Counting votes for impeachment and conviction is un-American.

[John Q. Citizen]

Both chaney and bush deserve the presumption of innocence. Going into impeachment with a known quantity of "guilty" votes in either the House or the Senate would be nothing more than a kangaroo court and would be percieved as basically unfair and un-American.

On the other hand, there is a significant percentage of the population who believe they are probably guilty of high crimes and misdomenors. As reflected by the recent Gallop poll, the state legislatures, the city and county councils and by referendums, many believe that crimes have been committed and that bush and cheney are the prime suspects. In fairness, these two deserve their day in court to be found either innocent of the charges or guilty as charged.

The Congress needs to hold impeachment hearings and decide if their is sufficient evidence for an indictment. If indictment is found to be warrented after an official examination of the facts by the House, then the Senate must decide if the the facts warrent a guilty verdict or not.

What's so hard to figure out. This happens every day in court rooms around the country. It isn't rocket science or political science. It's just plain old run of the mill American criminal justice. And everyone, no matter how small or high and mighty deserves their opportunity to their day in court.

Don't tell me the Congress is thinking of dumping that along with the rest of the constitution?

[MonkeyFunk]

1. But impeachment

is not a criminal justice issue. It's a political one, entirely.

[John Q. Citizen]

2. Yeah, except for the "High Crimes and misdemeanors" part. It's the

political version of the criminal justice system.

I'm starting to think the Dems don't want a fair and open trial because perhaps bush has evidence to implicate a number of high ranking Dems in the lies toward war, the wiretapping, and the subversion of justice. That's about the only thing that makes sense. So they are operating under a quid pro quo.

If the Dems have a strong case and it's aired out publicly and under national scrutiny, Senators and Reps who attempt to shield the probable criminal acts of the bush administration would be ripe for the electorate to kick out come next election.

Which brings up another related issue; Why are the Dems so loath to fix the obviously screwed up and manipulatable voting systems? What's in it for them to keep the system so insecure and inaudible? There is tons of evidence our elections are routinely tilted, jimmied, skewed, and fixed. Look at the 06 Florida congressional race with the amazing disappearing votes, and that's just one of the more obvious ones.

What's up with that? Are both parties doing it so neither wants to rock the boat?

[DKRC]

3. I'm beginning to think

that we only have a handful of Congresscritters we can depend on to stand up and do the right thing.

[pat_k]

4. For the House to claim to know the mind of the Senate is

. . .presumptuous arrogance. It is a grave breach of their duty. And, as you say, Un-American.

The House is the body closest to and most responsive to the people. That's WHY we gave them the power to impeach. Impeachment is the means by which We the People (via our Representative. in the House) assert our authority over the officials we "hire" to serve us in the judiciary and the executive.

Our mind -- the "mind" of their constitutions and the common good of the public -- is the only mind they need to be concerned with. Their duty to "support and defend" trumps all others.

Their oath is an individual oath. Their duty an individual duty. Whether they stand alone or with a legion, they have a duty to act.