Another case for Impeachment

Talking Points Memo | Impeachment?

As regular readers of this site know, I've always been against the movement to impeach President Bush. I take this position not because he hasn't done plenty to merit it. My reasons are practical. Minor reasons are that it's late in the president's term and that I think impeachment itself is toxic to our political system -- though it can be less toxic than the high officials thrown from office. My key reason, though, is that Congress at present can't even get to the relatively low threshold of votes required to force the president's hand on Iraq. So to use an analogy which for whatever reason springs readily to my mind at this point in my life, coming out for impeachment under present circumstances is like being so frustrated that you can't crawl that you come out for walking. In various ways it seems to elevate psychic satisfactions above progress on changing a series of policies that are doing daily and almost vast damage to our country. Find me seventeen Republican senators who are going to convict President Bush in a senate trial.

On balance, this is still my position. But in recent days, for the first time I think, I've seen new facts that make me wonder whether the calculus has changed. Or to put it another way, to question whether my position is still justifiable in the face of what's happening in front of our eyes.

I've made up my mind. Impeachment must be on the table. The precedents being set by this presidency is setting the stage for an evolution of our government that no one wants. If impeachment means that a liberal will lose the presidency, so be it. We must question authority. And we must restore our system of checks and balances. Write, call, scream, do whatever it takes to let our elected congressional representatives that they must look past their personal ambitions, and ask themselves what they can do for their country. It is time to take a stand.