Bush is Going Down

(Keywords: politics, impeach, elections, how much longer do we have to wait until we can call him Ex-President Bush)

According to Reuters, if democrats gain control of congress, they'll initiate a series of investigations of the Bush administration, but 'are not out to impeach President George W. Bush.' Left unsaid is the undeniable fact that any serious investigation the administration would uncover the 'high crimes and misdemeanors' the constitution requires for impeachment.

"I said we'd be having hearings on the war, we'd have hearings. But I don't see us going to a place of impeachment," House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi said in an interview on NBC's Meet the Press. "Investigation does not equate to impeachment. Investigation is the requirement of Congress. It is about checks and balances."

I think she's probably inoculating the party against the inevitable charges of a witch hunt. According to Reuters, "'You never know where the facts take you ... but that is not what we are about,' Pelosi said. 'We will have subpoena power and that's why the Republicans are so afraid that we will be able to show the public how they arrived at a prescription drug bill that is born of corruption.'" Kind of telegraph's which way she wants to go, doesn't it?

"The cost of corruption is huge to the consumer," she said, "whether it is low income seniors paying more at the pharmacy, whether it is all American consumers paying more at the pump or home heating oil. How did we get to this place? That is worthy of scrutiny." Damned straight it is.

I don't think anyone seriously doubts that democrats want impeachment and recent polling shows that the public would support it. Asked, "If President Bush wiretapped American citizens without the approval of a judge, do you agree or disagree that Congress should consider holding him accountable through impeachment," a majority - 52% - said yes. Even 23% of republicans agreed. Add to that the president's about as popular as the bird flu and you might create a public groundswell for impeachment.

In 1998, only 36% supported even hearings to consider impeachment. Yet no one could argue that the unpopularity of their move has kept republicans from doing very well in recent years. Impeaching Bush wouldn't be likely harm democrats. Which is why we should concentrate on getting people into congress, since that's where the articles of impeachment are introduced.

Here's hoping '06 is a very good year.

--Wisco