Katrina vanden Heuvel: Josh Marshall on Impeachment

[marmar]

from The Nation:


BLOG | Posted 07/26/2007 @ 6:41pm
Josh Marshall on Impeachment
Katrina vanden Heuvel


What was once considered marginal is now mainstream. A majority of the country supports beginning impeachment proceedings against Vice-President Dick Cheney; and when it comes to his partner, Bush, the nation is evenly divided. Legal experts make the case that the grounds for impeachment are stronger now than when the House threatened to impeach Nixon. The list of criminal acts and instances of executive overreach grows longer with each passing day. Constitutional crisis looms. And as my collegue John Nichols has said, (and written in our magazine this week)-- at a time of constitutional crisis, impeachment proceedings are the proper tonic. That said, I've had as many questions as answers about the political value of pursuing impeachment proceedings--and The Nation has published strong views for and against. (For one of the strongest cases "For", see Elizabeth Holtzman's rigorous and powerful cover story, "The Case for Impeachment," published in January 2006; I'd argue that it was central spark to launching a movement that has now acquired extraordinary popular groundwell.) What's fascinating to watch is how pragmatic political commentators are now beginning to see that impeachment may not be that radical a remedy--especially when confronted with a defiantly lawless Administration. Today, for example, respected political analyst/blogger/ writer Josh Marshall posted a must-read blog at TalkingPointsMemo.com. He's still opposed to the movement to impeach Bush, but in a sign of how this political moment is shaping Marshall's reasoning, he writes:" Without going into all the specifics, I think we are now moving into a situation where the White House, on various fronts, is openly ignoring the Constitution, acting as though not just the law , but the Constitution itself , which is the fundamental law from which the statutes gain that force and legimitacy, doesn't apply to them. If this is allowed to continue, the defiance will congeal into precedent. And the whole structure of our system of government will be permanently changed." Marshall admits that his position on impeachment hasn't changed. Yet. But it is clear that he is a man on an intellectual and political journey when it comes to this issue. He ends by noting: " I think we we're moving on to dangerous ground right now, more so than some of us realize. And I'm less sure now under these circumstances that operating by rules of 'normal politics' is justifiable or acquits us of our duty to our country." That is a central question: How do we acquit ourselves of our duty to our country? Marshall remains opposed to impeachment proceedings on pragmatic grounds. I understand his thinking and reasoning. And while, like Marshall, I've wrestled with the political value of impeachment proceedings, in these last weeks and months it seems increasingly clear that we as citizens have a higher moral duty to our country, its fate and future generations. While some have argued that impeachment may create a constitutional crisis, it may well be that Impeachment is the cure for our consitutional crisis.

http://www.thenation.com/blogs/notion?bid=15

[MissWaverly]

1. We can't have leaders that are not trustworthy

they represent US, they are the ultimate symbol of our country, if they have no credibility how can they govern effectively. Their
contempt for the rule of law has been demonstrated countless times. We cannot have leaders that operate outside the law.

[Jack Rabbit]

2. Excellent piece.

While some have argued that impeachment may create a constitutional crisis, it may well be that Impeachment is the cure for our constitutional crisis.

That couldn't have been said better.

We elected a Democratic majority in both Houses of Congress last November to end the war and hold the Bushies accountable. The Bushies refuse to end the war or to be accountable. By claiming executive privilege -- which is always at best a problematic claim -- and then refusing to entertain contempt citations, Bush has only further demonstrated why he and Cheney need to be removed from office at the earliest opportunity.

Posted by JACK RABBIT 07/26/2007 @ 7:18pm | ignore this person

[Billysundae]

7. While some have argued that impeachment may create a constitutional crisis, it may well be that

Impeachment is the cure for our constitutional crisisI think that Bruce Fein said this very quote in his discussion with Moyers about two weeks ago on PBS.
Was Katrina quoting Fein?

[tblue37]

3. White space is your friend.

Many of us can't begin to read a block of print like that on a computer monitor unles you offer some white space breaks.

[marmar]

4. Sorry. Just copied and pasted it the way it was on The Nation.....

perhaps you'd have an easier time reading it at the link.

[tblue37]

5. Yes, thanks. The original has double-spacing. (eom)

[Kurovski]

6. K&R. (nt)