Open Answer to My Canadian Friend

[davidschroth]

...who left the following questions in an entry that didn't/doesn't allow comments:

I'm told that there are steps being taken to start impeachment proceedings in the US; is this really so?

I have certainly read about these efforts. I suspect Google is your friend, in this case. As I understand it, various groups are attempting to exercise a piece of the Constitution that has never before been exercised. It involves getting a sufficient number of state legislatures passing resolutions calling for the Impeachment of George the Third.

Has an impeachment ever been successfully undertaken in the USA before?

At least twice that recall. Andrew Johnson in the 1860s, and Bill Clinton in the late 1990s. Both men were acquitted by the Senate (I'm not sure acquitted is the right term, but it's close enough).

What is the likelihood of this being successful?

That seems somewhat difficult to judge. Even if the effort is successful, it seems unlikely that the rubber-stamp Senate would return anything other than an acquittal.

Comments

[bchbum-98.livejournal.com]

Although I'd personally vote for it in a heartbeat, I think impeachment is highly unlikely in the current climate. Even though GWB's poll numbers are down, basically 50% of the country still likes him on some level. You'll see it in November when, I predict, the balance of power in the House and Senate will barely budge.

[davidschroth.livejournal.com]

I suspect Google is your friend, in this case.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Movement_to_impeach_George_W._Bush#Illinois_State_Legislature

Although I personally take information found in wikipedia with a boulder of salt...

Couldn't leave a comment??

[bodi-kat.livejournal.com]

Weird- let me check into that.

In the meantime, i thank you for your responses ...

So, in the two instances you gave of Impeachment, neither bid was, in fact, successful, did i read that right?

Re: Couldn't leave a comment??

[davidschroth.livejournal.com]

Define successful.

Both presidents were impeached, and both were acquitted by the Senate.

Fixed it.

[bodi-kat.livejournal.com]

That was, however, quite bizarre. *i* hadn't disabled the comments option.