The Impeachment of Barack Obama
June 4, 2010 by William K. Wolfrum
A while back, my friend Sam Antar – a former key player in the infamous and egregious “Crazy Eddie’s” fraud – told me that it was just a matter of time before Barack Obama faced impeachment charges.
“With all the stimulus money going out, the Republicans will eventually find some corruption charge they think will stick,” said Antar, now a corporate whistle-blower who tends to view things from a non-partisan prism. “It’s just a matter of time.”
While Antar may have had his finger on the pulse of American politics, he did make one minor error – assuming the Republican Party will need a valid reason to begin impeachment charges against Obama. Recently, we’ve gotten a glimpse of just how little the GOP will need to begin destroying the Obama Presidency, as Liz Cheney called for a federal investigation into the complete non-scandal of Joe Sestak getting a job offer from the White House so he’d drop out of the Senate race in Pennsylvania.
Putting aside the almost other-worldly hypocrisy of someone named Cheney demanding a federal investigation into the Executive Branch, the Sestak screwiness should open the eyes of the liberal establishment, if they aren’t open already. Republicans will impeach Barack Obama – on any charge they can find – just as soon as they have better numbers in Congress.
We’ve been through this before, of course. When faced with a popular, charismatic Democratic President in Bill Clinton, Republicans showed absolutely no shame is slamming the brakes on the Federal Government in order to impeach or, at very least, humiliate Clinton. In the end, the plan worked brilliantly, as George W. Bush was promoted as a great “moral leader” and won the Presidency over Al Gore in 2000. And while many will still dispute the outcome of the 2000 election, the simple fact is that it would have never even been close if not for the impeachment of Clinton.
In a purely Machiavellian sense, Republicans have always seemed to understand the game in ways Democrats don’t. Because while American Conservatism is an ideology with few new ideas or plans, it is also an ideology that understands that power is the only thing that really matters. And they have proven extremely adept at regaining power, regardless of past performances in governing.
Republicans can not beat Obama at the ballot box. But you can be assured that they will do all they can so that his legacy is terribly tainted in scandal. There is just no way the GOP will allow Obama to serve out eight years and leave office with a strong record of liberal accomplishment that he can hand over to a Democratic successor. Simply put, for Republicans, Barack Obama must be destroyed and completely invalidated before his term or terms are over.
Republicans will attempt to impeach Barack Obama. The “why” of the matter is completely insignificant. They’ll find something and work overtime to make it appear to be the Greatest Scandal Ever. It’s just a matter of time. Provided, of course, that they have the numbers.
–WKW
Originally posted at Alan Colmes’ Liberaland
I was just having this conversation the other day. About 13 years ago, a friend of mine contacted Senator Orrin Hatch. Hatch had said that if Clinton admitted the affair and apologized, he’d ease up on the call for impeachment. So, Clinton admitted the affair and apologized. And my friend contacted Hatch’s office and asked if he would follow through with his promise to ease up. The reply letter said something to the effect of, “Thank you for taking the time to contact me…blah blah blah…working hard…blah blah blah…you are not one of my constituents, and I am primarily responding to their concerns.” Basically, it said, “You don’t even live in Utah. Piss off.” Oddly, our own senators at the time (Hutchison and Gramm) refused to even acknowledge my friend’s attempt to contact them.
I can totally see it happening again, but I think it’s going to take at least until 2014 before they’ll have any respectable numbers to be able to proceed. Anything less than an unequivocal majority in both houses is going to sound like a bunch of whiney punks (which is how it would ordinarily sound right now if the media were doing its job).
Spot on as usual, Bill.
Bob Cesca has been advancing this same view over at his blog, & if anyone had any doubts about the likelihood that this would come to pass, I think the reaction to the Sestak “controversy” (or, more accurately, the fact that we even *know* about the Sestak “controversy”) should put those misdirected misgivings to rest.
If Repubs had a congressional majority now, I have no doubt that this BP oil spill would be the catalyst for impeachment hearings (or at least congressional investigations into the actions of the executive branch) — regardless of what actions the president takes or doesn’t take.
And Michael, I have one small quibble with your observation — cuz IMHO, the next time the right wing worries about being perceived as a bunch of whiny punks will be the first time the right wing worries about being perceived as a bunch of whiny punks.
HCM: “the next time the right wing worries about being perceived as a bunch of whiny punks will be the first time the right wing worries about being perceived as a bunch of whiny punks.”
Good point. I forgot about their unapologetic nature.
Michael, you underestimacate the sheer stupidity of the populace of the United States — or, more correctly, the lie/cheat/steal ability of the Repellican voting machine overseers.
One can only hope that eventually — somehow — the R’s will so overplay their hand that even the densest vote-contrary-to-what-is-best-for-me-because-LOUDNOISES!!! people will turn away from them.
Don’t bet the farm on it, though.
My goal for this weekend is to use “underestimacate” at least three times in conversation. Bob *rulez*!
And the thing is, their supporters (the rapid 25%) will be totally behind them. The “Tea Parties” have nothing to do with taxes. It’s about getting rid of the Black guy in the White House. And the GOP will happily fan those flames, as they already have.
Wolf, the Republicans will vote for their candidate & the Dems will vote for Obama. How is that an agenda for getting rid of the “Black guy”?
The issue facing Democrats is Democratic voters voting against their own party. It isn’t the Tea Party that’s motivating Democrats to vote their incumbents out of a job.
Americans perceive that most Representatives are more concerned for maintaining a lifetime subscription to Club Fed. Consequently, expect to see more long term club members tossed to the curb by constituents who voted them back into office for decades. Think they voted out Specter ’cause he is white ? Specter is only the most recent poster child of the “Me First” generation of public “servants” who have no loyalty greater than their self-interests.
By the way, playing the race card without acknowledging any of the setbacks of this adminstration is akin to laying your cards down on the table and admitting defeat. Now all you’re doing is searching the table to find someone else to blame. Good luck with your search.
The primary comfort I have for Democratic chances this fall is my complete faith in the total ineptitude of the Republican Party.
As for the tea party, I love it. But I can’t for the life of me think of a single example in all of American history in which a party being torn asunder by a contingency of loud mouth, ignorant radicals is considered an advantage.
byw, Drill baby drill.
Not one thought or idea on how to motivate Dems to vote for Democrats ? Apparently that hope is dead & buried.
But, Hallelujah ! The President finally has an ignorant, radical talking point even Democrats can agree upon: Obama is AGAINST oil leaking into the ocean …and by God, he is taking a firm stand against the pro-leakage, political tea-baggers hijacking the polical process in America !
British Petroleum may have provided the means for our President to salvage an otherwise dismal political year. BP’s mechanical ineptitude & public relations hilarity provides substance to Barry’s empty rhetoric.
However, the year is nearly halfway over and the Administration will need a rallying cry to distract from next year’s failures. What talking point can we agree upon ? Asteroid collisions ? Airport security? Ancient musical performers during the Super Bowl ?
An oil-stained dove has landed upon Barry as if to say, “This is my son. Listen to him” !
[...] little more than a year ago, I wrote that President Barack Obama would eventually face impeachment charges from Republicans. In the post, I quoted felon-turned-whistleblower Sam Antar, who said [...]
[...] Almost exactly two years ago, corporate whistleblower Sam Antar told me this: [...]