Is impeachment the only way out?

[The Backlash Cometh]

Bush is on a course that we know now, he will never steer away from. His generals tell him it's folly, his own father counseled him against going in, in the first place, but here we are. Now, I propose that Bush was raised in the John Wayne era, where backing down was a sign of weakness so he really doesn't know how to back out of this gracefully.

So, I'm asking all you armchair psychiatrist to chew over this: Is it possible that impeachment may actually be a kindness? That in the long run, Bush might actually be relieved that we'll resort to a national intervention? With his ties to Saudi Arabia, perhaps that's the only way that we can find a graceful way out for him and for us?

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

1. Pretty much looks like it.

I presently don't see any other workable alternatives. Unless I have missed something. Frankly, I expect him to ignore Congress and whatever they pass.

[The Backlash Cometh]

5. Oh, he's definitely committed.

[Ken Burch]

16. Or could we say "he definitely SHOULD be committed"?

n/t.

[The Backlash Cometh]

19. With Agent Mike's approval, we could say it.

[porphyrian]

2. kick because I'm curious about an answer - n/t

[tularetom]

3. Well there's always the Betty Ford clinic

or spending more time with ones family.

[The Backlash Cometh]

4. Do they sell gift cards at the Betty Ford?

Maybe we should all show our support and each send him a $10.00 gift card to the Betty Ford clinic?

[Vidar]

6. Revolution would be the other alternative.

[Ken Burch]

7. Or at least a general strike.

We no longer have a legitimate government so there's no real reason we should recognize its authority.

[The Backlash Cometh]

8. I have to believe that we'll proceed with impeachment, before we

take any of these alternatives.

[Zhade]

9. Arrest and trial?

NT!

[TahitiNut]

10. Yes. A failure to impeach both Cheney and Bush ...

... assures us of decades of deep and implacable hostility from the vast majority of Middle Eastern peoples. We'll look back on 2001 as the "good old days." The precedents set by this adminstration virtually guarantees even worse in the future - with the knowledge that we're unwilling to defend our liberties against such usurpation.

If we hope to not have troops dying in the Middle East and restore habeas corpus and a host of other civil liberties in the next 4-10 years, these people MUST face justice.

[bobbolink]

38. Absolutely. Such a simple concept.

What are so many so afraid of????

What is the fear?

[cassiepriam]

11. Narcissists cannot change course. Their entire shaky ego is tied

up in being seen by others as right and being the best.

I do think that part of Bush would be relieved to be out of office.
Another part of him may totally decompensate. Narcissists do not fare
well when they are no longer adored.

[The Backlash Cometh]

12. He definitely has lost the support of his base.

And I believe his own father would support a pull-out. So, I think he's made commitments with outside sources.

Interesting comment you make about narcissists.

[cassiepriam]

17. Yes Bush is most likely having a very hard time.

His adoring support system is becoming quite small.
Criticism is quite large. He may become more delusional
and more paranoid. More defiant. More angry and vengeful.
The charming facade will not be seen as often any more.

[madrchsod]

13. i still think it will not happen

and i`ve said earlier that there`s more work that needs to be done than the process of impeachment but i think it should be put in front of the american people to decide. maybe they will if this latest escalation results in disaster for the us forces or if he attacks iran.

[frogcycle]

14. screw "raised in a John Wayne era"

i'm almost his age

I think he's nuts

[The Backlash Cometh]

15. LOL!

[FlaGranny]

35. Most of us raised in that era

did not take John Wayne very seriously, though. We were aware he was playing a part. I'm older than the chimp and I think he's nuts too, very, very nuts.

[mmonk]

18. In real terms, yes.

[nuxvomica]

20. Yes. We must disassociate Bush from America

That's our only hope for a favorable resolution to the mess he's created in foreign policy and the only way to keep him from effing things up any further. And it would be a blessing for him as well, giving him a nice exit strategy (for once) from a job that no longer holds much appeal for him without a rubber-stamp Congress.

[The Backlash Cometh]

21. Like everything else he's done, he's probably going in to Iran

to destroy documents that would incriminate select cronies, and probably his own family.

[KharmaTrain]

22. It's Amazing What A Little Civil Suit Can Do...

Just ask Paula Jones...

Impeachment is a political process. The worst that happens (and since there aren't 67 votes in the Senate, ain't gonna happen), is booshie is kick out and told to go home. That's it...not further actions. He and other aren't held accountable for the plundering and the blood on their hands. If anything, a dragged out impeachment would sour so many people that we'd end up with letting a lot of the real underling crooks go.

Thanks to Paula Jones, the president CAN be sued by anyone and the trial has to move forward. With such a suit comes the power of discovery (what got Clinton in trouble) where we could put booshie boy under oath along with all his other goons and lets see them lie or waive executive power in that instance...doubtful it will be held up. Thanks, Paula!!!

Yes, impeachment is too kind for this regime...they are war criminals and profiteers...this is beyond Constitutional, this is outright criminal and this is where we and others need to be thinking. My ultimate dream is to see this handled in the Hague.

[The Backlash Cometh]

24. Bush needs to start thinking about the future, because he hasn't yet.

This isn't going to get better for him in the next two years if he continues on the same track. Impeachment might actually stop him from piling on things that will drag him into an international tribunal.

[KharmaTrain]

28. The Damage Is Done...

Impeachment would be a distraction...and be assured Rove and his henchmen would do all they could to turn such an exercize into a PR circus that revolved on personality and not on the reasons for bringing an impeachment. There are no assurances that an International Tribunal would pick up where an impeachment inquiry left off...if anything, they may just drop the whole matter feeling that the American system had handled it.

Another important thing is booooshie's pardon power. Impeach and be assured he or Chenney or whomever will grant a blanket pardon so we can "get this all behind us" (and it would be politically popular)...whereas if a legal proceeding was already underway, boooshie would be in a tough spot trying to pardon himself or anyone else as it would be obvious he was trying to hide criminality. THAT information could easily be sent to the Hague.

[The Backlash Cometh]

29. Impeachment, then would atleast stop Bush from issuing pardons?

I think I like that. Sounds like reason enough to proceed.

[KharmaTrain]

30. Impeachment = Pardons

First...let's look beyond...who takes over if boooshie is convicted? Unless you impeach Chenney first (which delays your boooosh impeachment by months), he surely will issue pardons...or the more plausable scenario would be that Chenney would resign and boooshie gets to nominate a "moderate"...someone who doesn't have baggage (like a Ford)...a safe lackey who will issue the pardons as well..."putting this national nightmare behind us". The only way pardons would be avoided is if a Democrat were President and I don't see how Pelosi would get into that position without such upheaval in this country, even she might issue pardons just to end the circus. And, yes, impeachment IS a circus...it doesn't hold any criminal weight.

These goons deserve to be tried as criminals, not politicians.

[The Backlash Cometh]

31. Impeachment might not be a circus because,

in the past, impeachment was viewed passively by people watching on their t.v.s and the media controlled the interactive part of it. But now we have the internets. (sic) So, we the people, will be able to monitor what's going on and sound the alarms everytime our bullshit meters go off.

[KharmaTrain]

32. It'll Be A Circus...Nixon's & Clinton's Were

Put politicians in front of a camera, get a studio loaded full of talking heads on a network that only sees ratings and dollars and that's where the circus begins. I listened to hours upon hours of Joint House/Senate Hearings...the ones that made John Dean a star...and yes, that definitely was a circus. I saw the House Judiciary hearings on Clinton...with our buddy Captain Shippers and how a blowjob was akin to treason...and you're gonna tell me that who scenario wasn't a circus?

If I felt impeachment would end this regime and bring our troops home any quicker, I'd be calling for it with the rest here, but reality speak over hopes and theories. I'm looking at this in a far more practical sense...and with an eye towards real justice, not made-for-TV material.

I appreciate your passion on the issue as well. While the internet is a great place for information and to network...and to call bullshit in a way we couldn't before, it didn't help us in the past.

[The Backlash Cometh]

33. Nixon resigned because of the fear of impeachment.

That outcome is good enough for me. Now THAT is a gamble worth taking.

[KharmaTrain]

34. We Can Achieve That Other Ways As Well

More specifically, Nixon resigned when Hughes Scott & Barry Goldwater went to the White House after the Supreme Court force Nixon to release the "smoking gun" tape that would have assured his conviction in the House (they had a floor vote planned but not yet taken) and that it would be "tough going" in the Senate. Nixon still wanted to fight. If boooshie had McConnell & Boenner do the same to him, you may see a similar result, but McConnell is no Goldwater. It wasn't the fear, it was the reality that forced Nixon's hand.

The biggest hammer we'll have in the future on this regime will be next years elections. While boooshie isn't on the balot, many of his Congressional enablers are...and this is the time to get their voices on record...early and often...as to how closely they stand with their boy.

I'd love to see Senator Feingold bring back his censure resolution...which will have as much teeth as impeachment as it will "scar" booshie in history as being the first and only sitting president ever censured. And the chances of getting that through are a lot better than the circus of impeachment.

[The Backlash Cometh]

36. I think we'll have to use every avenue on this one.

Nixon understood his governmental limitations. But Bush thinks he's still running a private corporation and that one of his well-connected friends is going to bail him out of this one. He may be right, but it would be a slap in the face of our Constitution and American will.

[Jim Warren]

23. Yes it is but

but right now I cannot see it happening.

For that to happen we would need a congress with conviction. If the present congress doesn't stop or can't stop the present military escalation in the Mideast then how the fuck are they ever gonna get the balls to impeach the bastard?????????

[The Backlash Cometh]

25. Bush is running amok. Congress had no idea that he was going to

do what he did. We are about to see if the separation of powers really works. Congress needs to get united, and start representing the people of America. Bush has already lost his base. He has no one but the neo-cons on his side. And we all would be happy to give them all a one way ticket out of the U.S.A.

[DoYouEverWonder]

26. Bush and Cheney must be forced to resign

and we the people need to put the pressure on Congress and the M$M to make this happen.

[The Backlash Cometh]

27. Bingo. bingo, bingo.

[frogcycle]

37. nice thought, but

i don't see this bastard ever resigning. he'd be living in a spiderhole on the south lawn before he'd resign.