The case for impeachment

[Horus45]

Great article!

http://www.amnews.com/public_html/?module=displaystory&story_id=17776&format=html

[ktowntennesseedem]

1. Indeed, a great article. Thanks for the link.

And welcome to DU!

[Silverhair]

2. Meanwhile, back in the real world:

My thanks to DUer elperromagico for this post, which I am reposting.

1. The House Judiciary Committee deliberates over whether to initiate an impeachment inquiry.

2. The Judiciary Committee adopts a resolution seeking authority from the entire House of Representatives to conduct an inquiry. Before voting, the House debates and considers the resolution. Approval requires a majority vote.

At present, the political composition of the House is 232 Republicans, 202 Democrats, and 1 independent.
In order for the House Judiciary Committee to begin an impeachment inquiry, at least 218 aye votes must be cast. If every Democrat and Bernie Sanders voted "aye," 15 Republican votes would still be needed.

3. The Judiciary Committee conducts an impeachment inquiry, possibly through public hearings. At the conclusion of the inquiry, articles of impeachment are prepared. They must be approved by a majority of the Committee.

At present, the political composition of the House Judiciary Committee is 21 Republicans and 16 Democrats.

In order for articles of impeachment to be approved by the Committee, at least 19 "aye" votes must be cast. If every Democrat voted "aye," 3 Republican votes would still be needed.

4. The House of Representatives considers and debates the articles of impeachment. A majority vote of the entire House is required to pass each article. Once an article is approved, the President is, technically speaking, "impeached" -- that is subject to trial in the Senate.

In order for those articles of impeachment to be passed, at least 218 aye votes must be cast. If every Democrat and Bernie Sanders voted "aye," 15 Republican votes would still be needed.

5. The Senate holds trial on the articles of impeachment approved by the House. The Senate sits as a jury while the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court presides over the trial.

6. At the conclusion of the trial, the Senate votes on whether to remove the President from office. A two-thirds vote by the Members present in the Senate is required for removal.

The present composition of the US Senate is 55 Republicans, 44 Democrats, and 1 independent.

In order to remove a President from office, 67 votes are necessary in the Senate. If every Democrat and Jim Jeffords voted "aye," 22 Republican votes would still be needed.

7. If the President is removed, the Vice-President assumes the Presidency under the chain of succession established by Amendment XXV.

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All who have posted the impeachment fantasy have had a roadmap that ALWAYS includes MAJOR REPUBLICAN HELP. Not just one or two, but MAJOR help. Such help just won't happen.

[thefool_wa]

4. Thanks

I unfortunately agree with you, impeachment at this point is a pipe dream. But it is great that you put the effort in to make sure we are clear on what it is going to take.

And what is that? VOTE IN MORE DEMOCRATS NEXT NOVEMBER!!

We need to ALL remember that.

[Horus45]

6. Yes, and we need to nominate and support those running who say they will

Impeach if elected!

[Independent_Liberal]

8. Yes, Dems need to win back the House and Senate in '06.

Impeach Bush/Cheney

Pelosi in '07!

:)

[ClassWarrior]

10. Yes, the name President Pelosi has a nice ring to it.

Visualize IMPEACHMENT - Dem Victory 2006!!

Never Give Up.

[thefool_wa]

3. So sad

Great article, but the unfortunate fact remains that our Congress doesn't have the stones to impeach Dumya.

Maybe once all of the cronies are indicted, in jail, or discredited to the point they HAVE to join in with impeachment to have any political future whatsoever, then it might happen.

Or, if we can wait, maybe after next years congressional elections the face of the Congress will change enough that they will start the stir.

[Horus45]

5. I'm counting on winning the house back in 2006.

I don't think they have the resources to steal every election in 2006.

[calimary]

7. Welcome to DU to both of you - Horus45 and thefool_wa!

Yes, I, too, am hoping we take back the House of Reps next year. That would be PRIORITY ONE. I'd start in that jean shit's district and work from there.

Furthermore, by then, if things continue the way they have, bush will have blundered so badly that he'll be radioactive to those republi-CONS campaigning for reelection. So, just as the bad guys plastered posters of Max Cleland and Osama bin Laden together all over the place, we need to do that with whichever candidate it is - together with a photo of bush. What goes around comes around, dear GOPers!

And please remember one thing, both of you. Don't know how old you are, but I'm 52, and I remember that even though the Dems had better numbers in Congress, it was STILL the Republicans who finally tipped the balance against Nixon. He resigned ONLY because his own people came to him (Barry Goldwater was one of them) and told him he'd lost the support of his party in Congress and he was going to be impeached if he didn't resign. ONLY THEN did he give up. If today's republi-CONS see him as toxic to their careers and continued employment, NOTHING kkkarl rove can do (aside from setting up some terrorist strike on our soil - which, frankly, I wouldn't put past him) will keep them obediently in the stable. NOTHING. And at this point, I'm a little doubtful about whether another terrorist strike inside the US would produce another bullhorn moment of national unity for bush. Not after Katrina, anyway. It's just my guess - obviously I have no inside knowledge to inform this. Just my suspicions. But he and his DID promise us all that HE was the one and the ONLY one who could and would "keep us safe." And they still didn't have their act together four years later, when Katrina struck the Gulf Coast.

WHATEVER THE CASE, WHATEVER YOU DO, DO NOT LOSE HOPE!!! That's NOT a request!

Glad you're here. Now get to work.

Visualize IMPEACHMENT!!!!!!!!!
Then go DO something about it.

[BlueIris]

9. Yes, welcome, Horus45. Interesting screen name.

Very interesting.

I'm all about keeping the faith, (which in this case is informed by the fact that past a certain point that in my view is already here, the GOP, if it wants to survive, will have no choice but to remove Bush) so I thought I'd post that.