# If the GOP wins the House, how long before they start Impeachment against Obama? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [October 27, 2010, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-wins-the-house-how-long-before-they-start-impeachment-against-obama/558531 "2010-10-27T15:18:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2010, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-wins-the-house-how-long-before-they-start-impeachment-against-obama/558531/21 "2010-10-27T22:37:58Z")
Good lord, the sooner the better. I don’t think more than about one-fifth of the country will put up with that kind of nonsense, and I can think of no better way to swing the pendulum of opinion back against the Republicans. ---
**Author:** ![John\_D\_Adamo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ed8c4c/32.png) [@John\_D\_Adamo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_D_Adamo)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2010, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-wins-the-house-how-long-before-they-start-impeachment-against-obama/558531/22 "2010-10-27T22:38:17Z")
The fact that we’re even talking about the _possibility_ of the GOP starting impeachment proceedings shows how far to the right most of its members have gone. Bush did, well, everything that Bush did and not many thought for a second that the Dems were actually going to go after him because they were interested in bipartisanship. If the Republicans try to impeach Obama it’s really going to start a dialogue about impeachment being used for political gain. As far as **Chefguy/Riverhippie** , I agree… there will be very little substantive policy work done due to the gridlock that will occur. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2010, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-wins-the-house-how-long-before-they-start-impeachment-against-obama/558531/23 "2010-10-27T23:46:04Z")
> [@](#): > > Chefguy is right. At least with Clinton they had the “lying under oath” to hang their hat on - an actual crime. But they didn’t wait until they had something to hang their hat on with Clinton, either. Remember, the who reason he was under oath in the first place was that the Republicans were investigating him looking for something to impeach him for. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2010, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-wins-the-house-how-long-before-they-start-impeachment-against-obama/558531/24 "2010-10-27T23:53:43Z")
I work with a guy who’s a conspiracy theorist. He was telling me some bullshit about how the GOP would try to get Obama out not by impeachment but by (you are not going to believe this) claiming that he is mentally incapacitated and using the 25th Amendment. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-wins-the-house-how-long-before-they-start-impeachment-against-obama/558531/25 "2010-10-28T00:29:48Z")
The worst part in all of this is going to be listening to that cunt Palin crowing about it all. ---
**Author:** ![Olfatbut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a183cd/32.png) [@Olfatbut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Olfatbut)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-wins-the-house-how-long-before-they-start-impeachment-against-obama/558531/26 "2010-10-28T00:40:55Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > But they didn’t wait until they had something to hang their hat on with Clinton, either. Remember, the who reason he was under oath in the first place was that the Republicans were investigating him looking for something to impeach him for. Yes I remember, the land deal thing didn’t pan out, so Mr. Starr enlisted Paula Jones just in case there might be some connection (there wasn’t). First thing they will do is dig Rezko up again. Maybe throw in a little Blago to keep it contemporary. [http://www.verumserum.com/?p=14192](http://www.verumserum.com/?p=14192) ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-wins-the-house-how-long-before-they-start-impeachment-against-obama/558531/27 "2010-10-28T00:41:54Z")
> [@John\_D\_Adamo](#): > > The fact that we’re even talking about the _possibility_ of the GOP starting impeachment proceedings shows how far to the right most of its members have gone. Bullshit. It shows how far left this board has gone, and nothing else. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-wins-the-house-how-long-before-they-start-impeachment-against-obama/558531/28 "2010-10-28T00:44:50Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > Bullshit. It shows how far left this board has gone, and nothing else. Pull the other one. It’s got a 2nd amendment solution on it. ---
**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-wins-the-house-how-long-before-they-start-impeachment-against-obama/558531/29 "2010-10-28T00:53:50Z")
> [@Olfatbut](#): > > Yes I remember, the land deal thing didn’t pan out, so Mr. Starr enlisted Paula Jones just in case there might be some connection (there wasn’t). > > First thing they will do is dig Rezko up again. Maybe throw in a little Blago to keep it contemporary. [http://www.verumserum.com/?p=14192](http://www.verumserum.com/?p=14192) Rezko maybe, but Blago will never get them anywhere. Obama knew enough to avoid him like the plague almost from the moment he met him. I don’t believe they’ll actually get to try to impeach him but there will be constant investigations and calls for same. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-wins-the-house-how-long-before-they-start-impeachment-against-obama/558531/30 "2010-10-28T01:07:04Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > Bullshit. It shows how far left this board has gone, and nothing else. I think you missed the Post #6 that shows a REPUBLICAN in the House of Representatives feels that the House should spend all their time investigating the Obama administration. > [@](#): > > “Oh, I think that’s all we should do,” Bachmann told the Three Fingers of Politics website. "I think that all we should do is issue subpoenas and have one hearing after another, and expose all the nonsense that has gone on. So a Representative, an elected official, a person with actual authority and power is quoted as saying “I think that all we should do is **issue subpoenas and have one hearing after another** , and expose all the nonsense that has gone on.” And you think that a thread that wonders if perhaps the house might consider impeachment hearings is “bullshit”? There’s not just smoke, there are flames starting to appear. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-wins-the-house-how-long-before-they-start-impeachment-against-obama/558531/31 "2010-10-28T01:47:50Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > I work with a guy who’s a conspiracy theorist. He was telling me some bullshit about how the GOP would try to get Obama out not by impeachment but by (you are not going to believe this) claiming that he is mentally incapacitated and using the 25th Amendment. LaRouche has been mouthing about that, by the way. He probably got it from there. ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-wins-the-house-how-long-before-they-start-impeachment-against-obama/558531/32 "2010-10-28T02:25:39Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > Chefguy is right. At least with Clinton they had the “lying under oath” to hang their hat on - an actual crime. > > - There is no evidence Obama is not eligible to be president > - Even _if_ the health care bill is unconsitutional: > 1. It’s not a crime to pass an unconstitutional law > 2. The President doesn’t pass laws anyway, Congress does > > No grounds for impeachment. It’s a masturbatory fantasy to appeal to extreme right-wing voters. There are significant numbers (as in, more than zero) of Congresspeople who are on record as not believing that Obama was born in Hawaii. Those people will absolutely feel that they have evidence enough to begin impeachment hearings on those grounds. Whether or not the “sane” Republicans keep them in check remains to be seen - they may actually encourage the loonies in order to keep the news media slavering over idiocy while they attempt other less sexy machinations. They may not have grounds for impeachment in a sane world, but that’s not going to keep them from trying it. > [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > I’m betting while \*Republicans \*won’t try to bring impeachment proceedings against Obama, without some sort of solid evidence, like video of him blowing Hugo Chavez or something, but I’m willing to bet at least one Republican Congressperson gets CNN level coverage for insisting they do. This. > [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > I think you missed the Post #6 that shows a REPUBLICAN in the House of Representatives feels that the House > should spend all their time investigating the Obama administration. > > So a Representative, an elected official, a person with actual authority and power is quoted as saying “I think that all we should do is **issue subpoenas and have one hearing after another** , and expose all the nonsense that has gone on.” > > And you think that a thread that wonders if perhaps the house might consider impeachment hearings is “bullshit”? > > There’s not just smoke, there are flames starting to appear. Yep. Bachmann for sure, probably Angle (if she’s elected), and they’ll get others roped into it. Again, it’ll involve the absolutely lunatic fringe of the Republicans members of Congress (not that there’s a whole lot of different these days), but there WILL be members of the Republican party that WILL attempt impeachment hearings. ---
**Author:** ![Batfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Batfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Batfish)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-wins-the-house-how-long-before-they-start-impeachment-against-obama/558531/33 "2010-10-28T02:44:01Z")
1. Swearing in. 2. Electing new leadership. 3. Singing “God Bless America”. 4. Impeachment hearings. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-wins-the-house-how-long-before-they-start-impeachment-against-obama/558531/34 "2010-10-28T04:17:46Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > If the GOP wins the House, how long before they start Impeachment against Obama? Can’t happen; there just won’t be any time for that sort of thing. Haven’t you heard that all the new GOP representatives will be working 24/7 to reduce the deficit? ---
**Author:** ![John\_D\_Adamo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ed8c4c/32.png) [@John\_D\_Adamo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_D_Adamo)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-wins-the-house-how-long-before-they-start-impeachment-against-obama/558531/35 "2010-10-28T04:39:48Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > Bullshit. It shows how far left this board has gone, and nothing else. Come now, **Babale**. I would argue this board’s leanings have stayed rather consistent in the last ten years (I’ve lurked since '01) and have certainly not taken a turn to the far left. There have always been a decent sized group of conservative posters, some moderates, and a proportionately larger group of democrats, but not the major far left change you claim. As far as the original topic, do I think impeachment will gain traction? We must just wait and see. It is quite interesting, watching Bachmann and others in the Tea Party caucus taking a strong interest in investigations. It just remains to be seen if Boehner and the GOP leadership’s cooler heads (I know, I know) will prevail. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-wins-the-house-how-long-before-they-start-impeachment-against-obama/558531/36 "2010-10-28T05:54:25Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > I think you missed the Post #6 that shows a REPUBLICAN in the House of Representatives feels that the House should spend all their time investigating the Obama administration. And no Democrat has ever said anything stupid that no one else agreed with, right? > [@John\_D\_Adamo](#): > > Come now, **Babale**. I would argue this board’s leanings have stayed rather consistent in the last ten years (I’ve lurked since '01) and have certainly not taken a turn to the far left. I was just using the same sentence structure as the person I was talking too. I am aware that this board has ever been left-leaning. ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-wins-the-house-how-long-before-they-start-impeachment-against-obama/558531/37 "2010-10-28T07:04:54Z")
Well, if dummy Bachmann in MN gets her wish-- and would obviously lose-- that might end the repubs and bring back the Whigs. Bring back the Whigs! Bring back the Whigs! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_One](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/45deac/32.png) [@Evil\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_One)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-wins-the-house-how-long-before-they-start-impeachment-against-obama/558531/38 "2010-10-28T12:12:27Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > But Clinton got a blowjob! [scary voice mode] A blooooowjob! [/scary voice mode] And some perjury. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_One](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/45deac/32.png) [@Evil\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_One)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-wins-the-house-how-long-before-they-start-impeachment-against-obama/558531/39 "2010-10-28T12:27:17Z")
Clinton lied under oath and got caught. That said, I thought the Republicans overreached by impeaching him. And if they try to impeach Obama without any solid evidence of wrongdoing, they’ll overreach again. Obama has done enough damage to the Democrat’s election prospects without any help. If the idea of impeachment is purely for tactical political combat, impeachment would not be smart at all. The best move will be to see if he blindly pursues his agenda despite an obvious electoral rebuke. If he does so, Republicans should just sit back and play out the rope for 2012 while they propose alternative solutions and dare him to oppose them. An impeachment drive would drive moderates back into the Democrat camp. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-wins-the-house-how-long-before-they-start-impeachment-against-obama/558531/40 "2010-10-28T14:39:15Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > And no Democrat has ever said anything stupid that no one else agreed with, right? I"m sure there have been. And when a thread appears that discusses Democrats wanting to do stupid things, you can bring it up there. Here though, implying that Democrats say stupid things too, so it’s all OK - it does not really add to the discussion. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-wins-the-house-how-long-before-they-start-impeachment-against-obama/558531.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-wins-the-house-how-long-before-they-start-impeachment-against-obama/558531.md?page=3)