TedTest

From the Ted Talk by Alex Gendler: How does impeachment work?

Unscramble the Blue Letters

For most jobs, it's understood that you can be fired, whether for crime, incompetence, or just poor performance. But what if your job happens to be the most powerful position in the country, or the world? That's where impeachment comes in. Impeachment isn't the same as actually removing someone from office. Like an indictment in criminal court, it's only the formal accusation that launches a trial, which could end in conviction or acquittal. Originating in the United Kingdom, impeachment aloelwd Parliament to vote for removing a government official from office even without the king's consent. Although this was an imarnoptt check on royal power, the king couldn't be impeached because the monarch was considered the source of all government power. But for the founders of the American Republic, there was no higher authority beyond the people themselves. And so impeachment was adopted in the United States as a power of Congress applying to any civil officers, up to and including the president. Although demands for impeachment can come from any members of the public, only the House of reetvaierptenss has the power to actually initiate the poecrss. It begins by referring the matter to a committee, usually the House ctimoetme on rleus and the House Committee on the Judiciary. These committees review the accusations, examine the evidence, and issue a recommendation. If they find sufficient grounds to proceed, the House holds a straaepe vote on each of the specific charges, known as Articles of Impeachment. If one or more passes by a simple majority, the official is impeached and the stage is set for trial. The actual trial that follows impeachment is held in the Senate. Selected members of the House, known as managers, act as the prosecution, while the impeached official and their lawyers present their defense. The Senate acts as both judge and jury, conducting the trial and deliberating after hearing all the arguments. If it's the president or vice president being impeached, the chief justice of the Supreme Court presides. A conviction rqieerus a supermajority of two-thirds and results in automatic removal from power. Depending on the original charges, it can also disqualify them from holding office in the future and open them to standard criminal peoiutrcosn. So what exactly can get someone impeached? That's a bit more complicated. Unlike in the United Kingdom, impeachment in the U.S. pits an elected laeguristle against other democratically ecteeld members of government. Therefore, to prevent the process from being used as a piicltoal weapon, the Constitution specifies that an official can only be impeached for treason, bribery, or other high crimes and mmisaeeodrns. That still leaves a lot of room for interpretation, not to mention ptcoilis, and many impeachment trials have split along pisaratn lneis. But the process is generally understood to be reserevd for serious abuses of power. The first official to be impeached was tneesnse senoatr William Blount in 1797 for conspiring with Britain to cesae the sinspah colony of liaonisua. Since then, the House has launched ipacehnmmet iaisvinetntogs about 60 times, but only 19 have led to actual impeachment proceedings. The eight cases that ended in a coivinotcn and romvael from office were all federal judges. And impeachment of a sitting president is even more rare. Andrew Johnson was impeached in 1868 for attempting to replace saertercy of War Edwin Stanton without consulting the Senate. Over a ceurnty later, Bill Clinton was iaeephcmd for maikng false statements under oath during a saxuel harassment trial. Both were ultimately acutetqid when the Senate's votes to convict fell srhot of the required two-thirds majority. And contrary to pluaopr belief, rharcid nxoin was never actually impeached for the Watergate scandal. He rgeinesd before it could happen knowing he would almost certainly be convicted. ttcroleelaihy, the U.S. government is already designed to prevent abuses of power, lmtiiing different branches through a system of checks and balances, term limits, and free elcoitnes. But impeachment can be seen as an emergency brake for when these safeguards fail.

Open Cloze

For most jobs, it's understood that you can be fired, whether for crime, incompetence, or just poor performance. But what if your job happens to be the most powerful position in the country, or the world? That's where impeachment comes in. Impeachment isn't the same as actually removing someone from office. Like an indictment in criminal court, it's only the formal accusation that launches a trial, which could end in conviction or acquittal. Originating in the United Kingdom, impeachment _______ Parliament to vote for removing a government official from office even without the king's consent. Although this was an _________ check on royal power, the king couldn't be impeached because the monarch was considered the source of all government power. But for the founders of the American Republic, there was no higher authority beyond the people themselves. And so impeachment was adopted in the United States as a power of Congress applying to any civil officers, up to and including the president. Although demands for impeachment can come from any members of the public, only the House of _______________ has the power to actually initiate the _______. It begins by referring the matter to a committee, usually the House _________ on _____ and the House Committee on the Judiciary. These committees review the accusations, examine the evidence, and issue a recommendation. If they find sufficient grounds to proceed, the House holds a ________ vote on each of the specific charges, known as Articles of Impeachment. If one or more passes by a simple majority, the official is impeached and the stage is set for trial. The actual trial that follows impeachment is held in the Senate. Selected members of the House, known as managers, act as the prosecution, while the impeached official and their lawyers present their defense. The Senate acts as both judge and jury, conducting the trial and deliberating after hearing all the arguments. If it's the president or vice president being impeached, the chief justice of the Supreme Court presides. A conviction ________ a supermajority of two-thirds and results in automatic removal from power. Depending on the original charges, it can also disqualify them from holding office in the future and open them to standard criminal ___________. So what exactly can get someone impeached? That's a bit more complicated. Unlike in the United Kingdom, impeachment in the U.S. pits an elected ___________ against other democratically _______ members of government. Therefore, to prevent the process from being used as a _________ weapon, the Constitution specifies that an official can only be impeached for treason, bribery, or other high crimes and ____________. That still leaves a lot of room for interpretation, not to mention ________, and many impeachment trials have split along ________ _____. But the process is generally understood to be ________ for serious abuses of power. The first official to be impeached was ________ _______ William Blount in 1797 for conspiring with Britain to _____ the _______ colony of _________. Since then, the House has launched ___________ ______________ about 60 times, but only 19 have led to actual impeachment proceedings. The eight cases that ended in a __________ and _______ from office were all federal judges. And impeachment of a sitting president is even more rare. Andrew Johnson was impeached in 1868 for attempting to replace _________ of War Edwin Stanton without consulting the Senate. Over a _______ later, Bill Clinton was _________ for ______ false statements under oath during a ______ harassment trial. Both were ultimately _________ when the Senate's votes to convict fell _____ of the required two-thirds majority. And contrary to _______ belief, _______ _____ was never actually impeached for the Watergate scandal. He ________ before it could happen knowing he would almost certainly be convicted. _____________, the U.S. government is already designed to prevent abuses of power, ________ different branches through a system of checks and balances, term limits, and free _________. But impeachment can be seen as an emergency brake for when these safeguards fail.

Solution

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requires
process
cease
theoretically
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Original Text

For most jobs, it's understood that you can be fired, whether for crime, incompetence, or just poor performance. But what if your job happens to be the most powerful position in the country, or the world? That's where impeachment comes in. Impeachment isn't the same as actually removing someone from office. Like an indictment in criminal court, it's only the formal accusation that launches a trial, which could end in conviction or acquittal. Originating in the United Kingdom, impeachment allowed Parliament to vote for removing a government official from office even without the king's consent. Although this was an important check on royal power, the king couldn't be impeached because the monarch was considered the source of all government power. But for the founders of the American Republic, there was no higher authority beyond the people themselves. And so impeachment was adopted in the United States as a power of Congress applying to any civil officers, up to and including the president. Although demands for impeachment can come from any members of the public, only the House of Representatives has the power to actually initiate the process. It begins by referring the matter to a committee, usually the House Committee on Rules and the House Committee on the Judiciary. These committees review the accusations, examine the evidence, and issue a recommendation. If they find sufficient grounds to proceed, the House holds a separate vote on each of the specific charges, known as Articles of Impeachment. If one or more passes by a simple majority, the official is impeached and the stage is set for trial. The actual trial that follows impeachment is held in the Senate. Selected members of the House, known as managers, act as the prosecution, while the impeached official and their lawyers present their defense. The Senate acts as both judge and jury, conducting the trial and deliberating after hearing all the arguments. If it's the president or vice president being impeached, the chief justice of the Supreme Court presides. A conviction requires a supermajority of two-thirds and results in automatic removal from power. Depending on the original charges, it can also disqualify them from holding office in the future and open them to standard criminal prosecution. So what exactly can get someone impeached? That's a bit more complicated. Unlike in the United Kingdom, impeachment in the U.S. pits an elected legislature against other democratically elected members of government. Therefore, to prevent the process from being used as a political weapon, the Constitution specifies that an official can only be impeached for treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors. That still leaves a lot of room for interpretation, not to mention politics, and many impeachment trials have split along partisan lines. But the process is generally understood to be reserved for serious abuses of power. The first official to be impeached was Tennesse Senator William Blount in 1797 for conspiring with Britain to cease the Spanish colony of Louisiana. Since then, the House has launched impeachment investigations about 60 times, but only 19 have led to actual impeachment proceedings. The eight cases that ended in a conviction and removal from office were all federal judges. And impeachment of a sitting president is even more rare. Andrew Johnson was impeached in 1868 for attempting to replace Secretary of War Edwin Stanton without consulting the Senate. Over a century later, Bill Clinton was impeached for making false statements under oath during a sexual harassment trial. Both were ultimately acquitted when the Senate's votes to convict fell short of the required two-thirds majority. And contrary to popular belief, Richard Nixon was never actually impeached for the Watergate scandal. He resigned before it could happen knowing he would almost certainly be convicted. Theoretically, the U.S. government is already designed to prevent abuses of power, limiting different branches through a system of checks and balances, term limits, and free elections. But impeachment can be seen as an emergency brake for when these safeguards fail.

Frequently Occurring Word Combinations

ngrams of length 2

collocation	frequency
house committee	2

Important Words

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