Essentially Contested America

Check out Bruce Fein’s call for impeaching Cheney at Slate.com. Here’s a taste:

Under Dick Cheney, the office of the vice president has been transformed from a tiny acorn into an unprecedented giant oak. In grasping and exercising presidential powers, Cheney has dulled political accountability and concocted theories for evading the law and Constitution that would have embarrassed King George III. The the most recent invention we know of is the vice president’s insistence that an executive order governing the handling of classified information in the executive branch does not reach his office because he also serves as president of the Senate. In other words, the vice president is a unique legislative-executive creature standing above and beyond the Constitution. The House judiciary committee should commence an impeachment inquiry. As Alexander Hamilton advised in the Federalist Papers, an impeachable offense is a political crime against the nation. Cheney’s multiple crimes against the Constitution clearly qualify.

Among major political players Mr. Fein is virtually alone in calling for the Vice-President’s impeachment? It should be apparent to anyone that the Vice-President has only contempt for republican democracy and for We the People. Indeed, Mr. Cheney’ tenure as Vice-President is the closest the American people have come to autocratic rule in recent memory. His obscene reply to Senator Patrick Leahy is emblematic of his attitude toward the American people. Cheney’s political philosophy is dedicated to perfecting authoritarian rule. Ms. Pelosi must begin the impeachment process now if the United States Constitution is to be more than a “parchment barrier.” We must not be lulled in to acquiescence simply because Mr. Cheney has only 570 days left in his term. His impeachment is required for us to sincerely say to our children: “The Constitution is meaningful.” We must not permit Mr. Cheney to merely slip away in January 2008. He must account for his commission of high crimes against the American people. We must wait no longer.

This entry was posted on Saturday, June 30th, 2007 at 5:26 am and is filed under Accountability, Conservatism, Constitutionalism, Democracy. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.