Northern Wyoming News - Serving the Big Horn Basin for over 100 years

It's official. After three years of talking about it, the Democrats finally have officially begun impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump.

You're thinking it has not been three years, but truthfully it has been with calls for Trump's impeachment coming right after the election. The problem three years ago is that the Constitution states a president "shall be removed from office on impeachment for, and conviction of, treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors."

It does not say you can impeach a president because you are upset that he won the election or because you do not like things he has said or done.

That said, I do hope there is more evidence than what I have heard initially because I have yet to see or hear about a smoking gun regarding the charges levied against President Trump. If a president is to be removed from office then I want hard evidence.

Impeachment is a rarely used process, as it should be. So whether you are a Trump supporter or not, whether you follow politics or not impeaching a president is serious business and it should be something every American is concerned about.

Yes, more than likely, we know how this will turnout, like the previous attempts have come out with President Bill Clinton and President Andrew Johnson, the House votes for impeachment but after a Senate trial the Senate does not vote to convict and thus the president is not removed from office. While the House need only a simple majority, there must be a two-thirds (67) vote in the Senate to convict.

I cannot speak regarding President Andrew Jackson as I was not alive then. I can speak on Bill Clinton's. I did not follow it closely but I do recall wondering if the charges against him, which were in simplest terms, a result of an investigation into his affair with Monica Lewinsky, were enough to remove him from an office for which he was duly elected.

The allegations against President Trump regarding abuse of power and obstruction of Congress involve completely different circumstances.

I will say I don't agree with everything President Trump has said or done, but he is our president and I think voters should have a say if there are no true "high crimes and misdemeanors" on which to convict him.

I will be watching, reading and listening to the evidence in the House and the Senate because the outcome could drastically shape our country's future.

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Here at the office it is Santa letter time where we ask Worland and Ten Sleep kindergarten, first and second graders to write letters to Santa. They will be published in a special section next week. It is always fascinating to me to see what children are asking for and one section of youth must be fascinated with turtles but I'm not sure why.

Years ago I would say it's the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles craze but that has run its course. So I am at a loss this year.

Some ask for ponies, kittens and puppies.

Animals take commitment from the person who will be taking care of it, not the giver so before giving the gift of a pet, make sure the family is ready for it, it is better for the family and the animal.

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Speaking of Christmas the generosity of this community knows no bounds as nearly all of the 31 Silver Bells from our Silver Tree for Seniors have already been taken with gifts coming back. Gifts are due next Wednesday so they can be delivered before Christmas.

Rest assured all 31 residents with a bell on the tree will receive something for Christmas this year.

Thank you for helping the Northern Wyoming News make this Christmas a little brighter for some of our seniors.

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And, lastly, I want to inform our customers who purchase the newspaper at the post office in our newspaper machine that for the time being there will not be a machine at that location. For the second time in just over a year, a person or persons has stolen the machine, so until we can find a way to more securely position the machine we will be unable to place one there.

We have other machines around the city and there are in-store vendors around the city as well. Readers can always purchase a newspaper here at the Northern Wyoming News office at 201 N. 8th, either inside or from the machine.