Investigate, not Impeach

Written by: Ralph I. Miller on Jan 2, 2007 1:37 PM EST

Linked to groups: California for Democracy

by Ralph Miller, Latinos for America

It seems that a consensus is developing regarding the issue of whether to impeach George W. Bush – or not.

Pre-election thinking was that impeachment was “the solution” to the crisis of Government that has been created by this Administration.  Impeachment might have been a good solution had Congress not changed hands. 

There is little likelihood of impeachment (2/3 vote is required) and with a new Democratic majority in both houses, it seems that a better course of action is to move forward with a broad range of Congressional investigations of what the Bush/Cheney administration has done (or failed to do).

Given the alternatives of succession and what an impeachment trial would do to the country, it seems best to forego the slide into the circus of impeachment. Impeaching Bush will simply energize his base.

As Arthur Keller recently wrote in the California Democratic Clubs (CDC) chat list, “Those of us with a sense of history will remember, especially now with the passing of former President Ford, that Nixon was *not* impeached.  He was investigated and the effect of that investigation was to force him to resign.  That much better result led to a dramatically increased Democratic majority and eventually to the election of Carter over Ford.”

The New Congress is in a position to do just that. These investigations will likely uncover details that will force some in this administration to resign – something that an impeachment trial would not accomplish.

Americans are tired of politics.  In the upcoming 2007 and 2008 elections, Democrats need to convince the American electorate that all GOP candidates are tainted by W’s legacy.  Probing investigations will shed light on what he and his cronies have done out of the public’s eye for the past six  years, exposing them as the opportunists and war profiteers they really are.

If Bush is impeached, he will likely be pardoned, a la Ford of Nixon.  If the mobility-challenged duck is impeached, are we ready for Cheney, Condi and Gates?  I for one, am not.  We must let this Administration drown in its own sewer – we can’t afford to give it the lifeline of impeachment. There is too much real work to be done.

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