Preserving a republic

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http://theithacan.org/am/publish/opinioncolumn/200711_Preserving_a_republic.shtml

Preserving a republic
By Rob Griffin | November 15th, 2007

After the 2006 elections, I was one of those liberals who was seriously calling for the impeachment of President Bush. From the NSA warrant-less wiretapping to his blatant distortion of evidence in the lead-up to the Iraq War, his is a presidency rife with potentially impeachable offenses.

However, in the face of a surprisingly impotent Democratic House and a Senate that is not so much under Democratic control as it is in their custody, the more sober among us realize that it is not going to happen.

In spite of this, I want to make something clear. The importance of impeaching President Bush does not lie in revenge and it is certainly not about putting a more competent person in office. In the first case, payback that doesn’t serve the interests of the nation is indefensible and in the second, does anyone really want a President Dick Cheney? No, this president’s impeachment is about something much more fundamental: preserving the balance of power in government and the integrity of our Constitution.

Using the good will and trust of a frightened post-9/11 America, President Bush has usurped power from the other branches of government and used it in ways unbecoming a thug much less a president.

Even if we were to assume that every power he seized was wisely used and that no fault could be found with his behavior, he would still be wrong. The problem is that these powers are passed on to future presidents, if not in law then in precedent. Regardless of one’s good intentions or the prudence with which one might wield excessive power, it is reckless to give such authority to future men and women that may not be as judicious.

However, President Bush’s thoughtless expansion of executive power coupled with his irresponsible use of them are a stark reminder of the obvious contempt he holds for both the form of government laid down by our Constitution and the people whom it has served.

Regardless of all other concerns, what is important is that we make sure these powers are not passed on. While President Bush has undoubtedly damaged our country in ways that will be felt for decades to come, allowing the changes he made to executive authority to go without punishment will institutionalize the unequal balance of power in government and forever weaken our republic. His impeachment is the strong medicine that our sick country needs, whether we want it or not.