The Link
Make Impeachment the Platform
By Devilstower
03/12/2006 08:28:15 PM EST
How many times have you heard it? The Democratic Party has no coherent message. Democrats lack focus, discipline, leadership. On the other hand, Republicans are presented as the party that keeps its act together. Republicans know how to toe the line. They have a solid message of... of... something.
Of course, there's little or no truth to this perception. Democrats stand for what they've always stood for: fair wages, access to health care, equal rights, and a decent concern for the environment.
Republicans stand for their traditional values: incompetence, corruption, and the idea that there's something intrinsically patriotic about screwing the average person.
But there's little doubt that, not matter how unfair, the Democrats have been tagged by the media as the party without a message. To get past that label is going to take something big, something decisive. Here's an idea: vote for Democrats, and we will kick Bush out of the White House.
Even as Russ Feingold introduces a measure to censure the president, and thirty representatives have signed onto a bill of impeachment, there's still a timidity around the whole idea. Some Democrats wriggle uncomfortably at the thought. And more than one has spouted the "it doesn't matter how much you want him impeached until Democrats have the majority in congress."
To which I say: exactly. If the desire is Bush's impeachment, and the means to that end is a Democratic majority, then why not set the party's position squarely on that plank. Vote for Democrats, and we'll impeach Bush.
In fact, this connection seems so clear that the arguments against the action seem particulary weak.
1) People don't want the president impeached.
Actually, well before the Dubai Ports deal, the exposure of warrantless wiretapping, or the decline in the already horrid conditions in Iraq, a majority of people were already in favor of impeaching Bush if it could be shown that he lied to the public. Does anyone doubt that he has? Does anyone doubt that a Democratically controlled House and Senate would be able to produce solid evidence of these lies?
2) Republicans suffered a "kick back" from trying to impeach Clinton.
First, barely half as many people felt Clinton deserved impeachment as those willing to boot Bush. Not even a majority of Republicans favored the action. Even so, the "kick back" saw the Republicans not only take the White House in the next election, but solidify their hold on congress. Many of those most involved in Clinton's impeachment hold high positions in the House or Senate today. Far from disdaining the Republican action, no matter what the polls say, the public rewarded their assertiveness on election day.
3) President Cheney.
Oh, come on, does anyone think he'd ever get his hand raised before he was running for a county without extradition?
4) Democrats are just being negative again.
We'll be positive -- as soon as we've evicted the snake in charge of this serpent's den.
Forget the pundits who roll their eyes at any sign of Democratic spine. Forget the Republicans who spew forth noise of treason at any swing against Bush. Forget those who council compromise, conciliation, and tiny changes from Republican positions. Forget the omens of doom for any who dare call the emperor on his nakedness.
Elect Democrats. We'll throw the bum out.