For the first time in 4-1/2 years, I'm starting to believe in impeachment

[Elidor]

As a real possibility. I'm not an optimist when it comes to political matters. Expect the worst from your elected leaders and you'll seldom be disappointed. I certainly won't hold my breath waiting on the media to hold the Bastard accountable for anything. And I've always winced at impeachment threads on DU, because I want that bad enough to know that it isn't likely at present.

Or hasn't been, anyway, until tonight. I believe that in February of 2002, Bush crossed the Rubicon and mistook it for the Potomac. His web of lies has just unraveled very publicly thanks to the leaks from the administration of his biggest ally in geopolitical terror.

And it truly is a sight to behold. For the first time in four and a half years, I'm not flinching away from that little word, 'impeachment.' It may yet take, like Watergate, two more years for this maladministration to come to a screeching halt on the asphalt, but the wheels have already fallen off, and the Bush team doesn't even know it yet. The very vision he had for his presidency led him to commit the crimes that will soon undo all his ambitions. Hope springs eternal. Good luck to us all.

[Bluebear]

1. From your lips to the universe, Hardhead. nt

[burrowowl]

3. I've got my fingers

and toes crossed. IMPEACH THE WHOLE DAMN ADMISTRATION! THEN CRIMINAL PROCECUTION! Would love to see Condi and Rummy in ORANGE SUITS!

[Karenina]

18. Look what Tante found in the cyber-cellar!

[stepnw1f]

2. They Sure Act Guilty

Their inability to fool people has become a liability.

Credibility is priceless and perception is everything.

[Nite Owl]

4. It took a while for the whole

Watergate affair to brew too. I know that there was a dem congress then but these guys need to get reelected so my hope is they will turn or if they don't they will lose big in 06. Seems to be nothing but bad news for them the past few weeks and his numbers are way down across the board. Maybe there is hope.

[CalebHayes]

5. I agree.

well... maybe the second time.

[mtnsnake]

6. "Impeach"...Just keep saying it, thinking it, & knowing it will happen

and it will!

[skooooo]

7. Without control of the House, forget it.

Don't worry about impeachment. Worry about regaining the House. IMO regaining the Senate is more likely - which means impeachment could not happen.

[Elidor]

8. I realize that Dubya is almost bulletproof in the House, BUT

If this stuff gets nasty enough, some of his soldiers will run for cover to save their own hides. I think that in the face of extremely strong proof of war crimes and constitutional crimes, some republican House members could be peeled away in an impeachment. Maybe I'm an optimist afer all.

All I know is, if you can focus an intense enough spotlight, even the dishonest ones will suddenly get religion.

[wtmusic]

10. agree

if Repubs turn on * in big numbers, none of those House members is going to risk not getting reelected. Like rats off a sinking ship...

[Maraya1969]

17. Wasn't the Senate mostly republican when they impeached Bill

Clinton?

[skooooo]

20. The House initiates impeachment...

Not sure what your point is...... :shrug:

[sellitman]

21. They control EVERYTHING

The House, The Senate, The Supreme Court and the News. I have a better chance of hitting the lottery than we have impeaching Junior.

[LibertyorDeath]

9. .

:toast:

[Sapphire Blue]

11. The upcoming impeachment & conviction

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=3836041&mesg_id=3836151

[POAS]

12. Belief is not enough

Write your Congress person.

[lonestarnot]

13. Just don't let up people it can happen even if they own all the machinery

Even repukes don't want to be lied to especially about war!

[Douglas Carpenter]

14. Let's keep at the media--we're getting somewhere...

:bounce:


Just a reminder of some very, very important links:

To sign Congressman Conyers’ letter

http://www.johnconyers.campaignoffice.com


To put and keep pressure on the Mainstream Media:

http://www.downingstreetmemo.com/takeaction.html#awaken


http://www.afterdowningstreet.org


LISTEN TO THE RANDI RHODES SHOW-to keep up daily with what’s going on with--THE DOWNING STREET MEMO:

http://www.therandirhodesshow.com


Peace
O8)

Here is my standard letter to the Media:


Dear Sir/Madam:

As you know, on May 1 of this year a document now commonly referred to as “|The Downing Street Memo” was released into the British Press. This document raises serious question about how the administration was handling intelligence related to Iraq and appears to suggest that the Bush Administration had already decided on war when publicly it was claiming that no such decision had been made.

This document and perhaps other documents suggest that the Bush administration was determined to “fix intelligence” around a predetermined policy.

It is most disturbing that there has been a virtual media blackout regarding “The Downing Street Memo”. Even more disturbing is the absence in the America media of any credible discussion or coverage regarding strong, credible and independent evidence that the Bush Administration intentionally mislead the U.S. Congress, the media and the American people.

I do hope you will accept the responsibility to address this issue and provide serious investigative journalism into this matter.

Furthermore, on Thursday June 16, 2005, Rep. John Conyers, Jr., ranking minority member of the House Judiciary Committee, and other House members will hold a hearing to consider testimony concerning the Downing Street minutes and questions of possible fixing of prewar intelligence. I do hope you will be giving full coverage to these events.

Sincerely,

[Jade Fox]

15. Something to remember....

Nixon was NOT impeached over Watergate. He resigned. Bush is so
firmly entrenched in his fantasy world I think he would have to be
forcably removed from the White House. So even if the will is there
to impeach Bush, it will be an uphill fight. The good news is that what
he has done is so outrageous the case against him will be strong.

And I do share your optimism about this. :)

[Fescue4u]

16. why? Nothing has changed

Republican control of congress has only increased since 4 years ago.

On balance, I don't want to see an impeachment. I don't think its healthy to start a pattern of impeaching every president every 6 years or so (which is what I believe would become established habit).

That doesnt mean I don't want to see Bush punished, but I don't want them to then get even by impeaching the next Democrat president. I think on balanace, a 2nd impeachment within a decade will just create a disastorous pattern.

Besides, we all know who would replace Bush if he went down. I have no reason to believe that Cheney would be an improvement.

[CantGetFooledAgain]

24. A Cheney-led administration is not viable

Cheney would never take office. Anything that would take Bush down in the current political climate would take Cheney down with him, IMO.

[DrRees]

19. but I fear. . .

I believe there are two terrible reasons why impeachment efforts would accomplish nothing: 1) The neocon-controlled Congress won’t allow it, and 2) Bush is not really in charge.

The first reason should be completely obvious. “The Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachments. When sitting for that Purpose, they shall be on Oath or Affirmation. When the President of the United States is tried, the Chief Justice shall preside: And no Person shall be convicted without the Concurrence of two thirds of the Members present.” So, where is the two-thirds majority in today’s senate?

http://faculty.lls.edu/manheim/cl1/impeach.htm

The second reason requires a bit more evidence. A look at Bush’s treatment during crises makes it clear that those in power consider him a very low priority, and don’t trust him to act outside their direct influence. Some evidence:

Bush was apparently first told of the 9-11 terrorism unfolding at about 9:00AM, fifteen minutes after the first plane struck the NY towers. For the next hour, Bush read to the kids at the Booker Elementary School, talked with Cheney, commented to the press outside the school, drove to the Sarasota airport, and remained there for fifteen minutes. No special Secret Service protection was provided. At 9:55AM, Air Force One took flight, unaccompanied by any Air Force protection. In fact, they flew around in circles over Florida for two hours, vulnerable to possible air attack. At 9:30AM, when Cheney was rushed to an underground bunker, Bush was chatting with reporters in front of the elementary school.

http://home.alamedanet.net/~vajra/sept11/bush.htm

When the independent commission interviewed Bush to inquire why terrorism seemed not to be a priority prior to 9-11, it was mandated that he would not meet with them alone: Cheney had to be present. “The commission had preferred to meet separately with Bush and Cheney, but the White House wanted the president and vice president to face the commission together. After the administration placed restrictions on holding separate meetings - only two commissioners could meet with each for one hour - the commission agreed to the joint meeting in which all the commissioners could meet for an unspecified amount of time with both.”

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,118508,00.html

The White House went to red alert on May 11 after a small private plane entered restricted airspace over the executive mansion. The Secret Service evacuated the vice president to a "secure location" and rushed the first lady and visiting former first lady Nancy Reagan into a bunker. Despite the red alert, however, neither the White House nor the Secret Service interrupted Bush's bicycle ride in a suburban wildlife center in nearby Maryland to alert him about the threat. In the end, the Secret Service delayed until the end of his bike ride and some 40 minutes after the "all-clear" was given to brief the president.

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2005/5/21/113947.shtml

If we could impeach the entire administration, then the impeachment process might accomplish something of benefit to our nation. But removing Bush from office would only change the face of the neocon power elite, not its essence.

We feel less helpless in contemplating the miserable course of this nation today when we engage in fantasies of removing Bush from office, but I fear we’re only kidding ourselves.

[newyawker99]

22. Hi DrRees!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Elidor]

26. Welcome to DU, DrRees

I'm sorry to say I'm too sick to give this most thoughtful post the lengthy reply it merits. I have to be brief.

I don't see impeachment as a strong possibility, but I think there is some hope. As I said above, I think some republicans can be peeled away, ala Watergate, if the spotlight glare is harsh enough, but yeah, that's a pretty big IF.

However, we can't shrink from impeachment merely because there are other, possibly worse, neocons waiting in the wings. Indeed, such cowardice would only encourage them. An impeachment must proceed without reservation for the toadies in line for power (*cough* Hastert *cough*), to serve notice to said toadies that there ARE limits to the abuses this nation will tolerate, and because their presence just off stage is irrelevant to the crimes that have been committed.

But yes, you lay out a very good argument for the unlikelihood of impeachment. I'm inclined to see your side, but remember, in 1971, nobody dreamed Nixon could be brought down either. There is a chance, however small, that wasn't there before.

[CantGetFooledAgain]

23. Here's how it could happen...

I think that we can count on the anti-Bush sentiment to continue growing, along with a proportional decrease in job approval. With that, the media whores will gradually begin to cover the scandals more and more, and the momentum will grow. Maybe more big scandals will break: Plame, or even 9/11 complicity.

Now the republican rats in Congress will begin to run from the sinking ship. The only thing they really care about is their majority and their reelection chances. And how will they prove that, despite being republicans, they are not really aligned with the now universally hated administration?

Simple. They support the impeachment movement. That's the clear and easy way for the republicans to distance themselves from BushCo and prop up their reelection chances in a time of huge and growing anti-republican sentiment.

Then, in 2006, we vote their asses out anyway.

[Hissyspit]

25. As I said in my other post, 1 in 600 Americans signed Conyers letter

and that is only out of the Americans who KNOW about it.

It took Watergate quite a bit of fester time to come to the end result. Two months ago, I would have thought it impossible. Now I think impeachment is possible. Looking forward to plausible.