On 02-06-98, WALTER LUFFMAN declared to ROBERT PLETT:
WL>Being painted unflatteringly by history would be as painful
WL>to Clinton as impeachment, trial and conviction on the
WL>Lewinsky-related obstruction and perjury charges; he has
WL>an all-consuming need to be loved by "the people", and
WL>being forced to resign in disgrace would crush him.  (Unlike
WL>Nixon, Clinton is personally involved with both the original
WL>offenses and the coverup attempts.)
I understand the sentiment, Walt, but believe very strongly that
following through with the Constitutional imperatives the Founders laid
down is of critical importance in our time.  Whether Clinton would feel
punished more one way than the other is beside the point with me.  The
nation itself *needs* Clinton's impeachment and subsequent trial in
criminal courts.

WL> RP> It is way past high time that abuse of power be denied a free pass.
WL> RP> Do the right thing with those two, and we'll be far less likely to 
ee
WL> RP> a repeat - fail, and repetition is assured.
WL>I don't disagree with this; but forcing a resignation is
WL>quite possible, while actually securing an impeachment by the
WL>House and conviction in a trial by the Senate is extremely
WL>iffy.
I'll remind here as I have in another forum that Clinton's impeachment
is no more iffy right now than was Nixon's when the DemonRats in
Congress began the process against him.  At that point in time, the
votes for impeachment weren't even close to being in existence, nor was
public sentiment in favor of it.  Neither of those facts deterred the
DemonRats for a second, and had Nixon not resigned, they would've gotten
the votes for impeachment.
The ONLY thing that's iffy about impeaching Clinton is the backbone of
the Republican party.  If they ever manage the moral courage to get
fully committed to it, he'll be impeached, unless he escapes by
resigning first, something I personally doubt he'd do.
WL>A failed impeachment attempt _might_ leave Clinton
WL>politically disgraced -- or it might merely make his supporters
WL>that much more vocal and determined.
Just getting up in the morning has its risks.  If we're unwilling to
accept risk, we might as well resign ourselves to Clinton finishing out
his term of office and getting off scott free.  There will never be a
certainty of the votes being there for impeachment, regardless the
evidence - that's something that only comes about thru the impeachment
process itself, the trial wherein the case is made and proven.
Bob     /\-/\   - proud Ilk   homebody@galstar.com
C.A.T. ( o o ) Chapter Ilks
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Green Country - Oklahoma      http://www.galstar.com/~homebody/
 * SLMR 2.1a * Do right, and risk the consequences. - Enyart
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