The dirty word: I M P E A C H M E N T - Will the GOP initiate it?

[AndyA]

Chuck Hagel (R-Nebraska) keeps mentioning the possibility, although he beats around the bush somewhat. But with Bush/Cheney's falling poll numbers, continued coverage of Bush scandals in the news, and ongoing investigations sure to expose more scandals, the GOP is going to have to find a way to overcome the bad news.

I've heard several Republicans mention impeachment, and it seems to me that as we get closer to the 2008 elections, Republicans who are running for office again are going to have to do something to save their own asses. Impeachment seems to be a logical step for them.

Bush is seen more and more as a negative to the GOP, and if Republicans initiate impeachment, they can say the Democrats are weak, haven't got a plan, and don't have what it takes to stand up and do the right thing.

Of course, they will have to spin their six years of no oversight, which no doubt is being worked on right now.

I just wonder how possible this really is. Comments?

[bryant69]

1. I think that if impeachement happens

It will be because congress, Democrats and Republicans, feels slighted and maligned by this president. While Congressional Republicans are punks as we all know, they are not interested in letting go of their power. That might be enough incentive for them to go after Bush to at least get him to acknowledge their power and influence.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[zalinda]

4. And this may be the reason why dems are playing nice

We all know that there are some dems who know how to cut the repubs off at the knees, but they are playing this political dance. Let the repubs think that it is the White House that is usurping their power and they'll be more apt to go after them. Especially now when they are no longer the majority, they must be feeling vulnerable.

zalinda

[SoFlaJet]

2. yes they will

as soon as hell freezes over

[ginnyinWI]

3. that would be sweet, wouldn't it.

Let them take the heat for endangering our country in a "time of war". We at least wouldn't have to hear those kinds of attacks thrown at the Dems. I think * is more of a liability to the GOP than to the Democrats; he gives Dems something to rally against, while to the GOP he is a cancer that won't go away.

[AnneD]

5. If the GOP Base wants to save their party....

they better initiate impeachment. It really is one of the few options open to them.

[Rageneau]

6. Only the GOP can impeach -- regardless who's President.

Only Republicans have the balls to impeach a president. Democrats are nothing but enablers.

[TahitiNut]

9. Yep. It's not "official" unless the GOP does it.

After all, when even those in the (purported) majority obsess about gaining some modicum of GOP approval before they shit, it's gotta be true. :shrug:

[mmonk]

7. Maybe since the impeachable offenses originated

with that party, maybe that is where resolution can occur.

[jmowreader]

8. There's no need for the Republicans to impeach him

I keep repeating this, and now it's time to repeat it again.

There is absolutely no need for the Republican Party to impeach any Republican president. All they need do is to take a handful of prominent Republican leaders into the Oval Office and explain to Shrub that (fill in a number that is at least 20) Republican senators are willing to vote to convict both Bush and Cheney should an impeachment make its way to the Senate.

Bush knows that if he were to be impeached, these are the hard numbers:

It requires a simple majority in the House to advance an impeachment to the Senate. Even if EVERY Republican Congressman were to vote in Bush's favor, the Democratic Majority in the House would ensure that the Senate would hear the case.

He also knows that Bernie Sanders, plus every Democratic senator except for Joe Lieberman, would vote to convict.

This means he needs to keep at least 34 (of 49) Republican senators on his side. Assume Bush convinces 24 Republican senators to put their obligations to the nation ahead of their fealty to the Absolute Leader. That's seventy-three votes to convict and it only takes 67 to put his ass on a one-way trip to a holding cell because we KNOW the fucker is a flight risk. It will strip him of his pension and it will put him into the history books as the first president ever to go from the White House to the Big House. Besides, he doesn't want to have to change his choice of reading materials from "The Pet Goat" and "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" to treatises on surviving prison.

Bush is in it for Bush's sorry ass and he will vacate the White House if he is told to do so.

[gatorboy]

10. Only if they think Chimp hurts their chances in '08.

[Quixote1818]

11. I think they are worried at how much the American people are abandoning

the Republican party. They may feel like they need to do something dramatic to get the American peoples trust back. It would be a smart move on there part. I certainly would have a lot more respect for them if they did that.