Taking impeachment off the table

For the last four and half years anyway, I've dreamed of impeaching the entire White House. Heck I've even fantasized about indictments and frog marches out of 1600 Penn Ave. But at this point, I don't think it would be productive. It's simply too late. He'll be out of office before the hearings would even start.

John Dean has some practical thoughts on this at Findlaw but this piece by Chris Bowers sums up my thoughts even better.

Do I think that Bush has committed impeachable offensives? Probably. However, I would rather pursue a course of legislative action that would keep our caucus close to united, help large numbers of actual Americans, have a legitimate chance of passing both branches of Congress, conduct actual investigations and oversight and, if those investigations prove worthy, close by censuring Bush. I think is the appropriate and responsible way to act, a way that will help people, tarnish Bush, keep us popular, and keep our majorities. That is why you won't see me pushing for Bush's impeachment on this blog, or anywhere else, over the next two years

Much as I would love to kick the whole lot of them out of office as a sort of object lesson, it's way too late to bother now. Better the Dems use their power to expose the corporate kickbacks that are wasting of our tax dollars in Iraq...

That makes sense. The Dems only have two years left to deal with the excesses of this administration which are just too numerous. Impeachment would be seen as mere vengeance, while promoting some important social causes would win some hearts and minds with the voters they're going to need to swing in 08. I still have my doubts about whether the Dems can deliver any changes at all but I don't think it's fair to put unrealistic demands on the table. Better they shut down the secret surveillance programs and restore habe, than punish Bush. And fixing the electoral system is going to take a lot of time.

Internet neutrality is high on the list of protections that need to be restored. This is one arena the Dems already making a difference in and breaking up media consolidation would do us a lot more good in the long run than trying to kick Bush out. I mean the list is endless. Everything the White House has done wrong can't be righted in only two years.

I do have a passing thought for those who can't give up on impeachment though. They can use the resources and the organization that already exists to either call for his resignation, which is just as unlikely but there would be a certain satisfaction factor in asking for it, or they shift their focus to assembling a case for charging him criminally once he's out of office.

Unlike Bowers, I'm certain Bush has commited impeachable offenses, and I also believe he and Cheney very probably commited criminal malfaesance while in office. That would be the ultimate justice, to see both of them sentenced to the vast and cruel gulag they created themselves.