At best, censure gives republicans an easy out

[babylonsister]

http://scoop.epluribusmedia.org/story/2007/7/22/145553/126

At best, censure gives republicans an easy out
by clammyc rcs1
Sun Jul 22, 2007 at 02:55:53 PM EST

Notwithstanding my diary from January titled In defense of censure, the political and actual climate (not just on a global warming level) have changed substantially. Back then, I argued that censure would be a good first step to shift the Overton Window on impeachment and get the public used to hearing the term being used in a more "mainstream" kind of way.

Well, guess what? That has already happened without a call for censure or a censure resolution. Impeachment talk, whether it is about Bush, Cheney or Gonzales (who I am the most in favor of impeaching rightfuckingnow for a myriad of reasons), has been in public discourse for months. And not just among the "crazylibrulleftwingradicaltroophatingterroristlovingbabykillers" either.

But I don't want to talk about whether we should or should not impeach or who we should or should not impeach. That has already been discussed ad nauseum here (and you can hear me actually talk about it with digby, Big Tent Democrat and thereisnospoon here). What I want to talk about, and what I fail to see is how censure, in and of itself, will accomplish much at this juncture - other than to give cover to republicans in Congress.

And yes, censure would force republican Senators to go on record as supporting Bush, Cheney or whomever else for whatever is contained in the censure resolution. And with over 20 republican Senators up for reelection (including some juicy targets) next year, it would force some of them to stand behind the bordering on egregiously illegal acts committed by this administration.

But it would also accomplish something else - something that has even more consequences. Even if it passes, it will not hold any water here in the US in terms of (1) convincing any more people that this administration is rotten to the core and (2) truly holding this administration accountable (as the esteemed Senator from Wisconsin feels) in any meaningful way. Hell, Bush, Cheney and their cohorts are willfully flaunting their egregiously illegal acts and defiance of any call for accountability. Not only that, it also would accomplish a third and more important thing from a political perspective - it will give republicans an opportunity to take cover and distance themselves from Bush, Cheney or Gonzales without actually doing a damn thing.

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