The Republicans who would've impeached Bush?

[L. Coyote]

Salon - 3 hours ago

The Republicans who would've impeached Bush?
Not so long ago, members of Congress put the rule of law above partisan politics and loyalty to the White House.
By Vincent Rossmeier - http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2007/11/26/gop74/index_np.html


During the past six years, leading Republicans in Congress have prioritized allegiance to a Republican president above all other governmental and constitutional concerns. But there was a time when U.S. lawmakers, regardless of party affiliation, actually voted the way of their conscience. There was a time when a president could not break the law or ignore a summons from Congress with impunity. Indeed, by the height of Richard Nixon's Watergate scandal, a number of congressmen -- including Republicans staunchly loyal to their party -- acted to uphold the law and make Nixon accountable.

Today, the main concern of lawmakers seems to be the preservation of power and the entitlements that come with it. Republican allies of the White House have blocked congressional investigations into the Bush administration's alleged misdeeds, including illegal spying on Americans' phone calls. In 2006, the Senate Intelligence Committee, led by Pat Roberts, R-Kan., thwarted an investigation into warrantless eavesdropping by the National Security Agency. While serving as chairman of the Judiciary Committee prior to the Democratic takeover of Congress in 2006, Arlen Specter, R-Pa., though a vocal critic of the spying, failed to initiate any investigations into Bush's wiretapping program, despite ample evidence that it violated the existing FISA laws. Meanwhile, top Democrats, including Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia and Dianne Feinstein of California, have shown a willingness to cave into Bush's demands, including retroactive immunity for American telecom companies that assisted the government's spying.

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[magellan]

1. It's become all about the vote

...because without that, they can't keep feeding from the corporate trough.

One day soon, voters will wise up to the fact they're being taken advantage of and for granted by both sides, and they'll demand real change.

The beltway crowd will be lucky if it doesn't come in the form of torches and pitchforks.

[JeanGrey]

2. You've got that right!! I just can't wait for the day that Bush

is GONE GONE GONE

[BeHereNow]

4. Which is WHY KUCINICH is our only hope. The ONLY candidate NOT beholden to

the corporate trough owners.

WAKE THE FUCK UP AMERICA!

BHN:banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :rant:

[Ytzak]

3. Reagan's policy of "though shalt not speak ill of another Republican"

pretty much ended any chance that you would find enough Republican's to actually make a successful impeachment. Vote against the party standard bearer in that way and your career is ended.

However, its my opinion that in impeaching President Clinton, the Republican's changed the dynamic of impeachment from high crimes and misdemeanors to just another political act. No matter what the Constitution says, they see it in purely political terms. And to tell you the truth, I think the majority of the Democrats view it the same way.

So in the way impeachment now seems to work within the current system. "Impeachment is a political act that is paid for in political capital." Few people on either side seem interested in expending the political capitol to actually impeach a President that does commit High Crimes and Misdemeanors.

Kucinich's resolution to impeach Cheney seemed to illustrate that very well. The Republican's actually kept it from being tabled, gaining political breathing space against a Democratic challenger who will run on the idea that they walk in lockstep with the RNC and GWB against the will of the citizens of the USA. Speaker "Impeachment is off the Table" Pelosi is embarrassed by the whole thing.

And we citizens loose because no one has the convictions to do the right thing and possibly end their career.

[L. Coyote]

5. They are going to the bar of Justice, one by one, after resigning, of course!!

Corrupt VECO CEO Campaign Contributions. More R Senators Involved.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=3077550&mesg_id=3077823



Bill Allen, second from left, is pictured in 2000 with Republican Senators Trent Lott of Mississippi, left, Dennis Hastert of Illinois, and Phil Gramm of Texas.

[Ytzak]

6. Hastert, Lott, and Gramm (Oh My!)

Don't let the screen door hit you on the ass on the way out.