Impeachment Review...Bill Moyers....The Case FOR Impeachment.

[bvar22]

Little Scottie Mc, bless his venal heart, has catalyzed a renewed cry for IMPEACHMENT.
I remembered viewing a recent report on Bill Moyers Journal that made the strongest case FOR impeachment that I had heard.

Below are some clips from the transcript of that show. If you have broadband, you can view the entire shows at the links provided.
Enjoy!

A public opinion poll from the American Research Group recently reported that more than four in ten Americans — 45% — favor impeachment hearings for President Bush and more than half — 54% — favored impeachment for Vice President Cheney.


"The founding fathers expected an executive who tried to overreach, and expected the executive would be hampered and curtailed by the legislative branch... They have basically renounced — walked away from their responsibility to oversee and check." — Bruce Fein


"On January 20th, 2009, if George Bush and Dick Cheney are not appropriately held to account this Administration will hand off a toolbox with more powers than any President has ever had, more powers than the founders could have imagined. And that box may be handed to Hillary Clinton or it may be handed to Mitt Romney or Barack Obama or someone else. But whoever gets it, one of the things we know about power is that people don't give away the tools." — John Nichols


http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/07132007/transcript4.html

http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/blog/impeachment/

http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/blog/2007/08/impeachment_the_conversation_c_1.html

[pleah]

1. K&R

[bvar22]

2. Thanks for the kick.

This particular edition of Bill Moyers Journal is excellent, and really should be required material for everyone at DU.

:hi:

[pleah]

3. Thank you!

:hi:

[Swamp Rat]

4. John Dean on Olbermann's show just said it is too late (RE: mechanics of impeachment)

I am no attorney, but I think he is wrong. They could call special congressional sessions and do it rather quickly. If I was a republican, I would be writing up articles of impeachment this weekend, as it would benefit the party in the long run.

[lonestarnot]

5. I'm still not taking my sticker off my car! It's stay'n until January!

That fucker! And my license plates don't need renewal until next March! Snort!

[struggle4progress]

7. Likewise

[zeos3]

9. It's not too late for this

[struggle4progress]

6. Moyers was right, of course, but if it hasn't happened yet, it'sunlikely to happen

[KharmaTrain]

8. Things Could Change On November 6th

I saw the Moyers show as well...however, just like we don't select a Presidential nominee due to polls, the same goes for something as serious as impeachment. And, honestly, 45% isn't quite "overwhelming"...this is a regime that's thumbing its nose at 77% of the population now regarding an illegal war and look at how many GOOPers continue to stick with this regime...voting against the Webb GI Bill, healthcare for children and so many other popular issues. They're welded to this regime and if it means going into the abyss, so be it...and they are well on their way to doing that.

While the argument about abuse of power (and yes, I've seen Bruce Fein several times on this subject) is very valid, it's currently supported on political and circumstantial evidence. Nixon's impeachment was based on him being an unidicted co-conspirator...Clinton's was based on the lurid Starr report...both addressing direct criminal charges (obstruction, perjury) against the president...so far no such indictment or report exists for boooosh or cheney. The closest we have at this point is some scribbling of cheney's in the margins of a Sunday paper about Plame or the recent revelation by Snotty about booosh releasing the NIE (and then it becomes a he said/he said game).

The one thing Snotty's book could do is start putting pressure on digging harder and deeper to get those smoking guns. I'm sure they exist, but hidden behind a steel curtain of executive privilidge. Unfortunately I fear the worst for the court case about EP as it's now sitting with the same judge who threw out the Plame civil suit and protected cheney from having his oil buddies investigated...unfortunately the corruption still remains deep and systemic.

This could change with a large Democratic win in November. It was during the lame duck session the GOOP went after Clinton and maybe, just maybe, the GOOP will realize who screwed them so bad they may look for some payback on their way out. If anything impeachment may prevent this regime from invading Iran or trying to pardon their way out the door. In that light, impeachment would gain a lot more public support...right now too many people are worried about paying their bills. As I keep sayng, time is the avenger here.

[Independent_Liberal]

12. Who knows what's going on behind the scenes...

One thing Wexler mentioned was that it wasn't until after the House Judiciary Committee hearings started that the Watergate tapes emerged. I'd say waiting things out till after the election would be a mistake. There's a greater chance they may go after Iran before then. In my opinion, we'd have nothing to lose (except our democracy of course) by getting things underway now. I also read something on one of Dave Swanson's blogs about an FBI document somebody has that indicts Bush, Cheney, et al as war criminals. I don't have the link at the moment, I'll try digging it up later. Another thing to keep in mind is history has shown in the past that the party that brings impeachment charges or attempts impeachment always wins in the next election. After the hearings against Nixon in 1974, the Democrats greatly expanded their majorities in the House and Senate in the midterm election. The Republicans kept control of Congress and won the White House after they impeached Clinton against the will of the public. When the Democrats refrained from impeaching Reagan and Bush Sr. over Iran Contra, they lost in 1988.

As for the Republicans who continue to stick with the regime, if something emerges that they don't want the public to know or threatens them politically and may cause irreversible damage to them in the long run, they may have no choice but to go and force Bush and Cheney to resign. It wouldn't be because 17 of them suddenly grow a conscience, it would only be because they feel tweedle dee and tweedle dum are becoming too much of a noose around their necks.

Just my two cents.

[KharmaTrain]

13. Your Two Cents Are Appreciated

From one who was very much around in 1974...I sat through all the House Judiciary hearings...the Rodino Committee and followed this story closely, they already had the Ervin Committee testimony, several Watergate trials (John Siricca presiding) and an Independent Prosecutor on the case (Cox then Jaworski). Unfortunately in their haste to put Monicagate behind them, Democrats gladly let the IP rule die and there's been precious little testimony to work off of here.

If there's some "hidden" information or document, what good is it doing hidden. It belongs with Congressmen Conyers. Bring it in the open and put names, faces and facts in the record.

Lastly, the GOOP didn't gain from the Clinton inquisition. In fact, they lost seats in '98...so much so that Gingrich was forced to step down with many blaming his obsession with Clinton as the prime reason.

Also, Iran-Contra was a non-issue in '88 because Dukakis never made it an issue and ran a total inept campaign (Susan Estrich take a bow). Clinton also avoided the issue in '92...opening the way for Poppy to pardon his buddies on his way out the door. My late father was obsessed with that case and constantly complained how the Democrats were just as complicit as the repugnicans in letting this scandal and BCCI slide. But then this wasn't a sexy issue...no blue dress, no explative deleted. It was a complicated story and we know how the corporate media hates something they can't run as a soundbite.

I agree investigations need to continue and be more aggressive...but the cone of silence on this regime remains and is being protected by a partisan federal judge (Bates). I've long called this situation a shit sandwich as we know there's crimes and to see these goons keep strutting is an afront to the entire Justice system...but then we don't have a Justice system. This entire government is now a partisan shop and this has hampered the search for truths and facts.

I've also cautioned against Junior following Poppy's lead...remember, Poppy sent troops to Somalia AFTER he lost the election, left the mess for Clinton and never had to be held accountable. Unfortunately without a conviction, boooshie will launch his war and the rest of us can go pound sand. He's got 33 enablers in the Senate that are his insurance policy...and he won't hesitate to pardon anyone who could offer smoking guns. Again...it frustrates me no end this exists but nearly 8 years of executive power abuse ontop of 12 years of repugnican tearing down of the powers of the Legislative...while packing the Judiciary with hacks is what we have to fight. I wish things were cut and dried...that we could not only impeach this bastard but also start the ball rolling on war crimes proceedings on this regime, but the cover-up and obstruction remains strongly in place...too many people still are either afraid or have things to hide.

I hope I'm proved wrong...but I've watched this game for too long.

Cheers...

[lonestarnot]

10. kick

:kick:

[Echo In Light]

11. Always a K&R for Moyers!

[Uncle Joe]

14. Moyers is an oasis in a vast journalistic desert.

Thanks for the thread bvar22.