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Last year, before the midterm elections, I took an interest in the variety of Republican officeholders and candidates who said they’d like to impeach President Obama. There were, alas, quite a few.
Every time I’d write about this, the question was always the same: what exactly would the GOP use as grounds for presidential impeachment? And my response was: it doesn’t really matter; Republicans are a creative bunch and aren’t that picky.
Seven months into the new Congress, GOP officials obviously aren’t pursuing an impeachment crusade — at least not yet — though some Republicans whisper about the idea from time to time. But in his district yesterday, Rep. Michael Burgess (R-Texas) went a little further than most in talking openly about the idea. (via ThinkProgress)
When one attendee suggested that the House push for impeachment proceedings against Obama to distract the president and keep him from getting things done, Burgess was immediately receptive. […]
“It needs to happen, and I agree with you it would tie things up,” Burgess said. “No question about that.”
Pressed by a reporter after the event, Burgess added, “We need to tie things up.” And what, pray tell, would Republicans use as a justification for impeachment? The right-wing lawmaker said, “The articles would have to be drafted. They would have to be substantial. Right now, I don’t know that you have that substance behind them.”
But who needs a substantive reason to draw up articles of impeachment against a sitting president? Congressional Republicans impeached the last Democratic president, and don’t much care about norms or propriety, so why not just impeach every Democratic president?
It would certainly “tie things up.”
Also note, Burgess isn’t just some wild-eyed freshman; he’s currently in his eighth year as a member of Congress.
For the record, no, I don’t really expect the House to impeach the president, at least not unless Obama gets a second term, at which point anything’s possible. But the fact that a member of Congress is comfortable speaking like this, out loud and on the record, is a reminder of just how far gone Republicans really are.
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mr. irony on August 09, 2011 1:51 PM:
GOP 2011: Optimism Is For Losers !!
Anonymous on August 09, 2011 1:53 PM:
All I can say is take away my democracy, don't expect me to leave you with yours.
MattF on August 09, 2011 1:55 PM:
I'll be kinder than I probably ought to be and suggest that 'Democrat' is the high crime that Burgess is looking for.
CalGal on August 09, 2011 1:56 PM:
Surprised? Really?
This is why I was so upset with Nancy Pelosi for "taking impeachment off the table" when the man who lied us into a war with Iraq was in office. Along with the man who outed a CIA agent to keep those lies under wraps.
stormskies on August 09, 2011 1:57 PM:
Also note, Burgess isn’t just some wild-eyed freshman; he’s currently in his eighth year as a member of Congress
*********
and exactly what does that say about the Americans who keep voting for him ? the problem is not the politicians themselves IT IS THE AMERICAN POPULATION THAT VOTES FOR THEM ........
we are, indeed, the United Stupid America
howard on August 09, 2011 2:01 PM:
during the debt ceiling battle, people kept urging obama to use the 14th ammendment solution, and every time they did, i would point out that the odds of the house judiciary committee holding impeachment hearings as a result were 100%.
LarsThorwald on August 09, 2011 2:03 PM:
This business will get out of control. It will get out of control and we'll be lucky to live through it.
T2 on August 09, 2011 2:04 PM:
impeachment isn't the lede here, it's the desire to continue to obstruct the president, and also the Senate, from actually doing something to help the nation....just another bit of evidence that the GOP is really serious about destroying our form of govt.
The fake fake Al on August 09, 2011 2:06 PM:
The GOP is living in its own private Idaho these days. Only true koolade drinkers think they are sane. Everyone else including independents, Moodys, Wall street and the rest of the planet, thinks the GOP is completely insane. Impeachment would be another nail in their coffin. Therefore, I welcome impeachment proceedings. Insane candidates, financial brinksmenship, impeachment proceedings, praying for rain, teahdists. Show me one thing appeal about the current GOP to an independent?
c u n d gulag on August 09, 2011 2:07 PM:
Everyone knows that the ONLY legitimate President is a Republican one.
And that Democrats only win by voter fraud by groups like ACORN!
I'm actually shocked they didn't try to impeach him before now.
The SOOOOOOOOOOOO want to!
martin on August 09, 2011 2:12 PM:
But the fact that a member of Congress is comfortable speaking like this, out loud and on the record, is a reminder of just how far gone Republicans really are.
And how little they know about the Constitution.
Sigh
This is why we can't have nice things.
Mark-NC on August 09, 2011 2:22 PM:
@The fake fake Al
Sadly, the press doesn't consider them insane and treats them as if their ideas are perfectly ordinary, or claim the standard "everybody does it" crap.
As long as the press allows this, it will continue to get worse.
Zastrozzi on August 09, 2011 2:27 PM:
@T2 Exactly.
rikyrah on August 09, 2011 2:31 PM:
I wish these mofos WOULD try and impeach the President.
just try it
skeptonomist on August 09, 2011 2:31 PM:
Those who wanted, and may still want, the President to use some unilateral 14th Amendment solution to the debt-ceiling crisis don't seem to realize that this would be exactly the issue that Republicans need, and impeachment would be very likely. Unless Republicans took over the Senate in 2012 impeachment would not succeed, but it would certainly tie things up.
TCinLA on August 09, 2011 2:31 PM:
Thanks for the reminder of why it's good to be "from Texas" (as far from it as possible). Further proof that Texas needs to be expelled from the union so we can nuke them as the enemy state they are (after we evacuate the "good folks," who really are good folks).
DAY on August 09, 2011 2:36 PM:
Vague talk about impeachment.
Followed by: "Somebody ought to DO something."
Followed by: "Anybody got a rope?"
Toon Moene on August 09, 2011 2:52 PM:
Impeachment.
Every Democratic President has to go through these rites - and why ?
Because a Republican President would have been impeached (now forty years ago) if he hadn't resigned first.
It.Is.So.Childish.
thebewilderness on August 09, 2011 2:58 PM:
I suspect they learned from their last effort to wait until the election is over and impeach him if they lose.
Right now they have the refusal to reach a budget deal as a means to shut down the government. History. It echoes.
zeitgeist on August 09, 2011 2:59 PM:
Public favorability, Obama: around 45% in most polls.
Public favorability, Congress: around 15% in most polls.
Dear House of Reps: Please begin impeachment. I like Obama's odds.
But I think its only fair that if you can impeach a President we can subject all of you to recall elections.
Deal?
Cha on August 09, 2011 3:06 PM:
Lol @ rikyrah..that's exactly how I feel. Drooling Mofos.
SadOldVet on August 09, 2011 3:10 PM:
Let's impeach the president TODAY!
let's impeach the president for lying
and leading our country into war
abusing all the power that we gave him
and shipping all our money out the door
he's the man who hired all the criminals
the white house shadows who hide behind closed doors
and bend the facts to fit with their new stories
of why we have to send our men to war
let's impeach the president for spying
on citizens inside their own homes
breaking every law in the country
by tapping our computers and telephones
what if al qaeda blew up the levees
would New Orleans have been safer that way
sheltered by our government's protection
or was someone just not home that day?
let's impeach the president
for hijacking our religion and using it to get elected
dividing our country into colors
and still leaving black people neglected
thank god he's racking down on steriods
since he sold his old baseball team
there's lot of people looking at big trouble
but of course the president is clean
Oops, wrong president!
Thanks Neil...
Dave in Austin on August 09, 2011 3:56 PM:
@Steve Benen "Also note, Burgess isn’t just some wild-eyed freshman; he’s currently in his eighth year as a member of Congress."
Dude!! He's from Texas. That's all that needs to be said.
I live among them and whatever you have ever heard about Texans is TRUE!!
Marc McKenzie on August 09, 2011 4:48 PM:
@MattF: "I'll be kinder than I probably ought to be and suggest that 'Democrat' is the high crime that Burgess is looking for."
I'm not going to be kinder by saying that the high crime is "PWBB"--President while being Black".
To hell with these bastards. They need to go.
Schtick on August 09, 2011 4:59 PM:
I have friends that live in Texas. They said everything is bigger there. Especially stupid.
crapcha....rna tseract....taseract? or teaseract?
tamiasmin on August 09, 2011 8:18 PM:
Why leave impeachment waiting on events? Republicans should push for a constitutional amendment requiring all Democratic presidents to be impeached as soon as they take office. That way they can't try to fool the country by being upright and scandal-free, the little sneaks.
I can hardly wait to see the list of House impeachment managers. Talk about a Supercommittee! Burgess himself, of course, the idea man; Gohmert the Golden; everybody named King; some (what's the feminine form of doofus?) doofa from Minnesota; and five more to be named later.
POed Lib on August 10, 2011 6:03 PM:
I agree. Let's impeach Obama.
Today. Tomorrow. ASAPPPPPPPP!!!!!!!
It would be the crystalizing moment for Obama. He would finally understand that bipartisanshit is just a different way of saying "I'm a loser".
Plus, it would GUARANTEE his re-election.