As I predicted right after the Democrats won their majority in both houses of Congress in 2006, their agenda has been mainly focused on payback, not legislation.
Revenge is in the air.
According to White House spokesperson Scott Stanzel, the Democrats have launched over 300 investigations, had over 350 requests for documents and interviews and they have had over 600 oversight hearings in just about 100 days.
The latest mano a mano between the Bush Administration and Congress over subpoenas for White House documents about the firings of eight U.S. attorneys, executive privilege, Vice President Cheney's Authority and the administration's warrantless wiretapping program are rapidly coming to a head.
Subpoenas have laready been delivered to the offices of Bush, Cheney, the national security adviser and the Justice Department about the administration's warrantless wiretapping program, and for former presidential counsel Harriet Miers and former White House political director Sara Taylor to testify under oath in front of Congress. So far, the White House has rejected all of these, and the deadline for compliance is 10AM Monday, DC time.
Senator Leahy, Congressman Conyers and Congressman Waxman are working like frenetic rats in heat to find whatever they can find to bring the Bush Administration `to justice'...and unfortunately, especially on some of the Iraq contracts, there are things to find.
It's not well known, but Congressman Dennis Kucinich has already brought impeachment articles against Vice President Cheney, just like he said he would...and twelve other congressmen have already signed on.
While House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said that impeachment is `not on the agenda', I frankly don't think she'd stand in the way, especially since she would become president if Bush and Cheney are impeached. And what better way to lock in the meme of the `culture of corruption' for `08, even though there's a war on?
Funny thing is, while the Bush Administration has been inept, the corruption in this White House doesn't come near to approaching the free for all that existed under Mr. Bill's terms in power. That won't matter, since the Dems may very well have the votes to pull it off, which is all that counts. Especially since a number of Republicans are likewise fed up with this president. As my friend Weekend Monkey said, if you keep pooping on the people sitting in the branches below you, don't expect them to make a fuss when you fall out of the tree and the hyenas get you...
As I've said, I give Bush only a 60% chance of finishing his term.
While you may well be correct when you state that the corruption within the Bush Administration is not as great as it was under the Clinton Administration, there is much corruption none the less and there is even more down right incompetence. Two key differences between the two Administrations are the Clintons were and are loved by the media. The media could pretty much be expected to run interference for the Clintons. The Bush Administration is almost universally despised by the media. As such, the media always shines a huge spot light on the Bush Administration and its activities. Also, the Clinton Administration took good care of its base. The Bush Administration has done every thing in its power to alienate the Republican base.
ReplyDeleteWhen the Democrats took control of Congress, I thought Bush's chances of completeing his term were less than 1%. The Democrats were given control of Congress to do two things: 1.) Get the US military out of Iraq immediately. 2.)Impeach the President. The Democrat led Congress can do both of these things very easily. Why haven't they?
I think they have not done these things because they see political gain in not getting US troops out of Iraq and in not immediately moving to impeach the President. President Bush is like a mill stone around the necks of Republicans. The Democrats are likely thinking why not leave him in office a little longer? We can use him against Republicans. Also, Iraq has been cleverly spun as "Bush's War" and as a "Republican war." This is incorrect but it is the spin and most Americans have come to believe it. As such, if American men and women are losing their lives in Iraq near election day, they can use this to score political points against Republicans.
If I'm correct, this is highly dispicable behavior and quite frankly stupid behavior on the part of the Democrats. The Democrats could quite easily impeach the worst president in US history but they are not doing so, for what seems to be purely for political reasons. Also, they could easily get the US military out of Iraq but they won't do so now for what seems to be purely political reasons. In other words, they would rather wear the military out to the breaking point so they can score political points!! At least, this is what it looks like to me.
I expect the Democrats will conduct impeachment hearings so that they coincide with the election cycle next year. Impeachment hearings will probably be start around June 2008 and will likely be concluded around the time of the elections in 2008. The Democrats could begin impeachment hearings now and have them completed by November 2007 but then Bush could not be used to score as many political points during the 2008 election cycle.
The Democrats could have the US military out of Iraq by the end of the year but there are not as many political points to be scored this way. For short term political gain, it is best for them if "Bush's war" is still being fought in 2008. The Democrats can schedule things so the withdrawl is completed around the time of the election. This way the Democrats can take credit for ending "Bush's War." Very dispicable behavior all the way around.
Of course the Republicans could outflank the Democrats on this and introduce impeachment articles themselves or at least push for it in the media. This is the worst president in American history. Frankly they would be doing the country a favor. Also, the Republicans could immediately begin calling for US troops to withdraw from Iraq. This would at have the adavantage of outflanking the Democrats and it would save our military from being completely broken.
Clearly our current troop levels in Iraq cannot be maintained for a much longer period of time and our equipment is being worn down. If this keeps up for much longer, we will be unable to engage our enemies any where. By withdrawing our military now, we can preserve what we have and we likely will have a window of opportunity of about two years to rebuild the military before we are forced to face this enemy again.
Of course President Bush and Dick Cheney could do the honorable thing and resign, however, as much as I would like to believe these are honorable men the available evidence would seem to indicate other wise. As such, I'm not looking for them to resign.
There is another possibility. While Bush is in office, the US could achieve a situation where Iraq is: A.) allied with the US in the Global War on Terror, B.)stable, and C.)democratic. If A and B can be achieved, even if C is not achieved, this would be a great victory for the US and President Bush could probably avoid impeachment. I pray our President can pull this. If we don't, the long range end result will be a catastrophic defeat for America and for the free world.
Should the President and the Vice President be impeached and Nancy Pelosi becomes President, she will be my President. Also, who ever wins the next Presidental election will be my President. I think I may be old fashioned in this type of thinking.
Finally, as the Scriptures admonish us to do, we should pray for those in power whether we like them or not.
"This is the worst president in American history."
ReplyDeleteYou are obviously too young to remember Jimmy Carter.