Timing is everything

All across the blogosphere are heard calls for the impeachment of Bush and/or Cheney. Others suggest that a Federal Grand Jury be convened via public petition. The point that everyone seems to miss is that with only 18 months left to go, and with the composition of the current Congress, the probability of removal from office of either or both is at best, very low.

Whatever your level of fear, loathing, contempt, and disgust for the evil twins, it comes down to the fact that we let ourselves get conned when we reelected them in ’04. Collectively, we as an electorate had plenty of evidence of just who and what these people were. The lies, the repression of dissent, the disregard for our position in the world, the failure to secure our borders, were all more than evident by the time we went to the ballot box, that November.

Before moving on, consider for just a moment what would happen if Nancy Pelosi was sworn in as President sometime in early 2008. Gonzalez would be gone, having left the Justice Department in total shambles. Being an election year, even the most competent and honest of the Bush Administration would be scrambling to get out and find new jobs for themselves. Pelosi clearly would not be a candidate for continuing incumbency. Obstructionism would be the word of the day from the Republican side.

It would be most interesting to hear from readers as to how such a scenario is more desirable than is the current one, where Bush is functionally  totally isolated. He can continue the war, for a while, but even there,  there are signs that constraints will soon become imposed on his ability to keep our troops facing the current level of danger. Domestically, he is paralyzed by increasing resistance and suspicion from Congress.

Looking back, failed presidencies and failed candidacies have both contained a common element – broken promises. LBJ was going to win and end the Vietnam war, which instead deteriorated to a stunning failure; Bush 41 promised no new taxes, and drove the popularity derived from the stunning management of the Gulf War to the cellar with the deep recession of his last years in office. While there were many factors in play, Kerry lost the ’04 election because he failed to communicate a clear philosophy of governance.

So, instead of concentrating your time and attention on Bush/Cheney, it seems far more productive that we insure the next President and Congress will reverse the direction taken by the current administration and their now diminishing congressional support. We can do this by demanding of candidates that they make commitments in as specific terms as possible, their policy intent, should they be elected.

Participation in nominating and primary campaign election activity, particularly for members of the House, would seem to be among the more beneficial uses of time and effort for those who have genuine interest in bringing about reform --- rather than whining about that which we cannot realistically change.

This is not to say that Bush/Cheney will escape responsibility for their criminal behavior. Indictments can be quickly obtained once the new administration and Congress are in place. An honest government will bring with it far more opportunity for real prosecution without the chaos and interruption that impeachment or indictments would bring today. And one thing we can be certain of… there won’t be any pardons which they can expect to receive.