This week the impeachment process moved from the House Intelligence committee (HIC) to the bloated (over 40 people) House Judiciary committee (HJC). In comparing the impeachment process to the federal judicial system, the investigators (HIC) have turned their information over to the prosecutor (HJC) and then it will be presented to a grand jury (Full House). Like I mentioned before, since 99% of federal grand juries agree with the federal prosecutor, this case would go to trial. Agree or disagree with the premise...that's the way it works...for all citizens in this country.
You get what you need
Are impeachments political? Of course they are! Is the civilian justice system political? Yes! Attorney generals are often elected officials, and who they decide to indict and what sentences you and I are subject to, are political. So why would it be any different for the president. But, it..does...not...matter. Don't let the "politically motivated" obfuscation spewed by some get in the way of your opinions. The minority party always wants the majority party weakened, or out of power, by any legal means. My issue is not with the process, but with the inability of those involved to provide the American people with any sort of logical discourse. For you philosophy types it is all pathos and no logos here. As I listened to some of the congressional testimony this week from fact/opinion witnesses, and the bloviating from the committee members, there is no attempt to inform citizens. It is just more constituent red meat that provides no value to rest of us. There was a lot of theater, and rhetoric, telling people what to think and feel, but very little information telling us what we need to know in order to make our own informed opinions.
Don't tell me what to feel
So this week we have four constitutional law professors testifying before congress on their opinion of impeachment law and its application. Three were called by Democrats and one by Republicans. And guess what? They disagreed! What a surprise. So who do you believe then? None of them really. Formulate your own opinion by taking everything in to account. That is what citizen juries do all the time. One of the Democrat witnesses (Prof Karlan), stated that the country is "mad". Really? My sixth grade teacher told me animals get mad and people get angry. That aside, Ms. Karlan, most Americans are not mad, or angry, or happy or glad....they con't care. They have lives, mortgages, families to tend to. A Republican female congresswoman states "the country will be torn apart by an impeachment". Hmm. Briefs well. Sounds ominous...but a bunch of crap. Ask Lincoln about a country getting torn apart...by things like slavery and states rights. Ask LBJ or Nixon about the country getting torn apart by a pointless and unpopular war. Maybe I am missing something but I don't see it here. I see more passion out of people waiting in line for a $200 big-screen TV than this screed-fest. Lincoln had draft riots...and real battles. LBJ and Nixon had mass protests shutting down government and universities. Something tells me, Ms Congresswoman, that perhaps you may be overstating your case.
Don't tell me what to think
So where can someone, who is interested, get factual information in order to form their own opinions on this impeachment? Like most things in life, you have to sort it out for yourself, and this is no different. Constitutional Scholar Prof Turley will tell you that this impeachment will set a "terrible precedent" for future presidents. Hmm. Every day in this country the judicial system sets precedents that sometimes benefit the sovereign, and sometimes the citizen. So what? This is not any different. Who cares? Mr. Turley also said that by the current impeachment standards pursued by Democrats, Obama should have been impeached for the Fast and Furious scandal. In the words of Tony Soprano "Remember when is the lowest form of conversation". Again, who cares what happened in a previous administration? What is the logic trail sir? If there were impeachable offenses, then they should have been addressed by that congress. What does that have to do with this situation?
So What?
I would suggest if you are interested in the current impeachment process, observe, listen, read original source material and form your own opinions. That is what critical thinking is all about and this country is sorely in need of it. So do you have to read the Constitution impeachment articles and Federalist papers that address the subject? You could. That's all these clowns did, and formed their own opinions. I can say, however, that the talking heads on CNN, MSNBC or FOX or any of the mainstream media may have impressive backgrounds, but they are no more qualified to form an intelligent opinion on this subject than we are. Constitutional lawyers have their opinions, but they do not have to be ours. Elected officials love to tell us how to think and feel, but who cares? If you have formulated your opinion on the current impeachment process, then good for you. Hopefully it is informed by logic and not passion, otherwise, I suggest you keep it to yourself because this country does not need more illogical discourse.
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