http://www.realcities.com/...
Democrats in Washington want to keep impeachment off the table
By Steven Thomma
McClatchy Newspapers
WASHINGTON - The push to impeach President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney is gaining a hearing in some parts of the country, but not in Washington.
More than 70 cities and 14 state Democratic parties have urged impeachment or investigations that could lead to impeachment. The most common charge is that Bush manipulated intelligence to lead the country into the Iraq war. Other charges include spying on Americans and torturing suspected terrorists in violation of U.S. and international law.
...
Let's face it, although Bush and Cheney richly deserve impeachment, it's just not the best option right now.
I think there's a better way to be rid of Bush and Cheney ahead of schedule... more after the jump.
The Democrats against impeachment have some not-too-shabby reasons:
There are both policy and political reasons that Democratic leaders are risking the anger of their base.
One is that some don't see an impeachable offense in what Bush has done, what the Constitution calls "high crimes and misdemeanors." They might find such evidence in any of the many congressional investigations, but they haven't yet.
Another is that they fear a political backlash from voters similar to the one that punished Republicans after they impeached Bill Clinton. One factor on the side of the pro-impeachment crowd: Clinton was much more popular than Bush.
The third is that they're eager to keep Bush and Cheney around as punching bags for Democratic candidates in the 2008 campaign.
...
Surely, there's reasonable space for a difference of opinion here. Jerry Ford said that "high crimes and misdemeanors" means whatever Congress says it does, surely, just considering Iraq, Bush's actions colorably qualify. Political backlash is possible -- but for the good of the county, should the Democrats risk blowing the best chance they have had to bury the very, very evil Republicans for a generation?
I propose, instead of impeachment, that Congress and the States amend the Constitution to remove Bush and Cheney from office. Both of them at once. No stupid arguments about what "high crime and misdemeanor" means. No show trial. Just get two thirds of the House and Senate and three fourths of the states to make the following constitutional amendment:
AMENDMENT XXVIII
- The term of the forty-third president of the United States shall expire at noon on September 1, 2007.
- A presidential election shall be held on July 31, 2007. The person receiving the most popular votes shall take office effective at noon on September 1, 2007.
- The term of the president elected pursuant to this article shall expire at noon on January 20, 2013.