quote:
Originally posted by meanasasnake:
Bush should be impeached and removed. I really dont care if its in the last hour. He needs to get the message he refuses to hear. Its time for him to go, or be nutered from causing any further trouble for our nation.
Agreed, but even more important is putting the power of policy back in the Congress.
This whole crisis is a result of the evolution of Presidential power over the years this nation has existed.
Fast Track Trade Agreements, War Powers, much of the Patriot Act, all provide power to the White House that is not properly Balanced by oversight.
A major cause of the problems we have at the moment, and will have in the future, are directly related to legislation increasing Presidential power. Bush acts like a dictator, because he was supported by congress for six years, he has not faced opposition.
We do need to impeach or otherwise take power away from Bush, but giving the same power to someone else, will not solve the problem. It will just give us a different "dictator."
We really need to change the system.
Britain does not have a President. They have a monarch. Over the centuries the office of Monarch has lost power to the point where today the Queen has virtually no power. The opposite has been the case in American Government, with the office of President gaining more power as the years rolled by. Right now, there is a political debate in the UK, about creating an executive president, and taking the Monarchy completely out of politics.
Impeachment is an alternative to a "No Confidence" vote. In Parliamentary systems the Prime Minister is selected from the Parliament. Not directly elected, and can be removed if his coalition breaks down over policy. In our system the President is not that easily removed from office, and in fact has to be criminal to end his term earlier than the statutory date.
We need to do something about the "imperial" presidency of GW Bush and we need to do it sooner not later. We need to take control over the presidency. And we need to demonstrate a willingness to do it whenever it becomes necessary in the future. Impeaching Bush and Cheney, and we have to impeach both of them, would change the complexion of government today, and it would change it for years to come.
Or, we need to change the basic structure of government. Perhaps both, with impeachment first.