Here is a story of Teapublicans who love the Constitution and liberty...until they don't. In my copy of the Constitution, impeachment of a President is a grave and solemn act of Congress which is used in situations where there have been high crimes and misdemeanors.
However, a couple of years ago Floyd Brown, former director of Citizens United and now just an Obama-hater at large, went on Alan Colmes' radio show, and I called in. I was fortunate (?) enough to discover exactly how Teapublicans view impeachment:
So, I asked him. His answer was remarkable. With condescending patience, he explained that impeachment is a political, not legal action. He justifies his position by interpreting the phrase “high crimes and misdemeanors” as “bad behavior." He further defends his allegation of “bad behavior” by claiming that President Obama has badmouthed the US in foreign countries, and acts in a way that “we don’t approve of." When I pointed out to him in my mom voice that not only did the majority in this country approve of our President, he explained to me that he and his group did not.
Remarkably, he went on to explain that in California where I live, recalls are the equivalent of a Federal impeachment (I could go on about his connection to the evil Howard Kaloogian, architect of the Gray Davis coup/installation of the Schwarzenegger puppet government, but the relationship map above explains it…look for Howard Jarvis).
Alan Colmes summed it up pretty well when he shot this retort back at Brown: “So basically, you want to impeach him because you don’t like him. No other reason.”
This is why it came as no surprise to me when I saw what Rep. Michael Burgess said in a town hall meeting with TeaPublicans in his district:
However, Burgess vowed not to support another increase in the debt limit, and when a constituent suggested impeaching Obama to stop his agenda, Burgess said, "It needs to happen, and I agree with you it would tie things up. No question about that."
The newspaper said when Burgess was later asked about his comments, the congressman couldn't specify what violations the Democratic president had allegedly committed to warrant impeachment but didn't rule out pursuing his removal from office.
Of course, Burgess comes at this conclusion from the premise that impeachment is just a tool in Teapublicans' political toolbox to further their policy goals, not any reality-based premise. And more importantly, it came after he voted yes on the "deal," which ticked off his Teapublican winger contingent. It doesn't have anything at all to do with the Constitution or framers' intent. This is because they only care about those things when it benefits them, like making corporations into persons and things like that.
To me, tossing around threats of impeachment like they do is a little like threatening divorce when the spouse leaves dirty dishes in the sink. After awhile, there's no weight to the threat, and it just floats around like unicorn farts in the wind. They look pretty, but stink to high heaven.
But let me end this on a positive note. At least one newspaper took issue with the insanity that is Rep. Michael Burgess and his merry men. This Star-Telegram editorial takes him to task:
Contacted Tuesday by a member of the Star-Telegram Editorial Board, Burgess would not back away from using the impeachment process against Obama to "tie things up."
He said the House should have held hearings and protested more strongly earlier this year when Obama involved U.S. forces in military action against Libya. Hearings and protests may be part of politics; impeachment must not.
Burgess acknowledged that the time to act against Obama on Libya has passed. When pressed, he had no other "high crimes and misdemeanors" to cite.
The last thing this country needs is another crisis. Wars, worldwide economic calamity and severe drought add enough to the current deep political divide. A member of the House should know better than to indulge talk of adding a frivolous use of the Constitution's solemn power.
But you see, for Burgess, power is what it's all about. He and his compatriots want it all, and will stop at nothing to get it.