Robert Scheer: A Case for Impeachment

[marmar]

from Truthdig:


A Case for Impeachment

Posted on Jan 30, 2007

By Robert Scheer

Not all lies are created equal. It is understood that there is a chasm of importance between little white lies and big black ones. Most would agree that lying about a consensual sexual affair, even by the president, is of significantly lesser concern than lying about the proliferation of nuclear weapons as an excuse to take the nation to war.

How then is it possible that a Republican-controlled Congress impeached President Bill Clinton over his attempt to conceal marital infidelity but that a Democratic-led Congress will not even consider impeaching this president for far more serious transgressions against the public trust? That is the question that arises from early revelations in the trial of Lewis “Scooter” Libby, Vice President Dick Cheney’s former chief of staff.

This case’s importance lies not in the narrow charge that Libby committed perjury in testifying about his role in the outing of CIA operative Valerie Wilson; that was merely one facet of a far-ranging plot to deceive Congress and the public about perhaps the most important issue of our time: the prospect of terrorists obtaining a weapon of mass destruction.

The infamous 16-word State of the Union claim by President Bush that Iraqi President Saddam Hussein had sought to obtain enriched uranium from the African country of Niger was known to be based on fraudulent documents at the time Bush used this and other false evidence to make his case for war. ......(more)

The rest of the piece is at: http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20070130_robert_scheer_a_case_for_impeachment/

[tecelote]

1. If Congress does not impeach...

...then they are telling the world that they support this Administration. They are saying that it may be extreme, but it is acceptable.


It is criminal and America needs to go beyond impeaching and consider treason.

[elocs]

2. Impeachment of Bush is like a DA indicting a mobster that everybody knows is guilty.

The only problem is, it does not work that way. Just claiming you know somebody is guilty is not enough. You need to investigate just like the Democrats are doing now. Too often there are DA's who because of public pressure rush to indict and end up losing the case. If all you want is a moral victory which allows Bush to serve out his term and claim he was exonerated by not being convicted by the Senate, then by all means, go for impeachment now. But if impeachment is worth doing, it is worth doing right and that means keeping the investigations going until there is a least a chance of conviction. Remember, to convict will require the votes of probably at least 17 Republican senators, the same Republicans who get regularly trashed here for just being Republicans. It is kind of the shits to know that Bush cannot be convicted after being impeached without the help of Republicans, but that is reality. Think about it.

[demnan]

3. When the Constitution has a breech

you must Impeach!