Proponents of impeachment haven't managed to convince enough legislators or Americans to follow them

[bigtree]

. . . despite the steady stream of folks who think it's a good strategy to call everyone who disagrees with initiating an impeachment in this Congress "cowards."

They've not yet managed to convince enough legislators or Americans to follow them, despite the insistence of many proponents that any action short of impeachment which intends to hold the administration accountable is a sham and a waste of time.

Proponents of impeachment have not yet managed to convince enough legislators or Americans to follow them, despite their insistence that all the evidence we need is already known and just waiting for a prosecution.

There haven't been enough legislators or Americans who have been convinced of the wisdom of initiating impeachment proceedings with charges generated entirely in-house, by Democrats alone, despite the argument by proponents that a failure to do so is some kind of neglect or abandonment of the Constitution.

There aren't enough legislators or Americans who have been convinced that the elevated visibility of an impeachment would outweigh the negative effects of the almost certain prospect of an acquittal in a partisan impeachment in this Congress along party lines.

But, there certainly are enough folks on the net and without, who've become comfortable calling those who disagree with them and who haven't yet been convinced that a partisan impeachment in this Congress would bring about the justice we seek, "cowards."

I can't imagine why.

[bigtree]

1. waste of time here. I'm damn tired of being called a coward

just because I don't think an impeachment in their Congress will accomplish what proponents say it will.

I know I've never called ANYONE here who disagreed with my approach to confronting Bush a 'coward,' even though I feel like a partisan impeachment is a simple trick which, although easy to initiate, would lead to an acquittal along party lines.

So long. Good luck.

[Moochy]

2. What nuance

Impeachment: a simple trick!

[TreasonousBastard]

3. Well, it looks like most of the country agrees with you...

it just doesn't post here a lot. I'm thinking that all these calls for impeachemnt are really a strawman because the whiners didn't get what they wanted, so now they'll insist on something they know they can't get. Sounds crazy because it is. When little kids do it it's called a tantrum.

The rest of us are pissed we're not getting everything we wanted, but see progress and don't have time to waste. If the conditions are right for an impeachment it would be great, but we can't create the conditions.

[mmonk]

6. We passed the conditions a long time ago.

Today, even constitutional scholars are put on the various no fly and harassment lists issued by this government and are denied posts at universities. We are in a very dangerous time and those of us aware of how dangerous don't know how to convince others that we are.

[mmonk]

4. I don't think it's a matter of cowardice or bravery for that matter.

I think when we don't uphold the rule of law as it pertains to the constitution, we are all in jeopardy.

[mmonk]

5. Also, it's not supposed to be up to the people to convince

elected legislators to uphold the constitution. In a republic that is bound by its laws and founding principles, it is supposed to be automatic. Which of course leads to the issue of impeachment and EXACTLY why the founders put it in the constitution.

[bryant69]

7. Would impeachment succeed in removing President Bush from power? n/t

[Rhythm and Blue]

9. Impeachment would be a catastrophic failure.

That's why I'm against it, at least.

[mmonk]

11. I don't know. We haven't tried and I'm not god.

If we catch a local thief and hold court, will he be convicted? I'm tired of this obvious walk towards fascism without a fight or whimper but with all this rationalization of reasons to let it pass.

[bryant69]

12. I'm not in favor of letting it pass. I'm in favor of resisting it in effective ways

Get it right!

Bryant

[Rhythm and Blue]

8. The edit button is your friend.

[TahitiNut]

10. There is no greater failure than the failure to Do The Right Thing.

The failure to make an attempt is the failure that's truly owned - doing one's best is never a 'failure.' The abandonment of principle, foresaking even the effort to stand up for what's right, in the face of opposition that whispers in our ear and says "you won't win" is, imho, cowardice ... and it's a cowardice that I, myself, have been guilty of. Never again.

While Wikipedia is not often the most reliable of sources, I find it's entry on cowardice to particularly seminal.

Cowardice is a vice that is conventionally viewed as the corruption of prudence, to thwart all courage or bravery. Cowardice may be considered to be prudence that does not take consequences to their furthest extent.

"The corruption of prudence" is precisely how I view the advocacy of 'pragmatism' at the cost of core principles.

It's not a new idea I'm voicing. It's been long known.
"To see the right and not to do it is cowardice." -- Confucius (551-479 BC)