Impeachment as a political tool

[Jackalope]

This is not a "Impeach Obama" thread. Get your own damn thread for that.

It occurred to me that someone growing up today, or recently might be under the impression that calling for the impeachment of a sitting president is an ordinary, expected political tool.

I may be wrong, but it's my recollection that this wasn't really a thing before Clinton was impeached (but not convicted). I don't really there being any serious talk of impeaching Ford, Carter, or Reagan. Yeah, obviously there was Nixon, but few would argue he didn't deserve it.

I don't really get into politics much any more. Am I just being nostalgic, or is politics just nastier now than it was during the mid 70s-early 90s?

[Chad32]

I'm not aware of any impeachment besides Watergate and the blowjob either. Now that they know it's possible, though, everyone who hates the current president is going to call for impeachment. Why wait 4-8 years for the guy you didn't vote for to leave?

[Cato]

Andrew Johnson was impeached and acquitted, but agree with the sentiment in the OP. Today's constant calls for impeachment are meritless and a childish grandstanding reaction whenever there are policy disagreements. 

I was considering an analogy to a kid that threatens to take his ball and go home as a means of exerting more influence over the group, but realized in this case those making the impeachment threat don't have sole ownership of the ball. The impeachment bit is simply a temper tantrum thrown in lieu of negotiation and compromise when they can't have things exactly as they envisioned. 

Not that there hasn't always been some level of vitriol in politics, but I have to imagine that the members of the Constitutional Convention would be appalled at the level of dysfunction and inability to compromise on major legislative efforts.

[TheRealJoeFish]

[Jackalope]

[vorlon13]

I'm not aware of any impeachment besides Watergate and the blowjob either. Now that they know it's possible, though, everyone who hates the current president is going to call for impeachment. Why wait 4-8 years for the guy you didn't vote for to leave?

With Nancy and her court astrologer controlling President Reagan's schedule, an impeachment would have been redundant.

And recall General "I'm in charge here" Haig as a puppeteer along with Don Regan, and Meese, and Deaver and Oliver North pulling strings too, and you essentially have a figure head president who was overthrown in a coup d'etat and no one noticed.