JG, I plan to keep to my guns, but, thanks for the encouragement. To me this is not about Bill Clinton. Its about how our system of government is being used for purposes it was never intended for. I don't particularly like BC, but, impeaching a President for causes that are far outside the intent of the impeachment clause of the constitution will open up pandora's box.
I've said it before and I'll repeat it one more time. Impeaching and removing the president was a power created to save the nation from an executive who actions threatened the democratic nature of the country and/or the integrity of the operation of the government. It was a LAST RESORT clause put in place to protect the nation from harm or from a would-be dictator.
It was NEVER intended to be a means to get rid of "undeserving", sleazy, disliked or "immoral" Presidents. Those kinds of value judgements are what ELECTIONS are all about. They are not what impeachment and removal are about. If they are, then we will fundamentally alter the balance of power between the Congress and the Executive branch. These are supposed to be separate, but equal branches. If Congress can remove someone who is "undeserving" or "immoral" as judged by its standards then there is no equality between these two branches.
I don't mean to lecture, but, I get awfully tired(as I'm sure you do) of people talking about this like its a vote of no-confidence in a parliamentary system. To hear Congressmen talk about how "if only" the president had come clean they wouldn't be voting for impeachment, makes me sick. They simply don't understand what this is all about. If Clinton is really a threat to the integrity of our government, the constitution or the existence of the nation then it shouldn't matter whether or not he comes clean. On the other hand, if he's not a threat then there is no justification for impeachment.
In the 300+ posts that have appeared on this thread I have yet to read a single coherent response to this issue. Its always about what a jerk, creep, undeserving, lying scoundrel BC is. OK, let's say that's all true, its not what impeachment is about and doing something about it is not a power that the Congress was meant to have. |
