Scott Franklin, a major dude in the rock-climbing universe who designs and installs solar energy systems for a living, began his political career last summer when he was appointed to the Nederland Board of Trustees and took an oath to uphold and defend the U.S. Constitution. Clearly, he didn’t take the moment lightly.
“As a trustee and as a citizen, it’s my duty to find a remedy when someone is in violation of the Constitution,” he said. “It’s my duty to hold George W. Bush accountable.”
So tonight, in between discussions on a proposed skate park, financing for a sewer extension and complaints about the frequent power outages to the town of about 1,515, Franklin will introduce a resolution to impeach the president.
I’m betting on passage. Just a guess.
Franklin accuses Bush of lying to Congress and the people about the reasons for going to war in Iraq, condoning torture in violation of international treaties and U.S. law, and illegal wiretapping. “I’ve been waiting for our elected representatives to demand accountability,” he said, “but our senators and congressmen won’t do anything.”
Enter the Nederland Board of Trustees, preferably not riding a fake pine coffin during the annual Frozen Dead Guy Days.
Franklin is prepared for the predictable ridicule. After all, the last time Nederland made the national news it was for a local guy getting glued to a toilet seat. He doesn’t care.
“People say I’m really naive, but it doesn’t even matter. We all feel we’re just little people and that we don’t matter, but if we let our voices be heard, it can be amazing.”
Franklin’s proposed resolution petitions U.S. Rep. Mark Udall, D-Eldorado Springs, to file for impeachment of the president by the House.
It’s not happening. “From a pragmatic point of view, it wouldn’t go anywhere,” said Udall. That’s the reality of the Republican majority in Congress.
So even though towns all across the country are debating such resolutions, and constituents are engaging in e-mail campaigns to their senators and congressmen, and Internet websites are selling “Impeach Bush” T-shirts everywhere, Franklin’s dream of a disgraced George Bush flashing a Nixonian V salute as he is delivered ignominiously into early retirement is pure fantasy.
And that’s a good thing, Udall said.
“Look, I think history is going to be tough on George Bush. Considering the war, the reductions of civil liberties, the deficit – there’s plenty to point to in terms of flawed and failed policies.
“But I think the bar for impeaching a president should be very high and I’m not sure that bar could be cleared right now,” he said. “The way to really change the course of the country is through the elections process, not the impeachment process. That’s why I’m putting my energy and time into changing the balance of power in the fall and in 2008.”
Not good enough, Franklin said.
“Congress is going along as if it’s business as usual. We’re one step away from a real dictatorship. Our democracy has been gutted. There are a lot of people predicting we could be bombing Iran in the next two weeks. Even impeaching Bush immediately could be too little, too late.”
Udall said he’s heard comments like Franklin’s for a year or more, but there’s a legitimate fear in Washington that any talk of impeachment – or even censure – of Bush could provoke a backlash and undermine the election of Democrats and anti-Bush Republicans in November.
“Scott’s a well-known rock climber. When I heard about him, I felt an immediate kinship with him. I tip my hat to him for doing what’s right. I know we’re not getting what we ought to have in transparency and honesty from this administration, but we have to be very pragmatic,” Udall said.
This is not about politics, Franklin said, it’s about duty. “We can send a message.”
And then, as if to steel himself for the inevitable, he added, “This is not a joke.” Not yet.
Diane Carman’s column appears Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. She can be reached at 303-820-1489 or dcarman@denverpost.com.
