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JANUARY 16, 2006
- Party, party, party.
If there's one thing the Republicans
care about, it is not America; it is not the law; it is not values.
There is one thing even the most moderate Republicans are putting
before everything else, and that is the Republican Party.
The most recent example is moderate
Republican Arlen Specter (R-PA).
He is one of the few Republicans who is
at least honest enough to admit that the warrantless wiretapping by
President Bush may not only be an impeachable offense, but a
criminal violation. As
reported by CNN:
"Specter, speaking in general terms,
noted that impeachment and criminal prosecution are possibilities in
the event a president acted unconstitutionally."
Now that sounds promising. At
least, unlike the President and most members of the GOP, Specter is
honest enough to admit that the warrantless wiretapping is very
possibly criminal and unconstitutional, which would be worthy of not
just impeachment but criminal prosecution.
So what is the problem?
Look at what he says next:
But Specter added: "I don't see any talk
about impeachment here. I don't think anyone doubts the president is
making a good-faith effort. He's acting in a way that he feels he
must."
Look at the absurdity, and the clear
compromise of even the most basic values because Bush happens to be
a member of the same political party as Specter. Specter knows
that what has occurred is not just impeachable, but possibly
criminal. And yet, he wants nothing to be done about it, and
sinks to playing a game of saying, "I don't see any talk about
impeachment."
Let's get this straight: if
someone breaks a law, its shouldn't be punished unless there's a lot
of talk about it? Say, murder should be overlooked - or in
this case, violating the very Constitution of our nation and the law
should be ignored because... Specter gives no valid reason,
nor really an invalid one. It is clear he simply doesn't want
to impeach a President who is a member of his own party. He is
yet another Republican who is putting party before law, before what
is right, and before their own nation, before the very Constitution
for which they are supposed to stand.
It is disgusting, it is amoral.
And, unfortunately, it is a clear show that the entire Republican
Party is broken and not to be trusted to usefully serve the nation
at this time. If Specter, one of the few who doesn't march
lockstep with the ultra-right Bush/Limbaugh GOPers, who at least
takes some moderate stands and acts independently at times, won't do
the right thing and hold his own President accountable, there is no
hope.
He says the President made a "good-faith
effort." Does that allow breaking the law, lack of malice?
First of all, it is clear since the President approached Congress
about changing the law, only to be rebuked, that the President in
fact knew he was doing something forbidden. But even more,
ignorance does not excuse. And how is violating the
Constitution - betraying the very thing he swore to uphold - and
disregarding the most basic rights of America's citizens
"good-faith."
What Specter is saying is the equivalent
of saying someone who shoots someone for cheating on a test had the
right intent and so should not be punished. The law is the law
for a reason.
Specter knows this. He says so
himself.
President Bush violated both the law and
the Constitution, and anyone who does not hold him accountable for
doing so is guilty as an accomplice to the crime. If Specter
and the rest of the GOP use nonsensical explanations like this one
to justify not putting the time with the crime, they should all be
arrested as partners is allowing George W. Bush and his
administration to end the democracy and disregard the Constitution
that is all our nation has.
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