Many in this country, including conservatives, are calling for us to put the Monica Lewinsky affair behind us. Some are saying that the news coverage regarding this sordid mess is tearing the country apart. Others have hinted that an impeachment of the President of the United States would subvert the Constitution.
The Monica Lewinsky affair is just a small part of a pattern of malfeasance that has plagued Bill Clinton since his political career began. The affair must be pursued to the limit of the law because lying to the American public, lying under oath and attempting to induce others to lie are all behaviors that should not be tolerated by a man in the highest office of government. As this affair represents only a small part of the likely illegal acts of this Administration (but is the only one the Attorney General will allow an independent prosecutor to pursue) it must be followed as other trails should be followed…filegate, cattlegate, accepting illegal campaign contributions, arms technology to China, etc.
Far from tearing the country apart, the Lewinsky affair has provoked a ho-hum attitude from most of the public. This enrages most staunch conservatives, nevertheless it is an indication of how little effect it is having upon the public at large.
In spite of the public attitude, an impeachment proceeding is the next vital step. Any man who is allowed to thumb his nose at the rule of law, will rise above the law. Above the law he is then allowed to perpetrate illegal acts that extend his power over the mass of Americans - denying them their liberty (at least on an individual basis as in the travel-gate scandal). He might also use his position to perpetuate his power. One could say that Clinton did so in 1996 by flouting campaign finance laws to accept money from the Chinese army. A man above the law in the position of the presidency will inevitably subvert more and more of the constitution until it becomes perverted to his own ends.
This behavior has historical precedent. The Roman Republic was subverted by Octavius (later Augustus). He kept the trappings of the republic but retained in his hands the reins of power. His actions would lead Rome to become an empire that ultimately trammeled the rights of all individuals and deified one man. Can we afford to allow the Presidency to become the imperial province of one man? Can we allow this man to be above the law? Can we glibly cast away the liberties our forefathers fought to achieve and maintain? You can crawl on your knees, and whine about getting along, but as for me, I say impeach the Bastard.
WJ Rayment
