Bush, Cheney and the Scarlet Letter

[unhappycamper]

Bush, Cheney and the Scarlet Letter
by Dave Lindorff | Jul 7 2007 - 8:53am


I'm getting sick and tired of hearing Democrats afraid of impeachment claim that it can't be done because the Senate, where Democrats hold a precarious one-seat edge, would never vote to convict and remove, which would require 67 votes.

Let's get something straight:

Impeachment is not about conviction and removal in the Senate. Impeachment is a stand-alone action of the House of Representatives, and requires a simple majority.

Under the Constitution, there is no obligation for the Senate to even hold a trial after someone is impeached. It is an option, which is up to the will of the Senate.

When the Founding Fathers drew up the impeachment clause, they envisioned it as its own punishment. Trial and removal were seen as a wholly separate process, in addition to impeachment.

Under the Constitution, after investigating the high crimes and misdemeanors of a president or other federal officer in an impeachment panel composed of the members of the House Judiciary Committee, which would then approve articles of impeachment, the House would vote on whether to impeach the executive.

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[madokie]

1. no doubt in my mind the We Don't have the Votes is a rove plant

as exactly as you say

[Toots]

2. Then why not just censure them instead? If that is the intent of Impeachment?

Impeachment is all about removing that person from their position of responsibility. The Impeachment hearing is about the "people" having their say on the issue. The "people" want him/them removed. Then it is up to the Senate which is not considered of the "People" but of the nation/state to make the actual decision whether or not to remove. The Senate is considerd the "Deliberative body" while the house is the "people's house. The Senate was set up to keep the people under control by the knowing ones..The House was set up to express the wishes of the People, but notice they can not create Laws on their own. The people must always be under control or mob rule would occur. At least that is how the founders invisioned it..

[madokie]

3. all I ask is to do something, whats happening now isn't working

[frogcycle]

5. I think you made my point

impeachment is the voice of the people saying get this fuck out of here. It is being muzzled.

If the senate - "the wise old men" of the deliberative body - says "now, now, let's not be hasty," well so be it. After all, that's what happened with Clinton. Clinton was impeached. He and Andrew Johnson share that distinct honor (Nixon resigned before it came to vote in the house). Neither was convicted or removed. But the worst president in history, with polls showing that 70-80 percent of the people think he sucks, does not get to join that club?

The House is supposedly our representatives, speaking for us, and if a majority of us want to say "begone!" they should not be refusing to convey the will of the people

[SpiralHawk]

4. Bush & Cheney deserve a Scarlet T for "Traitors" to America

Their only loyalty is to their cabal of corrupt republicon crony war profiteers.