Throw the Bums Out
Friday, December 12, 2008 6:46 PM
"These are the times that try men's souls." So wrote Thomas Paine on December 23, 1776, in his article The Crisis. And now we are in another crisis. A crisis of confidence about our financial markets, which is dwarfed by a crisis of confidence in our elected officials.
The US Constitution provides, in Article II, Section IV:
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.
This is a weblog. Yes, now more than ever there is sentiment for getting rid of our rotten politicians. This weblog is not about how to get rid of the bums, or which bum to get rid of first, but why we want to and need to get rid of them.
But am I really advocating the impeachment every last politician? Of course not. I am not trying to promote anarchy, and I am not overlooking the fact there is probably some good in every politician, and there are some politicians (our Founding Fathers were politicians) that had a lot of good in them. Furthermore, the process of impeachment (at least by the example of Clinton) had to be carried out by Congress, and the politicians are not going to impeach each other until there are none left.
What then of the title, and premise of this blog, "Impeach them all"? It serves several purposes. First of all, it's a good, catchy name for a political blog which echoes the spirit of the time in which I am writing it. Secondly, those who advocate liberty need to know that the growth of government works against their best interest, and this blog can keep reminding them of that fact. Finally, in my opinion there are some politicians whose acts do rise to the level of impeachable offenses, and this weblog and its community can call them on it.