Impeaching and removing a president from office: as with anything, the devil is in the details. Nerds love details.
Hi! Co-founder and former Senate staffer Gabe Garbowit here. For anyone who wants to learn even more, I’ve amassed some excellent guides to understanding the nuances of how Congress works. They span a variety of formats, including games for those who like to learn and play at the same time.
For Impeachment Nerds
For Congress Nerds
For Gaming Nerds
For impeachment nerds:
Constitutional Grounds for Impeachment – This is the definitive report from Congress on impeachment. Originally written in the Nixon years, it was updated for the Clinton impeachment and again for the first impeachment of Donald Trump.
The introduction in particular is accessible for non-lawyers. It explains what impeachment is, why it was crafted into the Constitution, and which offenses are impeachable.
CRS reports on impeachment – The Congressional Research Service is an incredible resource that is freely available to everyone. A team of nonpartisan researchers writes reports for Congress, and they also serve as experts on Congress itself.
Consult the links below for a plethora of information about impeachment. Check out https://www.congress.gov/crs-products to research more topics.
1) Impeachment and the Constitution
2) Impeachment Process and the Senate
3) Impeachment Process in the House of Representatives
“The Legacy Nancy Pelosi Never Wanted” (Politico article) – This is an excerpt from a book on the first two impeachments. It addresses how Pelosi (among others) sabotaged impeachment to prevent a conviction. If you thought that the first two impeachments were optimized for success, this is an eye-opener.
“What Mitt Romney Saw in the Senate” (Atlantic article) – This is an excerpt from a book about how Senate Republicans attempted to justify their non-support of removing Trump from office.
Surprise! Fear of Trump’s wrath was a huge motivator. Honestly, they should fear what Trump will do if they do NOT remove him from power.
For Congress nerds:
Congress: A Very Short Introduction (book) – This is by far my favorite introductory book on Congress, and a former Senate historian wrote it. It sets itself apart by not obsessing over wonky procedures. Instead, it covers what Congress is, why it acts the way it does, and how it has evolved over time. I think it’s easy to understand and filled to the brim with useful information.
Master of the Senate (book) – Robert Caro spent years investigating Lyndon Johnson’s time in the Senate. This book takes place in the 1950s, but in many US institutions, not much has changed since then. Like his The Power Broker, this is a long read, but if you want to learn how power works at the highest level of our government, it is an essential one.
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (film) – This film portrays a ruthlessly corrupt Senate, media working on behalf of special interests, and an incredibly damning portrait of American governance. While some Senate rules have changed since this film was made, similar obstruction tactics by individual senators are still possible today.
Without spoiling it, I’ll say that the last 30 seconds of the movie are the most important part. Is it possible or is it fantasy?
Setting Course: A Congressional Management Guide – We are getting into extreme nerd territory here! Every Chief of Staff receives this guide at the start of each Congress. It gives instructions on how to set up their office and what the Congressperson should focus on.
This is certainly important reading if you want to understand how Congress functions and how power is organized in our society.
For gaming nerds
Undoubtedly, there is a great amount of overlap between gaming and political power. I have always been interested in games that successfully capture the feel of working in modern US politics. Here are my top recommendations:
Twilight Struggle (board game) – This, by far my favorite game, is about the Cold War. One side plays as the United States and the other as the USSR, and the premise is that all the ridiculous cold war intelligence the superpowers had was true. It perfectly captures the intensity of political decisions.
Suzerain (video game) – This game is a remarkable achievement in spite of minor flaws at the edges. Few other games attempt to convey what it’s like to be a leader.
I feel this game develops one’s empathy for how even a well-meaning leader can make catastrophic decisions. It also made me question a lot of the assumptions about how politics are “supposed” to work.
Papers Please (video game) – The premise is simple: you are a border guard and your job is to inspect documents. The writing is fantastic: you begin to empathize with the people shuffling through border control.
The catch is that you also need to feed yourself and your family. However, if you’re caught bending the rules, there are consequences. This game shows how regular people can get caught up in evil systems.
Political Machine (video game) – While it isn’t particularly realistic, this is one of very few games that touches on how political campaigns are run. It sheds light on how messed up our campaign finance system is.