13 Jul Impeaching the President

“Democrats should resolve to remove President Biden from office.” – The Lonely Realist

There is no need for TLR to review the events of the last two weeks that have revealed confirmed the age-related disabilities of President Biden … as well as efforts by the Democratic Party to cover them up. Nor is there a need for TLR to summarize the recommendations of experts urging President Biden to release the delegates pledged to his re-nomination. Being President of the United States is the hardest and most demanding job in the world … and the 2024 version of Joe Biden is not up to it. He has rapidly declined ceased to be fit for that job – and the American public knows it, agreeing that he lacks “the mental and cognitive health to serve as President.” What no one is yet addressing, however, is that since Joe Biden’s age-related disabilities render him unfit to be President for another four years, they also render him unfit to be President for the next six months. America has experienced Presidential disabilities in the past that came to light only after-the-fact. Today we are well-aware of Joe Biden’s disabilities. President Wilson suffered a debilitating stroke in 1919, more than a year before his term ended. President Reagan was afflicted with Alzheimer’s during his final years in office. Continuing with a President who is suffering from cognitive decline is not only undemocratic, it is dangerous. Although action should be taken to remove President Biden for lacking “mental and cognitive health” under the 25^th Amendment, that will not happen given the political allegiances of the Vice President and the Cabinet. By default, then, that action must be taken by Congress under Article 2, Section 3.

For more than two years, a majority of Americans have been opposed to Joe Biden’s run for a second term. The Democratic Party establishment ignored this consensus and instead closed ranks to gloss-over escalating problems. It has heaped scorn on mainstream Republicans for their cult-like, deluded and deceptive support of Donald Trump…, at the same time as followers of Joe Biden were deluded and deceived by the Biden Administration and its Democratic Party disciples. What is clear is that both Parties have been committing (and continue to commit) inexcusable political sins that undermine pervert American democracy.

The recent cacophony of appeals for President Biden to acknowledge his deteriorating health, agree to cognitive and neurological testing and release his delegates is falling on deaf ears. That calls into even greater question Joe Biden’s judgment. The Joe Biden of 4 years ago would have stepped aside. That’s not to diminish Joe Biden’s accomplishments. His record-in-office and resilience speak for themselves. The $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill and the $1.9 trillion COVID relief bill resulted in America outperforming every other country in emerging from the pandemic. America’s stockmarkets have exceeded all expectations. Unemployment reached new lows during Biden’s term when 14 million jobs were created, and the biggest problem experienced by small businesses has been in finding workers. Moreover, the Biden Presidency has seen significant foreign policy successes, with America consistently siding with freedom over tyranny. If President Biden were to leave office tomorrow his legacy would be intact. The tragedy is that his accomplishments now are being marred by his denials of what Americans can see with their own eyes.

Yes, Republican Senators Mitch McConnell and Charles Grassley also have obvious age-related disabilities. They should retire from the Senate. So do elder Democrat Representatives Maxine Waters and Steny Hoyer. They should make this their final year in the House. Yet none of the actions of members of Congress carry the same risks for America as a disabled President.

A House Republican majority in 2023 resolved to impeach President Biden for a host of trivialities policy disagreements, including his handling of illegal immigrants, his chaotic withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, his COVID-relief actions, a Ukraine conspiracy theory, his energy policy, and “weaponizing” the government. House Republicans unanimously referred their impeachment inquiry to the House Oversight and Accountability Committee that, in March, found no basis to proceed. With such a litany of pretextual “crimes and misdemeanors,” it is surprising that none touched on President Biden’s actual disabilities, ones that were increasingly apparent. It now is time for one or more House members to correct that error by sponsoring an impeachment resolution based on the President’s health. Yes, such action by a courageous Democrat would result in excommunication from the Party’s fund-raising machine, just as Liz Cheney’s vote in favor of then-President Trump’s impeachment ended her political career. Yet that is the sacrifice that goes with the oath of elected office…, at least in a functional democracy. Whether or not supported by other Democrats, unless such an impeachment resolution persuades President Biden to abandon his reelection bid, House members of both Parties would be compelled to vote on the realities, which is essential if President Biden’s disabilities indeed are progressing. Republican Representatives presumably would support the resolution – they were the first to highlight the problem. Those who question whether President Biden’s actions constitute “high crimes and misdemeanors” should recognize that “high crimes and misdemeanors” is a common law phrase that incorporates the standard specified in the 25^th Amendment – a President should be removed from office if he “is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office.” Democrat-sponsorship of such an impeachment resolution also would be a wake-up call-to-action for Republicans who have been failing to voice their concerns about Donald Trump. The final determination of Joe Biden’s qualification to continue as President then would rest with the Senate.

TLR Index

Prior TLR commentaries can be found here.

Finally (from a good friend)