Let's Not Impeach Obama

Not Her Best Idea
Impeaching Obama Not Her Best Idea

“So Sue Me!” Taunts His Most Grandiloquent Emperor of The Sand-Trap. If Barack Obama can’t do anything intelligent to better the American Nation’s commonweal, then perhaps John Boehner can distract attention away from the emperor’s sartorial elegance. I have high hopes that John Boehner’s lawsuit threats are ultimately rhetorical. He was smart enough not to fall into the trap of impeaching. That would be Sarah Palin’s recent spate of leadership excellence. In a desperate bid for !ATTENTION!, Former Governor Palin has called for Barack Obama’s impeachment. This is not a good plan for several reasons.

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Constitutionally valid Articles of Impeachment may be filed against a sitting US President. They require a supportable accusation of high crimes and misdemeanors as stated in Article 2 of The US Constitution.

“The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors”.

This is legally enacted via Article I, Section 2 of the US Constitution which makes the US House of Representatives a de-facto Grand Jury.

The House of Representatives shall choose their speaker and other officers; and shall have the sole power of impeachment.

The adjudication of whether to remove an impeached official is delegated to the US Senate in Article I, Section 3.

The Senate shall have the sole power to try all impeachments. When sitting for that purpose, they shall be on oath or affirmation. When the President of the United States is tried, the Chief Justice shall preside: And no person shall be convicted without the concurrence of two thirds of the members present. Judgment in cases of impeachment shall not extend further than to removal from office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust or profit under the United States:..

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Patrick J. Buchanan does a nice job of playing Grim, Old Mr. Logic contra Governor Palin’s magical thinking.

…there is no evidence Obama knew of the IRS plot to delay and deny tax exemptions to tea party groups, which would be an abuse of power and a trampling upon the constitutional rights of tea partiers, who were denied the equal protection of the laws.

You, I and Governor Palin can all believe Barack Obama willfully subverted the accepted spirit of American Jurisprudence to our heart’s content. However, a system that allowed for faith-based prosecution would be no more just than what happened to Brandon Eich. The same code of laws that makes the process of impeachment available demands the presumption of innocence even as it serves as a fulcrum to persecute the most disingenuous people to be brought before the courts.

The non-judicial obstacles to successfully removing President Obama from office are more considerable than the legal ones. John Boehner remembers well how poorly impeaching Bill Clinton worked out for the GOP in the late 1990s. It’s about as valid a tactical move as Gen. Grant’s charge at Cold Harbor. Nevertheless, let’s assume he succeeded in indicting Barack Obama over Benghazi, The IRS, the NSA or even Bordergate. What then are the odds of getting sixty-six votes for removal? You would need 25 Democratic Senators to thumb their noses at Harry Reid and cross over to even begin entertaining hope….

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Barack Obama is a poor President, an immoral man and probably a thoroughgoing unpatriotic American. None of that is impeachable. None of that stopped a majority of the American Electorate from selecting him twice. None of that will get him removed from office. On the bright side, none of that will kill the republic. It’s about 2.5 more years. Suck it up. Stick it out. Win next time. Impeachment is not a substitute for political victory.

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