. . .you can comfort yourself that your pronouncements of "certain" (not) failure in the Senate would have proven right if the Republicans hadn't been so thrilled with the excuse to force them out before it got there.
The rest of us will be out here celebrating our victory in this pivotal battle to defend the Constitution.
Fortunately for the nation, the Congressional oath is an oath to fight -- to support and defend; not an oath to win.
Tragically, our Congressional leadership appears to be oblivious of the duty with which we have charged them. By refusing to impeach, they effectively exonerate Bush and Cheney. If that is their intent, they should do it honestly and publicly defend Bush and Cheney's fascist fantasy of an all powerful unitary authoritarian executive. The idea of King Hillary may appeal to some, but i can't imagine it would be much of a vote getter.
Even more tragically for the nation, every additional day that the massive power of the American presidency remains, unchallenged, in the hands of these lawless men they gain ground in their war on our constitutional democracy. They take us a step closer to WWIII. Their actions have gone so far past the "impeachable" threshold that the refusal of the Congressional leadership to impeach is lunacy.
This White House; this Commander in Chief, has cried wolf so many times that no one believes a word they say. All their "proof" is rejected simply because they are the source of it. They've rendered themselves incapable of defending the nation. That alone is more than enough.
As for their War Crimes and terroristic bomb threats ("mushroom clouds in 45 minutes"), this isn't Watergate, where investigation was required to uncover a cover-up. Bush and Cheney are subverting the Constitution in plain sight. Articles could be drafted today. The case could be presented in impeachment hearings tomorrow. It's a slam dunk to the American people, the REAL power brokers.
Congress can't "get things done" under rule by signing statement. Pelosi and Reid will accomplish nothing unless the "unitary authoritarian executive" deigns to permit it. If they think betraying their oath and spending two years blowing hot air and demonstrating their impotence with finger-wagging "investigation" will help Democratic candidates win next time around, they'd better think again.
If they won't fight, win or lose, to fulfill their oath, perhaps they'll do it to preserve their political futures. Even in the irrational "political calculus" that pervades their insular world, it ought to be dawning on them that failing to impeach Bush and Cheney is a FAR greater risk to the future of the Democratic Party than even the worst of their (baseless) fears of impeachment.
Does the Democratic caucus really want to set their image as weaklings and cowards into stone by refusing to stand up?
Does Nancy "off the table" Pelosi really want to go down in history as the ONE person who had the power to stop WWIII, but refused to act? As the leader who "cracked the whip" to silence every member who dared to utter the word impeachment? As a woman so deluded that she thought it was more important to pass a minimum wage increase than to stop the blatant, willful criminality, subversion, and international devastation being wrought by the Bush/Cheney WH?
It is long past time for our Democratic leaders to conquer their impeachophobia and become champions of the People's Government and the Constitution.
Curtis Gans, Director,
http://spa.american.edu/csae">Center for the Study of the American Electorate
On Politically Direct with David Bender
http://podcast.rbn.com/airam/airam/download/archive/2006/11/aapd111006.mp3">MP3 (Interview start time approx 18:30)
Bender: You've been doing this for almost 30 years; studying the American electorate. And there is probably no greater expert than you. It's just a real pleasure to have you on this program;
. . .
Gans: . . .Traditionally, at least for the last 30 years, {the Democrats} have essentially been very tactical; very programmatic. I don't think either one of those works. I think they have to have an articulation of central American principles and what that means within a progressive Party.
. . .
Bender: This is a moment, clearly -- the people voted for accountability, there's no question about that. And the opportunity to show that the Democratic Party is the Party of the Constitution, I think will be a very popular position across the board, particularly with Independents, and maybe even some Republicans who still love this Constitution.
Gans: The concept of the Constitution and the People's Government is something that can unite the Democratic Party in ways it hasn't been united since the late 1960's. . .