Saturday, July 14, 2007
The Conservative Case For Impeachment
Former Reagan speechwriter Bruce Fein was on with Bill Moyers last night arguing persuasively for impeachment. His argument was intellectual, sober and will therefore not inspire many conservatives to rethink the powers that by public complacency they have bestowed upon President Bush. 
What typically breaks the spell for conservatives is the Hillary Clinton question. Many of them are under the impression that she is on speed dial with Satan. When you think of the right to wiretap, torture, declare somebody an enemy combatant without any oversight, and it is President Hillary Clinton with these powers, how does this make you feel?
Conservatives often blanch at this thought, ponder and realize that they wouldn't like it very much. This is how they can be moved. Picture a scenario where a militia movement gains ground again, and something like Oklahoma City occurs once again.
It could be an anti abortion group, a radical anti immigration group, or any myriad of right wing causes that commits a terrible act.
President Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, or John Edwards has all the tools that Cheney and Bush left them to deal with this terrorism threat. At this point, many of those who support President Bush, the deadenders as I like to call them, understand that although George W. Bush may act like a dictator, he is leaving office in January 2009 (we hope), and the extra constitutional powers he has taken that remain unchallenged are to be handed over to the next administration.
Waiting and collectively holding our breaths until 2009 because there is going to be an election, putting impeachment "off the table" because there may not be enough votes is an abandonment of responsibility by congress. We have a constitution. It is being violated. All Americans regardless of ideology should want it to be addressed. Congress' job is to stop the Bush administration from using our founding documents as suggestions that can be ignored.
First they came for the Muslims. The next President will target a different group of Americans with these tools. It could happen here.
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