Last night Dennis Kucinich took his vorpal sword in hand and once again went after the monster that is Cheney/Bush.  Articles of Impeachment detailing allegedly illegal acts committed by the President of the United States have been read into the public record.  Is Mr. Kucinich tilting at windmills? (and yes, I’m mixing my literary metaphors).  Of course he is, and God bless him for being willing to do so.

    Those who know the process will understand that impeachment IS NOT removal from office.  The House introduces Articles of Impeachment and votes (by simple majority) to impeach.  If impeached, the President goes on trial before the Senate where, if convicted, he/she is removed from office.  There is no way all of that is going to happen and Mr. Kucinich knows that as well as anyone.  The votes aren’t there in the Senate.

    So why bother?  It’s about legacy.  What’s the only thing people remember about Andrew Johnson?  What’s the first thing most people think of when discussing Nixon? or Agnew?  Bush firmly believes his policies will be vindicated in the long term.  Being impeached is part and parcel of defining how history treats him.  And it will hopefully let other Presidents know that the Constitution still stands for something.

    I suspect that many Democrats fear that an impeachment effort will be seen as a petty retribution for what Republicans did to Bill Clinton.  They’re looking at the wrong example.  The real comparison should be to Richard Nixon.  Do the high crimes and misdemeanors of the Bush Administration rise to Nixonian proportions?  If polls are to be believed majority of Americans think so. 

A simple majority in the House and the deed is done.