Letters to the Editor
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He's nekid?
Is he nekid? Is the emperor without clothes? You, the people, the press and the rest decide. Has he crossed the line? Well, as a democratic society, shouldn't we reason that his acts should be publicly and seriously questioned? What is holding us back here? War? Doesn't war bring out the best? And the worst?
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The Rise and Fall of King George, Jr. (and Mr. Dick)
I am confident that this issue will not go away. Republicans will be forced to authorize investigations which lead to articles of impeachment. The same way they had to authorize Fitpatrick to look into the Plame leaks.
This raises the possibility of a double whammy -- both the President AND the Vice President being impeached at the same time for different crimes.
Gee, it must all be part of Karl Rove's brilliant strategy to have an incumbent Republican ticket in place for '08 ;-)
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Bush's misdeeds
There is little question in my mind that the president should not be allowed to be above the law, and George Bush,jr pretty clearly feels that he is. The problem, as I see it, is that the last impeachment has effectively rendered it a joke, an empty gesture that no longer has moral weight.
Clinton was impeached. He was caught in a lie, he apologized, and went on about his business, governing for 2 more years. In the unlikely event Bush,jr is impeached, I imagine he will also go on about his business and stay in office. Only instead of apologizing, he'll be indignant.
What's needed is the political will to impeach him and either remove him from office and imprison him, or remove him from office and offer him a deal to rat out puppetmasters Cheney and Rumsfeld, so that they may be put in prison. He is a coward and he would do it.
Is it ghoulish to suggest that this won't happen unless we get to 10,000-15,000 American servicemen deaths in Iraq?
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I have already posted a letter....
At least I think I have. We (most of us) have all got to believe that a gov't that is monitoring PETA and peace groups and is so very reminiscent of Nixon and imperial powers wouldn't have any influence over Salon publishing my first letter, would they?....... right,Salon? Just kidding, thot not.
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Bush won't leave no matter what
This wiretapping story is covered in the media now, but, like Hurricane Katrina, it will blow over. So will any calls for impeachment - not that there are many. Bush is counting on American public apathy and, as this article mentions, the lack of political will from within Congress itself, to remain in power no matter what. And even if there was an uproar from among the people, even if there were mass protests against this wiretapping, I'd like to see anybody successfully boot this man from office, impeachment or no.
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About time
A quick shout out from a Mount Holyoke alum to Professor Pyle: always good to hear from you!
Now, about this whole impeachment business: does anyone else get the impression that impeachment fatigue means that there's no way Bush will be impeached? Hell, I've wanted to impeach the bugger from Day 1, but can you imagine what the Re'Pubs are gonna say? "We can't drag the country through another embarrassing travesty". Nevermind that they caused the last embarrassing travesty. They'll invoke everything from national security to worries about the President's emotional health. Especially with these drinking rumors flying around everywhere and all.
If I was the cynical type, I'd almost think that the Clinton hearings were drawn out as long as they were so as to shield the next president (since the race was a planned steal to begin with) from that kind of scrutiny. Fortunately, I'm not the cynical type. But I can't imagine that a man who has such disdain for the Constitution, the free press, and the American people has made it this far on arrogance, intimadation, and money without having to answer for his actions.
It's time.
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My comments don't amount to much but....
Salon posted my first comments 5th and my 2nd comments 1st. Don't know why they did that but I suspect favoratism, folks. Anyway, :] U and I both no that this current and very real commander has been and will be considered above reproach because... he has declared us to be 'at war'. Can't the Congress and (more importantly) the American people see through this act? If not, why not?
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No will? Don't be so sure.
I think Goldberg's premise, that while there is plenty of evidence to impeach, there is little will and therefore it won't happen, is premature. The facts of the case are beyond question. Even conservative scholars agree that Bush broke the law. The fact that this story broke so late in the year, when many people are on vacation and/or focusing on other things besides White House politics, has lessened the impact of this story somewhat. Even so, the reaction to it has still been tremendous.
A big problem for Bush is that mid-term elections are coming up. I would hate to be a Republican Congressperson up for re-election who has to explain to voters why Bush's actions do not warrant impeachment. If I were a Democrat running for office, a pledge to push for a trial might be just the thing that gets the vote out. As more facts are revealed next year, a Democratic majority might not be needed.
And I don't buy the Impeachment Fatigue argument. The Repbulicans and their Contract on America worked overtime to get Clinton. To let far more serious crimes slide would be the height of irresponsibility.
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Embarrassed personally, but not by my original opinion...
Sorry, Salon, I didn't realize you published the letters in order of time, first being last, top to bottom. I am used to the other way around. Although I think that is confusing... I guess it shows my ignorance, hons.
Keep on keeping on.
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Impeachable Offense, Yes; Political Will, No
This is actually an astoundingly simple issue. There is a federal law, Bush broke it, has admitted to it, and states that he plans to break it again. (If I knocked over a liquor store for money for bread for my family because I've been unemployed for months and said, "It's a matter of security to my family," I doubt the local police would be very forgiving. "Les Miserables," anyone?)
President Bush signed an Executive Order so that he can flout the law. In other words, his argument is, "I'm President, and I can break whatever laws I want when I think it's right." I can't do that; I don't know anyone else outside the Bush Administration who can. Is Justice blind, and does the law apply to everyone? The answer seems self-evident.
However, it is clear that with Republicans wanting to hold on to power, with a right-wing echo chamber that absolutely refuses to say anything that strays from the approved talking points, and with a cowed minority and a supine mainstream media, there will not be an impeachment. They will hang on, wait for it to blow over, and move on with the next atrocity. Donald Rumsfeld is still the Secretary of Defense. Condi Rice is now Secretary of State. No one-- no one--will be held accountable.
A President has flouted the law, and admitted it, but will not face the consequences. This is the person 62 million people voted for. This is the country we are living in now. I cannot decide whether to laugh or weep.