Kushi, first, I have not found that indeed perjury was committed, but furthermore, as severe as perjury is, is it treason and high crime? For perjury you get 2 to 3 years in prison, for treason and high crimes you end up with "life".
The reason for the high barriers to impeachment is to avoid situations were political "enemies" cook up charges or find "embarassing closet skeletons" to bring down the executive branch. The impeachment process is to protect the republic from a powerful president becoming tyranical (like using the IRS as a weapon against "enemy lists" or subverting the natural political process). If the itch behind his zipper, indeed caused BC to commit perjury, he can always be prosecuted after his term for it. That is probably the reason BC will not publicly say he did commit perjury, because in a normal court, it will be very easy for him to argue that his relationship with Monica involved only "assissted masturbation" and not "a sexual relationship". He'll probably call Newt to testify on his behalf, since Newt used a similar argument (having only oral sex outside his marriage) to claim it was not a sexual relationship and did not constitute adultery.
In a trial, Monica (and all other accusers) will be cross examined and the jury will have to decide who to believe (after the poor girl will be forced by some smart lawyer to perjure herself, get confused and contradict her own statements). What we are doing right now is trial without "due process", and truly a travesty, and that is why I believe my party, the Republicans, will pay dearly in 2000. I just hope that Bradley beats Gore in the primaries in 2000, or we will end up with green policies which are much more burdensome on the economy then justified by rational examination of the issue. As a nation, we have already forgone the nuclear power option (while Europe benefits from cheap nuclear energy) due to misguided "green forces" and irrational fear of the "China Syndrome", now, if Gore gets in, we will be forced to add a $100 Billion burden to our economy, which is not required when looking at the fact squarely.
Last, if the current process continues, every single future President in this country will be either an ineffective fluff that has not even sinned in his heart or within a year of inauguration his ability to govern will be impaired by an embarassing civil suit first, followed by impeachment hearing because he was "too tough" on the suing party and was not going to tield to their judicial blackmail.
Zeev |
