Like Scared Little Kittens

I think we can safely end speculation that Future President Feingold has called for censuring the President over breaking the law because it's a popular idea. He called for it because he believes (and virtually every legal mind who's weighed in on the case agrees with him) that the President broke the law, and that ought to carry consequences. Not surprisingly Democrats are running away from this like the plague, afraid to lead, more concerned with poll numbers and Republican threats of "this will hurt you in November" than principle.

Asked at a news conference whether he would vote for the censure resolution, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada declined to endorse it and said he hadn't read it.

Sen. Joe Lieberman, D-Conn., said he had not read it either and wasn't inclined simply to scold the president.

"I'd prefer to see us solve the problem," Lieberman told reporters.

Well, yes, Joe, except the Cover-up Committee on Intelligence has completely blocked an investigation. If the Administration would allow an investigation, let's go, ramp one up. But they won't, and despite tortured rationales and intimations of other spying programs afoot, Congress will not do its Constitutional duty regarding oversight.

Read Feingold's statement:

Mr. President, when the President of the United States breaks the law, he must be held accountable. That is why today I am introducing a resolution to censure President George W. Bush.

The President authorized an illegal program to spy on American citizens on American soil, and then misled Congress and the public about the existence and legality of that program. It is up to this body to reaffirm the rule of law by condemning the President’s actions.

All of us in this body took an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States and bear true allegiance to the same. Fulfilling that oath requires us to speak clearly and forcefully when the President violates the law. This resolution allows us to send a clear message that the President’s conduct was wrong.

And we must do that. The President’s actions demand a formal judgment from Congress.

At moments in our history like this, we are reminded why the founders balanced the powers of the different branches of government so carefully in the Constitution. At the very heart of our system of government lies the recognition that some leaders will do wrong, and that others in the government will then bear the responsibility to do right.

This President has done wrong. This body can do right by condemning his conduct and showing the people of this nation that his actions will not be allowed to stand unchallenged.

This is not so difficult. The President broke the law. Censure will not please the far right or the far left (believe me, I get enough impeachment emails in my in box to know that they'll consider this "letting him off easy"). But it's the right thing to do. It's the right message to send to the world, that there are consequences to illegal actions.

"If men were angels, no government would be necessary." -Federalist 51