To Impeach or Not to Impeach
By Libby Spencer
As Michael notes in his post, with the call for impeachment having reached 39%, it can no longer be categorized as coming from the fringe elements. Matt Yglesias thinks it's time to start a conversation about it. I think it's long overdue myself and in fact have to ask if it's not already too late.
I keep going back and forth on the idea. On the one hand I think it would at least tie them up and one hopes would keep them too busy to cause any new trouble. On the other hand it would back them into a corner and they've demonstrated a proclivity for starting new trouble in order to shift the focus from their own criminiality. I'm not at all certain that our dastardly duo wouldn't do something crazy like bomb Iran to thwart it. One might think an event of that magnitude would squelch such talk and it's not like they haven't been floating dozens of dubious excuses to build support for a surgical strike.
I wish I could be as optimistic as John Conyers who has a poll that says 46% want Bush impeached and 58% want Cheney to be kicked out. He predicts the public pressure could force the White House to co-operate with the various investigations.
I think that's a fool's hope. They're not just being coy or even trying to build their executive privilege precedents. These two have committed crimes. If they co-operate, they will go to jail. Besides, even with polling like that Conyers still refuses to "put impeachment on the table." Public opinion doesn't mean jack if the Congress won't put their weight behind it.
My main problem is with the timing. I doubt impeachment could be completed before the end of Bush's term and so it would be a symbolic gesture. It might help our world standing some in the interim, since it would make clear to the international community that Bush does not speak for Americans, nor act on their behalf. But the only real value I see in it, is if it would force them both to resign.
In the end, I'm back to where started on this many months ago. We need to call for their resignations. Keith Olbermann started that ball rolling and I think all the people who are pushing for impeachment should pick it up and run with it. Maybe we can start impeachment proceedings to put the pressure on, but we should be asking Bush and Cheney to resign for the greater good of the nation.
(Cross-posted at The Impolitic.)
As Michael notes in his post, with the call for impeachment having reached 39%, it can no longer be categorized as coming from the fringe elements. Matt Yglesias thinks it's time to start a conversation about it. I think it's long overdue myself and in fact have to ask if it's not already too late.
I keep going back and forth on the idea. On the one hand I think it would at least tie them up and one hopes would keep them too busy to cause any new trouble. On the other hand it would back them into a corner and they've demonstrated a proclivity for starting new trouble in order to shift the focus from their own criminiality. I'm not at all certain that our dastardly duo wouldn't do something crazy like bomb Iran to thwart it. One might think an event of that magnitude would squelch such talk and it's not like they haven't been floating dozens of dubious excuses to build support for a surgical strike.
I wish I could be as optimistic as John Conyers who has a poll that says 46% want Bush impeached and 58% want Cheney to be kicked out. He predicts the public pressure could force the White House to co-operate with the various investigations.
I think that's a fool's hope. They're not just being coy or even trying to build their executive privilege precedents. These two have committed crimes. If they co-operate, they will go to jail. Besides, even with polling like that Conyers still refuses to "put impeachment on the table." Public opinion doesn't mean jack if the Congress won't put their weight behind it.
My main problem is with the timing. I doubt impeachment could be completed before the end of Bush's term and so it would be a symbolic gesture. It might help our world standing some in the interim, since it would make clear to the international community that Bush does not speak for Americans, nor act on their behalf. But the only real value I see in it, is if it would force them both to resign.
In the end, I'm back to where started on this many months ago. We need to call for their resignations. Keith Olbermann started that ball rolling and I think all the people who are pushing for impeachment should pick it up and run with it. Maybe we can start impeachment proceedings to put the pressure on, but we should be asking Bush and Cheney to resign for the greater good of the nation.
(Cross-posted at The Impolitic.)
Labels: Bush, Cheney, impeachment
posted by Libby Spencer at
9:51 PM
2 Comments:
I doubt that President Cheney would ever resign under pressure. Of course I would rather see him marched out of his office in cuffs, butI think Cheney, with his finger on "the button" has us over a barrel.
By
Capt. Fogg, at 8:49 AM
I'm afraid that's what I think as well Fogg. Near as I can tell, we're screwed no matter what we do or don't do.
By
Libby Spencer, at 11:12 AM
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