Reply #23: Impeachment is defensive, pure and simple.

[pat_k]

Impeachment not about justice or retribution. That is for the courts, not congress. Impeachment is a defensive act. When an official abuses power and violates our common contract (i.e., the Constitution), impeachment is the means by which we enforce the terms by removing the violator and renewing the terms with their successor.

Bush and Cheney are waging war on the Constitution in plain sight. Countless citizens, experts, and organizations have publicly accused them of subverting the Constitution. Key accusations well-known to a vast majority of Americans.

Members of Congress are sworn to defend the Constitution. The power to impeach is the weapon we gave them to defend against such abuses. By refusing impeach, Members of Congress effectively exonerate Bush and Cheney. If that is their intent, they should do it honestly and publicly defend Bush and Cheney's fascist claim to unlimited unitary authoritarian powers.

Tragically, in the current crisis, Bush and Cheney have gone so far past the "impeachable" threshold that the refusal of the Congressional leadership to impeach is lunacy. Bush and Cheney confess their willful intent to nullify the Constitution every time they publicly assert the fascist fantasy of a "unitary authoritarian executive" that can break the law at its whim.

Impeachment doesn't require criminal violations, but in their attack on the Constitution, Bush and Cheney are blatantly committing grave violations that not only demand impeachment, they have committed crimes that are subject to the penalty of death. Namely, war crimes under U.S. Code (Title 18 section 2441) and international law and the Anti-Terrorism Act (Title 18, Section 844 paragraph e. Bomb Threat -- "mushroom clouds in 45 min").

There is no legitimate rationalization for delay. There is nothing to investigate. Everything we need to know has been in the public record for years. It is long past time for impeachment hearings. It is long past time to make the case. It is long past time to vote out articles.

Over the past four decades, Rep. John Conyers has been our champion. Unfortunately, in the current crisis, his refusal to move past "investigation" to "impeachment" is devastating. When Chairman Conyers conducts "investigations" instead of "impeachment hearings" he is saying "we don't have a case."

Chairman Conyers, there is nothing to investigate. This is not Watergate, where investigation was required to uncover a cover-up. It is time. We need you. We need a champion to demand impeachment NOW.