Impeachment is the Only Way to Protect the Constitution

by Gpack3, Mon Dec 19, 2005 at 11:37:06 AM EST

For a few years now, it has been clear to everyone on the left that George W. Bush and most of his administration are criminals well-deserving of impeachment, yet we have been deeply divided on whether the Democrats in Congress should push for his impeachment. Some say since impeachment has no chance of succeeding, we shouldn't bother. Others have said that calling for impeachment will turn off swing voters and cost us the election. I have counted myself among this crowd. But no longer. George W. Bush must be removed from office.

This President, through his word and deed, has all but admitted that he can not be checked by the law or the courts. If he wants to do something, and Congress says he can't or the courts say he can't, he'll go ahead and do it anyway. The normal checks won't work. It doesn't matter if we pass a law against torture, or habeas corpus-stripping or jaywalking, for that matter. If this president wants to violate our rights, he will. It's as simple as that. The only way to stop him from doing so, the only way to protect our Constitution, is to remove him from office.

This reminds me of the debate over Roe vs. Wade. People have argued that we might do better in elections if it were overturned. While that may be true, it's a question of protecting our fundamental rights, and it's really craven to suggest that we should throw them overboard just for electoral advantage.

And anyway, I doubt it will hurt us in the polls to go after this. This isn't the Clinton impeachment. The lesson of the Clinton impeachment was that the public was able to see through the Republicans' bullshit. I think if we make the case that this President has attacked our fundamental principles and the only way to get him to stop is to remove him from office, we can get enough people on our side to sweep the '06 elections. And if we make this an issue and win big, that will put  Republicans on notice that they defend Bush at their electoral peril. That could cause enough crossovers in the Senate to make removal real.

Of course, there's a chance none of this will happen, and we'll lose big. But we're at a crisis in our democracy. We have a president who will not only violate the law and Constitution at will, he'll freely admit to it because he doesn't fear the consequences. This cannot stand. We shouldn't let it stand. The Founding Fathers put their lives on the line to give us this Constitution, and we're just going to let George W. Bush shred it without a fight, because we're afraid of losing an election? This attitude is why the Democrats keep losing elections. If we say we won't stand up and fight for our Constitution when it most needs fighting for, why should we win elections? Why should anyone support us? If the Democratic Party lets this affront to democracy and Constitutional values stand, it doesn't deserve to exist.



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what if we did? (none / 0)

Okay, say the Dems do in fact win back the Senate in '06.  Hell, say they win both houses.  They have a mandate.  Bush has a list of crimes a mile long - they impeach him and Cheney on 300 counts each.  If Cheney goes first, Bush appoints someone - say, Bill Frist - as VP.  If Bush goes first, Cheney becomes president in name as well as in fact, and appoints someone - say, Condi Rice - as VP.  So we have President Frist or President Rice telling us that "our long national nightmare is over," and all our problems are solved.  Then they can run for re-election on the "I cleaned up the White House" platform.  

Of course you and I will see through it, but as the last five years have shown, the GOP faithful will believe anything - Bush was a strong leader on 9/11; Saddam was best pals with Osama; evolution is just a theory - how hard is it to imagine "President Rice restored honor to the White House" being added to that list?

"It's not enough to say you'll be ready from Day One - you have to be right from Day One."
by schroeder on Mon Dec 19, 2005 at 01:22:56 PM EST

Re: what if we did? (none / 0)

With regard to the VP thing, we could impeach them simultaneously, though that's unlikely. Or we could refuse to confirm their nominee, if he or she is not to our liking. But one thing's pretty certain, if the anti-Bush tidal wave in 2006 is long and deep enough that we successfully remove Bush and Cheney from office, it'll be enough that whomever is appointed President will not get re-elected in 2008.

If the Democratic Party were to adopt a strategy of pushing for impeachment, the Republicans would try their typical Unified Wall of Bullshit maneuver. Either it works, and that puts every prominent Republican in Bush's camp and that association tars them too much for them to recover, or the Republicans turn on him anyway, and he resigns in disgrace. Either way, we're looking at a repeat of '74 and '76. And if we run a better candidate than Jimmy Carter, no Ronald Reagan will have a chance to emerge and unite the party better and stronger.

by Gpack3 on Mon Dec 19, 2005 at 01:40:39 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Not if -- when (none / 0)

And sure those are some obstacles we'll have to overcome, but not reasons for holding back from doing what's right.  We must save our country from the debacle of corruption that is the BushCo.
Just another Jesus followin' Green for Constitutional Democracy. :-)
dailyJam.blogspot.com
by JamBoi on Mon Dec 19, 2005 at 05:07:13 PM EST
[ Parent ]

My letter today to the Chicago Tribune (none / 0)

Impeachment is for mistakes, NOT pernicious behavior.

TO: Voice of the People, Chicago Tribune
CC: Senator Barack Obama, Senator Richard J. Durbin

RE: Misappropriation of the 9/11 Commission

In his address to the nation on Monday, December 19, President Bush used the
9/11 Commission’s reports as evidence that the world is a big bad place. Not
only does he continuously and erroneously link the 9/11 attacks with Iraq,
now he's linking them to the leading bi-partisan official authority which,
on December 5, issued a report card that included 5 Fs, 12 Ds and two
Incompletes for the White House and the Republican-led Congress.

At any cost, Bush and his administration decided to invade Iraq, a sovereign
nation without ties to the 9/11 attacks. The Downing Street Memo
demonstrates the desire for invasion to have been in place before 9/11
occurred. We may not have liked Saddam Hussein, but the fact remains the
U.S. had little more authority to invade Iraq than Germany had in invading
Poland. This President and his administration refuse to admit their
wrongdoing. With every official statement, evidence of their pernicious
behavior mounts. They have failed to protect our nation from its enemies,
although they have succeeded grandly in representing the economic interests
of those who have invested in our involvement in Iraq. The 9/11 Commission’s
report card proves that we are at high risk from a terrorist attack and that
we count on the weakness of our enemies far more than on the strength of our
defense. Keeping in mind the collapse of reason during the Katrina disaster,
can there be anyone left in this country unsure about the ramifications for
the U.S. if we are victimized by a nuclear or other large-scale attack?

In delivering his addresses, this President uses a "let me tell you simple
folks how this complicated business works" manner of speaking. Many citizens
hear his blurred facts and condescending manner and assume this President to
be merely simpleminded. If that is the case, than a just reaction to his
misunderstanding of national security should be Congressional hearings for
his impeachment. Yet given the White House’s willingness to persist with a
systematic program of deceit, it is my understanding of our Constitution
that hearings have to be demanded against this President and his
administration not for impeachment, but for High Treason.

J.H. Grimson
by JHGrimson on Mon Dec 19, 2005 at 02:47:23 PM EST

Let's roll! (none / 0)

Arise ye Dems and started on setting up the impeachment proceedings for Bush's high crimes and misdemeanors.  Cheney too!
Just another Jesus followin' Green for Constitutional Democracy. :-)
dailyJam.blogspot.com
by JamBoi on Mon Dec 19, 2005 at 05:05:18 PM EST


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