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COMMENTARY: Whether you impeach him or he leaves at the end of his term, what’s after Donald Trump?

INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER — This week, Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi initiated a long-anticipated formal impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump. Six House committees are investigating whether Trump’s actions while in office rise to the level of impeachable offenses.

Published

7 years ago

October 4, 2019

Oakland Post

President Donald Trump (Photo by: Gage Skidmore | Wiki Commons)

By Larry Smith

This week, Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi initiated a long-anticipated formal impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump. Six House committees are investigating whether Trump’s actions while in office rise to the level of impeachable offenses.

Larry Smith (Photo by: indianapolisrecorder.com)

Trump’s detractors say this process is long overdue given his unprecedent behavior as president; his supporters argue that this is a continuation of “presidential harassment” that effectively began before Election Day 2016.

If virtually anyone else were president, I would say something like, “Time will tell whether this is a ‘due reckoning’ or merely ‘sour grapes.’” However, in this case, those perspectives are already set in stone for all but a very low percentage of Americans — irrespective of the official outcome.

It is not hyperbolic (or even partisan) to say that Donald Trump is the most polarizing president in living memory. This is not merely about approval ratings, policy disagreements or most of the other criteria by which presidents generally are judged.

For example, Richard Nixon had an average approval rating of 49.1% as compared to Trump’s 40%. In fact, while Nixon’s approval rating was just 24% when he resigned, his average rating was higher than Harry Truman’s, Jimmy Carter’s and Gerald Ford’s.

We focus a great deal on the fact that Trump is the first president in history never to have a 50% approval rating (at least in most credible polls). But, while his “ceiling” is not very high, the fact is that his “floor” doesn’t decrease by very much. The bottom line is that, should he survive this nascent impeachment process, he could conceivably be elected again (most likely with an even larger popular vote deficit). The phenomenon that is Donald Trump is a treasure trove for political science geeks.

There are several reasons why I will not hear pontificate on the “rightness” or “wrongness” of the impeachment process (as alluring as that is) — not the least of which is because doing so is not likely to change a single mind. I will instead focus on what happens (or, at least, should happen) when Donald Trump leaves office — regardless of the means that precipitate his exit, or the timeframe in which it occurs. One way or another, Trump will leave office one day. My question is: Then what?

Without being facetious, I will state unequivocally that Donald Trump has done something that is truly remarkable. What is that feat? He has managed to drive deeper the wedges that separate Americans of all stripes. That is an objective fact. (Those who support him cannot change that reality, even though many of them will deny it.)

Thus, the No. 1 role of his successor — in my judgment — is to repair the breaches. His or her mission statement should be, “Repair or Die Tryin’.”

Andrew Johnson succeeded Abraham Lincoln at arguably the most crucial point in American history. This “accidental” president — who was one vote shy of being kicked out of office after being impeached — was the wrong man who took office at the wrong time and governed the wrong way. His tenure was destined to end ignominiously.

Gerald Ford, another “accidental” president, did not bring the country together — in large measure because he pardoned Richard Nixon. (Interestingly, Nixon did temporarily unite most of the country, winning 49 of 50 states in his second presidential victory.)

Whoever succeeds Trump must try to figure out how to assuage the anger of roughly 40% of the population — especially in the extremely unlikely event that the 45th president is convicted and removed from office. And he or she must try to do so without completely alienating the remaining 60 percent or so, which would all but guarantee that president having just one term. It is a task that would make Sisyphus depressed.

I believe that, of the current crop of Democratic candidates, former Vice President Joe Biden is the one who is most likely to be able to perform such a magic trick. But the great irony is that the immediate precipitator of the impeachment inquiry (i.e., the “favor” that Trump asked of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky) conceivably could derail Biden’s presidential bid given his (and his son’s) own dealings. We’re certainly living in interesting times.

Larry Smith is a community leader. Contact him at larry@leaf-llc.com.

This article originally appeared in The Indianapolis Recorder.

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Youth-Led Black August Event Brings Past to Present at East Oakland Boxing Association

The mission of Youth Alive! Is to “break the cycle of violence, heal trauma, and uplift a thriving community of leaders, to save lives in Oakland and beyond” by serving “as mentors, youth leaders, counselors, case managers, intervention specialists and violence interrupters,” working “to help violently wounded people heal themselves and their community.”
The post The mission of Youth Alive! Is to “break the cycle of violence, heal trauma, and uplift a thriving community of leaders, to save lives in Oakland and beyond” by serving “as mentors, youth leaders, counselors, case managers, intervention specialists and violence interrupters,” working “to help violently wounded people heal themselves and their community.” appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

1 week ago

August 29, 2026

Oakland Post

By Jana Lang Propel Youth Reporter

Youth-Led Black August Event Brings Past to Present at East Oakland Boxing Association

The East Oakland Boxing Association (EOBA) and Youth Alive! came together on Aug. 21 to share with their community all that Black August means to them.

Held on EOBA’s patio at 816 98th Ave. in Deep East Oakland, the two organizations hosted their second annual Black August Experience, featuring a food tasting, financial literacy and mindfulness workshops, and voter registration with the League of Women Voters Oakland (LWV).

Black August is known as a time to uphold the legacy of prisoners who protested their conditions by fasting, fighting, and educating themselves on the economic and political circumstances that contributed to their incarceration.

According to its website, “EOBA is a multi-service youth and community development hub that goes far beyond the ring. While rooted in the discipline of boxing, for nearly 40 years EOBA has also integrated robust programs in workforce development, food justice, afterschool enrichment, financial literacy, mentorship, and wellness.”.

The mission of Youth Alive! Is to “break the cycle of violence, heal trauma, and uplift a thriving community of leaders, to save lives in Oakland and beyond” by serving “as mentors, youth leaders, counselors, case managers, intervention specialists and violence interrupters,” working “to help violently wounded people heal themselves and their community.”

Through Coro California, another leadership organization serving young people across the state for 80 years, they gained a broader understanding of Black August.

EOBA Executive Director Dawna Williams spoke about how much she learned about Black August from the youth who created it. “I let them educate me,” she said. Instead of talking about prison reform and mass incarceration, Williams and youth interns found that Black August meant so much more. “We would have done a disservice if we had just focused on who the people were and what their situation was…We tried to take their message from back in the day and make it relevant to the young people today. What do they need to know?”

Youth interns created and placed posters around the patio to help participants understand how traditional Black foodways, civic engagement, financial literacy, and the power of education are relevant to Black resistance today.

An EOBA member described Black August with Youth ALIVE! as “a whole vibe. “This year we added the Fun Zone for the kids, because you really cannot go wrong with a Fun Zone. I also loved seeing everyone chillin’ in the outdoor lounge, catching some Vitamin D and just enjoying a Friday evening together.”

The food tasting, a popular event from last year, featured traditional Black foods such as black-eyed peas, johnny cakes, and fried chicken. Led by Williams, the tasting included a talk about how these traditional foods were made and why they are forms of Black resilience.

The “‘Plate of History’ was a favorite of the online writers. “Fun, educational, and did I mention delicious? Our Taste of History cook, Angela Southall, served up some good eats while connecting food to history and culture.”

The writer also commended the “League of Women Voters Oakland for their civic leadership and for getting our young people informed, ready, and registered to vote.”

Overall, it was a “good Friday event in East Oakland,” the writer said.

Upcoming Black August events: Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency (BOSS), will host “Black August: The Arc of Liberation” at Oakland City Hall on Sat. Aug. 29, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The websites for East Oakland Boxing Association, Youth Alive! and CORO are sources for this report.

Jana Lang is an Oakland resident, teacher, gardener and poet participating in the Propel News Initiative.

The post The mission of Youth Alive! Is to “break the cycle of violence, heal trauma, and uplift a thriving community of leaders, to save lives in Oakland and beyond” by serving “as mentors, youth leaders, counselors, case managers, intervention specialists and violence interrupters,” working “to help violently wounded people heal themselves and their community.” appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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EV Home Charging Warning: What Dealerships Won’t Tell You! #shorts

Is your home EV charging setup ready? Dealerships may not warn you about critical outlet and circuit needs. Find out before you plug in!
The post EV Home Charging Warning: What Dealerships Won’t Tell You! #shorts appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

1 week ago

August 29, 2026

Oakland Post

Dealerships won’t tell you: charging this big battery at home isn’t always simple. Verify your outlet capacity, circuit, and setup before assuming level one or basic outdoor outlets will suffice.

Watch the full video: https://youtu.be/A9Cd2SspoaQ

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Car Buying Secrets: Dealership Traps & How to Avoid Them #shorts

Don’t get tricked at the dealership! Learn essential car buying secrets to secure the best deal and avoid hidden traps.
The post Car Buying Secrets: Dealership Traps & How to Avoid Them #shorts appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

1 week ago

August 29, 2026

Oakland Post

Before stepping into a dealership, secure bank pre-approval for your financing rate. Then, get the out-the-door price in writing. Never discuss monthly payments until that number is fixed. Test road noise and rear visibility yourself. Decline add-ons with a simple ‘Not today’. Check backseat space with your tallest household member.

Watch the full video: https://youtu.be/maAOBjO1puY

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The post Car Buying Secrets: Dealership Traps & How to Avoid Them #shorts appeared first on BlackPressUSA.