The Genius of Impeachment: The Founders' Cure for Royalism [Paperback]

John Nichols (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2006

A sharp and eye-opening argument that impeachment is an essential American institution.

"I guess these are yours. Impeach Eisenhower. Impeach Nixon. Impeach Lyndon Johnson. Impeach Ronald Reagan."—Annie Hall, going through Alvy Singer's political button collection in Woody Allen's Annie Hall (1977)

This surprising and irreverent book by one of America's leading political reporters makes the case that impeachment is much more than a legal and congressional process—it is an essential instrument of America's democratic system. Articles of impeachment have been brought sixty-two times in American history. Thomas Jefferson himself forwarded the evidence for impeachment of the first federal official to be removed under the process—John Pickering in 1803. Impeachment is as American as apple pie.

The founders designed impeachment as one of the checks against executive power. As John Nichols reveals in this fascinating look at impeachment's hidden history, impeachment movements—in addition to congressional proceedings themselves—have played an important role in countering an out-of-control executive branch. The threat of impeachment has worked to temper presidential excesses and to reassert democratic values in times of national drift.

The Genius of Impeachment also makes clear that we sorely need such a movement today, and that both the president and vice president deserve impeachment.

In the spirit of maverick congressmember Henry B. Gonzalez, who introduced articles of impeachment against both George H.W. Bush and Ronald Reagan for making war without a declaration, this book is a fearless call to Americans to hold our leaders accountable to democracy.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Arguing that regular elections are an insufficient democratic guardian against corrupt officeholders, Nichols, a writer for the liberal journal the Nation, exhorts his readers to support an impeachment of President George Bush. The impediment, as Nichols assesses current affairs, is not doubt that Bush (and British Prime Minister Tony Blair) by invading Iraq deserves this constitutional ejection from office but the wariness of politicians on the Left to consider the procedure. Nichols rejects the view that impeachment is unrealistic in the course of surveying the history of the impeachment power, citing cases from England, commentaries about the U.S. Constitution, and the impeachment proceedings against Nixon. As if to deflect a charge of partisanship, Nichols extols Republicans who demanded Truman's impeachment, as well as Nixon's. And to mobilize the anti-Bush grassroots, Nichols lauds impeachment activists in Vermont and Wisconsin. Substantively slight on constitutional analysis of the war power, this work relies on its power-to-the-people persona for its appeal, which may extend past the moment should Democratic victory in the November elections augment the author's advocacy. Gilbert Taylor
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About the Author

John Nichols is The Nation's Washington correspondent and an editor at the Capital Times. He is the author of The Rise and Rise of Richard B. Cheney and Jews for Buchanan. He lives in Madison, Wisconsin, and Washington, D.C.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: New Press, The (October 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1595581405
• ISBN-13: 978-1595581402
• Product Dimensions: 0.7 x 5.3 x 7.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,666,463 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

37 of 37 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars An Unimpeachable Source September 10, 2007

By Edwin C. Pauzer VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

When you take forever to read a book just over two hundred pages, you know you are reading a great book. When you take the time to highlight endless paragraphs and read them over and over again just to savor them, you know you are reading a profound book. It is not fiction; it is reality, and it is the story of impeachment from its creation in English law through its application under the Constitution of the United States. That is "The Genius of Impeachment," and that is the genius of this book.

A confirmed liberal who writes for the "The Nation," author, John Nichols takes the gloves off with liberals and conservatives alike castigating Nancy Pelosi who declared that impeachment of George Bush was "off the table." He accuses Ms. Pelosi of misusing impeachment as a political strategy rather than constitutional check, as did the republicans who used it to get Bill Clinton in a way they couldn't get him at the ballot box. He is angry with republicans for attempting to impeach Bill Clinton for the wrong reasons!

He challenges the perception that amongst politicians and some Americans that impeachment is the "third rail" of American politics citing example after example of republicans who supported impeachment against Richard Nixon being returned to political office while those who stood by him were defeated. He shows that even though Americans may be apathetic at the ballot box, their civic participation increases exponentially during serious discussions of impeachment.

Most importantly, Nichols tells us that our obligation is to a nation and its constitution, not to a man, a political party, or a policy, that impeachment is the sole device we have to check the excesses of an executive, that even the threat of impeachment in the past has reigned in presidents who forgot or sought to stretch their constitutional limits. He refers to all nine presidents who were considered for impeachment charges. (That's right--nine!) He chastises democrats who espouse to the popular and inaccurate notion that criticizing the president about Iraq will make them appear weak on national security.

The biggest skeptics of wartime presidents and promoters of the impeachment threat were, according to the author, republicans for whom he heaps praise and accolades. Congressman Abraham Lincoln, challenged President Polk for sending troops into Mexico and occupying it. Theodore Roosevelt challenged Woodrow Wilson when he targeted the censorship, arrest, and deportation of his critics: "To announce that there must be no criticism of the President or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public." Dwight Eisenhower stated: "The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist. We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted." The author also quotes a broad list of republican senators and congressmen of a bygone era.

What would today's republicans have said about such criticism?

With all this background and information, it is obvious what Nichols is leading up to--the impeachment of George W. Bush and Richard Cheney for which our grievances are legion. He illustrates a number of instances in town halls and state legislatures where people are already drawing up petitions and articles of impeachment against them.

The bonus to this book is a thorough appendix of how our impeachment process works in congress, and organizations and websites that are involved in impeachment activism and issues.

It has become cliché to read that "every American must read this book," but this author provides not only an understanding of the impeachment process, but also what our founding fathers wanted, and how they envisioned its use. It makes this an essential read to give us a better understanding of our constitution and our civic obligations.

As Theodore Roosevelt said, "Our loyalty is due entirely to the United States. It is due to the President only and exactly to the degree in which he efficiently serves the United States. It is our duty to support him when he serves the United States well. It is our duty to oppose him when he serves it badly."

So...

Where does your loyalty lie?

ECP
09 11 07 Lest we forget!

43 of 47 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Should be required reading for all members of Congress January 15, 2007

By Tundra Gregg

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This is not just about impeaching Bush. This book outlines the history of impeachment from England though modern US. Discusses why our founding fathers gave us the power to prevent abuse of power. The founding fathers understood the need to maintain a balance of power which our Congress has failed to do over time (both Democrats and Republicans) and we now have a President that behaves like a king and locks up people, tortures and generaly disregards the law of the land when it gets in his way.

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Informative, balanced, and timely May 22, 2007

By James Huff VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

Informative and reasonably balanced discussion of impeachment that combines an historical review of impeachment in the American and British contexts with coverage of the movement to impeach G.W. Bush and Dick Cheney. While the author is upfront about advocating for immediate impeachment proceedings against Bush and other members of his administration, the author repeatedly stresses that the point of his argument (and the purpose of his book) is to restore impeachment to its proper status as a legitimate constitutional tool for placing checks on the executive branch of government. A good deal of effort is made to present a balanced view: "Old Right" Republicans are lauded as often (or more often, actually) than any liberal Democrats, and while the Bill Clinton impeachment is presented as having been largely motivated by all the wrong partisan reasons (thus explaining its failure), Nichols does point out that legitimate, non-partisan reasons for impeaching Clinton could have been found. In short, a fairly good introduction to the constitutional concept of impeachment and its uses throughout history, including some of the causes for current congressional leaders' apparent aversion to initiating impeachment proceedings. The two-page forward by Gore Vidal is remarkable for its concise power.