So-called “independent” legal counsel Kenneth Starr spent an incredible $47 million over five years investigating Bill Clinton mostly for nonviolent land deals and sexual escapades gone wild. Incredibly, more than $13 million of Kenneth Starr’s inflated legal bill was spent strictly on the Monica Lewinsky sex investigation and the miserably failed right-wing impeachment attempt that followed. At least Clinton won the popular vote and became president in a democratic fashion rather than having to rely on rigging the electoral system of the state in which his brother was the governor.

Could we at least spend $10 million to investigate and attempt to impeach the Bush administration? What is another $10 million when the “down payment” for the war alone is $75 billion? If our government can afford to give a $763 billion tax cut, then it can surely muster up a few million extra to preserve the constitutional right to impeachment.

Impeachment appears six times in the U.S. Constitution. Article II, Section 4 of the United States Constitution states: “The President, Vice President and all civil officers of the United States, shall be removed from office on impeachment for, and conviction of, treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.” Impeachment is the means by which “We The People” of the United States and our elected representatives in Congress can prevent further crimes by the president and force accountability for crimes committed.

Congressional proceedings for impeachment can bring about open and fearless consideration of the most dangerous acts and threats ever committed by an American president. If courageously pursued, they can save our Constitution, the United Nations, the rule of law, the lives of countless people and leave open the possibility of peace.

Ramsey Clark, former U.S. Attorney General during the Johnson Administration, has drafted articles of impeachment setting forth high crimes and misdemeanors by President Bush and other civil officers of his administration. Citizens can read the constitutionally drafted articles of impeachment and democratically vote to impeach the Bush administration at: www.votetoimpeach.org. Votes cast in this campaign will be hand- delivered to the Chair of the House Judiciary Committee, and to the ranking Democrat on the committee. Take back the U.S. Constitution, vote to impeach the Bush administration and, if nothing else, do your part to damage this unrepresentative administration’s chances for re-election in 2004.

Paul Goodman

Senior

Sociology