Something New in the Mix

So here's something interesting: former Republican Congressman Bob Barr will enter the Presidential contest as a Libertarian. Although it is unlikely he will have much more of an impact than Ron Paul, he is sure to give some disaffected conservatives an outlet for their frustration with the status quo. In particular, Bob Barr will speak to those conservatives who have been shocked at the dismantling of civil liberties under the Cheney/Bush regime. He will also appeal directly to "fiscal conservatives" alarmed at the huge expense of the Iraq war. Progressives will not be too happy with many of Barr's ideas. Nonetheless, it is healthy for the political debate to see the mainstream Republican party come under attack from the left and the right.

Many of us remember Bob Barr's eagerness to impeach Clinton. Dennis Kucinich is equally adamant about impeaching Bush, yet Kucinich doesn't now enjoy the partisan support that Barr did in the 1990's. Our constitutional Republic survived Clinton's impeachment. Can our Republic survive the failure to impeach Cheney/Bush?