A President Deserving Impeachment

Before the current impeachment howling of frothing nitwits (=cough= Sarah Palin =cough=), and before the prurient Republican prosecutors of Bill Clinton's penis in the 1990's, there was a time when an American President richly deserved impeachment.  That was 40 years ago today.

On July 27, 1974, the House Judiciary Committee recommended the impeachment and removal from office of Republican Richard M. Nixon.  The Committee passed three articles of impeachment based on Nixon's high crimes and misdemeanors committed as a result of the Watergate break-in and cover-up.  On August 8, 1974, rather than face a trial in the Senate, Nixon resigned the office of President.

For those of us who lived through that period, the current "impeach the tyrant!" manifestation of Obama Derangement Syndrome is particularly maddening on several counts:  first and foremost, sorry but there's no "there" there;  and second, in recent decades it's only been deployed flippantly by desperate Republicans whenever Democrats are winning both policy debates and national elections, as a means of de-legitimatizing Democrats and to get their knuckle-dragging Republican base excited enough to drive their Medicare-subsidized mobility scooters to the polls.

The high crimes and misdemeanors of Richard Nixon struck at the heart of American democracy, as does the idle threat of impeachment by his smarmy Republican descendants.

The "New Normal" In The Republican Party

Charles P. Pierce on the "new normal" in the Republican/ New Confederate/ Stupid Party -- impeaching President Obama (or, more accurately, pretending to be serious about impeaching President Obama):

So, anyway, this happened. [impeachment chatter among House Rethuglicans]

Be advised. The United States House of Representatives -- one-half of the national legislature, which is one third-of the national government, if you're keeping score in civics class -- exists now solely to gin up enthusiasm in, and to raise money from, the increasingly demented political base of the Republican party. It is a campaign mechanism, not a governing institution. If it were a governing institution, it would have actual leaders who would tell the more demented members of firm to knock this pointless shit off and get on with the business of proposing policy alternatives as part of the business of running the country.

Lest there be any doubt in your mind that this is a cottage industry grifting the bitter, low-information wingnut population, just type in "Impeach Obama" in Google Images and check out the plethora of bumper stickers, mugs, etc., available for sale to these yahoos.  Once you get past that, consider the fundraising going on now in the looniest precincts of America using the meme of "Obama The Tyrant," or some feverish variation on that theme.  Sic transit gloria, America.

(Photo:  Question - if combined, do these two make one wit?)

Cartoon of the Day

(click to enlarge)

Since their "message" of greed and discrimination isn't winning them elections, the Rethugs are pulling out all the stops to suppress voting among Democratic constituencies. What they can't win at the ballot box, they hope to win by grabbing power through rigging the game.

Now, there're new rumblings among wingnut House members about impeaching the President -- just elected by a healthy majority -- on any pretext whatever, no matter how bogus or crazy.

Along with their hostage taking methods regarding a Government shutdown and raising the debt ceiling, the rabid right-wing Rethugs have placed their ideology and party above their country time and again.  It's no surprise that there's crazy talk of impeachment coming from them.

(cartoon:  Mike Luckovich, via Gocomics.com)