has stepped into his own macaca. Bye, bye bigot.

I prayed for it for the last six years, but now that it's here I feel both exuberant, and strangely anti-climactic.

At least with Rumsfeld gone and some oversight I can now begin to seriously contemplate serving my country in the military.

Before any other business, the new Congress must revisit the Military Commissions Act of 2006.

We want our Bill of Rights and all the existing amendments to the United States Constitution restored the way they were before September of 2006 when we lost the "The Great Writ" of Habeas Corpus.

I heard a very interesting interview yesterday on NPR with Henry Waxman. He alluded, fairly lightly, to something that occured to me recently.

When he was asked about investigations the House might undertake, and about impeachment, he wisely resisted the bait, but he did make some interesting comments to the effect that true oversight of the White House will begin soon, and that he's interested in investigating waste and fraud in Iraq in particular.

I have a feeling. I have a feeling the word impeachment will never pass the mouths of ranking democrats in either chamber. But, investigations will begin, as part of routine and appropriate oversight...and facts will begin to emerge.

I think this White House has been so arrogant, and so careless, that there is a very real possibility that in the course of normal, ongoing oversight investigations, facts will emerge that will be so damning, they can't be avoided...*then* the "i" word may have more currency.

Just a thought. It wouldn't surprise me.

The other thing that wouldn't surprise me is if the Office of the Vice President is not, even now, frantically shredding documents and deleting e-mails, against the very possibility of real oversight.

It's gonna be an interesting two years.

remember that until the smoking gun came out in the summer of 1974, nixon was set to survive impeachment hearings, and certainly would not have been convicted. and that was in a more democratic congress.

Don't expect it. It would backfire on the Democrats,and they know it. The American people just want to get things back on track not 2 years of psycho drama. Let nuetered George Bush his way into history and everyone will be happy. there will be hearings and investigations galore, and Bush and Cheney will slink away in January 2009 covered in their own slime.

Investigate, shine a harsh light on the reality of Iraq, Halliburton, secret energy task forces, the sticky evangelical fingers touching the highest levels of the administration, K Street, all of it. Lay it bare for the the public to see then leave them exposed and disgraced. That would have much greater impact than a bruising impeachment ordeal.

So..How long until another SCOTUS Justice steps down from the bench? How many radical righ-wingers is Bush going to nominate to the lower courts? How quickly can Democrats start going nuclear in the Senate? Gosh, this tastes so good...

Saintzak -- you missed chas' point. Impeachment "backfiring on the Democrats" would only happen if they are seen as driving it ahead of the facts. Chas' (and my) expectation is that the oversight invetigations will turn up such an overwhelming set of facts that the Democrats will be dragged into it -- by the American People.

That's the only way a full impeachment process can succeed, and for it to have staying power (i.e. 10-100 years later, most everyone agreeing that it was correct). Fortunately, the Democratic leadership seems to understand this.

So while impeachment is "off the table" going in, I remain reasonably optimistic that it'll happen anyways, given the magnitude and number of this President's crimes. That it's virtually inevitable with a Congress that's doing any reasonable level of oversight.

P.S. there was an interesting quote from Pelosi's husband recently, talking about her early career-path planning: that entering politics was "off the table."

I too heard that interview with Waxman. Keep in mind that Waxman has spent his entire career preparing to be chair of oversight - and he isn't going to let this opportunity slip away. He may only have two years, and he isn't going to waste any time. I can easily see him bucking Pelosi on this - IF he has to.

I can't wait to see the hired help hauled before his committee - and watch them turn on their immediate bosses - and watching them turn on their immediate bosses and... Well, you get the idea. By the time Waxman is done, we're going to know where the billions missing in Iraq are - or at least which sleazey repub had his hands on it last.

I was talking to a friend yesterday who has worked for more than 30 years as a republican pollster, analyst, and campaign manager. He said that the media is fixating on Iraq has the cause of the repubs' defeat, when in fact, in most of the House races, corruption was the key. And even he said that corruption lead to the Iraq war; the Iraq war didn't lead to corruption. A very interesting perspective one doesn't see in the Great Liberal Media.

Elbonious is right on. The first order of business should be giving us back the Bill of Rights and the writ of habeous corpus.

Don't count on it. Nancy Pelosi and company aren't interested in upholding and defending the Constitution; they are interested in playing it safe and keeping their heads down. I predict a couple of quick wins like raising the minimum wage and cosmetic changes regarding Iraq. Then it's going to be Supreme Court judges and the 2008 presidential race and never you mind the freedoms they didn't fight to protect last year.

Meet the new Democrats. Same as the old Democrats.

Jimmy's Cry in the Wilderness

http://jimmysrant.blogspot.com

Well Miss Celie, I there is a God and now there is hope for the future. I am very happy that Henry Waxman will be drilling for graft and accountability from this administration. A nice oversight committee with subpoena power will be just what is needed to get the rats running for the hills. It should also serve to drain the Republicans of some funds as they will be needing them for attorney fees.

And while we're at it, how about checking out the tax exempt status of some of these mega churches and PACS?

I still want the two head rats in the White House impeached.