While people are talking about the Primaries and the Convention, Congressman Robert Wexler [who represents the 19th District for Florida] along with Gutierrez, Baldwin and Kucinich have been talking about impeaching Bush and Cheney. While I will confess that I am in favour of Bush being impeached, there is a need to approach this news from an objective viewpoint and explain the impeachment process. It should also be noticed that the Green Party of the United States instituted Impeachment Proceedings and a Petition in 2003 which is ongoing and has been ignored.

Congressman Wexler along with Gutierrez and Kucinich presented their proposals of impeachment along with a petition of more than 210,000 signatures before Congress based on the following articles:

1. The fact that Bush and Company lied to the American People about the Iraq War, and the presence of Weapons of Mass Destruction.

2. The fact that Bush and Company abused their powers domestically and internationally for «personal gains» and in the process allowed the USA to degenerate physically and morally.

3. The Presidency and the Government broke down in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Rita, and Wilma.

While the Democratic Leadership under Nancy Pelosi has ruled out impeachment in the face of such massive support, Former Senator George Mc Govern in an earlier interview with CBS News has declared his support for the impeachment process. I myself have thought that if the Republicans could impeach Clinton in 1998 for abuse of power, why do the Democrats rule out such an alternative? The Democratic Leadership has been hiding under «the need to continue business as usual and not distract the elections». Regardless: Wexler, Mc Govern, Gutierrez, Kucinich, and Baldwin [whether you agree or disagree with them] have valid points about impeaching Bush.

What is then this process called impeachment? Impeachment is a trial by jury of peers of public officials in their realm and can occur at the Federal, State, and Local Levels in the USA. California has a form of impeachment called the Recall Election which can be activated after a petition is filled and approved by the California Secretary of State [remember Gray Davis being recalled in 2003?].

At the Federal Level, The United States Constitution under Article Two Section Four states the following: «Section 4. The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.» During the Impeachment Procedures, the House of Representatives can impeach the President, Vice President, or other officers and the Senate can try the cases. The definition of what is a high crime and misdemeanor is left to the House of Representatives. If the impeachment process is approved by the House of Representatives, tried by the Senate, and the Senate rules in favour of the impeachment process; the President, Vice President, or any public civil officers automatically have to resign.

It should be noted that even if the President, Vice President, or Public Functionary leaves office, he or she is not immune to domestic and or international prosecution for crimes committed while in office. Whether Bush, Cheney, and company will face impeachment is unpredictable. Whether they will face justice after leaving office is another issue. I personally think that if there were crimes involved those who commit them should face justice.

After what Bush has wrought on the world, I am in favour of his removal from office [as well as members of his government] via the impeachment process before the 2008 Elections in November 2008. I am also in favour of having Bush and Company [including the Democrats] being tried before a National and or International Court for what they have wrought on the world.

Reference
http://www.wexlerforcongress.com/news.asp?ItemID=2 27
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/01/06/politics /main3679720.shtml
http://www.law.cornell.edu/anncon/html/art2frag42_ user.html#art2_hd169