Did anyone else get the idea

[adigal]

that the foundation for impeachment was being laid today? One of the senators said that this administration thought they were above the law, and we have a history in this country of what happens when administrations, especially in their second terms, suffer from hubris and think they are above the law.

I absolutely got the feeling that between this senator's comments (can someone help me - who was it again?) and Kennedy's use of the words "War Crimes," they are laying the groundwork.

And why not???

[theorist]

1. 2003 State of the Union

Misleading Congress is an impeachable offense, and nearly every member of the cabinet is guilty.

[berner59]

5. I agree....

Came through with Kennedy's speech - the anger he had and the fact that he kept saying "this is about TORTURE"...he also tore apart that memo which was sanctioned by the WH...and even said "smoking gun" when he was proving that Gonzalez was behind it...AND that he was representing the Prez...

They need to keep screaming until the public joins in chorus...

[RoeBear]

8. Where exactly does it say that?

"Misleading Congress is an impeachable offense"

[theorist]

12. It is a form of perjury.

I'm not sure where I first heard it (maybe the Thom Hartmann Show), but whenever the President addresses Congress, he is tacitly under oath. And I'm sure we all remember that perjury is considered a high crime.

Here is John Dean's (Nixon's WH Counsel) take on it:
http://writ.news.findlaw.com/dean/20030606.html


Edited to add that the key paragraphs from this article are as follows:

To put it bluntly, if Bush has taken Congress and the nation into war based on bogus information, he is cooked. Manipulation or deliberate misuse of national security intelligence data, if proven, could be "a high crime" under the Constitution's impeachment clause. It would also be a violation of federal criminal law, including the broad federal anti-conspiracy statute, which renders it a felony "to defraud the United States, or any agency thereof in any manner or for any purpose."

It's important to recall that when Richard Nixon resigned, he was about to be impeached by the House of Representatives for misusing the CIA and FBI. After Watergate, all presidents are on notice that manipulating or misusing any agency of the executive branch improperly is a serious abuse of presidential power.

[greenbriar]

2. GO GET HIM

I would be 200% behind them

[skylarmae]

3. one can only hope - n/t

[pinto]

4. I think it was Durbin (?) I heard it, too, in the afternoon segment today.

and, he did a nice job.

(aside: remember, impeachment is always a party affair..no Republican House will impeach Mr. Bush.)

[adigal]

6. Yes, thanks!!!

It was Durbin, and he had a righteous anger!!! He said that NO ONE is above the law, not this president, not any president, and the Gonzales had opined that Bush could ignore the law, and that Rumsfeld went and created his own little intelligence group overseas with NO permission of Congress, and he mentioned a few other tasty morsels.

Laying the groundwork, step by step.

[pinto]

10. and I loved how he included references to the Constitution....

(seeing as it is the law of the land...) :kick:

[serryjw]

7. ....and HOW do you plan on accomplishing this

with a Republican controlled Congress?

[independentchristian]

11. By attacking the people in the administration until you reach the top

I'm sure you can find something on PNAC to degrade them. About 20 members of this administration are in PNAC. There's your opening.

Prove that Dick Cheney is still receiving money from Halliburton, so basically money from the war is going into his pockets from a company that we know was cheating the American people.

Crumble the fortress around Bush, and you won't even have to worry about him. He doesn't have the will to continue on his own.

If Dean becomes the Chairman, I hope he takes on more than "This President." Take on what they really stand for.

Get the public on your side by proving what the other side really stands for and all of these cons who are looking to the mid-terms and '08 will bow to public pressure, but hey, there's always the voting machines. x(

[serryjw]

14. Dilusional....but I like your spunk!

n/t

[RoeBear]

9. Why do so many people think this is a possibility?

The only reason that they got Clinton was that it was a Republican house at the time. It's still a Republican house and they ain't never gonna go for it. So quit dreanming.

[adigal]

15. Midterm elections - very important

We need to take back one of the houses - and Social Security is one way. Another way is to show what a disgrace this administration is, and show how the Republican congress are whores and won't do anything about it. That's how.

[Laurab]

13. I think "war crimes" are impeachable?

Although I didn't get that feeling, it's probably because every time a rethug spoke it put me almost to sleep, so it was really a struggle to pay attention. I did notice the "war crimes" and also "smoking gun" references, nonetheless.

Maybe he can't/won't be impeached by a rethug majority, but he can certainly become powerless, as they work to distance themselves from him, which they will if he's sinking.