NATIONAL DILEMMA
To impeach, or not to impeach that is the question. Over the past few months I have participated in countless debates over the current constitutional crisis we have been witnesses to. In the spirit of the ancient Greek orators and philosophers, I have left no stone unturned in my quest to get to the bottom of this unusual situation. While investigating and educating myself on the pros and cons, I have wavered back and forth on whether impeachment is the right or wrong coarse of action. I have just recently come up with my own personal verdict.
The Republicans feel that Clinton has, by his gross misconduct, damaged the sanctity and ethical high ground of the presidential office. That at first glance, is an important point to be made. However, this very argument is being made by politicians who showcase the words “sanctity” and “high ethical standards” as grounds for their existence. Politicians act today as if they are above their constituents, almost like royalty. This has created a divide between the people and the politicians that are suppose to represent the people.
One of the first things we are taught when we are young is that if we work hard enough, “someday, you could be President.” That is a factual statement and Bill Clinton is the proof. He did not come from a privileged background and nepotism was not a factor in him becoming Commander and Chief. For this reason and many others, I can truly say that Bill Clinton is a great representative of the people. I just wish this were the case with his family and office. Looking at the polls surrounding Bill Clinton we have seen, despite his wealth of problems, an approval rating that is off the charts. The simple explanation for this is not the economy, nor the unemployment numbers, it is his fallibility. The simple fact that Clinton makes mistakes like every other human being has brought him closer to the people. Bill Clinton has filled the void that most career politicians have created. Clinton’s greatest asset is his humanity. If this scandal never came to light, his popularity would not be nearly as great.
The debate over impeachment has focused on the actual interpretation of what exactly “high crimes and misdemeanors” are. I think before we actually try to interpret a small part of such an important document as the constitution, we should try to interpret the true spirit of the document as a whole. The founders of our constitution would be more concerned with our lack of understanding of the spirit of the constitution, rather than our interpretation of a small part. Religion throughout the ages has been plagued with the same problems. Focusing on small inane rules and laws instead of the more important spiritual side. Our country was designed to be accessible by all Americans.
All Americans should be involved and want to serve the country in their lifetime. Career politicians have taken that accessibility away from Americans. Who in their right mind would want to go through the microscopic evaluation of character that is now commonplace in politics? Career politicians have scared away real Americans from participating in government. The true spirit of the constitution involved having Americans serve their country for a period of time then returning back to their jobs and their life. The field of politics has become a career choice, which is against everything the founders of our country stood for. Before we can interpret “high crimes and misdemeanors,” we should take a step back and figure out how we can eliminate career politicians. How can politicians serve the people if they don’t work and live amongst them? Career politics has created a monarchal situation that is the inverse of what the United States is about.
Some people like to take a bad situation and dwell on it and make it worse. I believe a setback can be a good thing. It can make you look at things in a different light and can actually set you on the right coarse. God knows I have made plenty of mistakes. Bill Clinton did some terrible things. The most terrible was lying under oath. I think the President of the United States should be a role model for all Americans, and Bill Clinton is not. What Bill Clinton fails to realize is that he could have been a hero. All he had to do was to come clean about everything he did. I have respect for any person that can suck it up, take the heat, and admit that he or she was wrong. I think Bill Clinton should have resigned long ago and spent the time mending his relationship with his family. Bill Clinton unfortunately is not man enough to do that. However, I do not think we should continue to follow up with his impeachment.
I think Clinton’s main concern is how the history books are going to treat him, a classic fear of the career politician. Instead of being remembered as the President who presided over the longest peacetime expansion in our history, the smallest welfare rolls in thirty years, the lowest unemployment since 1957, and a person who was human, made mistakes and was man enough to admit them, he will be remembered as the man who used the law and his lawyers to slime his way out of facing the music. So Bill Clinton is going to get what every career politician fears the most, being branded a coward in a high school textbook ten years from now.
Candidates running for any public office should be judged on his or her own individual merit, not their fundraising capability. We also should mandate term limits on all state and national offices. We must eliminate the career politician in order to facilitate a proper channel for government by representation. Wasting time trying to impeach a lame duck president will just sidetrack the country from working to achieve those goals. As far as the President being a leader and roll model to the children of our nation, it’s time for the parents to step up to the plate and use Bill Clinton as an example of how not to conduct oneself when making an error in judgment. We must teach children that making mistakes is part of being human. However, accepting the consequences and fixing the problems we have created is what separates and defines a great person.