John Nichols wrote, "The Genius of Impeachment: The founders cure for Royalism". His wonderfully written book discusses the importance of the checks and balances of our nations government. The genius behind the design set forth in our Constitution. The separation of powers and the reasons that our founders found them to be so critically important to our nations long-term success and to prevent the creation of a "Royal" or "Unitary Executive".
Here are a few excerpts from a speech John Nichols gave promoting the book:
James Madison said, "A Nation in continual warfare will not long be free"
"No American should ever be honored to fight in a coloniel war" Abraham Lincoln
"The Provision of the Constitution giving the war making power to Congress was dictated by the following reasons:
- Kings had always been involving and impoverishing their people in wars, pretending generally, if not always, that the good of the people was the object of the war. This, our Constitutional convention understood to be the most oppressive of all Kingly oppressions. And they resolved to so frame the Constitution that no man should hold the power of bringing this oppression on the American people.
Your suggestion that Presidents should be allowed to make war as they choose and they should not be sanctioned in a time of war destroys the whole matter of the American Experiment and places our President where Kings have always stood."
Sincerely,
Abraham Lincoln
Benjamin Franklin argued that the impeachment power was in the President's best interest. History furnishes only one example of a Magistrate being formally brought to public Justice.
Prior to that, the only recourse was to assassinate an out of control rogue Monarch. Impeachment is a better way, and it is provided for in the Constitution for the regular punishment of the Executive when his misconduct deserves it.
James Madison considered the impeachment power, "indispensable.. for defending the Community [against] the incapacity, negligence or perfidy of the chief Magistrate.
Madison felt that limiting a President's time in office simply did not provide sufficient security against the potential abuse of power. During his tenure in office the president may "lose his capacity and pervert his administration into a scheme of peculation or oppression.. or betray his trust to foreign [or domestic] powers.
Madison concluded that "Impeachment is a necessary check because the President's "loss of capacity or corruption" could be fatal to the nation.
The Framers took impeachment seriously, here are some excerpts from the Constitution:
Article. I. Section. 2. The House of Representatives shall choose their Speaker and other Officers; and shall have the sole Power of Impeachment.
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