A simple question:
After Barack Obama is swept into office next tuesday, at the crest of a wave that embodies the rejection of the last eight years of George W. Bush's maladministration of this country, is there any reason why the first order of business on November 5 should not be impeaching Bush and Cheney for their high crimes against the nation?
I write this diary because there are a number of articles floating around today suggesting that Bush will use the last two months of his presidency to do everything in his power to thoroughly trash the place. Emptywheel has been theorizing for weeks about which war criminals and torture enablers will receive presidential pardons in their Christmas stockings.
Why should we give Bush the opportunity to insult our country and our intelligence yet again? The levers of power should be seized from these criminals and their hands should be shackled, as soon as practically possible, to keep them from doing any more damage.
I won't berate readers with the long list of impeachable offenses, or the evidence that Bush or Cheney personally ordered actions that are tantamount to treason, or the rationales for Congress re-asserting its power, or a discussion of the merits of Dennis Kucinich as the originator of the Articles of Impeachment that have already been introduced in the House. The difficulty is not in showing that Bush has committed impeachable offenses; it lies in choosing which of his many high crimes should go on the first page of the indictment.
Dem strategists have long argued that impeachment is untenable because it could be used as a wedge before the election, or as a cudgel against Senator Obama in the course of his campaign. Once the campaign is over, this rationale evaporates. For what then could Pelosi's House be keeping its powder dry?
January 21st is not soon enough. On November 5, House Democrats should do what their constituents elected them to do two years ago, and take the keys away from both of the drunk drivers in the Executive Branch.