How many votes would be needed? How's this process work?
Impeachment proceedings begin in the house, where it is introduced by any member and goes through the established committee process. It is debated on the floor and voted on. A majority vote is required for impeachment.
Impeachment by the House is analogous to indictment by a grand jury. It says these offenses must go to trial.
The trial is held by the Senate. A vote of at least 2/3 is required to convict, at which time the convicted is removed from office and perhaps tried in criminal court for offenses committed.
Historically, Andrew Johnson and William J Clinton were impeached. Neither was convicted.
In the matter of this president, my ideal scenario for a conviction would go like this. Impeachment is introduced in the House by a democrat. It receives a majority vote consisting of virtually all the democrats and enough republicans to carry. Same in the Senate—Convicted by mostly democrats, with enough republicans to carry.
This would help the democrats by showing voters their “remorse” for nominating Obama. It would not hurt the republicans, because it was introduced and driven by the democrats. And it would help the Republic by getting this Manchurian candidate out of office before 2012.