Not Blind Justice But Blind To Justice: Congress and Impeachment

Pelosi opposes impeachment. Mukasey now opposes prosecuting those involved in the DOJ hirings and firings. A majority of Congress opposes prosecuting telecommunications companies who performed illegal wiretaps. Just recently the FBI was able to also push past its moral commitment to the Constitution and Freedom of Press by tapping reporters at the New York Times and Washington Post. For how long can we let the spectre of 9/11 be an excuse for illegal behavior?

9/11 was a remarkable time in our history, one during which a number of remarkable mistakes were made. Telecoms, under the pressure from the White House, gave in to illegal wiretaps. In our concern for our national security we turned a blind eye to many of the actions of the Bush administration in its appointment of officials and in many of its decisions. The administration was in fact aided in many of its decisions (Iraq War, Patriot Act, etc..) by members of the opposite party, so that the sin of mistake now lies on most members of Congress and in every branch of government. National security was a righteous crusade with which many people could do very many unrighteous things. When the sin of error can be laid on the whole community the tendency in town is to say, “move on, just move on.”

Which is precisely why we shouldn’t. I’ve heard Pelosi’s argument for keeping impeachment off the table, in how it will divide the Congress and gridlock it. However, dangling impeachment in front of the Republicans’ noses and asking for a compromise isn’t the way to get things done. What kind of precedent does it set when the parties have to collude by balancing the prosecution of injustice against the legislative needs of a nation? Justice is a national concern, and though sometimes other concerns may be greater, midnight is coming on the Bush administration and due to the deadline there is no higher need. Did the Congress forget the part where justice should be above partisan principles?

Following the rules is less and less a moral obligation of government but a subjective passtime of a government with to much to do. Our legislature doesn’t have the benefit of asking themselves whether to impeach or not impeach, merely whether or not a crime has been committed. Whether to impeach or not is an undilutable responsibility shackled to them by their station based on the answer to that question one simple question.

And how many of Kucinich’s articles of impeachment do you have to believe before you decide that this administration is corrupt? That they lied to the American people in order to take us to war? They they ratted out an undercover agent in the service of her country because of the politically inconvenient things her husband was saying? They they detained children? Tortured? Announcing intent to violate the law via signing statements? Even if you oppose impeachment how many do you believe or disbelieve? Is any one crime worth letting slip by? Because if the Bush administration is allowed to slip out the door without prosecution the question about doing these things in the future won’t be if they are right or wrong, it will be if the American people has the guts to impeach.

I don’t know what’s more shameful, the actions of the presidency and subsequent inaction of Congress, or that the American people must rely on the former boy mayor of Cleveland and a nutty Texas OB/GYN to be the voice of reason in our government. The suprising amount of press and popularity their campaigns have recieved, not just presidential but on the issues, should not be seen as an endearment to their personalities. Far from it, both men, in any reasonable political year, would have been kept well under the radar. What shouldn’t be suprising to those in government in the media is that Americans would back both men because they care for their civil rights!

What should suprise them is that more people haven’t hopped on the bus.

Attorney General Mukasey has said that their will be no punishment for those involved in breaking civil service laws in the Department of Justice. For conservatives who support this measure I tell them to fear then, the day liberal anti-gun attorneys are favored in the DOJ. When a Democratic President whips up a propaganda campaign to instil fear of some right wing group, better get used to the the idea of it not being prosecuted.

This is precisely why justice is placed ahead of partisan principles, and right now, Congress seems to be conveniently forgetting that.

-Marc-