To Impeach Or Not To Impeach?

Today, December 10th, was Impeachment Day all across the country, as grassroots efforts to convince the new Congress to put impeachment back on the table took place. The impeachment issue is an question many Democrats and liberals are struggling with. The mainstream Democratic opinion on the matter is probably summed up by Markos 'Daily Kos' Moulitsas-

We can spend 2007 either pushing impeachment (which isn't as popular as Zogby claims, see Bowers' piece), or we can use it educating the American people about what a Democratic government would look like -- passing meaningful legislation that would improve their lives like the minimum wage, health care reform, ethics reform, stem cell research funding, policies that help families and the middle class.

Impeachment does none of that.

In a perfect world, we could do all of the above. But we don't live in a perfect world. And the second we start impeachment proceedings, the media will focus on that. Heck WE'LL focus on that, and the Democratic legislative agenda will fade into the background, ignored. A perfect opportunity to brand the Democratic Party in a positive light will be forever squandered.

So what is more important, proving that we can govern and making the case for future Democratic majorities? Or a high-profile vendetta campaign against Bush? It really is just one or the other.

Obviously, I fully support impeaching President Bush; it has a lot more support than the pundits would ever acknowledge. But I am also very sympathetic to the argument Moulitsas outlines above. It's a pragmatic argument, one whose recommendation probably does help us out better in the short-term. Building a stronger Democratic majority will do more, in theory, to undo Bush's excesses than simply removing a lame-duck from office.

So I do understand and respect why Speaker-to-be Pelosi has made the decision she made.

However, national Democrats have promised to hold oversight and accountability hearings next year, which is good. Rather then throwing impeachment out there right off the cuff, such hearings have the possibility of uncovering evidence that may make impeachment inevitable. If the impeachment process happens, it is best that comes organically through regular congressional inquiries... the way it did with Richard Nixon. If it doesn't, then hey at least some revelations about just what has been going for the past six years are better than nothing. In summation: Don't bring impeachment up as a crusade, but don't rule it out if evidence and new actions warrant it.

Thoughts?