In reply to john arran:
I think the shocking thing now is the blatant nature of what's being done and, more significantly, that it appears to be done with total impunity. The old checks and balances are being ignored and hence found to be toothless
Again limiting it to the UK/US Profumo resigned because he had lied to the Commons. Nothing more serious than that. Even so, there were no ifs or buts an 'honorable member' who lied to the House had to go and everyone agreed. It was a matter of honour (albeit only after you were found out!). Compare that with the last year or two. Lying is routine. May's govt was found to be in conempt of Parliament: no heads rolled and there was no comeback whatsoever. Johnson was found to have lied to the Queen and his prorogation of Parliament ruled to be illegal by the Supreme Court. Again no comeback at all. Life just goes on. No remorse and no apology let alone a resignation. In fact I think I recall one minister being interviewed about it who said: "The Supreme Court is entitled to its view, we have ours" as if the SC was a complete irrelevance.
I was in the US at the time of the Clinton impeachment. Altho it was perjury most people seemed to think it was pretty small beer, a married man lying to deny an affair. Neatly summed up to me by a woman who said: "He's a guy, of course he screwed her. He's a politician, of course he lied". Not much worry about 'high crimes and misdemeanours' there. Nixon was much more serious involving major criminality but even he realised he had to resign (if only to avoid a worse fate) and left office.
After this week's damning evidence I think most neutrals would say Trump has to go for the specific act of bribing a foreign govt using US federal aidfor his own personal political benefit. Sondland's testimony was detailed and specific. Plus he is not one of the usual anti-Trump suspects. He was an early supporter, a million dollar donor and Trump's appointee as Ambassador to Europe. When someone like him testifies as he did with chapter and verse, naming names the writing is on the wall but I very much doubt the President will jump.