Comments on: Hagel: Some Might Seek Bush Impeachment

GOP Senator Says Impeachment Possible If President Pushes Ahead With Iraq Strategy

[jdweymouth]

Re: "Oh and the president is always under oath when he speaks to the American people. He took that oath the day he was sworn in. If he lies to US it is treason. " -Posted by RandaIDS

He takes an oath to protect, defend, and preserve the constitution: not to do what the people tell him to. Read Article 2 of the constitution, and learn.

[jdweymouth]

RandaIDS:

You'rer right: we are a democratic republic (REPUBLIC being the operative word), but that doesn't change the fact that we're NOT a democracy, and the elected officials are elected to do what they believe is best for the country. The states are the democratic part; not the federal government. ut even the states have a repulican form of government according to the constitution.

We may have voted for the president, but the real election is by the electoral college, and our voting is really just an expression of opinion. The president is not elected in popular election, but in the electoral elections.

Stop with your fantasies! If we were the ultimate bosses there would not be a constitution! The president can only be impeached if he does something wrong according to the constitution, and lying is not illegal. Perjury is illegal, but he hasn't commited it because he has not testified before a judge. Read the constitution: it says that treason is limited to a citizen levying war against the U.S., and by giving aid and comfort to its enemies: noy lying to the people; that's simly immoral. But you can't prove that he's lied anyway.

There is no imperial presidency, and we can get rid of the congressman if we want to, but we are not a co-equal ranch of government on the federal level.

Once again, we're not his boss, nor him ours.

[randalds]

The president is checked by the Congress by the power of impeachment, but the constitution requires that the president do something illegal first: there is no evidence of illegal activity. Of course we don't want an imperial presidency, but neither do we want a congress who will impeach a president every time he does something they dislike.
Posted by jdweymouth at 02:06 AM : Mar 27, 2007

The president is checked by Congress by much more then just the power of impeachment. They also have the power of the purse strings. They authorize the payment of ALL government bills. Meaning that, even though it's never happened before in our history, they could quite literally and quite legally refuse to fund the presidency completely. Meaning they could cut off his salary, the salary of all of his staff and all of the money it takes to run the White House including such things as his personal security and the use of the 3 Air Force One's. The checks the Congress has on the presidency are much harsher then an "imperial president" fan like someone like Cheney would like to acknowledge. Money runs our nation and Congress has the very real power to take it all away from whatever boob is in the White House.

[randalds]

The president is not under oath when he testifies before congress, and therefore, in this case anyway, he has not committed any crimes: lying is NOT against the law. You have no proof that this is a war of profit, and even if it were, it's not treason. Treason is defined in the constitution as levying war AGAINST the United States, or adhering to our enemies, or giving aid and comfort. Apparently you too need lessons in constitutional law.

Posted by jdweymouth at 01:25 AM : Mar 27, 2007

Oh and the president is always under oath when he speaks to the American people. He took that oath the day he was sworn in. If he lies to US it is treason.

[randalds]

You DEFINITELY need lessons in constitutional law. Of course he has the right: he is not elected by the people he is elected by the states (through the college of electors) to be president of the United States-not president of the people. I short: we are a republic; not a democracy, and therefore the elected officials do not work for the people.
Posted by jdweymouth at 01:24 AM : Mar 27, 2007

Wrong. We are a democratic republic, not a republic alone. We hired him by voting for him and we have the constitutional right to fire him if he doesn't serve the interests of the American people. We have this right be the fact that we can and do elect or not elect representatives in Congress and the Senate who want to keep their jobs and will dump him if we demand it. They are a co-equal branch of government. There is no imperial presidency. No matter how you would wish it otherwise we made him and we can break him. We are his bosses and ultimately he answers to us, the people, via our representatives in the House and Senate.

[jdweymouth]

sjc_1:

That's not ground for impeachment. It would be a violation of the constitution. Neither the people, nor the congress elect the president. The president is checked by the Congress by the power of impeachment, but the constitution requires that the president do something illegal first: there is no evidence of illegal activity. Of course we don't want an imperial presidency, but neither do we want a congress who will impeach a president every time he does something they dislike.

[sjc_1]

We do not want an Imperial Presidency nor do we want an impeachment. But when a President refuses to listen to the people and the Congress that they elect, there is not much else the country can do.

[jdweymouth]

Re: "His only option is to say "Yes Sir", salute and do our bidding. Refusing to do the will of the people that he works for, us, is also treason." -Posted by RandaIDS

No, once again, we are not his boss, nor vice-versa: the elected officials must do what they think is best for the country.

I countered this above, but how in your mind is it treason?

[jdweymouth]

Re: "Lying to the congress and the American people to start a war of choice for profit is treason." -Posted by RandaIDS

The president is not under oath when he testifies before congress, and therefore, in this case anyway, he has not committed any crimes: lying is NOT against the law. You have no proof that this is a war of profit, and even if it were, it's not treason. Treason is defined in the constitution as levying war AGAINST the United States, or adhering to our enemies, or giving aid and comfort. Apparently you too need lessons in constitutional law.

Re: "As for 'pushing forward alone' he does not have that option. The president is a public servant. He is an employee. He is not a king or dictator. He does not have the authority to defy the will of the people" -Posted by RandaIDS

You DEFINITELY need lessons in constitutional law. Of course he has the right: he is not elected by the people he is elected by the states (through the college of electors) to be president of the United States-not president of the people. I short: we are a republic; not a democracy, and therefore the elected officials do not work for the people.

[jdweymouth]

Re: "Lying to the congress and the American people to start a war of choice for profit is treason." -Posted by RandaIDS

The president is not under oath when he testifies before congress, and therefore, in this case anyway, he has not committed any crimes: lying is NOT against the law. You have no proof that this is a war of profit, and even if it were, it's not treason. Treason is defined in the constitution as levying war AGAINST the United States, or adhering to our enemies, or giving aid and comfort. Apparently you too need lessons in constitutional law.

Re: "As for 'pushing forward alone' he does not have that option. The president is a public servant. He is an employee. He is not a king or dictator. He does not have the authority to defy the will of the people" -Posted by RandaIDS

You DEFINITELY need lessons in constitutional law. Of course he has the right: he is not elected by the people he is elected by the states (through the college of electors) to be president of the United States-not president of the people. I short: we are a republic; not a democracy, and therefore the elected officials do not work for the people.