REDIRECTED ENERGIES

Like Maine, Vermont has a small but busy “Impeach Bush” movement; unlike Maine, it has the only Socialist member of Congress in Rep. Bernie Sanders, who is running for Senate this year and has plenty of reasons to be supportive of the movement. But he isn’t, and he’s right.

According to the Rutland Herald, Rep. Sanders recently told supporters that their time would be better spent electing him and others of like mind to Congress. Rep. Sanders pointed out that not only wasn’t there enthusiasm in Congress for what would become a lengthy impeachment process but that even getting an investigation of the president’s actions regarding the war in Iraq would be difficult.

He could have pointed to the body he hopes to join – in the Senate, the Intelligence Committee remains incapable of completing a report on how the White House used classified information leading up to the war. That report was due in late 2004.

Rep. Sanders is best known for his diligence in trying to obtain lower-priced prescription drugs for seniors, for his concerns about international trade agreements and for his criticism of the Patriot Act. He is a practical legislator who is unafraid of the large challenges facing this nation, and running as an independent he is far from beholden to the Republican Party.

His rejection of the possibility of impeachment seems in part to be a matter of experience. According to the news report, he said that leading up to the impeachment of Bill Clinton, the relevant House committee met weekly to look into various questionable actions by President Clinton. But that committee has yet to meet once to look into actions of President Bush.

His point may be difficult for the impeachment movement to hear, but it’s also too obvious to ignore after the glee Republicans strategists expressed when it appeared Senate Democrats were considering a floor debate on censure of the president. Under the current party mix in Congress, all the movement does is stir up Bush defenders without advancing the impeachment agenda.

In any event, history is a tougher critic on any president than the emotions of the moment, and recent history will not be spared.