Another view: Arguments against impeachment don't stand up
Submitted by davidswanson on Fri, 2007-09-21 00:57. Impeachment
By Fred Duperrault, San Jose Mercury News
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Why are Pelosi and her entourage refusing to honor their responsibility to challenge, through constitutional impeachment, the illegality of Bush's and Cheney's use of self-appointed powers? Why are they avoiding charging Bush and Cheney for fraudulently leading our country into an illegal "shock and awe" assault on Iraq, a relatively defenseless sovereign state. Why have they not defended our Constitution - the foundation of our democratic federation and the guardian of justice and civil rights? And why do they remain complicit - by their silence - to the deceptive and impeachable escapades of the Bush-Cheney administration? Why?
Following are four general answers offered by Pelosi and the three representatives from Silicon Valley. After each answer is a rebuttal by the Silicon Valley Impeachment Coalition.
ANSWER: There are not enough House votes to impeach Bush and Cheney.
REBUTTAL: Only by exposure of their crimes and misdemeanors, made possible by impeachment investigations, would they gain the number of votes necessary to impeach and indict. When the public realizes the severity of the Bush-Cheney violations, opposition to impeachment should quickly melt away.
ANSWER: There isn't enough evidence to prove that they are guilty of violating the trust they were given to exercise power.
REBUTTAL: Baloney! Many renowned constitutional scholars and lawyers, and millions of informed political buffs, can easily identify the impeachable White House vices. How can those who have the power to impeach dismiss the proliferation of evidence documented in volumes across the land? How can they honestly say there isn't enough evidence?
ANSWER: Congress doesn't have the time to impeach. Conducting oversight investigations and passing important legislation pre-empts any attempt to invoke an impeachment process to preserve the validity and the democratic viability of our Constitution. A political strategy for the next year is more important.
REBUTTAL: There's strong consensus that the Bush-Cheney administration has been the most corrupt, most incompetent and most dangerous of any throughout the history of the Union. Plus, the severe damage to the integrity of the United States and the offices of the presidency and vice presidency have been tragic.
ANSWER: Impeachment would divide the country.
REBUTTAL: Both political parties and the whole nation are already divided, but the polls show that the country's approval rating of President Bush has been consistently below 40 percent. Upon commencement of impeachment proceedings, the overwhelming evidence of Bush and Cheney's crimes and misdemeanors would be so convincing, most of America would become of one mind regarding the validity to impeach.
Sweeping the impeachment debate under the congressional carpet will not heal the nation. Nor will a healthy revelation of the truth through the impeachment process destroy the unity of America.
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http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/27023