After watching Bill Moyers Journal last night, I did some further research and it really clarified some things for me that I wish could be clearer to most Americans.
The upshot is: We're already in a Constitutional crisis because the Executive has overreached, has admitted to criminal acts and has comported itself as if a monarch. Most people wouldn't argue with much of that, but it's important to note that the crisis will not be CREATED by impeachment proceedings; impeachment was designed to END a Constitutional crisis.
Bruce Fein (Washington Times columnist and writer for the Politico) explains why Bush's crimes (he used the word "crimes") are more worrisome than Clintons:
BRUCE FEIN: More worrisome than Clinton's-- because he is seeking more institutionally to cripple checks and balances and the authority of Congress and the judiciary to superintend his assertions of power. He has claimed the authority to tell Congress they don't have any right to know what he's doing with relation to spying on American citizens, using that information in any way that he wants in contradiction to a federal statute called the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. He's claimed authority to say he can kidnap people, throw them into dungeons abroad, dump them out into Siberia without any political or legal accountability. These are standards that are totally anathema to a democratic society devoted to the rule of law.
BILL MOYERS: You're talking about terrifying power but this is a terrifying time. People are afraid of those people abroad who want to kill us. Do you think, in any way, that justifies the claims that Bruce just said Bush has made?
JOHN NICHOLS: I think that the war on terror, as defined by our president, is perpetual war. And I think that he has acted precisely as Madison feared. He has taken powers unto himself that were never intended to be in the executive. And, frankly, that when an executive uses them, in the way that this president has, you actually undermine the process of uniting the country and really focusing the country on the issues that need to be dealt with. Let's be clear. If we had a president who was seeking to inspire us to take seriously the issues that are in play and to bring all the government together, he'd be consulting with Congress. He'd be working with Congress. And, frankly, Congress, through the system of checks and balances, would be preventing him from doing insane things like invading Iraq.
BRUCE FEIN: In the past, presidents like Abe Lincoln, who confronted a far dire emergency in the Civil War than today, sought congressional ratification approval of his emergency measures. He didn't seek to hide them from the people and from Congress and to prevent there to be accountability. And, of course, Congress did ratify what he had done. Secondly, sure, times can be terrifying. But that also should alert us to the fact that we can make mistakes. The executive can make mistakes.
The point that was made on the show last night was simply this: Congress is REQUIRED by law and the Constitution to begin impeachment proceedings against this Executive based on what is commonly known at this time (The language in the Constitution is very precise and goes beyond "high crimes and misdemeanors" to explain in more detail what constitutes grounds). If they choose not to do so, they are violating their oath, rejecting the requirements of the Constitution and holding themselves above the law EXACTLY in the manner of George Bush and Dick Cheney.
The guests, Bruce Fein and John Nichols (a right-winger and a left-winger) were in total agreement on every point. They seem to feel that our members of Congress actually have very little understanding of the Constitution they are sworn to uphold (despite carrying copies around in their pockets). We can only hope this explains their behavior and lack of action because if it does not, the alternative explanations are unthinkable.
Nancy Pelosi is wrong in her stance, whatever her political ends may be. People who think this will be a distraction, will take too long, or will somehow mess up the coming election are wrong. The powers this Executive has assumed will not be returned voluntarily by the next; they must be taken away.
If Congress doesn't know their Constitutional mandate, we have to remind them. Unfortunately, my calls and emails don't seem to generate any kind of relevant response.
We have to do something. In light of more recent revelations that even under Reagan, plans were being made to set aside the Constitution for reasons as unbelievably undemocratic as the existence of widespread dissent against our invasion of another country, the fact that Impeachment is necessary and required to bring the Executive back to its intended place becomes crystal clear. How do we move our representatives to carry out their duty and do it now?
Here is a link to Bill Moyer's site if you missed the show. I urge you to see this and spend a little time reading relevant sections of the Constitution: http://www.pbs.org/...
We are at a fork in the road, and whether or not we DO anything, we are choosing the future direction of our country right now.