And Now Another Clueless “Impeach Bush” Argument
By Justin Gardner | Related entries in Bush, History, Law
Detroit Free Press columnist Rochelle Riley throws around the “I” word again in an attempt to make Keith Olbermann look like Chuck Todd.
Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s ineffectiveness became clear the day she became Speaker of the House and immediately announced that there would be no impeachment proceedings against President George W. Bush or Vice President Dick Cheney.Guided by politics, she said leading investigations into just how much the Bush administration did – and did wrong – would be divisive. What she didn’t express was her worry that too many Democrats faced elimination from the House if they took on the difficult task of proving who knew what, when.
But Congress is running out of time to finally make the Bush administration own up to its actions for eight years. If Congress isn’t careful, the president who already has issued 171 pardons could also pardon every appointee and employee he has ever had – and their dogs. And then Americans will never find out what happened to our country over the past eight years.
Now, to be fair to Riley, she does say that Bush should also be impeached (in addition to the “running out of time” argument) so he can’t pass more regulatory reforms, pardon anybody else or hurt the economy any further. You know, all really good reasons for impeachment and exactly why it was created in the first place.
So yeah, this is transparently nonsense, but let me focus on the opening when Riley highlights Pelosi’s reasoning for not pursuing impeachment, and share a story of when I ran into an impeachment supporter.
I remember last summer being approached by some Kucinich supporters during Kansas City’s First Fridays art walk and they asked me to sign a petition to show support for a Bush impeachment. At first I said “No thanks” and kept walking, but it bothered me enough to turn back around, stop one of the supporters and ask her why she was gathering signatures. She explained that Bush should have to explain what he did and be held accountable for it. I acknowledged that Bush and company had definitely overreached, but I then asked her if she wanted this country to come together or be further split apart. She hesitated for a moment, but she finally said she wanted it to come together. I asked her if she really thought that trying to impeach Bush would bring the country together. She reiterated that he had to be held accountable. So I told her she had a choice between the two, but she couldn’t have both and I was picking unity. With that, I thanked her and walked on.
Now, before I go any further, let me say that I spoke to this woman for about a minute and I don’t put her in league with Riley in the least. And I certainly don’t consider her clueless. In fact, her reasons were much more cogent and reasonable than Riley’s, and I want to make that clear.
However…
If you’ve been paying attention AT ALL over the past 8 years you should at least know what has happened in our country in the last eight years, and investigations won’t change the fact that Americans aren’t curious and won’t seek out the facts. And yes, Bush abused his power and maybe even broke the law, but no amount of investigating or trying to incarcerate Bush is going to help unify this country again. And what’s more important…throwing Bush in the clink or bringing America together again?
That’s why when I come across columns like these, it just makes me shake my head and wonder why people just don’t get it. History is fast becoming Bush’s prison, and no amount of revisionism will break him free from the ineffectual, uncurious, stubborn presidency he has given us. And let’s face it, if voting in one of the most liberal Senators with a name like Barack Hussein Obama isn’t the biggest rebuke and condemnation America could give Bush’s tenure, I don’t know what is.
In the end, Pelosi made the right call and she’d do well to continue ignoring these calls from the far left wing to seek vengeance on political enemies. Because, as Sarkozy said to Putin, “Do you want to end up like Bush?”
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November 27th, 2008 at 8:43 am
The left is firmly convinced that they were the ones that got Obama and other Democrats elected, and now it’s payback time. The left [and the right for that matter] seems to have amnesia after the election and forget that it was the middle that got them there. If they go for revenge they will be reminded at the ballot box why that’s not a good idea. I don’t think the party will go for it, I do see Obama getting the message through that partisanship is a dead end and people are tired of it.
November 27th, 2008 at 8:59 am
It should also be remembered that attempting to prosecute Bush after he leaves office would set a dangerous precedent. This would put all future Presidents on notice that they could be prosecuted and imprisoned for their actions in that capacity. Would that not give some future President, if he has reason to expect to be prosecuted after his term, every incentive in the world to do whatever he must to maintain his grip on power indefinitely, democracy, term limits and the Constitution be damned?
Come to think of it, maybe that’s why, until not so long ago, the Left was convinced that Bush was going to do exactly that.
On that note, happy Thanksgiving everyone…
November 27th, 2008 at 10:36 am
Personally, I think restoring the checks and balances between the 3 branches of government and proving that no one is above the law would be more important than “coming together”. Twenty years ago I was a college professor who caught the star quarterback of our football team cheating on a test. I reported it to the dean, who did nothing about it. I guess he also felt that unity is more important than the rules.
If we don’t impeach Bush, future presidents will continue to abuse their power just like he did. I don’t want that. Yes I do want to “put all future presidents on notice” and force them to act within the law.
I am not a Democrat and I did not vote for Obama. I support impeaching Bush, and I have said so since 2003.
November 27th, 2008 at 11:00 am
Thank you sbunny. I don’t get all this “come together” nonsense its just nambly pambly whistfulness to something that never really existed and never will (with the exception of a couple weeks following some ‘national news’).
Why are we supposed to be ‘together’? We’re supposed to argue and debate and hate each others’ guts and try to subvert each other. You know…be democratic. That’s the whole point after all. The acknowledgment that these are always forces are always manifest is what makes democracy make real-world sense.
So what’s more important? Some vague ideal of peace and harmony or to re-establish a real deterrent to this sort of central government run-amock thing happening again?
Really Justin, mw, everyone else who has disagreed with me in the past on this. With the growth of the government the avenues for abuses of power are growing larger. The same with the prevalence of technology and the tameness of the media. Yet we’re taking deterrents OFF the table? Seriously?
November 27th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
I don’t buy the strawman argument that somehow ‘unity’ and accountability are mutually exclusive not to mention, as others already have, that this is a Democracy and the line ‘agree to disagree’ rings out loudly as a truism. We are supposed to be a nation of the Constitution and the law which means, when anyone, from the lowest to the highest, attempts to subvert these fundamental principles they are held accountable and we do not throw that entire concept out the proverbial window just on some farcical notion that we can all sing kumbaya together as a result. As far as prosecuting Bush and his ilk ’setting some kind of dangerous precedent’ is concerned it is overwhelmingly more devastating to the fundamentals of this nation not to do so. Bear in mind that impeachment is the bringing forth of any charges and means that they will be investigated which is certainly called for based on what has been discovered thus far. Conviction is another matter and would be based on the results of the investigation once the truth is brought forward but, regardless, the American people deserve and need to know the truth – whether they happen to be interested in it or not.
November 28th, 2008 at 3:33 pm
Yeah let’s just create a precedent for the next cowboy president, so he’ll know that spineless Americans wont do shit to punish his despotism and crimes.
This is not a question of “unity” at all, it’s solely a matter of laws and fairness: no one is above the law, bottom line. No sir, things will never get back to normal if you let him get away with his crimes because you leave the door wide open for history to repeat itself.
And the arguments that we have to choose between “fix the mess” and prosecute the criminal is a fallacy. Since when the US government is capable of dealing with only one issue at the time ?
And here’s for your reality check: Americans have always been divided, it’s *normal*.
November 28th, 2008 at 3:59 pm
You see it as a positive that both parties should be unified in their spineless capitulation to an executive branch that sets itself above the Constitution and the rule of law , that sees itself as not being bound by treaties to which the US is a signatory, and that refuses to acknowledge international law which past administrations worked hard to establish and which has long been recognized as a buffer against the kind of cowboy unilateralism that Bush & Co see as foreign policy. Sorry, but I want no part of the kind of unity.
Bush and the key policy makers in his administration MUST be held accountable for any and all actions which they took in violation of the Constitution, of US law, and of recognized treaties by which the US is bound.
November 29th, 2008 at 3:42 pm
“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.” Any breach in this presidential oath, any time in history or future, must be held accountable, because any breach is an assault on our citizen freedoms. The President is a public servant. We are a unique nation of citizens governing ourselves by electing officials to represent us. We the People is all the unity needed. When we enter into international signed agreements, then the international community is responsible in overseeing that we uphold our commitment.
November 29th, 2008 at 6:53 pm
Accountability IS Unity. The blood of thousands demand it. Impeach, Prosecute, Imprison and GIVE ME MY COUNTRY BACK!
November 30th, 2008 at 2:29 pm
Impeachment begins as a investigation, House, then if it passes the muster, evidence, it goes to the Senate.
I understand that Republicans feel that everyone else should be held to the rule of law, but Republicans…..
I would like to see the Constitution protected, and if an investigation shows missconduct, then impeachment should go forward. Torture is a good place to start.
Lucky for the GOP Nancy Pelosi (Aipac) is standing guard for Boy George.
Hopefully, Obama will have the integrity to place the Constitution ahead of any party and restore the draft and we can balance the gene pool. (then you’ll see a mass GOP cut and run)