Reblogged: Impeachment and Removal

[Gus Van Horn blog]

Senator Ted Cruz issues a stern warning about numerous actions by Barack Obama that undermine rule of law. After a long catalogue of abuses, Cruz concludes:

But this should not be a partisan issue. In time, the country will have another president from another party. For all those who are silent now: What would they think of a Republican president who announced that he was going to ignore the law, or unilaterally change the law? Imagine a future president setting aside environmental laws, or tax laws, or labor laws, or tort laws with which he or she disagreed.

That would be wrong--and it is the Obama precedent that is opening the door for future lawlessness. As Montesquieu knew, an imperial presidency threatens the liberty of every citizen. Because when a president can pick and choose which laws to follow and which to ignore, he is no longer a president.

All that is missing is a call for impeachment and removal from office. For that (and an even more damning case against this "President") I remind my readers of the words of M. Northrup Buechner:

Those who currently hold political office, and who want to keep our system of government, need to act now. Surely, rejection of the Constitution is grounds for impeachment and charges should be filed. In addition, there are many other actions that Congressmen can and should take--actions that will tell Mr. Obama that we have seen where he is going and we will not let our country go without a fight.

I don't know if Senator Cruz has called for impeachment and removal elsewhere or some consideration (e.g., protocol) forbids him to do so. Regardless, there is no excuse for the Republican Party to fail to at least attempt this obvious next step. At worst, they will be thwarted by the Democrats, who will be exposed for what they increasingly seem to be.

-- CAV

Link to Original

[softwareNerd]

Why Obama? He follows a long precedent of past Presidents.

Also, impeachment would lose votes for the GOP. The American voter is complicit in each incremental move away from constitutionality and the rule of law, and has been complicit for more than a hundred years. Starting impeachment proceedings would energize the GOP base, but it would also alienate the more center-leaning voters.

What the GOP really ought to do is to have a message that is simply not Democrat-lite. And, if they're fine with losing votes, drop their stupidity on social issues.

Edited January 29, 2014 by softwareNerd