Re: Why Bush Should Be Impeached, #84

I tend to agree with Bijan's thrust here.  Impeaching Clinton, and the whole
Starr Chamber, was a huge misuse of the system for political gain, and
impeaching even Bush, now, would drag things further down.  If practiced as
a regular tool of politics, it could really destabilize the society and
nation.  Of course, the Repubs are playing for keeps, and don't seem to
care, so the die may be cast.  In retrospect, Bij, I think that the
impeachment of Clinton may have been a supremely brilliant, not dumb, move.
It got them much of what they wanted: publicity, struttin' time, distraction
from everything good Clinton did, emasculation of Gore (who, granted, helped
them guide the knife after begging them to let him drop his drawers) -- and
using up the perhaps one free bite at an abuse of impeachment in modern
times.  They got away with it, but the Dems will suffer if they try to
impeach for anything less than in-office torture of the babies of FDNY
martyrs, whilst pissing on the Pledge in tandem w/ Barney Frank.

Regarding the piece from the Post:
I agree that these are the customs and practice regarding impeachment.  But
I still am not aware of any legally controlling authority on what may be an
impeachable offense, certainly nothing on when the conduct occurred.
Legislative custom is not as binding precedent as the judiciary pretends its
precedent is...

Besides, on the general principle that failure to disclose past crimes
constitutes fraud on the electorate, shouldn't a president be impeachable
for them, if really serious, or such that the people wouldn't have elected
him (ha!) if they knew.  Even the "fraud" itself would be a prior crime.


> From: Bijan Parsia <bparsia-vEoVa6Jh+/J4piUD7e9S/[email protected]>
> Reply-To: bonobos-4GNy1lrxftmrG/[email protected]
> Date: Wed, 10 Jul 2002 09:48:18 -0400 (EDT)
> To: bonobos-4GNy1lrxftmrG/[email protected]
> Subject: RE: [Bonobos] Why Bush Should Be Impeached, #84
> 
> On Wed, 10 Jul 2002 [email protected] wrote:
> 
>> http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/clinton/stories/wa
>> tergatedoc_9.htm
> 
> Er...is this a rebuttal of the Kendall/Mike takes in your mind? Or just
> further info?
> 
> All of it seemed consistent with impeachment motivated by conduct or
> events occuring before office holding.
> 
> "The emphasis has been on the significant effects of the conduct--
> undermining the integrity of office, disregard of constitutional duties
> and oath of office, arrogation of power, abuse of the governmental
> process, adverse impact on the system of government."
> 
> While focusing on in office conduct, espeically the last bit seems
> consistent with being modivated by prior conduct, if the effects are
> current. Arguably, Bush's general past  conduct with regard to business
> crime, given the current series of scandals and the way his polticial
> actions are linked in, motivate serious accusation of undermining the
> integrity of office and adverse impact on the system of
> government. Arguably, not conclusively, of course. Impeaching him would
> just be the first step, after all.
> 
> Impeachment, in general, is heavily political, rather than narrowly legal.
> 
> I write this as someone who was *distinctly* uncomforatable, nay, strongly
> against the Starr stuff and the Clinton impeachment, at least the grounds
> and way it was carried out. But I tend to fault it as a supremely stupid
> political tactic in that context, rather than inherently "illegit". Well,
> stupid, damaging, destructive, ugly, but not formally or informally
> forbidden by "the rules". I kinda wish the democrats had the votes and
> guts to impeach Bush just as a way to slap the repugs a bit. The
> Republicans are just *so much* better at using these procedures for their
> infighting. Well, rather so much more willing. They tend to backfire
> (e.g., the shutting down of gov't, the impeachment, etc.)
> 
> Cheers,
> Bijan.
> 
> 
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