Impeachment: Why Stop At Bush? (TomPaine.com)

Impeachment: Why Stop At Bush?
Robert Jensen
April 10, 2007


Robert Jensen is a journalism professor at the University of Texas at Austin, an author and a board member of the Third Coast Activist Resource Center. His latest book is Getting Off: Pornography and the End of Masculinity . He delivered the following remarks at the “Impeachment: Our Right, Our Duty” rally in Houston, Texas on Monday.

Whether one believes the impeachment of George W. Bush is a realistic possibility or is simply a vehicle for expressing outrage and educating the public about the crimes of the powerful, any such talk starts with the U.S. Constitution and Article II, Section 4, which speaks of “treason, bribery or other high crimes and misdemeanors.”

Few suggest that Bush is guilty of treason, nor is there evidence of bribery—unless we’re speaking of the routine way in which campaign contributions are a kind of bribery, but that’s hardly unique to Bush. That leaves us to ponder the phrase “high crimes and misdemeanors,” which somehow seems inadequate to describe this administration. “High crimes,” yes, but these are not “misdemeanors.” We’re talking about repeat felony offenders.

Scholars debate what the category of “high crimes” might include, but it certainly must include the violation of one of the central tenets of international law—that no nation-state can attack another unless in self-defense or with authorization from the U.N. Security Council. Bush is guilty of this—a “crime against peace” in the language of the Nuremberg Principles—not once but twice, first in Afghanistan and next in Iraq.

That seems simple enough, but it also seems a bit unfair to pick on Bush alone. After all, no single person—not even the president of the United States—can undertake such massive crimes alone. Remember that the constitution also includes in the category of impeachable persons the “Vice President and all civil officers of the United States.” How deep into the bench of the Bush administration might we go? Cheney and Rice seem like obvious choices; Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, Powell and Armitage would have been on the list before they left their posts. You all may have specific favorites you would want to add.

But I suggest we not stop with Bush and his cronies. If we want to truly change the direction of this country, we should widen the discussion. Who else might deserve to be impeached? .....(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.tompaine.com/articles/2007/04/10/impeachment_why_stop_at_bush.php

Being ,Occupation was and is his only goal, 300% a year is what his Base needs to feel safe.

. . .authoritarian power."

The Unconstitutional and Un-American claim that the Office of the President has "inherent" unitary authoritarian power to violate the law is the most devastating of all their offenses. That claim is a violation of the principle of consent -- the sole moral principle on which our Constitution and therefore the nation is founded.

Impeaching and removing officials, judges, and justices who promote the "unitary" lunacy will be incredibly easy. They have all convicted themselves with their own public statemetns. The only prerequiste is that the case to impeach Bush and Cheney unequivocally reject the unitary lunacy. If Congress fails to impeach on grounds that reject that fascist fantasy, the nation will have a serious problem. (And if Members of Congress make a complex legalistic case for impeachment, instead of a simple case grounded in the broad principles that define who we are, they will have missed a golden opportuntiy to become champaions of the People's Government and the Constitution.)

elated:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=103&topic_id=273979&mesg_id=274078

you add members of the congress and the senate, the oil companies that participated in the secret meetings with cheney and all the energy mongrels that have sold America down the drain.

:bounce:

NGU.

After that Impeach cheney, then busholini.

...as long as they all go!

Buh-bye. :hi:

NGU.

but all those mentioned must also be held accountable, and then some.
What bugs me most is that there may be a means by which we can hold these unelected thieves accountable, but how are we going to hold the OTHER unelected thieves (defense contractor CEOs, energy company CEOs, Big Pharma CEOs, etc. ) accountable for THEIR roles in fleecing the American people?

Yes, impeach the current corrupt rePiglican cabal, but we need to reign in the rePiglicans' shadow government of corporate honchos as well.

Impeach Cheney first, then Bush!
NO PARDONS!

:kick: HART 2008! :kick:

...who actively supported the bfee's crimes. I would love to see their very speeches on the House and Senate floors supporting the bush administrations' crimes be used as evidence against them. I want to see EACH AND EVERY ONE of them be brought to task for their support. Those found guilty of any felonies should be charged, further tried and let the law do what the law should does.

I can not remember the names for each repuke politician I feel has sold out America but Norm Coleman is on my list for NOT doing his job in holding the crooks accountable.

Then there was that bastard Senator who went to Gitmo and returned with tall tales of how "WELL" the inmates were being treated and fed...remember when he claimed the inmate's ate as though they were in nice resturaunts...I feel he needs to go back there and suffer more of that "fine" food but this time keep him around for a more accurate accounting.

Senslessbrenner is on my list too if for nothing else obstruction of justice for when he shut down Senator Conyers hearing on the Downing Street Memo.

I would include the Mayor of Orlando Florida as well for using public funds to shut down soup kitchens in parks in HIS city.

I am bipartisan here so let me add that Democrat who was hoarding all that cash in his freezer. (Isn't he still a politician??? WTF)

ANYONE WHO ABUSED their given political position for personal gain or for the detriment of innocent non-combatants MUST NOT be given a pass for their crimes!

I would not stop with politicians, I want to see the civilians CEOs who allowed their poisonous wastes to be spread throughout the Middle East be brought to task as well. I want to see those multi-billionaires over in Iraq cleaning up the depleted uranium. No NOT their employees, just those in charge. If they need help they can have the right wing pundents like rush limpballs or anne coultergeist or o'liely just to name a few. (I just pictured coultergeist in a headscarf HAH!)

Halliburton should be investigated and if found guilty their assets should be sold off and used for those who suffered from the ravages of Hurricane Katrina. Those within that company AND THEIR ASSOCIATES should be investigated, tried and if found guilty be placed in detention centers that they built.

BRING BACK THE INQUISITION and put the fear of God in these bas'turds'... I want to see them performing the "Imus-Maneuver" (Squirm you bastard, squirm).

If all I say were to come to pass then maybe, just maybe I'll be proud to say that I am an American...hell, maybe I'd even stick a flag on my car's antennae!