NTodd's Pelosigram Campaign
With Comments on Impeachment
Below, Jim points us to this by NTodd.
Apparently Conyers says that he'll start pushing for impeachment again if three more members of the House sign on. NTodd suggests that we send snailmail to Nancy "Impeachment Is Off The Table" Pelosi in order to urge her to change her peculiar position.
The Dems seem to be treating this issue in purely consequentialist terms, arguing that there's insufficient public support for impeachment, and that there are other things Congress could be doing. But, first, this issue isn't purely about consequences: if someone commits a crime, then they deserve to be punished. This is about obligation and desert, not about consequences. But, second, even if we were to think in terms of consequences, I think there's a strong case to be made for impeachment. I suspect that if Jim Wright had gone ahead with the impeachment of Reagan for Iran-Contra, the current bunch of criminals might have thought twice about Iraq. We need to think of the long-term good of the American system of government. The Dems will probably suffer politically if they try to impeach Cheney or Bush...but that doesn't mean it isn't the right thing to do.
With Comments on Impeachment
Below, Jim points us to this by NTodd.
Apparently Conyers says that he'll start pushing for impeachment again if three more members of the House sign on. NTodd suggests that we send snailmail to Nancy "Impeachment Is Off The Table" Pelosi in order to urge her to change her peculiar position.
The Dems seem to be treating this issue in purely consequentialist terms, arguing that there's insufficient public support for impeachment, and that there are other things Congress could be doing. But, first, this issue isn't purely about consequences: if someone commits a crime, then they deserve to be punished. This is about obligation and desert, not about consequences. But, second, even if we were to think in terms of consequences, I think there's a strong case to be made for impeachment. I suspect that if Jim Wright had gone ahead with the impeachment of Reagan for Iran-Contra, the current bunch of criminals might have thought twice about Iraq. We need to think of the long-term good of the American system of government. The Dems will probably suffer politically if they try to impeach Cheney or Bush...but that doesn't mean it isn't the right thing to do.
posted by Winston Smith at
8:31 AM
3 Comments:
WS posts:
[F]irst, this issue isn't purely about consequences: if someone commits a crime, then they deserve to be punished. … [Second] … We need to think of the long-term good of the American system of government. The Dems will probably suffer politically if they try to impeach Cheney or Bush ... but that doesn't mean it isn't the right thing to do."
Have you sent this text to any major political leader, or to the local newspaper as a letter to the editor?
You can even send it as a Pelosigram if you like, but give it even further dissemination than this blog!
WS posts:
[F]irst, this issue isn't purely about consequences: if someone commits a crime, then they deserve to be punished. … [Second] … We need to think of the long-term good of the American system of government.
This search for cosmic justice, or the health and purity of the republic, was of course the GOP's mantra in impeaching Clinton.
Truth, but unwisdom.
Jim,
Will do.
Tom,
True, it was their mantra, but it wasn't their motive.
But it forces me to modify/clarify the point:
I don't think that EVERY crime deserves punishment. Betting in the office March Madness pool, jaywalking, smoking a joint in the privacy of your own home...we'd be crazy to zealously pursue prosecution in those cases.
But when we're talking about the kinds of things at issue here--whether or not presidents should be held accountable for major lies, including ones that take us to war, including wars that end up as disasters, attempting power-grabs for the executive, firing U.S. Attorneys for political reasons etc. etc. etc....well, in those cases we have to think about not only the current criminals but future ones. AND we have to think about our obligations to the very idea of American government.
So sez me, anyway.
People fought and died for this country. The least we can do is get off our fat butts and write some letters.
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