Time for Bush to Go! Robert Parry argues impeachment may become imperative, like it or not

[AJ9000]

A bipartisan approach may even become feasible if things continue to worsen.

Snip:

"So, given Bush’s rhetoric and actions, there is little reason to believe that he intends to reverse course. If anything, he will continue toying with notions about expanding the conflict by bombing Iran’s nuclear facilities or seeking escalation of political confrontations with Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza.

That means that by 2009, whoever becomes the next President will face a likely conflagration in the Middle East, with the real possibility that Bush will have enflamed Islamic radicalism so much that the region’s few pro-U.S. pillars – such as the Saudi royal family or the Egyptian dictatorship – will be tottering if not already fallen.

Disruptions of Middle East oil supplies could wreak havoc on the U.S. and world economies. Plus, Bush might end up precipitating just the grim vision that he has long articulated – an interminable world war pitting the West against large segments of the planet’s one billion Muslims.

Faced with this looming catastrophe, the congressional Democrats may have no choice but to reconsider what incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and others have ruled “off the table,” the impeachment of President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney.

Indeed, Bush’s cavalier dismissal of the key Baker-Hamilton recommendations creates a possible framework for a bipartisan impeachment effort."

http://www.consortiumnews.com/2006/120806.html

END SNIP

Here's a question: What will 2 more years of this administration do to the Constitution and world affairs?

[ninkasi]

1. Once a disastrous chain of events

has been put into place, it tends to escalate, if nothing stops it. I truly believe that everything that the Bush presidency has brought about, from the war, to the National debt, to the idiotic tax breaks for the wealthy, are now snowballing, and will wreck our democracy, and our economy. I realize that impeachment has been a hot potato, but what else can we do? The man won't listen to reason, and is not fit to serve office.

[AJ9000]

4. That sums it up nicely. I just can't imagine 2 more years of this.

[calimary]

42. What you need to do is spread that statement around as far as you can.

"I just can't imagine TWO MORE YEARS of this."

Say it loud, say it proud. Say it EVERYWHERE. Plant this seed EVERYWHERE YOU CAN THINK OF, in places where you think it'll grow, AND in places where you think it probably won't. Doesn't matter. Do it ANYWAY.

We have to start people thinking along these lines, and if they already are, to encourage them to continue.

Andrew Sullivan went that way on his blog after Katrina, basically saying he didn't know if we could handle what was then "THREE more years of this." A few people took note, but it didn't move the needle much. Since then, nobody's ANY better off from the Katrina catastrophe, PLUS the Iraq war is worse THAN EVER, and everything else is so bad that the Democrats actually won back the House AND the Senate. Which now has the GOP on its collective heels. There are those (myself included) who, looking at items about some three million votes having been in some way compromised, suspect that the republi-CONS DID INDEED set this one up to steal, also, because they knew what was at risk if they didn't. AND THEY FAILED. All the MORE reason for them to be reeling. Even their best efforts were flooded out by tsunamis of votes they hadn't expected or planned against.

Remember this, too: ALL those from the House and Senate who are lucky enough to have survived, or maybe didn't have to run this time, will be returning home to their constituents - who are REALLY angry and hungry for blood. They want ACTION from the Dems, and I'll bet the majority of them want the GOP to shut up and play ball - since their way was tried for four-to-six years and it's gotten us nothing but shit. This will chasten them, too, and soften them up further.

They're also going to be looking INEVITABLY toward 2008 and wondering how to salvage ANYTHING for themselves and their party by then. Their work has gotten much harder now that they have to fight to regain lost territory. They don't just have a White House to try to keep. They also have to come from behind in the Senate AND the House, too. Their job is that much more difficult.

Something else occurs to me as I'm watching CSPAN (and a rerun of Thursday's news conference with Pelosi, Obey and Hoyer. They're talking about the contrast Americans will see in the way the Dems govern versus the way the GOP did, the mess the GOP has left for the Dems to clean up, while the Dems left power more than a decade ago - having wrapped up all loose ends before adjournment so the new Congress could start with a clean slate.

AND, MUCH MORE IMPORTANT: (And I think this will REALLY resonate with the average bloke and working stiff) There's been quite a bit of coverage in the mainstream media about what Pelosi cleverly calls "the Drive-By Congress" that works a nice, lazy, leisurely day-and-a-half or so per week. Quite a bit of coverage, I'm happy to say! And some whining republi-CON complaining that it's just unfair, on his 165 G's a year and being able to stroll into his office late on Tuesday and leave early on Thursday, to have to face - GAK! - a FIVE DAY WORK WEEK! Boo-hoo-hoo. Well, what average working man or woman (working for FAR less than 156 G's a year) will have ANY sympathy toward THAT? THAT kind of thing, while relatively minor as far as what needs to change on Capitol Hill, is going to register HUGELY with the public. HUGELY. And it'll resonate well for OUR side, because OUR side is the group that's CHANGING that bullshit, and bringing it to a screeching halt. As it should. If MY party were the luxury party that instituted such a leisurely work week, I'd be scared stiff to face my constituents when I got home.

They'll be ready to do ANYTHING to rehabilitate themselves, by the time January comes. And if it means throwing bush under the bus, and throwing cheney underneath with him, I think it's actually, realistically doable now. I don't think we're tilting at windmills anymore. I think the windmills and everything else are tilting toward the GOP - and about to fall over on 'em.

[some guy]

8. I believe that also.

I'm not sure at this point that impeaching and removing the entire Bush maladministration by Monday would be enough stop that snowball from continuing its disatrous course. Though that would certainly be helpful...

[southerncrone]

11. I think you are exactly right

Our economy has been in jeopardy for quite a while. Not only has Bush decimated our budget, but also our job base, and the personal debt load in this country is appalling. The Constitution has been dismantled. We are headed for a melt-down soon. Do people not realize we are hanging on by a thread? :scared:

He is truly the "touch of death"!
Chavez may not have been kidding when he said he smelled sulphur where the BRAT was standing. :yoiks:

[maryallen]

20. Bush is totally INCOMPETENT and ...

the question for me is:

Why would anybody NOT want to IMPEACH??

It makes absolutely no sense, unless the goal is deliberate chaos and the downfall of the USA ... 'cuz that's damn sure where we're headed with this fool in charge ... his sycophants supporting him every step of the way.

[mwb970]

38. If not impeachment, then something else.

Nixonian resignation? Military coup? Whatever it is, the desire to get rid of this guy (and the vile Cheney) is growing fast, and not just on this board. A lot of smart people, R's as well as D's, know perfectly well that America and the world simply cannot withstand two more years of assaults from these two enemies of the state.

Something will be done. I can feel it.

[Imagevision]

2. We should keep Bush until the investigations are in, then impeach his shit for brains mind

out of office. We can keep him temporarily, allow him to continue to be cheney's spokesman (and ours) but, like mark Foley, when the true dirt is exposed, I don't thing George will have to be asked to leave. Americans don't send their presidents to prisons, it's not the... "american way?"

[LiberalFighter]

32. I don't think it is in dimwit's character to even consider resigning

He is an arrogant bastard that believes that whatever he wants is all that matters.

Only way he would leave office is under threat of lynching after being tarred and feather.

I don't think he would leave even if his wife was continuously ridiculed and humiliated and begged him to resign.

[global1]

3. It Is Time For A Repug Delegation To March Into The WH 'ala' Nixon....

and tell * to resign or they will support impeachment. Actually they need to tell both '*' and 'shooter' to resign.

[AJ9000]

6. I really don't think thats totally out of the question anymore. nm

[ninkasi]

10. You're right

That scenario would have seemed impossible a year ago, but so much has happened, and things have gotten so much worse, that I can see that a delegation of Repugs going in to demand resignation, or impeachment, is entirely possible. The lower public opinion sinks about the war, the more worried the Repugs will be about their political futures.

Their loyalty to Bush was easy when his approval numbers were high, but after we Dems gained control of both houses of Congress last month, I think that they will be rethinking their priorities. Bush can't run again, but the Repugs can, and they won't want to be dragged down by the anchor that Dubya has become.

I really hope he and Cheney are both impeached. It's beyond political consideration now, it's the survival of our democracy, and Constitution that concern me. If they survive, we can fix the rest by fair and free elections.

[MissWaverly]

27. I read they spent 40 million for last minute vote appeal

that went nowhere in the 2006 election, I think they now know that Bush is a weight on their party. They surely are not going to stay the course now that it has bitterly cost them,
including the bit about Rumsfeld firing. He would not do it because he didn't want to
be told what to do, so he does it the day after the Republicans are routed.

[lyonn]

23. Agree, if the dems start this ball rolling it will go against us

Nixon is good example of his party telling him his time is up and it is either quit or we start impeachment. The repubs are truly worried about "their" future and bush is their ticket to defeat if "they" don't demand he resign.

Considering bush's conversation with the dems in the past few day, explaining to all how he is like Truman(?!), it sounds like he is not about to back away from his grand prophecy of a free Iraq, soooo, they will probably have to take him out in a straight jacket, speaking in tongues, cursing all....

[LiberalFighter]

33. These are not the same Republicans as during the Nixon years

IMO

Very few moderates and very few sensible thinking.

[rapallos]

5. Dream On

Impeachment will be stay the course.

I give it the same chance as Iran Contra. Any real evidence will be destroyed. They will go behind closed doors for any interviews.

America wants leadership. Not bullshit. And that's what it will be.

[AJ9000]

7. You... haven't been sipping any Kool-aid now have you?

[nebenaube]

25. leadship is avoiding a civil war...

[Imagevision]

9. Bush just may have to go in order for the US. to regain back it's dignity & respect

Bush alone has made this country look like something only seen in the Hollywood - B movies...

[StrictlyRockers]

12. If Democrats can provide a stark contrast and fight them tooth and nail every step of the way...

...then I have to hope that the damage this administration can do will be minimized.

It could take us decades to fix parts of the huge mess that they have created. But Americans are, at heart, a decent and moral people. We can fix this. And we can make the world a better place with peace and justice and "brotherhood of man".

Some may profit from war and stir things up so that more weapons are bought. This has been going on for millenia. We should take pains to create a money system which can only reward peace-mongers and not war-mongers. People who buy stock in the Carlyle Group, or Raytheon, or Lockheed-Martin, etc., they have blood on their hands. I feel it is wrong to reward people who traffic in death.

Things will get worse over the next two years. And there are good reasons for why the world hates us already. If we can show them a different light, then maybe they will have the capacity to forgive us. And we do have the ability to make things right. Somehow. It may cost us TRILLIONS of dollars, but that would be our pennance for this crime.

When the solutions start being implemented and when new ideas take hold, * won't be part of it. At all. He is the problem.

"Iraq's bad. That help? Heh, heh, heh."

NO YOU GIGGLING FUCKTARD, IT REALLY DOESN'T!!

Pulling your head out of your ass and starting the evacuation, now that would help. You better do it soon, too, Bucko, 'cuz we are getting more and more pissed off about this by the day! Imagine how pissed off we're gonna be in two years if no anal-cranial extraction takes place by then...impeachment won't be the half of it. Paraguay won't be far enough away to hide.

SR

[Jack Rabbit]

13. K/R

[cyclezealot]

14. first we need investigations proving bush iraq lies.

then the american people will demand impeachment. until then, Democrats are perceived by some as being rash. Get the truth out first, about the Downing Street Memo's; then it will be THE non partisan thing to do.

[LiberalFighter]

34. Investigations worked best when you already have enough to convict.

It is difficult in Congressional hearings to get the truth when the Executive branch stonewalls. And USSCJ will rule in Prez's favor.

When they do go after the Prez they need to go after Gonzales too. Send him to Gitmo to rot.

[opihimoimoi]

15. The Longer Bush stays on...the more Damage he does for the Pub Party..it is they who will force him

to resign...the GOP has no choice ...if they wanna save the PUB PARTY...they gatta get the Prez to step down...and Cheney too....without appointing a new VP....dats right...its gone that bad...that far....

[cyclezealot]

31. but they only have darth vader to go too.

they'd have to dispose of him and appoint another vice. Can you imagine darth vader as prez/

[joeprogressive]

16. John Dean was on KO last night

They were talking about how Bush will be viewed in a historical context. Dean said he thinks a good measure of a president is the amount of time it takes after a presidency to clean up all the messes the predecessor left. He said by that measure, Bush could be one of the all time worst presidents.

[LiberalFighter]

35. Hmm... how much of a mess to clean up after he leaves office...

Gee how much of a mess did Clinton leave behind him?

[mwb970]

39. Just that dress. /nt

[NVMojo]

17. this prezident is a disaster!

[Donald Ian Rankin]

18. "Imperative" or not, it isn't *possible*.

What the Democrats have the power to do is to bring impeachment procedings against Bush, not to impeach him.

There is no possibility of enough Republicans breaking ranks for that to translate into a successful impeachment, so all the talk about "should we impeach Bush" is extremely misleading - the question we should actually be debating is "should we bring doomed-to-failure impeachment procedings against Bush".

[AJ9000]

21. It may seem unlikely now, but it is possible.

A Democratic majority in congress seemed impossible 2 years ago.

It may not happen, but if * poll numbers continue South, and things continue to worsen in Iraq and elsewhere, there is a possibility of conviction or a pressured resignation.

There are 2 long years of this admin yet to go. If the * admin continues to sink, many Repubs may not want to go down with him. For example, what if yet another scandle breaks?

Do you think Republicans during Nixon's admin wanted to do what they did?

[cascadiance]

22. I am with you that it is premature to try and impeach NOW...

... but if investigations turn up the equivalent of the Watergate tapes that doomed Nixon, we can get these criminals out too. If Bush tries to dismiss or block those that are investigating him, like Nixon did when he fired Archibald Cox, that will be another nail in his casket too.

I wouldn't dismiss it so soon just yet. It is an uphill battle now, as there needs to be a heavy majority of Americans demanding his reservation for a revelation like the Watergate tapes, but if and when it comes, it is the Congress's duty to impeach, as some have said strongly here.

My big thing though is that whatever channel is negotiated with the Repubicans to force an impeachment or resignation, whether we allow them to stay in power in the presidency or not, we should press hard on finding a way to prevent these guys from getting pardons. We need to stop this cycle of recycling criminals into our government offices. There needs to be a disincentive for them to try and even enter them in the future. We need an example made of some of them serving time in prison, including Bush and Cheney.

[nebenaube]

24. then...

The we have the evidence to impeach those who will not impeach him.

[LiberalFighter]

36. He can be impeached now... not necessarily convicted

Impeachment only requires a majority vote in the House

It is the Senate that holds a trial and requires a 2/3 vote to convict

[enough]

19. k&r

[AntiFascist]

26. K&R, once it becomes bipartisan, if it hasn't already,...

then there is a very real possibility that 2/3 of the Senate would sign off on indictment, particularly when people become more aware of what the investigations would reveal.

[LiberalFighter]

37. Don't count on Lieberman to be bipartisan

He will side with the Republicans

[AntiFascist]

40. You mean the "pro-war" Republicans...

notice that there are major divisions and fissures within the Republican party being made more apparent over the Iraq Study Group report.

[struggle4progress]

28. Chant "R=W!" and watch the Rs worry about 2008!

[BR_Parkway]

29. McCain wants the Presidency, let him organize this - probably get

Specter on board, and the two of them can arm twist are few more until they've got enough to get the vote to throw *'s butt out once the House voted for impeachment. Then they go to him, tell him he resigns or they'll toss him under the bus to save themselves and their party.

Cheney resigns first, Shrub appoints Colin Powell - Senate approves him, then Shrub resigns. Yes, he's a spoiled brat - but I think the fog on his brain would lift enough that he'd rather resign than be thrown from office. It's his history, a complete and utter failure at every step of the way - and he has to walk away and let Daddy fix things.

By Christmas 2007, if they want to have any hope to salvage the Republican party

[Disturbed]

30. Evidence for Impeachment?

32 Felony Violations of the FISA Law. Simple, brief and sure Impeachment.

[Imagevision]

41. They need a vote of 60 to impeach, can they get it?

[BR_Parkway]

43. they need 2/3 rds (66 Senators) to convict, impeachment is the

indictment, not the trial