There is an excellent post on the pluses and minuses of impeaching Bush here. It is best summed up in this quote from Meteor Blades:
But whatever they do, it's important to remember that impeachment is a nuclear political act, and because it's a nuclear political act it has to be judged on that basis with a clear view of the political playing field. The consequences of voting impeachment out of committee and failing to get a majority in the House --- or if we get a vote, failing to convict in the Senate (which is inevitable) are what's really at issue. I'm willing to consider that it's worthwhile anyway. But regardless, everyone needs to decide this course based upon the reality that Bush will not be convicted and barring an untimely demise, will not leave office before January 20, 2009.
So the question I ask is this --- is a failed impeachment going to hold them accountable? If so, then I'm for it. But if it actually ends up getting them off the hook, then not so much. It's not such an easy call.
Let's step back from the question of impeaching for a second. Because moving to impeach in the house is a gigantic step. It will always be contentious and it will always cause great divisions. When Nixon was facing impeachment, it was a gigantic political fight.
But we do not have to take such a large first step. What if instead the House moves forward to discuss what constitutes an impeachable offense. An open "general" discussion where highly respected experts from both sides are called to testify.
Before someone runs for office, they have an exploratory committee. Before the committee they "test the waters." This is where the House can "test the waters" in many ways. It brings the country as a whole into the discussion. It gives members who aren't sure a chance to both listen and discuss the issue.
My gut is that at the end of the discussion we will find that we must impeach. And if so, we will have already brought the country as a whole to that point. If we can do that, then impeachment will not only be demanded, it will pass.
Sometimes the fastest road to success starts with small steps.
As always, Keith Olbermann speaks so well to the issue.
