I think the message sent would be to mobilize the voters who support these guys - and there would consequently be a stronger and larger showing in 2008.
In summary:
1) Even if Cheney/Bush were to be impeached, a conviction would be nearly impossible to secure.
2) It would take nearly their entire remaining term in office to achieve this near certain failure - and after acquittal, all momentum towards accountability would be lost.
3) Drawing blood this early and so dramatically would serve more to galvanize support from people who sympathize with the current administration.
4) As much as we like to label villains, Cheney and Bush are weeds - not the roots of the plant.
To draw an analogy to baseball, wins are not often secured by sending every batter up to hit a home run. It takes a combination of base hits, RBI, and homers to dominate. This isn't the time or place to go for the death blow. A better strategy would be to keep the pressure on accountability, prevent Bush from launching new initiatives in the next 18 months, systematically move to limit the Patriot Act and Military Commissions Act, and set up investigatory structures. Win the White House and maintain/augment majorities in both houses of the Congress in 2008. Then prosecute these guys when they're out of office - and do it on ground of war crimes/treason, not perjury. THAT would be a significant victory.
Edit: Will, I suspect that you would claim that your views are based on practicality and mine on politics. That may be right in a way, but I think that on a deeper level my way is the more practical. If one was to end this, it is worth doing right - we don't want to be dealing with the spiritual heirs of the Bush administration in 8/12 years.
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Cogito ergo spud -- I think, therefore I yam
Last edited by ubertuber; 04-29-2007 at 10:57 AM..
Reason: Automerged Doublepost
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