Impeachment is looking better and better...

...at least of Cheney, maybe.

Two months ago, I went to an impeachment forum in Princeton attended by Mark Crispin Miller. He is a strong advocate for impeachment, and at the time I was not. My thinking was that as long as the Democrats now control Congress, the most important issue [for me, at least] was ending the war, and having a time-tabled plan for leaving Iraq. Impeachment, while important, was not something I thought the American people would tolerate with GW’s term ending on January 20, 2009.

Miller made a good case for impeachment. There are certainly many reasons to impeach Bush/Cheney: The war in Iraq. Signing statements. Outing of a CIA operative. The firing of federal prosecutors along political lines. Spying on American citizens.

But, I thought, the political “To Do” list for Congress should have as its number one item: Ending the war. And I thought that Rep. Nancy Pelosi and Senator Harry Reid would agree with me. So, I thought.

Well, the Democrats rolled over on war funding in June. They are willing to wait another month or so for a report on the “progress” in Iraq. It is kind of weird to think that “progress” includes more than 3600 American troops dead, and more than $450 billion in cost.

And now they are willing to allow the Bush administration to spy on Americans. Rep. Rush Holt had the best take on the issue: "Legislation should not be passed in response to fear-mongering."

So, if the Democrats are not going to actually end the war---the key reason why they won back Congress ---maybe impeachment should be on the table.

After all, the Democrats are not doing anything else of importance.

Bush: Worst Ever?

With Bush’s approval ratings roaring to a screeching 21% and the impeachment throngs gathering more and more support each day: There’s one guy that must be happy that Bush is still president: Millard Fillmore. He’s gotta be thinking, “Hosanna! I am not the worst president ever anymore!”

Bill Maher described Bush as "a smorgasbord of 'suck.' He -- he combines the corruption of Warren G. Harding, the war-mongering of James Polk, and the abuse of power of Richard Nixon.”

So, let’s check what the people at Wikipedia know about these former presidents on the “worst” list and how Bush stacks up, on a scale from 1-10.

Warren G. Harding: "Due to multiple scandals (Teapot Dome Scandal) involving others in his administration, Harding is ranked by most scholars as the worst President ever to serve. Indeed, Harding himself is often quoted as saying, 'I am not fit for this office and never should have been here.'" Well at least Harding had a realistic sense of himself and a cool middle name, Gamaliel. Bush is clueless, and has a just an initial, W

Warren v. W: Harding was a lazy president, and it was his people who perpetrated the TeaPot Dome scandal. Bush is clueless, but knows what kind of scandal mongering people to put in place. Close but, edge to Bush.

James Polk: “After the Texas annexation, Polk turned his attention to California, hoping to acquire the territory from Mexico before any European nation did so…Polk sent troops under General Zachary Taylor into the area between the Nueces River and the Rio Grande—territory that was claimed by both the U.S. and Mexico… [Polk] prepared to ask Congress for a declaration of war… Several congressmen, including a young Abraham Lincoln, expressed doubts about Polk's version of events, but Congress overwhelmingly approved the declaration of war, many Whigs fearing that opposition would cost them politically by casting themselves as unpatriotic for not supporting the war effort.”

"Congress overwhelmingly approved the declaration of war, many... fearing that opposition would cost them politically." Hmmm. Where have I heard that before?

Polk v W: Both lied to get us in to war. Polk's war gave us California; Bush's war cost us international respect, thousands dead. Not even close: Bush, by miles and miles.


Richard Nixon: Secret slush fund as VP candidate in 1952. Checkers Speech. Watergate break-in. Saturday Night Massacre ."Smoking Gun" tape. His impeachment. Hush money to Watergate burglar E. Howard Hunt. Not enough room to print everything about Nixon. But certainly, ‘Nuff said.
Nixon v. W: This is a tough one. Some of the same people were in both administrations Cheney, for one. Rehnquist , who was in the Nixon Administration, was appointed by Nixon to Supreme Court, and gave W the Presidency in 2000. Equally 'worst': Even up.

So, George you have made to the top ----or the bottom of the list. And it’s still 555 days till January 20, 2009.

May the time pass quickly.