Get a responsible adult on the case with the economic collapse.
An Impeachment leaving Pelosi in charge won't pass, but IF, big if, there's 17 (18 w Lieberman) responsible Republicans to be found in the Senate they might go for a deal in which former Republican Representative Leach, (endorsed Obama at the DNC), takes the reigns until the inaugural. As a longtime Chair and Ranking Member of the House Banking Committee, there's no lag before he's up to speed on the crisis.
Here's the process:
- Pelosi steps aside as Speaker. Dems and any Rs who join in a national unity plan elect Leach Speaker.
- House votes Impeachment of Bush and Cheney.
- Senate removes, Leach becomes President, Pelosi returns to Speakership.
(The Constitution gives the House the power to chose its Speaker, there's no language requiring the Speaker to be a Member. Leach himself voted against Gingrich, and for former Minority Leader Bob Michels for Speaker in 1998.)
The exact articles of impeachment don't really matter, go with whatever any breakaway Republicans find least traumatic. Run the approach through Lugar and Grassley.
As a vote against entry to Iraq, there's even a chance he could unwind the misadventure sans partisan acrimony before January.
Yeah, this is a lot like the Nixon>Ford scenario. Leach played a role there, as one of the Justice Dept. officials who followed AG Eliot Richardson in resigning rather than fire the Special Prosecutor in the "Saturday Night Massacre."