Frank Rich is living in a fantasy world regarding Bush's downfall.

[Cyrano]

Frank Rich's op-ed piece in today's NY Times is, as usual, great. (Sorry, no link. You have to pay for the NY Times.)

As much as I admire Frank Rich and much of what he writes, he thinks that most people have finally caught onto Bush. (The illustration accompanying the column is, appropriately, a "Wizard of Oz" reminder to, "Ignore the man behind the curtain.")

Frank Rich is himself "ignoring the man behind the curtain." The only way to get rid of this inept, cancerous, criminal administration is to impeach Bush. And it's not going to happen.

Does anyone really believe that the people currently in control of the House of Representatives would vote for articles of impeachment against their "anointed one?" And even if this came about, does anyone believe a Republican controlled senate would convict Bush?

This would require two leaps of faith, neither of which I believe is possible in today's political environment.

We have only two choices: You can pick up your pitchfork and take to the streets, which would result in your death, or long-term imprisonment. Or we can figure out how to get a fair election next year, drive these malicious beasts from office, and replace them with people who really care what happens to (what used to be) our country.

[Midlodemocrat]

1. I thought that was a great article.

And, I agree with Rich. The only way to get rid of this group is to impeach *. I would like to think it will happen.

[NJCher]

2. it will happen

When it hits the U.S. citizen in the pocketbook. The economy is already in a nosedive and will hit full depression next year. Look for either the impeachment or removal of bush by other means at that time.




Cher

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

3. This winter, with heating oil and natural gas prices being predicted to go

up 70%, is going to hit millions of people between their eyes, and maybe knocking some sense into them.

[Midlodemocrat]

5. That's what I think as well.

My fourth grader's teacher, a freep of course, was telling the kids that the rise in gas prices was due to the hurricane.

My Elizabeth, 9 years old, said, "But, wasn't the gas already purchased when the hurricane hit? Why did they raise prices the day after the storm when the gas was already in the tanks underground?"

Teacher: No comment.

I hope she passes fourth grade.

On edit: Okay, she is smart, but not sure if she actually said purchased. Just a disclaimer.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

8. "Now be a good little girl and pray for President Bush."

[Midlodemocrat]

9. LOL. Not while her mom is alive.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

13. lol! Smart kid! Bravo to you!!!!! eom

[Don Claybrook]

4. Link to Frank Rich article

http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?p_action=doc&p_docid=10D235673A563FF8&p_docnum=1&p_queryname=3&p_product=NewsBank&p_theme=aggregated4&p_nbid=Q5ER5FWUMTEyNzEzNDYwNi40NzA4MTU6MToxMjpuY2RtaW51dGVtYW4


This site seems to carry all of the NYT columnists.

I don't share your pessimistic assessment. Oh, I don't imagine Bush will be impeached, but I do believe you will start to see the House act more moderate what with DeLay's indictments and the other members' well-honed sense of self-preservation.

I think that most of Bush's legislative agenda is DOA. And that is at least a start.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

6. I Need To Reread It...

Did Rich call for impeachment?


I thought he basically said "the emperor had no clothes" more eloquently than most of us could but we don't write for the NYT...

[Cyrano]

18. Frank Rich didn't use the word impeachment in today's article.

But I think I got the drift of where he was going. And as much as I sympathize with that drift, I, like H.L. Mencken, do not count on the intelligence of the American public.

(If you don't know who H.L. Mencken is, google it. And if you come across a mention of Clarence Darrow in Mencken's bio, google that too. You will find it rewarding. Darrow is relevant to virtually everything we discuss on DU.)

[nvliberal]

7. Even if most people caught onto Bush, it wouldn't matter.

This bunch acts with impunity because they know they can. There's no way to hold them accountable, not even at the ballot box.

[cassiepriam]

12. Yes bushco will do what they want, when they want. Who will stop them?

No one.

[In Truth We Trust]

10. Paper ballots NOW!!! Hand counts NOW!!! Impeachment NOW!!!

[jmatthan]

11. If Bush is to be indicted by Fitzgerald

which is just wishful thinking, would he not rather quit, like Nixon?

But that would mean a Cheney pResidency.

So it has to be the Bush criminal gang that has to be indicted!

Do you think Patrick Fitzgerald has the guts to do that?

Read my comment on Steve Clemons Blog at

http://www.thewashingtonnote.com/archives/001005.html

to see what I think about that.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

15. I Don't Think A Sitting President Can Be Indicted At Least Not Winthout A

Constitutional Crisis Because Of The Separation Of Powers...


He would have to be impeached first...

[jmatthan]

19. Nixon was not impeached

He quit.

[MrModerate]

14. Please remember that the bastards who KEEP Schimpanski in office . . .

Aren't suffering at all. They may be a bit nervous about losing their jobs in 2006 or 2008, but the rest of it -- the disastrous war in Iraq, the cratering economy, the homeless from the Gulf States, the continuing degradation of our physical environment -- doesn't touch them a bit (unless they're actually from the area where Katrina and Rita hit).

They're still in power, have the voting machines tied up, the lapdog press cowed, the money flowing into their pockets, and the corporate media solidly at their backs.

True, Bush is a dumber fuck than they ever expected, and the Miers pick seems as if he's gone seriously off the rails, but they still hold the reins.

And with black-box voting, there's no reason to think they'll ever feel the wrath of the electorate.

No, I think they're feeling they've still got a firm grip on things, even while the rest of us see the world falling apart.

[ewagner]

16. I posted a link

on our County Dem Blogsite with the plea to share the article with not only our membership but also with others who don't share either our enthusiasm or political beliefs.

That's one way of spreading the word.

btw: there's a link to a "free site" in the Greatest post on the article.

[Democrats_win]

17. Second time for Oz theme, here's a quote from the first:

ONCE Toto parts the curtain, the Wizard of Oz can never be the wizard again. He is forever Professor Marvel, blowhard and snake-oil salesman. Hurricane Katrina, which is likely to endure in the American psyche as long as L. Frank Baum's mythic tornado, has similarly unmasked George W. Bush.

Mr. Rich concludes:

What comes next? Having turned the page on Mr. Bush, the country hungers for a vision that is something other than either liberal boilerplate or Rovian stagecraft. At this point, merely plain old competence, integrity and heart might do.
---end
Ok, we still aren't seeing competence, integrity or heart? And some republicans last week said, "Let bush be bush." OMFG!

[Cyrano]

20. "Let Bush be Bush." Thanks for the update. Hadn't heard it before.

This is exactly the kind of mindlessness any rational human being could expect from wingnuts; ignorant people who will never grasp how badly they're being screwed; and listeners of Limbaugh/O'Reilly et al.

A statement like "Let Bush be Bush" is like saying: Let Attila be Attila. Let Il Douche be Il Douche. Let the four horseman of the apocalypse be the four horsemen of the Apocalypse. Let David Duke be David Duke. Let Pol Pot be Pol Pot. Let Idi Armin be Idi Amin. ... Well, you get the idea. At what point do we say to Republicans of this ilk, "Enough?"

[LizW]

21. Don't forget this one

"Let Saddam Hussein be Saddam Hussein."

[Jim__]

22. You're right. In today's political environment, it would never happen.

However, tomorrow's political environment may be quite different. Suppose a couple of high officials in the bush admin were indicted for espionage. The repubs in the house and senate probably couldn't get rid of bush fast enough in an effort to save their own sorry asses.