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EDITOR IN CHIEF
Ryan Frank
EDITOR [AUDITORS
Kameron Cole
Stefanie Knowlton
United
States
President
Clinton
The Senate
trial is
scheduled to
begin today,
hut most are
uncertain of
hoiv the trial
should
proceed
Opinion
Stefan ie
Knowlton
Bogged down by the rhetoric
coming from both Democ
rats and Republicans, the
situation seemed surreal
until now. President Clinton is going
to trial and he could be removed
from office, which would be the first
time in history that a president
would be forced to leave office.
With this solemn task in hand, the
Senate is uncertain of how to pro
ceed. Once the trial begins there are
three possible outcomes: one, with a
majority vote the Senate could call
off the entire trial, two: with a two
thirds vote the Senate could remove
the president from office, three; with
majority vote the Senate could call
for a censure of the President.
The first option is not likely con
sidering that Republicans, assuming
they will vote along party lines, oc
cupy 55 seats in the Senate; therefore
making a majority vote of 51 to dis
miss the case next to impossible. In
addition, prominent Democrats such
as Tobert Byrd , the Senate’s senior
Democrat, claim they could go ei
ther way.
The second option of removal from
office is a little more complicated. A
two-thirds vote will be hard to ac
complish even if some of the Democ
rats in the Senate are swayed into
voting for it.
Lastly, the much debated censure
vote. Although the Senate did cen
sure Andrew Jackson in 1834 for
withholding documents, the right to
censure a President is not granted un
der the Constitution. The Constitu
tion gives Congress the right to cen
sure one another but nowhere does it
include the right to censure a presi
dent.
This fact has led several people to
argue the constitutionality of censure
against a President. Former President
Andrew Jackson was censured in
1834 for withholding documents
from the Senate, but the censure was
removed from the record some years
later. Some are concerned that if vve
allow censure, we would set a prece
dent allotting more power to the Con
gress than originally intended by the
founding fathers.
This claim is a serious one but un
true. Everyone agrees that the Consti
tution is a sacred document that con
tinues to be the cornerstone of our
government. But sometimes we need
to change it in order to deal with cir
cumstances not foreseen by those
who drafted it. The amendments of
the Constitution themselves speak to
this need.
As a country we are very young,
and as a government we are even
younger. This is only the second time
in history that we have faced a presi
dential Senate trial. We need a mid
dle ground when removal from office
is not warranted or attainable.
Lying under oath and obstruction
of justice are serious crimes that the
President faces. Yet these crimes
were committed in relationship to
his personal life and not to his politi
cal office. Therefore, I believe that
they are not impeachable offenses.
1 do, however, believe that the
President needs to take responsibility
for his actions and be reprimanded
for his crimes even if they are in re
gard to his domestic life.
If we had a censure that included a
signed admittance of guilt and an
apology from the president, that
would serve as an appropriate pun
ishment for the crimes committed. If
the Senate proceeds in any other way
it would be a miscarriage of justice
and a tragedy that the American pub
lic will have to deal with forever.
Stefanie Knowlton is an editorial editor
for the Emerald. Her view's do not neces
sarily represent those of the newspaper
Letters to the Editor
Kangaroo court
I recently witnessed the "hear
ings process” afforded by Lane
County’s Animal Regulation Au
thority. My dog was cited as "po
tentially dangerous-3” for alleged
ly biting another dog. I requested a
hearing. Present were the hearings
official (a County employee), the
Animal Control Officer, the com
plainant and myself.
The Officer read her report, then
proceeded to act as the counsel to
the complainant. Apparently, the
officer has the liberty to act as pros
ecutor, counsel and witness. Had I
known the County would be pro
viding complimentary counsel, I
would have requested counsel for
myself. A dog owner does not
stand a chance in this biased fo
rum. Dog owners have rights too!
My dog was found guilty; I had 10
days to comply with various un
reasonable restrictions.
It is ridiculous to impose this level
of punishment for a first offense.
Bemie Perkins, Director of Animal
Regulation was contacted and asked
if I could contain my dog in her cur
rent kennel. The answer was no. We
called Greenhill and they offered to
evaluate the dog’s behavior, if Lane
County would accept that. The an
swer was no. I was forced to choose
between breaking the law and de
stroying my dog.
This "hearings process" is so
radically unfair that it deserves the
label “kangaroo court." These
hearings need to be a level playing
field for ALL, not a public oppor
tunity for Lane County to embar
rass itself, cause adverse public
sentiment and showcase its em
ployees as legal representatives.
Gail Cross
Junction City
A question of credibility
This letter is in regard to that my
opic supplement in the ODE Nov.
17. Every’ article in that pack of pro
paganda was blaming the drug
wars for everything from pollution
to racism.
Blaming the drug wars for all our
financial, social and environmen
tal problems is ludicrous. It’s inter
esting that the pro-pot people state
that hemp will save our environ
ment. The medicinal marijuana
people say that pot will cure every
thing from AIDS to cancer. Poop!
Pot doesn’t cure anything, THC
treats symptoms, or in the case of
chemo. patients it treats symptoms
of symptoms. That is THC, not pot.
And by taxing legal marijuana, this
is supposed to save our national
debt. Beware, the Red Herring.
1 have no problem with a cancer
survivor growing a plant or two to
sustain some dignity. But 34 plants
for one person? Come on. You see
addicts are excessive, and one can
become addicted to pot when it
contains 18 percent or higher THC.
Please listen to and question the
creditability ofthe next voice you hear
touting the benefits of hemp or medic
inal pot. Listen to the rasp in his/her
throat. Do they look creditable?
And for the folks that like to com
pare tlie affects of pot vs. alcohol. An
swer this: If you or a loved one were
going to have a serious operation
which would you prefer; A surgeon
who had drunk two cocktails the
night before the operation, or one
who had smoked a couple of joints?
And if this letter pisses you off,
check your motives. Is your brain
one of those saturated with layers
of THC? If so get some treatment or
call Narcotics Anonymous: 341
6070. THC is addictive and it’s the
primary ingredient in marijuana.
Colin Campbell
Eugene