IMPEACHMENT RIGHT THING TO DO-Regardless Of Outcome/Whether Or Not It Brings 08 Election Rewards

Published on Wednesday, December 19, 2007 by The Huffington Post
No Vice President Is Above the Law
by Elizabeth Holtzman

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No serious student of the Constitution would question that sufficient grounds exist to impeach both President Bush and Vice President Cheney. The Constitution provides that an Executive who puts himself above the law and abuses the powers of his office may be impeached, a point confirmed in the impeachment proceedings against President Nixon, for abuses such as illegal wiretapping.

There is little serious debate about whether Bush administration actions — wiretapping without court approval (violating the Foreign Surveillance Intelligence Act), authorizing and facilitating mistreatment of detainees (violating U.S. treaties and criminal laws), starting the Iraq war on a basis of lies, exaggerations and misstatements (an abuse of power) — meet the Constitutional standard.

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Does the leadership defend the administration, contend that its actions are unimpeachable, or argue they don’t rise to the level of abuse for which Nixon was impeached? Remarkably, no. They publicly say there is no time, and that impeachment proceedings would distract the Congress from other work and divide the country.

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Whether or not they bring electoral rewards in 2008, impeachment proceedings are the right thing to do. Regardless of outcome, they will help to curb the serious abuses of this administration, and send a strong message to future administration: the Constitution means what it says - no president or vice president is above the law.

more at:
http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/12/19/5900/

What kind of message would a failed impeachment that helped elect Guiliani send? WOuldn't he conclude that he was, more or less, above the law?

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

a mountain without help is like jacking-off a dead man.

because they did not do their Constitutional duties. They have obviously convinced themselves that the country cannot withstand another such ordeal. They have failed miserably, unfortunately.

Our Constitution goes unprotected as we speak...

Since you beat me to it I'll just agree with you.

And it's the smart thing to do as well.

Right now the American people a pissed off that the Democrats haven't tried to impeach these bastards. If they at least make an effort, even if it fails it will show them who is keeping Bush in power and that may translate to more votes in November.

It seems like every other day, I see Henry Waxman holding a hearing or sending a letter or speaking out about yet another boooosh regime scandal. As he said when he became chairman, the problem wasn't what to investigate, it was where to start. This man and his committee have been snowed over with a lot of investigations...almost all facing stonewalls and obstruction that still require court cases to blast through. He also has a leadership that wants the dirt but not the clean-up...they loathe votes that could appear to be "vindictive" or partisan and can't even schedule a damn vote on contempt citations. This is the current backdrop that makes impeachment more difficult than it already is.

Time is arising that Democrats call for an Independent Consul to relieve some of the pressure on Congress and have some teeth in forcing this regime to comply with subpoenas and provide the evidence that would make impeachment a lot closer to reality. As this regime obstructs, it's obvious the legislative has no will to force the issue with this regime, so its time for them to hand off to an independent investigator who can. It's simple...they have the votes in the Judiciary Committee to make this happen. And with it, impeachment becomes both clearer and more doable.

Hear, hear!

(and more here) http://journals.democraticunderground.com/Laelth/12

:dem:

-Laelth

As I have repeatedly argued impeachement hearings will actually benefit Democrats electorally.