CURRENT MOON

Monday, January 15, 2007

Bush & Cheney Are What Impeachment Was Designed For


Digby's right about everything except for this: we do so have the time. And the process of impeachment all by itself might exercise some of the restraint that nothing else has managed to do. Not only that, but it's the right thing to do. And there's a huge power in doing the right thing. And, hell, if we're headed for a Constitutional crisis anyway -- and, one way (implicitly) or another (explicitly), that IS where we're headed -- I'd like to have it while Justice Stevens is still on the bench. (And, BTW, this is what happens when you ignore the Constitution. SCOTUS ignored the Constitution and ordered Florida to stop counting votes -- sticking America with the man who was voted down. Turns out that the Founders were right: it's better to let Americans select their leaders. Not SCOTUS, not Diebold, Americans.)

So the Iranians are after our troops. Condi said so last week. Cheney and Hadley are saying it today. Sounds like CB (cassus belli) talk to me. We can't wait for the Iranians to shoot the American troops with smoking mushrooms. Or something.

I have long said that the Republicans are undemocratic, but now they're just coming right out and saying it: democracy is all well and good until the people and their representatives object to what the president is doing at which point the people and their representatives become a superfluous "committee." They have interpreted the words "commander in chief" to mean that the constitution gives the president dictatorial powers during "wartime" (which the president defines.)

These are two dangerous and selfish men who aren't running for office and so have no political constraints. Not even a 30% approval rating or 12% support for this decision has made them think twice. They are completely confident that history will vindicate them.

They are what impeachment was designed for, I'm afraid, although I doubt there's time to build a case, what with the endless executive privilege claims and stonewalling. (I don't rule it out, naturally --- let a thousand oversight hearings bloom and follow the evidence where it leads.) But whether they are ultimately impeached or not, it's clear that they are rogue executives who are impervious to the normal limits that inhibit decent men and political animals. This can't just be swept under the rug.

Bush made it clear a long time ago when he said to a citizen on a rope line: "Who cares what you think?" And when he quipped "A dictatorship would be a lot easier, as long as I'm the dictator," he wasn't really joking.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

well said, Hecate. if not now, then when?

---her eyes

Anonymous said...

Amen.

I think you'll get a kick out of this one, I'm still laughing. It's like an impeachment carol.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-FcX0tVf7E

I don't care for the language, but I still love the chorus. "Democrats, don't be a bunch of..."

EA

Anonymous said...

Let's do it!

It's what the provision is in the Constitution for. Maybe the president nuking Iran will sway enough of the Republicans to make it work.

"Help us Speaker Nan Pelosi! You're our only hope!"

Unknown said...

I think the last straw we got from last week's speech is as good a last straw as any to show this Congress who's boss and start the Impeachment based on papers submitted by Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney. If we don't make this the last straw then we are going to have to make it out of the bloodbath on the way this Summer sure to be another milestone in this Presidency of miserable failure.

Anonymous said...

The latest comment from His Majesty was in response to Brian Williams's question about popularity. Williams asked if Bush was concerned with the fact that his popularity was at an all-time low.

King George replied, "not really".

Impeachment is too good for this arrogant pissant.