impeach

[papalovesmambo]

Posted: 8/20/06 at 12:57pm

what effect, if any, will this have on the november elections?
impeach

[DG]

Posted: 8/20/06 at 1:02pm

What I would hope is that it might stir some of the Democratic base into thinking that something - anything - might get done. I think a lot of that group has bordered on giving up hope that anyone's actually going to DO anything about what they think or believe.

[erikaamato]

Posted: 8/20/06 at 1:25pm

It'll definitely be interesting to see how many websites actually follow through with this. Democracy in action...

[vmlinnie]

Posted: 8/20/06 at 1:33pm

Maybe you should ask Craig and Rob to take part.

I does seem a little fishy though, especially when they use the words 'that's what they want us to think'. it just makes it seem very weird.

[papalovesmambo]

Posted: 8/20/06 at 1:34pm

a lot of people here have blogs. how many of you who have blogs will be taking part?

[broadwayxminixidina]

Posted: 8/20/06 at 1:39pm

"That's what they want us to think" Always sounds very conspiracy.

I love this idea! Too bad I don't have a website or a blog.

[kjklo]

Posted: 8/20/06 at 1:42pm

I think I'll start a blog, just to participate. No, not really.

I doubt it will have any effect on the election. Just "feel-good" symbolism.

[broadwayxminixidina]

Posted: 8/20/06 at 1:49pm

Maybe we could put IMPEACH in our signature. "Broadway Against Bush"

[DG]

Posted: 8/20/06 at 1:51pm

"Broadway Against Bush"

Interesting thought - except that not everyone associated with Broadway agrees. In fact, I have it on some authority that there are even posters here who work on Broadway that don't agree with the sentiment.

[kjklo]

Posted: 8/20/06 at 1:54pm

You're kidding!!

[papalovesmambo]

Posted: 8/20/06 at 1:55pm

i can't imagine who you might mean. shouldn't anyone who still supports bush be run out of broadway and off bww, dg? there can be no dissent on this issue, can there?

[broadwayxminixidina]

Posted: 8/20/06 at 1:56pm

Sarcasm.

"Broadway Against Bush" ... for those who aggree.

[FranklinShepard-Inc.]

Posted: 8/20/06 at 2:08pm

I like the thought, but I doubt any effect this is supposed to have.

[jimnysf]

Posted: 8/20/06 at 2:27pm

Why would anyone with any sense still support Bush and his policies at this point? They must not be paying attention to what is going on or they are so partisan that they would support this man no matter what he does.

[FranklinShepard-Inc.]

Posted: 8/20/06 at 2:30pm

or, what'd be even worse, they believe his propaganda that whatever he does is good and in everyone's interest. That doesn't say too many good things about them, true.

And yet that doesn't make many people who don't like Bush anymore consequentally to Democrats. After all they haven't been a successful sight for some time either...
Updated On: 8/20/06 at 02:30 PM

[papalovesmambo]

Posted: 8/20/06 at 2:36pm

the larger question i'm looking at is what influence do bloggers have and what influence will the specter of possible impeachment have?

[FranklinShepard-Inc.]

Posted: 8/20/06 at 2:51pm

Bloggers only have any kind of influence where people are open minded to let themselves be influenced. And that is mere theory. Come on, how many percent of the people actually decide after consulting weblogs? Nearly none. Even if they'll read it, they'll think, okay that's their opinion and nothing more. If they have been Bush-fans before, they won't change their mind and if they didn't like Bush or don't care about it, it is no use either...
Updated On: 8/20/06 at 02:51 PM

[papalovesmambo]

Posted: 8/20/06 at 2:54pm

i think, franklin, that the power that they have, to whatever extent they have it, is not really on a per voter level but more to try to shape the national debate. to what extent their actions are picked up by the mainstream media and how their efforts are portrayed, i think does have the ability to influence voters.

[DG]

Posted: 8/20/06 at 2:55pm

"I would hate to think that the Democratic leadership has given up."

Just to clarify, my thought is that many are giving up on any thought of Democratic 'leadership' - not that the leaders have given up. Many are getting tired of the pandering and weak (if any) stand on major issues.

[YouWantitWhen????]

Posted: 8/20/06 at 2:56pm

While I am not Bush fan, I am not a fan of using Impeachment as a political tool - even though it was used against Clinton. While I may joke about impeaching Bush, Impeachment is a serious matter, and should only be pursued when there is clear evidence of high crimes and misdemeanors.

At this point, I would rather stop Bush and get some reasonable controls and checks and balances on his policies in place. That will not happen unless the Democrats get one house back in November. Like it or not, we are in a war, and this war is going to last a very long time (even longer arguably based upon some of Bush's mistakes). I would rather checks and balances be restored to the Bush Imperial Presidency than pursue Impeachment in the near term.

I doubt he will ever be impeached, and I don't think most Americans want to see us go through this again so soon, even though some believe his actions merit it more than Clinton's did.

I do think some in his administration have committed crimes, but I am not sure they go up to Bush - Cheney is the one who many feel is behind many of policies and practices many believe criminal.

[FranklinShepard-Inc.]

Posted: 8/20/06 at 2:59pm

Well, I guess, you're more optimistic than I'm. My pessimistic thoughts are based on the ground that I have observed that elections lately were not too much based upon a rational debate, but rather an emotional approach. And as long as we don't have decent rational debate I don't see bloggers really contribute to such a debate. I hope I have been able to clarify my point...

[papalovesmambo]

Posted: 8/20/06 at 3:00pm

so ywiw would either party benefit from the perception that impeachment is on the agenda? are efforts like this helpful or harmful to either party? beyond that, do you feel that blogs have the ability to influence political discussion enough to place impeachment on the agenda and in the minds of the american people?

[papalovesmambo]

Posted: 8/20/06 at 3:04pm

well, franklin, you can deplore the substance of political discourse in america today until you're blue in the face, but it is what it is. the question is not whether blog and blog based efforts can change the face and substance of that discourse, but rather can they, as it stands now, exert any influence on that discourse.

*edit* i think the point you're trying to make is that people go blogs that support their overall political view, and thus are not likelye to be influenced one way or the other and i tend to agree with that. this effort's goal, if taken up on a wider scale, by non-political blogs seems to be that anyone who happens to visit a blog for whatever reason would be faced with the word "impeach." so if this is indeed taken up on a massive scale what effect would it have?

Updated On: 8/20/06 at 03:04 PM

[YouWantitWhen????]

Posted: 8/20/06 at 3:05pm

I think the base would get riled by it - but the concern I have is that Impeachment should not be considered something that is a standard process - it is exceptional.

It may well help the base respond on both sides - with Republicans using it to rile up their base, and Democrats doing the same, but as a moderate, (believe it or not) I do not want to see Impeachment because part of the standard political dialogue -

The Blogs do have some influence - they definitely helped Lamont in Conn. Nationwide, I am not sure. Perhaps in some of the swing states they could make a difference.

[FranklinShepard-Inc.]

Posted: 8/20/06 at 3:06pm

Right, so my answer is: any influence yes, crucial influence no, for you can't beat emotions by arguments.

Edit: I hadn't read that article til the end. This writing "impeach" looks a little too simplified to me. Yes, sometimes it's the simple messages that work best, but that seems a wee bit too simple.
Updated On: 8/20/06 at 03:06 PM