"The nation does have a few pressing issues pending that could use some attention from our federal lawmakers.

Let's see. There are a couple of wars going on, unemployment is on the rise as the value of a house continues to fall, millions of Americans have no health insurance, and did we mention that gas prices are expected to hit $5 a gallon? You get the idea. And still, some in Congress feel the nation is just itching for another presidential impeachment.

Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio, who has made a career out of eye-rolling issues like these, said this week he wants the House to consider a resolution to impeach President Bush. Rep. Robert Wexler, D-Delray Beach, who is smarter than this, supported the Articles of Impeachment, which won't go anywhere and thankfully have been buried in a committee not likely to hold hearings before Bush leaves office."

The Sun-Sentinel goes on to mock Wexler's proclamation that it is a "sworn duty" of Congress to act, saying:

"Actually, it's nobody's sworn duty to take up any time to go after a badly battered president with only a few months left in office."

They then have the nerve to tell Wexler and Kucinich:

"BOTTOM LINE: Get on with REAL issues."

I am of the mind that the crimes and deceptions of the President set forth in the articles of impeachment are the real issues. In Rep. Wexler's reply to the editorial, he puts it very succinctly:

"It is a dark day when the Sun-Sentinel has the gall to tell the parents of the soldiers who have died in Iraq that pursuing consequences for those that prosecuted this war of choice based on outright deception is not a "REAL" issue that Congress should address."

Wexler then asks in fine style:

"The Sentinel says impeachment is the wrong "remedy" for this litany of crimes.  What then is the proper remedy? A harsh lecture? A strongly worded editorial? Or how about doing absolutely nothing in the face of these outrageous abuses of power?"

And the fact of the matter is that a large part of the nation really is "just itching for another presidential impeachment."

Back in December, even before the economy was so plainly sinking, and before new revelations of Executive wrongdoing were put on public display in Scott McClellan's "tell-a-little-bit" bestseller, a scientific poll conducted by American Research Group found that 45% of Americans were in favor of impeachment proceedings against Bush, and 54% would back impeachment proceedings against Cheney.

Americans are not quite as stupid as the Sun-Sentinel seems to think they are. They know the difference between partisan political gamesmanship and the proper utilization of legitimate Constitutional tools that are vital to sustaining a healthy democracy.

Obviously, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel does not.

Below is my letter to the Sun-Sentinel. You can send yours here: letters@sun-sentinel.com

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