The esteemed buhdydharma has recently spoken of impeachment lately, while admitting that it might not really happen. However, not impeachment, but censure might be something achievable, as Nancy Pelosi told me herself at Netroots Nation 2008! (Click here for the exciting story of my meeting with Nancy, and how she told me she had never ruled out censure.)
Censure may not seem as viscerally appealing as impeachment, but it is hardly small beer, being an official rebuke that lasts for all time. Official censure by both Houses of Congress would be a fitting epitaph, or gravestone, for the Bush Administration's reputation.
(much more below)
Censure: if not now, when?
While it does not make up for all the injustices of the last two presidential terms, censure is a very real good in itself. It does not replace the need for what Meteor Blades called for recently, investigation and possible prosecution of Bush Administration crimes, but it is a good in itself. And it may not be as satisfying as impeachment, but it is a good in itself.
Nor is it vengeful or injurious; it doesn't put Bush or Cheney into jail, or into exile, or into poverty. Nor does it punish their families. It is just an "F-" on the report card of history, so to speak: remembering Iraq, Katrina, the present economic collapse, the wiretapping and FISA, etc.
And if the censure power of Congress isn't used after all those disasters: what is the point of it? May as well just get rid of it.
In fact, should it be a litmus test for Congressional leadership (who haven't been selected yet for the 111th Congress)? Maybe so. If our Congress is so weak that they can't even censure a terrible administration like the one we have now, I think they may need new leaders. On BOTH sides of the aisle, that is; both Democrats and Republicans should find ample reason for censure, whether the reasons above (mostly for Democrats?), or overspending, lack of genuine conservatism, and failure to uphold the dignity of the Republican brand (mostly for Republicans).
Action
As for telling your Congress you want censure--and congressional leaders who will promote censure; maybe Wexler and Feingold will do it if Nancy and Harry don't--a link for Congressional e-mail addresses is here; or if you don't have a Democratic congressperson or senator (and don't think your Republican/independent representative(s) in Washington will support censure), just mail Nancy herself at AmericanVoices@mail.house.gov, or Harry himself at http://reid.senate.gov/.... They may be saving their own careers by taking your messages seriously.
Perhaps more importantly, use the telephone: the Capitol Switchboard is at (202) 224-3121, and can connect you to the office of your congressperson/senator, or to Nancy/Harry (Nancy's number is (202) 225-4965, and Harry's, (202) 224-3542, if you want to chat with them directly).
...Maybe a sample script would be nice: so here's a phone script, or e-mail script with slight changes, for you to contact your Congressperson/Senator:
Hi, I'm [you] and I'm calling [writing] to ask Congress[man/woman] (or Senator) [whoever] to support and vote for an official censure of George W. Bush and Dick Cheney due to their disastrous leadership in Iraq, Katrina, the economy, and other issues. We need to do this to show that our government leaders can be held accountable. Thank you!
There will be other diaries about censure in the near future, but it is best to let your servants in Washington know your desires as soon as possible. Do you want the Bush Administration to get a clean historical report card from Congress? or do you want your Congress to do its duty? The latter seems better, I think. Looking forward to your e-mails, phone calls, and your comments here.