Free Republic

I first learned of John Leo in 1999 when he penned the clever and prescient piece titled "A Waspish, Niggardly Slur," wherein he exposed the dangerous trend in language manipulation that is now so wildly prevalent. It was an equal-opportunity poke at the absurd lengths to which people will go to accuse someone of racism. Leo explained that a Washington, D.C. white mayoral aide, David Howard, had used the term "niggardly." A black official took offense because he felt that it was a racist term. In fact, niggardly means miserly or cheap and has nothing whatsoever to do with race....

<p>That was the plea of Rodney King after a Simi Valley jury failed to convict any of the four cops who beat him into submission after a 100-mile-an-hour chase on an LA freeway.</p> <p>King's plea came after the 1992 LA riots, the worst since the New York City draft riots in 1863 when Lincoln had to send in federal troops.</p>

Some political observers, like Carl Hulse at the New York Times, are wondering if highly politicized impeachments will become the "new normal." I don't share that concern. Impeachments have always been politicized, because the process is overtly political. What they've never been, and will likely never be, is "normal." That is not because there is some high hurdle that needs to be cleared in order to impeach a president, mind you. According to Article I, Section 2, Clause 5 of the Constitution, the "House of Representatives ... shall have the sole Power of Impeachment," and the House needs only a...