I watched a news clip with my husband that was sent to him by one of his liberal friends. In the clip, Keith Olbermann was speaking on recent events and calling for Bush and Cheney to resign and save the country the trouble of impeaching them. I have to admit that I do agree with the anchor on several points. What exactly was our President thinking when he pardoned someone who had been found guilty of an offense that was a violation of national security just because the offender was one of his cronies? Why does our Vice President think that he is above the law and can refuse to obey a subpoena? Now, I'm not saying that what they did was right – far from it – but I don't know if their resignation or impeachment would be in the country's best interest. I think it would be stepping out of the frying pan directly into the fire.
Let's think about this in light of the Presidential Succession… If the President is no longer able to serve for whatever reason, be it resignation, impeachment, or death, then the Vice President becomes President. But what if the Vice President is not able to serve, either? Do you know who becomes president then? I'll tell you – The Speaker of the House of Representatives, that's who! And for the Vice President's position, who gets that – The President of the Senate, who right now is none other than Robert Byrd. I think the only people who would want Nancy Pelosi for Acting President for the next 18 months are the same people who plan to vote for Hillary in 2008. I'm really not sure who would want Robert Byrd for Acting Vice President.
Let's take a look at the record for the Democratic Representative from California. She supports abortion rights: she voted against the Partial Birth Abortion Ban and in favor of the Abortion Funding Amendment. She supports "Civil Liberties" and the ACLU: she voted against the ban on flag burning, against the Federal Marriage Amendment, and against displaying the 10 Commandments in courthouses. She is in favor of Gay Rights: she voted against banning homosexual adoption and against the Federal Marriage Amendment. She is pro gun control and even wants to hold gun manufacturers responsible for the mis-use of their weapons. She supports rights for all immigrants, whether they are illegal or not, and voted no to the Secure Fence Act.
Now, don't get me wrong, she did do some things right. She supported No Child Left Behind and to increase Medicare and Medicaid benefits. She also voted to reduce dependence on foreign oil, and voted against allowing oil and gas exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. But overall, her track record is way too liberal – I don't think the country is ready for such a liberal president.
My primary objection to Senator Byrd is that I can't bring myself to trust him. I know he says he's changed and regrets his racist past, but I am simply not sure that he's not just saying that because he knows being racist is not acceptable anymore. His brief fling with the KKK in his youth, his having voted against the Civil Rights Acts and the Voting Rights Act, and the racist statements that he's made throughout the years make him an inappropriate choice for Acting Vice President.
While many people may not like Bush/Cheney, I honestly think the best thing for the country is to wait until a new President and Vice President are duly elected by the American People in 2008. The only good thing I could see coming out of having Nancy Pelosi as Acting President for the next 18 months would be that after having to deal with someone like her, people would be less likely to vote for Hillary! My choice for President in 2008 – Duncan Hunter!
