"Impeach Barack Obama" Groups Surface on Facebook

By Ashley Griffith

ORLANDO, Fla.,--A few short days after the 2008 presidential election results were announced, hundreds of Facebook groups have been created calling for President-elect Barack Obama’s impeachment.

Of the 169 groups that have been created, one group has collected over 5,000 members just three days after Election Day.

The group is entitled “Impeach Barack Obama,” and currently has 5,781 members. Included on the group page is a description of the aim of those who are preparing for Obama’s impeachment, group discussion posts, photos, videos, and related groups admiring Obama’s opponent in the election, Republican John McCain.

Yet these claims are not in favor of McCain, “we would all be in a similar group for John McCain if he was elected president,” said group member Tom Jaslikowski.

Jaslikowski claims that he, like the creator of the group, is a “libertarian,” and a more suited candidate to change President Bush’s policies would have been Republican Ron Paul.

The group description states that every president recites the following oath from Article II, Section I of the Constitution: “I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of president of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States."

“This group has been created under the assumption that it takes approximately seven seconds for a modern day president to violate this oath,” said the creator of the group, Ellen Finnigan.

Facebook members have mixed feelings about the groups. “He may not be my first pick for a president, but people see potential in him. Give him a chance before talking about impeachment,” said Facebook member, Kendra Hamilton.

Some of the other group members claim that Obama is a socialist, and “if you want to help America, impeach Obama.”

One “Impeach Barack Obama” group member stated “we hope that we are wrong and Obama brings peace and prosperity, but the evidence indicates otherwise.”

Facebook member, Danielle Machado said, “He hasn’t done anything wrong yet, and the majority of people in American voted for him, so it’s a waste of time because impeachment is not going to happen.”

Comments on the group’s discussion board have a variety of attitudes about the group and Obama’s plans for the U.S. Some are blatantly attacking the creators for their lack of optimism, while some are in compliance with the idea of impeachment.

As the 44th president of the United States, Barack Obama will be the inaugurated on Jan. 20, 2009, and will be the first African-American president.