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Saunders: Artifices of impeachment
San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 1/5/6 | Debra J. Saunders

Posted on 01/05/2006 7:54:55 AM PST by SmithL

THE LEFT -- from The Nation's Katrina vanden Heuvel to Newsweek's Jonathan Alter -- has pulled out the impeachment card and is brandishing it as the weapon that will drive President Bush from the White House. This could be more than talk. Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., is consulting with legal eagles as she explores the idea.

I must say, I am tickled by their efforts. I supported impeaching the perjury-prone President Clinton, but preferred censure to removing him from office. I also saw the damage to Republicans who pushed to chase Clinton out of office.

But the Bush-haters won't heed history, not when they see an opportunity to relive the glory days of Watergate: Republicans evil; Democrats uncorrupted; reporters respected. As Alter wrote after the story broke that President Bush authorized the National Security Agency to eavesdrop on international phone calls in efforts to uncover possible agents of al Qaeda, "Similar abuse of power was part of the impeachment charge brought against Richard Nixon in 1974."

Angry leftists are so hysterical that they cannot distinguish between government agents eavesdropping on a president's political enemies, and the data mining of international phone calls in an earnest effort to thwart another Sept. 11 terrorist attack. They don't see that Bush, rather then trying to hide his role in the effort, signed off on the program more than 30 times.

Warrantless wiretaps? Victoria Toensing, a former deputy assistant attorney general in the Reagan administration, called CNN recently to note that the Clinton administration authorized the warrantless search of the house of CIA employee Aldrich Ames.

But the Dems didn't talk of impeachment then.

(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Editorial; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: barkingmoonbats; loonylefties

1 posted on 01/05/2006 7:54:55 AM PST by SmithL
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To: SmithL

Saunders respects Turley? You have to be kidding me? Guy is a total liberal hack.


2 posted on 01/05/2006 7:59:50 AM PST by GianniV
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To: SmithL

ya might want to correct the spelling of the title. LOL


3 posted on 01/05/2006 8:00:42 AM PST by kellynla (U.S.M.C. 1st Battalion,5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Div. Viet Nam 69&70 Semper Fi)
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To: SmithL
Are we at war? I asked him. "That's a good question." Then, after deriding Congress for passing war resolutions -- not declarations of war -- Turley said, "As a constitutional matter, no."

As a practical matter, though, the answer is yes -- as any soldier in Iraq or Afghanistan can tell you. I respect Turley, but in the real world, it makes sense to monitor international communications to prevent another attack -- in America or against Americans abroad.

That's really what this all comes down to, isn't it? The Dems don't think this is a real war. And a lot of the folks howling about Bush and Iraq and the NSA had no problem with Clinton attacking the Serbs over Kosovo.

It comes down to what do you see the role of the executive and the military in this country - to intervene in numanitarian matters? Or protect our national security. The left apparently thinks that pursuing national security and national interests are wrong.

4 posted on 01/05/2006 8:03:49 AM PST by dirtboy (My new years resolution is to quit using taglines...)
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To: SmithL
Are we at war? I asked him. "That's a good question." Then, after deriding Congress for passing war resolutions -- not declarations of war -- Turley said, "As a constitutional matter, no."

As a practical matter, though, the answer is yes -- as any soldier in Iraq or Afghanistan can tell you. I respect Turley, but in the real world, it makes sense to monitor international communications to prevent another attack -- in America or against Americans abroad.

Instead, Washington delivers lowball partisan politics. Too many Democrats support Bush when polls support Bush -- the war, the Patriot Act -- then turn on his policies when they think they can get away with it. They don't think about the impact on U.S. soldiers on foreign soil.

This whole NSA story reinforces the fact that Bush is willing to be unpopular, even risk the White House, to get the job done, while too many of his Democratic critics will walk over anyone to stand up for their lack of principles.

It's a beautiful, imaginary world Mr. Turley lives in.

5 posted on 01/05/2006 8:05:45 AM PST by siunevada (If we learn nothing from history, what's the point of having one? - Peggy Hill)
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To: SmithL
[...the impeachment card and is brandishing it as the weapon that will drive President Bush from the White House. This could be more than talk. Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., is consulting with legal eagles as she explores the idea.]


Oh, please please please please please try to impeach President Bush.

I'm inclined to believe the Democrats as a party are not THAT stupid, but I've lost that bet several times already in the past 5 years.
6 posted on 01/05/2006 8:06:38 AM PST by spinestein (I donated because FreeRepublic is VALUABLE to me.)
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To: dirtboy
It comes down to what do you see the role of the executive and the military in this country - to intervene in numanitarian matters? Or protect our national security. The left apparently thinks that pursuing national security and national interests are wrong.

It's a matter of selling the power to control who gets to make money. The leftists are shilling for their claque of globalist investors, Soros in particular, in return for campaign money so that they'll have more favors to sell.

Who said Democrats weren't pro-business? /s

7 posted on 01/05/2006 8:16:56 AM PST by Carry_Okie (There are people in power who are truly evil.)
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To: siunevada

Your tag line says it all...

F the democrats and their "agenda" to oust President Bush. I'd like to see them try...as all attempts thus far have failed. Nya ha ha and nanny nanny boo boo.


8 posted on 01/05/2006 8:20:35 AM PST by MadCharity (Blow ye wind, like a trumpet, but without all that noise. Jack Handy)
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To: kellynla
ya might want to correct the spelling of the title.

You are right...we need to change it to "Orifices of Impeachment" after the a-holes that are attempting this stunt.

9 posted on 01/05/2006 8:31:28 AM PST by ravingnutter
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To: SmithL

traitors


10 posted on 01/05/2006 8:31:43 AM PST by GeorgefromGeorgia
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To: SmithL

These liberals need to get some porn to get their kicks. It will make them look a lot less silly.


11 posted on 01/05/2006 8:39:26 AM PST by rlmorel ("Innocence seldom utters outraged shrieks. Guilt does." Whittaker Chambers)
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To: spinestein
This whole NSA story reinforces the fact that Bush is willing to be unpopular, even risk the White House, to get the job done, while too many of his Democratic critics will walk over anyone to stand up for their lack of principles
12 posted on 01/05/2006 8:45:43 AM PST by Ouderkirk (Funny how death and destruction seems to happen wherever Muslims gather...)
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To: kellynla

Irony is lost on some people.


13 posted on 01/05/2006 4:22:33 PM PST by Lonesome in Massachussets (NYT Headline: 'Protocols of the Learned Elders of CBS: Fake But Accurate, Experts Say.')
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To: dirtboy
It comes down to what do you see the role of the executive and the military in this country - to intervene in numanitarian matters? Or protect our national security. The left apparently thinks that pursuing national security and national interests are wrong.

An examination of liberal response to previous episodes -- e.g., Kosovo, Bosnia, Somalia, Gulf War, Grenada -- establishes a clear pattern.

The left has given its unquestioning support for military actions possessing both of two distinct characteristics: those that are a.)totally divorced from our national interest and b.) when they are sponsored by a Democrat president.

On the other hand, the left has generally been importantly-to-unanimously against any military action which a.) is clearly within our national interest, even national security and b.) has been undertaken by a Republican president.

Accordingly, I would posit that, should a President Hillary choose to launch a nuclear attack on Gabon (or invade Canada), the left would form a card section and lead the cheers.

14 posted on 01/05/2006 6:44:29 PM PST by okie01 (The Mainstream Media: IGNORANCE ON PARADE)
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To: GianniV

"Saunders respects Turley? You have to be kidding me? Guy is a total liberal hack."

Upon what reference work do you base that conclusion?


15 posted on 01/07/2006 10:22:30 PM PST by billhilly
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To: dirtboy

IMO, what it boils down to is that the deconstructionists know that they could well be down to their last nail and the coffin's O2 supply is dwindling.


16 posted on 01/07/2006 10:24:42 PM PST by DoNotDivide (Were the American Revolutionaries rebelling against Constituted Authority and thereby God? I say no.)
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