get his way.
There is no way this could have been blamed on the Democrats, when it was Bush who did not accept this bill and there by leaving the troops without funds.
The Democrats just like the Mother would rather see the funds given to the military where as Bush really did not care as long as he got his way.
U.S. intelligence agencies warned senior members of the Bush administration in early 2003 that invading Iraq could create instability that would give Iran and al Qaeda new opportunities to expand their influence, according to an upcoming Senate report.
Officials familiar with the Senate Intelligence Committee investigation also say analysts warned against U.S. domination in the region, which could increase extremist recruiting. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the report's declassification is not finished. It could be made public as soon as this week.
for me and i am a vet i do not beleive i have to follow any laws anymore, because our congress doesn't and our president said its just a peice of paper.
so in other words the president ok for all americans to not follow any laws.
and i will go down fighting..and i will take alot with me...this government thinks we the people dont have a clue??? but guess what we will take them out.
think about this 20 or thirty gas trucks barrowing down the roads.
In the fall the Republicans who don't have to run for re-election next year (2 of the Senate classes) will stick with bush and try to delay it. The Representatives who all have to run and the 2002 Senate class will vote with the Dems. That will be a veto-proof majority. That's why Bush is talking about summer being crucial, it's crucial to him.
What timetables do you all want? The original timetables called for beginning withdrawals in October commencing with full redeployment/withdrawal next spring.Logistically, it couldn't happen any sooner without the copperation of Bush because there's enough supplies already in the pipeline for him to keep this going with a slow bleed.
The Democrats are ready for a bipartison compromise to force El Presidente's hand. The Republicans up for re-election are the key. We need to identify and go after them hard!
Pelosi failed, the Dems failed and more will die for Bush's lie.
The Dems never should have put a "radom" date for surrender in this bill in the first place. Now MoveOn has come out and stated that they will "punish" Dems who vote for funding the troops.
All Americans want our troops to come home, no one MORE than a President but adding radom surrender dates is NOT the answer.
If any American wants to complain to the Democrats in Congress they can be reached through www.moveon.org. Really Sad Indeed
Allard of Colorado is retiring and will likely be replaced by Democrat Udall.
Alexander(Tn),Chamblis(Ga),Cochran(Ms),Coleman(Mn),
Collins(Me),Cornyn(Tx),Craig(Id),Dole(NC),Domenici(NM),
Enzi(Wyo), Graham(SC),Inhofe(Okl),McConnel(Ky),
Roberts(Ks),Sessions(Ala),Stevens(Alaska),Sununu(NH), &Warner(Va). Several of these chickenhawks are already rumored to be considering retirement. By fall, the ones who want to stay will have to choose between Bush and their seats. They're mostly laying low while everyone screams about the Democrats who are at least trying to stop Bush.
Let's go after the real problem, the veto protectors!
Congress has already padded their pockets with defense kickbacks, and does not want anything to change.
It IS time to take back our country from these NeoCon-artists.
I believe this administration planned and executed 9/11 for profit and control, they are dangerous, and must be stopped.
Posted by perception5
lackofperception5 can be reached at www.moron.com. Same email address as GWB!!
Posted by lackofperception5
Rich...like ******** Cheney, or GWB or most of their goomba's from corporate America!! However; I grant you, Cheney's suit is far from empty!!
EVERYONE THAT WANTS TO HELP WITH THIS SHOULD BE TALKING TO ALL MEDIA OUTLETS AND TELLING THEM THAT AMERICANS ARE READY TO TAKE WASHINGTON ON AND ITS NOT A FEW AMERICANS ITMILLIONS OF AMERICANS THAT WILL TAKE BACK THERE COUNTRY..
I AM WILLING TO GIVE MY BLOOD FOR ALL AMERICANS TO GET OUR COUNTRY BACK TO WHAT OUR FORFATHERS WANTED.
AM A VET AND AM READY TO TAKE CHARGE OF THIS AMERICAN BOYCOT/COOP IF WE THE PEOPLE DONT DO THIS NOW WE WILL BE GIVENING UP ON OUR CONSTITUTION AND WHAT ALL OUR VET HAVE DIED FOR..
DAVID A BELANGER,VET US ARMY,for-america@hotmail.com
ok so wants to join in on this great american REVOLUTION
they cant kill millions of americans at once so if we charge them all at once we will win and take them out and hang them all..
just like in the old days of the west...hang them from the trees in front of the whitehouse and see how many start telling the truth about what they have done to all us americans..
if the american NOW dont stand up and start a NATIONAL REVOUTION ON THIS WASHINGTON BULL S/H/I/T/ THEN we as TRUE AMERICANS can say nothing!!!
its time to take all this *** and take our government back now..
they are the ones that started this and we will finnish it now..we the people will take our country back and everyone in washington can sit there and thinks we the people are ok with what they are doing..go ahead and let them think that we are comming to take them out
This is rediculous and dishonors the wishes the American public that voted for a clear change in Iraq.
The people are no longer represented!
Let's set and date and put this in motion.
Saturday, July 21, 2007 and movement for the people in Washington.
LOL
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LOL
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Impeachment DOES NOT remove a president from office.
"Impeach" means "to accuse"
The House of Representatives has the sole power to impeach,
HOWEVER, it's the Senate that has the sole power to REMOVE a president from office.
It takes 67 Senators to remove a president from office, and there are only 49 Democrats.
It'll never happen.
AFTER ALL, CLINON WAS IMPEACHED, BUT HE REMAINED IN OFFICE.
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Impeachment DOES NOT remove a president from office.
"Impeach" means "to accuse"
The House of Representatives has the sole power to impeach,
HOWEVER, it's the Senate that has the sole power to REMOVE a president from office.
It takes 67 Senators to remove a president from office, and there are only 49 Democrats.
It'll never happen.
AFTER ALL, CLINON WAS IMPEACHED, BUT HE REMAINED IN OFFICE.
...
Impeachment DOES NOT remove a president from office.
"Impeach" means "to accuse"
The House of Representatives has the sole power to impeach,
HOWEVER, it's the Senate that has the sole power to REMOVE a president from office.
It takes 67 Senators to remove a president from office, and there are only 49 Democrats.
It'll never happen.
AFTER ALL, CLINON WAS IMPEACHED, BUT HE REMAINED IN OFFICE.
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