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Do progressives really want a President Pence? Their immediate answer may be: yes, impeach President Donald Trump no matter what, but if progressives considered what was best for their agenda, they would recognize how relatively great the Trump presidency has been thus far.

Last week, special counsel Robert Mueller revealed the Department of Justices probe of Trumps campaign regarding collusion with Russia would be extended to allow investigation into all of Trumps business transactions with Russians dating as far back as 2008.

While this revelation hasnt grabbed headlines like previous developing stories on Russian collusion, it could have serious legal implications for Trump. Doing business in Russia is not like doing business in the U.S. The Russian economy is largely controlled by the president and is run more like a mob than a legitimate economic organization. Because of this, to have favorable business deals in Russia, businessmen have to do business as Russians do. In other words, in order to have a successful business in Russia, ethical standards are abandoned to give bribes to elected officials or to pay whoever needs to be appeased. As a result, Trump, who has had several successful business ventures in Russia since 2008, should be particularly worried. It does not take much of an imagination to see Trump bribing a crony of Russian President Vladimir Putins to ensure the success of his Miss Universe pageant. This has potential to expose his presidencys possible less-than-legal financial exchanges, which could evolve into grounds for impeachment and removal from office.

While this may be the result progressives have been clamoring for since his inauguration, it may not be as desirable as they imagine. If Trump is impeached and subsequently removed from office, Vice President Mike Pence would be sworn in as president. Pence, because he was not directly elected by the Americans, would obviously lack the popular legitimacy an American presidency desires. Nevertheless, for many reasons, he would be a much tougher opponent for liberals. This leads me to question why liberals would want to remove a president from office who may be the most liberal Republican president in recent history.

Trump may not seem to be a liberal on the surface: He ran as a Republican, favors increased military spending, advocates for limited government in most areas and nominated a textualist to the U.S Supreme Court. These are traditionally conservative ideological views, but does Trump himself favor these ideas? Trump has expressed protectionist trade views on the campaign trail and has even supported Democratic political candidates vocally and financially both of which are counter to typical Republican ideals and are much more aligned with liberals than conservatives.

Pence as president would be a dream come true for establishment Republicans who have openly opposed Trump since he declared his candidacy. Establishment Republicans have ensured that no major legislation would pass for Trump to sign. Nearly everything substantial that Trump has accomplished thus far has been a result of executive orders. This would not be a problem with a President Pence. Pence has enjoyed amicable relations with Republicans during his entire career. Instead of encountering resistance among Senate and House Republicans, Pence could take advantage of a united Republican majority and pass major legislation.

Mike Pence is a rock-ribbed conservative. He does not support LGBTQ+ rights, is anti-abortion and generally holds views counter to those held by progressives on the issues they hold most dear. And because Pence has such good relations with his fellow Republicans, he would likely be able to make progress in achieving his desired goals. A President Pence could push Democrats to tone down their hysteria, considering Pence is a more traditional politician that is nowhere near as controversial as Trump and doesnt tweet everything that comes to mind.

So, how would a Trump impeachment help advance the progressive agenda?

Jack Story is a UF graduate. His column appears on Tuesdays.

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Do progressives really want a President Pence? - The Independent Florida Alligator

Progressive slogans on signs dotted a road along the RAGBRAI route heading into Ayrshire Monday morning as members of Northwest Iowa Progressives, Indivisible and Podunk Resistance took a stand for inclusiveness and against Iowa 4th District Rep. Steve King. (Photo by Colin Van Westen)

Local progressive groups organized a "Sorry for Steve King" RAGBRAI stop Monday morning. The progressive-themed event took place southwest of Ayrshire alongside the RAGBRAI route.

The idea for the campaign originated with Sue Metcalf of Northwest Iowa Progressives. Activists from progressive groups Indivisible and Podunk Resistance soon joined in.

"One of the members said why don't we organize a political action for RAGBRAI and at the time it seemed appropriate to focus on Iowa as a place that welcomes people of color, welcomes whatever religion people belong to, welcomes LGBTQ folks," political activist and organizer Linda DeLaughter said. "We want to be portrayed as a welcoming and inclusive state in the tradition of Robert Ray, former governor who was instrumental in bringing so many refugees to Iowa after the Vietnam conflict was over."

She continued, "The voice and face we want to put forth to our country and to the people here is that is who we are. Our representation in Congress doesn't necessarily represent us, specifically Rep. Steve King who has been an advocate against all of those things and pro white supremacist attitudes. We take exception to that. We don't feel that is the right way to portray us, so our political action coalesced around that message."

The activists handed out water, disposable tattoos and stickers to the RAGBRAI riders as they passed. Raygun of Des Moines provided the "Sorry about Steve King" T-shirts.

"I think it was just mostly a sense of outrage at what is happening in our country." DeLaughter said. "It is just a general sense of outrage and that we feel that we have to step up and be loud and proud about who we are and educate and provide information to people who may be willing to hear that message."

Multiple attempts to reach King's office for comment were unsuccessful.

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Local News: Local progressives protest King (7/24/17) | Spencer ... - Spencer Daily Reporter

Andrew Redlawsk, Opinion Contributor Published 8:15 a.m. ET July 23, 2017 | Updated 10:40 a.m. ET July 23, 2017

Protest on June 4, 2017.(Photo: Ariane Kunze, AFP/Getty Images)

The other night, I had an amazing conversation with a friend who admitted he was a Donald Trump voter. Having known him for most of my life, I was shocked. But as a result, as a proud member of The Resistance, I'm even more certain that we progressives are largely responsible for the rise of Trump's America.

My typical response to conservatives who see me as a smug, elitist hypocrite for not being tolerant of their beliefs is that I'm "intolerant of intolerance, but Ive realized that that mistake is the issue. No, we don't have to accept and respect others' bigotry or ignorance, but it's incredibly important that we understand where it comes from and why it exists. There are millions of people in this country who, when they think of America, think of it like a Norman Rockwell painting. White Picket Fences, Suburbia, Baseball, Apple Pie and the American Flag. In capital letters.

They dont just think it, they feel it. Deeply.

If I'm honest, those are the same images that were burned into my brain as a kid growing up in Iowa. The folks who voted for Trump are by and large people who see progressivism, and specifically concepts like political correctness and intersectionalism, as an attack on all of those deeply held feelings of what America "is." To them, our movement is an assault on their Field of Dreams. They're afraid of losing their (yes, white and Christian) America in the tidal wave of cultural shifts that have occurred over recent decades.

Is calling them racist going to change that? Is calling them bigots going to do it? Hateful? Monsters? Ignorant? Uneducated? Privileged? We dont have to agree with it, but we have to attempt to understand it.

I voted for Donald Trump to save lives: Response to Redlawsk

Trump voters and foes can seek common ground on life: Response to Buono

The only way The Resistance succeeds is if we fundamentally change our tactics. We must realize that the way into these hearts is to respectfully suggest that the causes we fight for actually align with their deeply held patriotism and love for America. That yes, our marginalized communities may look different and speak a different language, but they want all the same things you do, and they want to have them in this incredible country we've built together. They also want to have their Field of Dreams. Thats why they came here in the first place! And isn't it the American Way to do everything we can to give them that opportunity?

But what this also means is that we as progressives need to stop getting so offended by everything and learn to put ourselves in others' shoes. All of our experiences conservatives and progressives alike give us unique perspectives, and it is absolutely unhelpful to say things like "it's not our job to teach you" when someone comes to us with questions.

Actually, it is our job.

If we're waiting for people who hold a different view to change their minds without being guided through that process, we'll be waiting an awfully long time. I think progressives would all agree that time is not something we have to waste. It may not be fair, but progressives must be willing to put aside their anger and hate and take responsibility for creating the change they wish to see in the world. To vilify, shame and condemn only causes those who don't understand to dig in their heels. If we are the ones who want change, the responsibility is ours to do what it takes to encourage it.

To summarize: Progressives, stop insulting, stopshaming, and stop condescending. Start listening. Start teaching.

When we have that gut-check moment like I had the other night, upon finding out my friend voted for Donald Trump, we have to find the strength to overcome it, not let it get the best of our emotions. We must endeavor to listen.

Andrew Redlawsk is a Democratic organizer and activist and is currently pursuing his Masters in Political Management at George Washington University in Washington, DC. Read a response from Trump voter Sophia Buonohere.

You can readdiverse opinions from ourBoard of Contributorsand other writers ontheOpinion front page,on Twitter@USATOpinionand in our dailyOpinion newsletter.To submit a letter, comment or column, check oursubmission guidelines.

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Progressives must preach understanding, not shame, to be effective - USA TODAY

The San Luis Obispo Tribune (blog)

SLO Progressives? More like SLO Regressives The San Luis Obispo Tribune (blog) The definition of progressive, according to Dictionary.com, is favoring or advocating progress, change, improvement or reform making progress toward better conditions. By that definition, the SLO Progressives, who have taken over the local ...

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SLO Progressives? More like SLO Regressives - The San Luis Obispo Tribune (blog)

This is for all of those who are not in the MSNBC orbit. Of course, many of you probably already know this, but for a movement that stresses diversity and talks about bringing all people together to fight racist, misogynist, and xenophobic Donald Trump, its pretty much a band of white, wealthy, and overly educated progressives who are still stung that Hillary Clinton is not president, or at least thats the case in the D.C. area, which accounts for one-third of those who have taken part in the protests against President Trump. The Washington Post noted the disparities in education, income, and race over these protests earlier this month. They also noted that for Black residents, theyre use to government falling short, and they theyre facing bigger obstacles in life than having their candidate lose an election:

One out of every three Washingtonians has marched in protest against President Trump or his policies at least once since January, making the District the capital of national dissent, a new Washington Post poll finds.

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According to the Post poll, 53 percent of white residents participated in a march or demonstration in opposition to Trumps policies since the start of the year, compared with 16 percent of African Americans and 36 percent of Hispanics and those of other racial and ethnic groups.

The overwhelmingly African American residents of Wards 7 and 8 are the citys least likely to protest Trump, with only 12 percent saying they had. By contrast, 54 percent of residents in overwhelmingly white Wards 1 and 3 in Northwest Washington say they have protested the president.

High-income residents are among the most likely Trump protesters this year.

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Mark Woodard, a black hospital technician who lives in Kingman Park in Northeast, said he has not felt compelled to protest because his life has not changed much under the new administration.

Im kind of waiting to see he hasnt made an impact yet, Woodard said. Im able to go to my job; my benefits are fine. Hes not doing anything to affect me, so Im not going to support any protests.

Justina Jackson, 28, a black assistant pastry chef in Brookland who voted for Hillary Clinton, said that she is accustomed to being disappointed in government, no matter which party is in the White House, and that Trump is no different.

Im used to stuff not going my way, she said. Theres always some kind of obstacle I have to overcome just because Im a young African American female. I dont have a lot of sympathy for people who are upset about Trump."

Also, those in lower income brackets dont have time to protest. The Post also found that among Black voters, even if those who disagreed with President Trump, were not motivated to protest against him. One of them, Raynard Styles, voted for Trump on the basis of change. He questions his vote now, but concerning demonstrating, its a no-go.

Hes still my president, and Im an American first, he told the paper.

Five of the ten wealthiest counties are in the DC area, so I guess rabid liberals protesting Trumps win is a given consequence. In the D.C. area, the so-called resistance is whiter, financially well off, and highly educated; its the archetypal urban professional. Im not saying theres anything wrong with that, but dont go off marketing yourselves as some diverse coalition. The next time someone spouts how the GOP is so white; just remind them the heart of the D.C. resistance is just thatwhite people who can step away from work, whereas everyone else has more important stuff to worry about other than who won the 2016 election. In the meantime, this rabid cohort ofliberal condescending busybodies will continue to bash Trump, protest him, and take comfort in telling his supporters that theyre racist, deplorable, misogynist, sexist, xenophobic, and homophobic (Trump is the most pro-LGBT Republican ever elected, by the way). If they want to keep losing elections, yeahkeep doing that.

Read more:
ICYMI: The Heart Of Anti-Trump Resistance Is Mostly A Bunch Of White Progressives Who Can Take Off Work - Townhall