As an old Indian chief said:
"Heap big smoke but no fire,
Him talk a lot but him not so hot."

I believe he was referring to the white man's promises and broken treaties. Now I know how the tribes must have felt. Things haven't changed much, have they.

Money is the root of all "Washington" evil, I have sent my NEW Congressman, who has a little over one year to do something besides just go along, a comment that since they cannot get rid of their need for money that all money given by any entity except from their OWN districts voters, up to a limit, be immediately sent to a general account and be spread out to all candidates on ballots. Something to think about and maybe push for.
As far as Impeachment, start with the Vice Dictator, if he would get impeached, the republicrats would get someone like Ford to replace him and then THAT would pave the way for the "next step".

One of the best group of Comments to any article I've seen on CommonDreams....I've never really considered the absolute bottom line to impeaching Chimpy & Snarly...that being a President Pelosi....I would like to see more focus on this avenue....Hell, with the exception of Dennis K. and Mike G. she'd make a better President than anything currently on the radar....let's hear it boys and girls.....action talks and bullschitt walks.

A photo of a beautiful woman assessing her remaining credibility with a hand gesture. And a fond hello, Nancy, to all of your special interest handlers and owners, from the boardrooms of America to Tel Aviv.

I'm willing to risk supporting Nancy Pelosi to be the first woman US President in 2007 -- through impeachment/removal of Bush/Cheney. If the Dems don't move impeachment/removal, then they don't truly believe this Administration has committed "high crimes and misdemeanors" and are just using harsh rhetoric to attract progressives to support Hillary in 2008. That is unacceptable. Impeachment/removal takes about 4 months.

If Nancy Pelosi becomes President and does not end the war in 2007, then we have our answer -- the Dems and Reps. are so similar that their differences don't matter and progressives should abandon the Democratic Party altogether. If Pelosi does become President and ends the war in 2007, I would vote for her for President in 2008.

I'll give her the benefit of the doubt only based on deeds and not words. The leadership of her Party -- the Clinton/Emmanuel wing (even if Emmanuel is supporting Obama) -- support the war in deed and oppose it in word.

Impeachment/removal of Cheney/Bush simultaneously is within reach and is wholly different from the impeachment effort the Repubs. made against Clinton for his male menopause moments during his Presidency. They really have committed "high crimes and misdemeanors" and the evidence is overwhelming. And the political situation in the country is one that is amenable, and even demands, immpeachment/removal of Cheney and Bush simultaneously. The people want an immediate end to the war, a different direction and wish this Administration was over NOW. The incumbents for the vast majority of the 22 Republican Senate seats up in 2008 will have a choice of voting to remove Bush/Cheney or being removed by their constituencies if they do not vote removal once the story is fully explained to the American people in the manner a prosecution based upon well drafted articles of impeachment.

Progressives need to tell the Democratic Party -- impeach/remove Cheney/Bush or no support (financial or otherwise) in 2008.

Just another "DO NOTHING" Democrat.

"Unless we make our own environment we'll be wedded to incrementalism"

No Shit Nancy, you have made your own impeachment free, blank check dispensing environment now haven't you? Wed to the Devil himself is what you are.

"This is urgent … the special interests are entrenched," she said Tuesday. "You have to help jar that loose."

We thought we helped when we voted Dems into the majority, and you're damned right it's urgent, it's just that now you are part of the problem not the solution.

"Speaking last week to the liberal pressure group Campaign for America's Future, she repeated her previous comments that the Iraq war was a "grotesque mistake" and a "tragedy."

It certainly was yet you agree to continue to fund it indefinitely.

"Senior Democratic lawmakers agree with Pelosi that the precipitous decline in the polls reflects the public's frustration with Iraq."

Although we are way more than frustrated with Iraq, it's you Nancy, and our utter lack of confidence in you that these poll numbers reflect.

"I certainly think the growing American support for changing policy gives us not only - I wouldn't call it leeway - incentive, and I think it is our responsibility to pursue every avenue that we can to change policy," House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.)

Yeah Steny, it's not your responsibilty it's your fucking job. But when the last American soldier and Iraqi citizen is dead it doesn't do a helluva lotta good to have incentive now does it?

These morons are no better than their supposed opposition party. Say one thing, do the complete fucking opposite. Another vote for any of em is a vote for more of the same.

"...the Speaker is signaling that Democrats will be more forceful in challenging the president.Wow. Gosh. Gee. Shazam. I'm completely bowled over by that strong display of leadership.

[yawn]

Let's just cut to the chase: Nancy Pelosi is a typical Washington politician and is full of shit.

Oops, there I go being redundant...

Hi Kathy

Oh,sweetheart, don't leave me. I won't vote for Hillary in the primary. I swear on a stack of Playboy magazines, my catchers mitt and scouts and brownies honor. If I break that promise I'll have Evie's cat uthenized.

Okay, hey babe are you a girl or a a boy? Just thought I'd ask before this affair gets too far advanced. I don't like these code names very much, here I am with Evelyn and I'm a un-gay male. Where were we? Oh yeah Hillary.

What do I do if Hillary wins the primary, other than leap out of the loft window??? I have to come up here and stay whenever I get gas. Evie's cat does not like it, gets pissy and I get sent to the loft for the rest of the night. It realy sucks, I have to pee in a jar.

My prostrate is enlarged and I'm afraid to take that medicine advertised on TV. "It's not for everyone, if you have a heart attack or start to lose your vision, call your doctor right away. If you are pregnant or suffer from liver or kidney disease you should consult your doctor before using prostate-it-off, apply directly to your big toe".

Oh, Hillary, hear she has fat legs? Anyway, if she wins the primary, do I vote for the Republican or the spoiler, whoever that may be? If a Republican gets in, who will he annoint for the next empty Supreme Court chair? I need help, I'm new at this Democrat versus Republican stuff and everyone here has a different opinion. Micci on another site is whoopin it up for Hillary and she's a sweetheart too, and I promised her I'd vote for Hillary. you know what? She might be a boy. If she is, I'll break that promise. Now this damn keyboard is sticking again. Help me Kathy, you can see I need help.

I will not vote for Hillary Clinton in the primary!! I like John Edwards. Kem Patrick

The Pelosi "liberal" democrats loved Bill Clinton. The man who during the 1992 primary campaign took time off to return to Arkansas to preside over the execution of a brain damaged african american man. The same Clinton who did nothing about Rwanda. Yes, the liberal, democratic, "Progressives" of America......worthless!!!!

evelyn, good response to RichM's post. And don't listen to Nancy Pelosi, look at her actions. She insists she' powerless, but when John Conyers wanted to start impeachment proceedings against Bush she threatened him with losing his committee chairmanship. She went around to the states stamping out impeachment fires in state legislatures so they wouldn't come to the house where the law would require them to be taken up. She has power to use where she wants to.

And in the Senate when the Republicans were in power, the Dems never once filibustered even the worst of the worst judicial nominees, much less anything else. Now the Republicans are shutting down Democratic legislation with 3 hour filibusters. Nope, can't fly, the Republicans are filibustering, or threatening to.

Mike Gravel singlehandedly stopped Vietnam War funding with a 5 month long filibuster. And he pointed out that Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi can force the Republicans' hand by simply repeatedly resubmitting the same bill for votes seven days a week, keeping Congress in session until the Republicans want to go home and vote yes. They aren't doing that or anything else except to whine that the Republicans won't play along so "we have no choice but to give in to them". Baloney. They only want to look like they're doing something.

evelyn, I was dismayed that you would vote for Hillary, vote for insurance managed healthcare, NAFTA, jobs fleeing overseas, against unions, against single working mothers. Hillary is DLC all the way. Like Bill. Remember under him, the rich got richer faster than any time in history. You're playing in to the corporate hands. They are counting on progressives caving in and supporting their candidate as the "lesser of two evils". So how bad does it have to get before the progressives have enough spine to take a stand and say no more? If progressives would refuse to vote for anyone but progressives (which after all, the majority of the country supports progressive values), the Democrats would abandon the DLC in a hurry and become Democrats again. The Democrats are just as responsible for the destruction of our country as the Republicans. And the progressives are the enablers. Squalling for four years and then meekly capitulating. Four years later, same story, except every four years they say, This time we REALLY have to stop the Republicans. Can't you see the pattern? It keeps getting worse... and worse. So what does it take? It's like parents bailing out a kid until finally he's in so much trouble everyone's lives are wrecked. So here we are. What does it take to draw a line? Hillary says nothing's off the table with Iran. Bill was a warmonger, Hillary needs to show she's got cojones too, how do you think she's going to do that?

Ralph Nader had it right all along but no one listened. He said the Democratic Party is hopelessly corrupted by corporate money and they need a cold bath. They need to lose enough voters to realize they can't abandon their base or they won't be a party. That's why he ran in 2000. It wasn't ego. He loves this country, he's given his entire life to making it better. We owe him for all the government protections of the 60s and 70s (which George is dismantling). And some sneer that he's rich. He's earned millions and plowed it back into public interest groups. He set aside $1 million but lives on $25,000 a year. A small apartment, no car, an old typewriter. Considering this economy and especially this healthcare system I don't blame him for a hedge fund. He has no kids to care for him in his old age. He will go down in history as a true American hero, with the comment that some blamed him for 2000. Some blame me for voting for him but I would never vote for any Clinton, Gore, Kerry or Obama anyway so why not. How come these people aren't blaming the 50% who don't even vote for anyone?

Much too late Pelosi we don't believe you.

And spewing gobbledegook such as...

"Unless we make our own environment, we'll be wedded to incrementalism"

... Makes you sound like those who "create our own reality", you know, Rove, Rumsfeld, etc, etc.

Only in word, not in deed.

We have no Democratic Congress.

See this is the problem with the Progressives....very quick to turn on each other. I think Pelosi has done a fine job given the political climate. She would have been torn to bits had she put Congress to "a screeching halt" and not pass a war-funding bill. She would have lost, jeopardizing the '08 elections. And all for what? The symbolic gesture? Nah...I think Pelosi is interested in tangibles, not symbols. Don't forget that we're dealing with a vile Executive Branch that's controlled by the military-industrial complex and supported by right-wing, hate-radio listening Christian nutheads. Symbols will not defeat them.

The only way Pelosi can restore any credibility is to put HR 333, the articles of impeachment against Dick Cheney, on the table and on the table before the August recess.

RichM

Thank you for the answers to my questions. If you are correct, and it appears to me that you have the answers, then I can forget about Pelosi ever signing on to impeach either Bush or Cheney. That was just a hope anyway.

After reading hundreds of comments pertaining to political issues on this website in the past two days, It also looks like we are not all, or at least a majortiy of us, inclined too stand together to have a fair chance of taking the presidency. In fact, there is not even a close resembelance of continuity amongst us.

That's a shame, for if ANY Democrat, or by chance any independent, fails to win, it will most certainly be more of the same, possibly worse.

Again, thank you for taking the time to reply to my questions. They were sincere.

Pelosi cannot be the person pushing impeachment/removal of Bush/Cheney because if it happens, she becomes the first woman President of the United States in 2007. She needs to be pushed into it by Conyers, Hoyer, etc. who won't take no for an answer. Impeachment/removal of Bush/Cheney is the right thing to do and fulfills what Americans want -- an end to the Iraq war (more than 65% of Americans want this according to national polls) and a new direction (more than 75% of the American people believe we're moving in the wrong direction according to the national polls). A plurality of American wish the Bush/Cheney Administration would just be over now according to national polls.

We would get the 67 votes in the Senate. Once the Articles of Impeachment are drafted and prosecuted, the American people would see this Administration has not only ocmmitted high crimes and misdemeanors -- specifically Bush and Cheney have -- but that it's downright Unamerican. The incumbent Republicans running for most of the 22 Republican Senate seats up in 2008 will have a choice of voting to remove or be removed by the voting of their constituencies. That's where the 67 votes come from. And the American people would support this one -- it's not about a blowjob given to a man going through male menopause.

It's come to this. The 50 states are too fragmented to be represented by ANY single government in DC, let alone a government whose lifeblood is the stream of tainted lucre flowing into Congress from K Street. Possible solutions within the system would start with a complete reform of campaign funding/voting procedures, but I really see no way that the changes needed (e.g., totally public funding of ALL! ads and outreach in ALL! political campaigns) have any chance of being enacted. Such real reform is no more likely than a federal law that makes sensible restrictions on use of things like AK47s: just cannot ever happen. So only one avenue remains apart from armed insurrection, and that is to push for the dissolution of this country into no less than ten republics. Perhaps the EU model could be used in this endeavor for aid. This, I deem, should now become the focus of activists such as those who are here sounding off. Remember: it is insufficient to just put words into a bitch session like this. All of us need to at least try and DO something concrete. The best place to start political organizing is through local actions in our own communities. At least we can start immediately to try and move LOCAL laws and practices in proper directions, such as aggressive development and use of renewable energy, changing zoning laws to permit reduced commuting, and any action whatsoever that allows us to stand independent of the large corporations, who make it steadily more difficult for ordinary small entrepreneurs to do anything, and for communities to control their own environment.

I have decided that, no matter what the discussion, I will bring up RFID techonology, because it is the most dangerous weapon being used against us. Pay Attention! WAKE UP! We Americans are being tracked, not only with cell phones, and the internet but with what we buy and through our passports and credit cards and debit cards, and soon, through our cash payments. It really is only a few years away. Do you want to be tracked? Do you want the all powerful executive branch (no matter republican or democrat) to know everything about you? For me, privacy is everything. That's what it means to be an American - the right to Privacy and Free Speech. But these rights are being demolished, right before our eyes in the name of physical safety. Do you want to be safe but not free? I don't. I'd rather be dead. America is about freedom but we are losing it all because the Corporatists are winning all.. What a life to leave to our children....No more Privacy. The State will Know-All, Be-All. We must WAKE UP!!

Mom4Peace wrote: Pelocchio

Oh how i wish I had thought up that one. Well said and nicely done! I am still laughing at that one.

Empty rhetoric from a bought-and-paid-for corporate whore.

Pelosi one of us? That is like saying Bush is on the side of the Iraq people. Pelosi promised high ethical standards and then turned around to endorse Murtha of ABSCAM disrepute. SHe promised action on climate change and gave us a very weak CAFE standard Bill of 35MPG. Pelosi runs her empty mouth about a wage for the poor and turns around an enacts another 4K raise for her and her bought and paid for friends.

70% of the American people despise these scum in congress. Piss on pelosi.

In 2002 Congress authorized funding specifically for military action against the Afghan Taliban regime and the terrorists it harbored. President George W Bush diverted $700 million of that funding for preparing his illegal attack on Iraq. In other words, the President of the United states stole $700 million from US taxpayers and spent it on an unauthorized military action. Theft of $700 million from the American people qualifies as a misdemeanor, and makes the President a criminal. The Constitutionally-mandated remedy is removal of this criminal from public office, and the method is impeachment. If Pelosi and the Democrats value this Republic and hope to pull it back from the abyss it has been pushed into by the criminals in our highest offices, they'd start impeachment proceedings now. I think the majority of Americans will back them on this, and the Dems will shed the "spineless" image the opposition, and many of its drifting supporters, feel currently defines the Democratic Party. Impeachment now would make disenchanted citizens forget about the Democrats's shameful acquiescence to the President on the most recent Iraq War Supplementary Spending Bill. Cleansing the Executive will cleanse the country and start the healing. The country needs the opposition to be strong and impeach now.

La de da. The low regard for Congress is due to its wimpish action on Iraq - - but also to its addiction to pork, its unwillingness to adopt tough ethics rules, its craven allegiance to corporate lobbyists, its timidity in confronting a power-mad administration, and its general inability to forge ahead on combating our serious national and world problems. The public wants action, Nancy, not pious words.

"We will have legislation that will change the mission in Iraq from engaging in combat to...

.... protect our interest in the region.

Ahhh, now I see the hang up.

Poet, great song, teared me up. put it to music and sing below pelosi's window in 'Frisco

COMarc, the tautology also made me keel over in laughter.

Earthian, tight summary of main progressive platform.

Evelyn Smith is worth a second thought. Pelosi may be a better poker player than many of us who are honest but not cunning enough to survive in that pool of sharks. Though RichM's argument is hard to gainsay - - impeachment may have been tough first off, but the war funding stoppage didn't need any poker.

Mike I like. Kucinich has a good heart, but he is no Bobby Kennedy. There are almost no minorities participating on this blog as the idiom, the cultural clues and language sense reveal, and the same problem with Kucinich, Nader and others. They are not reaching out to minorities and working to form the old FDR coalition. Without monorities, the progressive white working class and intellectual community that is represented here in droves, but nationally is less than half the white population in the country is not going to win with greens. dems may be bad, but monorities are scared shitless, unlike you folk, by the feral right wing whites. They need a big tent and protection from Bush's KKK which will spare you but gas them.

I don't want to introduce race here, but that's reality. a true FDR coalition should be the goal. Find a white candidate somehow like FDR, and at this moment in history you can obliterate the Rethugs for 50 years.

Aymon

elmysterio--You are 100% correct. But if we want to alter the future by changing the current directional course, we cannot dwell of past events too much.

As for Pelosi, she continues to NOT uphold and defend the Constitution from all enemies foreign and DOMESTIC which she swore an oath to do before congress and the public, which makes her a liar before congress--a felony. The same is true about every congresscritter not supproting Kucinich's bill for impeachment. Thus the Felonious Government I mentioned a few days back.

The time for words has passed. Action is not required. July 4 is Impeachment Day for Independence.

BuyMoreAmmo, you have one thing wrong in your post. The history books are going to say G.W.Bush was a courageus President who led our Country in liberating Iraq. A liberation that brought Democracy like we have done all over the World (except Cuba and some other stubborn assholes-wont say this but the message is there)as God meant our Wonderful, charitable and loving Country to do.
This is how the history books will read this episode of insanity as they have read the insanities of the past.
Your granddaughter probably will agree since "thats what my teacher said" and you wil be seen as a testie old curmudgeon.

Evelyn Smith, 6:51 pm --

Evelyn, you appear to be well-intentioned, but if you start making feeble excuses for Pelosi & the Democrats (like you're tossing out in that post there), you are barking up the wrong tree.

You ask if the Dems have enough votes to override a veto. No, they don't. You need 2/3 of a house to override. BUT that has nothing to do with why they failed to stop the war funding last month. They failed simply because they didn't want to stop the war funding. Here are the mechanics: They have majorities in both houses, so neither house can pass an appropriation if all the Dems oppose it. And for Bush to even get a chance to sign (or veto) a bill, it has to pass both houses. So the Dems have enough votes to stop any given bill from going to Bush. So if they say "No more money for the war," the war is over, and there's nothing Bush can do about it.

On your other question, Yes, I have very carefully studied Pelosi's record and what she says on all the issues. And I assure you, she is very little more than George W. Bush with a softer exterior, & better presentation skills. She doesn't have the same obnoxious moronic in-your-face style that Bush has, but in most essential ways, she is his ally.

The problem with the Democrats isn't that "we are expecting too much of them," or that "we are being impatient, & expecting miracles overnight." The problem is that their real loyalty is not to the public, but to the US financial oligarchy, without whose support they can't get elected. They regard these wealthy patrons as their true constituency, & will never cross them. This means they're basically worthless, if you're in the bottom 98% of the population.

Don't make excuses for them. There's no mistake more fatal than placing your trust in "leaders" who betray you again & again -- and reacting to this by making feeble excuses for them, & giving them still more chances to betray you.

OK, so how about a good faith offering? Kill the 'Secret' trade deal. You know the one, crafted behind closed doors so the public couldn't see Rahm and Rangel kissing lil' George's behind. Kill it dead - then we can talk about your liberal credentials.

I went to "MyDD.com" and searched for the name "Gravel" and "Kucinich" and it's nowhere to be found. For that matter I can't find Pelosi. So I looked all over this site and sure enough alternative view are not there!

So this is where Pelosi like to hang out. Yes they start to get worried when their approval rating goes below 30%, then it's time for a media blitz to prop themselves back up.

How about a publicly funded "radio free Democrats" to get the truth out about how good democrats really are? Except; Kucinich and Gravel aren't invited because they will ruin it for everybody else.

Don't get exited people; nothing has changed!

Yeah, right, Nancy. Prove it.

Pelosi was never part of the progressive Left. She was always and is a Clinton liberal and says all the things the Left wants to hear ... in other words a consummate politician. Her heart may be in the right place but her convictions are not. If she wasnt playing politics she could easily bring Congress to a screeching halt and end funding to the war.

She NEEDS to smoke a fattie. Or drop some good acid (if she can find some). She definitely needs her Doors of Perception cleansed, that's for sure.

--More likely, she's drinking RepubliKKKan Special Reserve Fascist Kool-Aid...

I have some questions.

Do the Democrats have the necessary votes to override a president's veto?

Has anyone here ever carefully studied Nancy Pelosi's voting record and or read what she really says on many important issues, and why at times she has to speak most carefully so as not to show her hand, until it is the right time to lay the cards on the table?

Did anyone consider that although someone may say, "Such and such, is not on the table" and be pissed hearing it, but not consider that the time to prepare the goose and set the table would be at an appropriate time in the future?

It takes time to line up ducks in DC. Lots of wind there.

I wonder, wonder if we will ever all pull together? We'll see!

TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE, PELOSI. YOU HAD YOUR CHANCE AND BLEW IT. RESIGN. YOU'RE A SAMPLE OF WHAT WE'D GET IF HILLARY GETS IN. RESIGN.

Looks like she's smoking a fattie

DEADlines (not non-binding "timelines") are what our troops are on! IS. SHE. SCHIZOPHRENIC? Madam Lallapeloser's neither talked the talk nor walked the walk. Stop Bush wars NOW; put IMPEACHMENT back on the table YESTERDAY!

"'We will have legislation that will change the mission in Iraq from engaging in combat to training the Iraqi troops, to fighting terrorists and also to protect our forces and our diplomats there and to protect our interest in the region,' Pelosi said."

In other words: They will continue to keep American forces in Iraq indefinitely. These korporatists in Democratic clothing are SICKENING, and are exactly why We The People are sick of them.

Earthian, Thank you a butt load for having the ability to tell it like it is...and not be afraid to do so. I am 63 yoa and it shames me to think that in just a few years my granddaughter will be old enough to say, "Pop, what did you do to help stop the assault on democracy in the early 2000s? My history book at school says there were plenty of warnings but no one seemed to care. Why was the president & vice-president called 'Little Caligula and Snarly'? And why didn't someone do something to stop what must have been an unconstitutional administration?" I don't know if I can dream up an answer in 15 years.

Nice words and sentiments, but let's see some follow through Pelosi. We're ready, and waiting, for the change that you're advertising.

I agree. If she is so hot to show her sympathy for the left how about putting impeachment back ON the table. Is it only neocons who can change course, and only for the worst purposes?

Lots of nice talk; little, if any, action. Pelosi sold us out when she took impeachment off the table. Her Democrats have squandered the opportunity to bring ab out change. They blew it. In the future, my vote will go elsewhere because of the failure of the congress she leads.

The human tragedy is this: our leadership and mainstream America are incapable of looking ahead to the future to realize what is essential to our well-being, and too blind to the past where history has already shown consistently what happens when we act like we are doing now. So the war will continue, sowing the seeds for the next war.

I'm not saying its easy to make a change, but we first have to make the change in our minds before we can make the change in our actions.

I voted for Nader the last two elections (switched temporarily to Kucinich for the last primary) but mostly I have to write off the democratic party (with few exception like Rep. Barbara Lee and Rep. Lynn Woolsey).

I am looking for a candidate whose first allegiance is to the common good.

so it goes,
AG

http://www.notonemore.us/staythecourse.htm - Bush Stays the Course

"experts at stringing along desperate progressives and paleo-liberals into believing that they really support that constituency's issues and beliefs."

You couldnt have said this better !!!

The system is so corrupted by big business dollars, and money from foreign governments looking to by support for their repressive regime, it is hard to imagine any meaningful change coming out of the national government. They are all bought and paid for. The problem is capitalism as socio-political system. See Amy Goodman's interview with Ken Silverstein regarding the power of lobing firms, this is the perfect example of why capitalism is a miserable failure as a socio-political system.

I love the bit about where Pelosi is quoted as saying "This is urgent … the special interests are entrenched,". That is rich, does she realy thik we don't know who keeps her in power? It certainly is not the democratic base in her own district.

Pelosi is a centrist at best, and se is pandering to the "left" whatever that is. If it were up to me I would lace the water coolers in congress and the senate with some realy potent LSD.

The next 2 years are going to be quite telling.

Hello Nancy. Ummm, I have been around for a while and I remember what someone told me when I was young and I'd like to share it with you.

"Action speaks louder than words"

So I have one thing to say to you at this time when you continue to do things that will shorten your career.

Stop talking, shut up and do something! These are the times when great Americans find a place in history. So what's it gonna be speaker, fame or mediocrity?

When Pelosi could hardly wait to announce that impeachment was "off the table" last November, blog comments by progressive Democrats claimed that this was a shrewd and canny rope-a-dope strategy. What she really meant, it was suggested, was that impeachment was off the table "for now"; once the various Democratic committee chairmen promptly and aggressively conducted hearings to probe into the various crimes committed by the Executive Branch cabal, impeachment would be returned to the table as the centerpiece.

I wanted to believe, but I had my doubts. The doubts were confirmed when the Democrats caved on the Iraq supplemental funding issue. They are indeed the Enabling Party, the Republican Lite Party, or at best the Trying Party (i.e. they're always trying their best to do the right thing, but they're simply outgunned and outmanned).

Pelosi and Reid, and the so-called "top tier" of Democratic candidates, are no more anti-war that Bush and Blair. They are, however, experts at stringing along desperate progressives and paleo-liberals into believing that they really support that constituency's issues and beliefs. They don't. They are wealthy elitists, and pro-Zionist to boot. After 2006, this disaffected independent isn't taking the bait again.

As someone once said: "There's an old saying in Tennessee. I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee, that says: 'Fool me once... shame on... [pause] Shame on you... [pause] If fooled, you can't get fooled again.'"

Madame Pelosi is in charge of the brothel and caters to special interests in the middle...
and of course she has favorite customers like W.

I never liked her opinion of Hugo Chavez when she descibed him as a thug for calling our thug of a president the devil...non of these miserable politicians have a sense of humor nor ever exhibit it if they do...but they are awfully good at laughing at the people of this country.

Re: Impeachment off the table

Which theory recommends telling people in advance that they will not be held accountable?

I feel like we're being governed by 5-year olds.

Action, Nancy, action.

Re: Mike Gravel and his work with the AdTI, there is nothing sinister there. Gregory Fossedal wrote the book on the Swiss practice of direct democracy (all of our US ballot initiative laws were copied from the Swiss around the turn of the century). In the last 15 or more years of effort which Mike has put into empowering the people with the ability to participate directly in making the laws which govern our lives, www.nationalinitiative.org, Greg and Mike had many worthwhile opportunities to work together to promote direct democracy.

from Google: AdTI - Alexis de Tocqueville Institution, information on French author and statesman Alexis de Tocqueville, research on the spread and perfection of democracy.
www.adti.net/

Pelocchio
http://la.indymedia.org/news/2007/05/199825.php

B.ring
U.S.
S.oldiers
H.ome!

"We will have legislation that will change the mission in Iraq from engaging in combat to training the Iraqi troops, to fighting terrorists and also to protect our forces and our diplomats there and to protect our interest in the region," Pelosi said.

THERE'S the problem right there. The United States have NO legitimate interests in the region. You Americans seem to think the world is yours for the taking. You've depleted your own resources so you're after everyone else's... I'm sure Iraq would be happy to sell you oil on the global market... instead you need to take over their country to let your bloodthirsty companies rape the country.

The #1 problem in this world is the UNITED STATES. Evil, greedy, stupid and self-rightous.

There's no real difference between your two parties... just varying degrees of evil. The US has NEVER been the "Shining city on the hill"... Your country was founded on blood and has demanded it ever since. So you can't say you've lost your way... you never were on the right path in the first place!

i love C-D, but i think articles like this reflect their basic orientation.
ALL of you are pissed to the hilt at pelosi & co.
www.wsws.org

Each of the comments above is an indication that CommonDreams IS the home of the progressive community. The disgust with Pelosi's policies is universal here. That is inspiring! I'd add only one piece. The article says, ". . . she is constrained by a diverse caucus, the inability to muster 60 votes in the Senate to pass legislation . . . "

As is typical of most status quo, corporate Democrats, she will not take a stand against such a non-democratic model as a disproportionate Senate with such rules that 41 Senators representing mostly small states (and as little as 25 percent of the population) can block the democratic wishes of the majority of the American people. The progressive platforms of The Green Party of the United States, of Kucinich, of Nader, and of many of the state progressive caucuses in the state Democratic Parties advocate proportional representation. If California with nearly 40 million had the same representation as Wyoming in the Senate (with 500,000 people), it would have 160 senators. She and other corporate Democrats like her won't challenge such electoral nonsense, just like they won't impeach; won't call the occupation an occupation; won't call the Iraq invasion a crime (not a "mistake"); won't call for war crimes trials for Bush, Cheney, Rice, Rumsfeld and the others who destroyed that nation; won't advocate REAL universal health care; and, in fact, won't advocate for ANY major progressive position from the progressive platform. So the commenters above are right: she has words of support for progressives, but she is not one of us. To use the superb language in Charles Derber's book, Hidden Power, she is a fervent, dedicated supporter of the third corporate regime--in contrast to Kucinich and Gravel, who on domestic, foreign and electoral policies, are advocates of a new progressive regime. The contrast could not be more clear. But I say what we readers at the "Home of the (True) Progressive Community" already know. Bravo to the commenters above! You all give me great hope.

Put impeachment front and center and then tell us that the dems will not condon the stealing of Iraqi oil which should equal bringing all the troops home soonest!Turn back the assaults on the Constitution then I think we can talk.Tony

"..protect our interest..." That means military.

Manifest Destiny: remember that terms from 8th grade history? The military has always played a role in opening markets, and enabling theft of resources.

NP is all talk. Just another politician who got bit by the Gospel according to BushCo and saw the light.

".... Pelosi's aides believe that they have successfully changed the debate on the war in Iraq and that the public's frustration with the course of the war has provided an opening to be more confrontational with Bush and to pursue tougher measures to end the war."

The solution is simple. If they don't cooperate, file criminal charges against them! Is there not sufficient evidence among whistleblowers to put these people in jail?

How much longer do the citizens of this country have to endure this political game-playing before something constructive is accomplished to benefit "everyone" and not just the minority elitists who control the money?

The G.W. Bush administration has made Richard Nixon's crew look like boyscouts!......and worst of all, Congress has done nothing to stop this insanity.

Let me also point out (while I'm expressing my outrage) that under the Nixon administration, this country was fiscally solvent!

Enough said.

Nothing short of a revolution or mass secession can help us now. Bush is the 2nd worst president ever, Lincoln is the absolute worst for not letting the confederacy/Jesusland go its own way. Slavery was on its way out and wouldn't have lasted another 20 to 30 years at most. An independent "Yankeeland" would have been very similar to Canada or western Europe politically and culturally. The Confederate States of America would have been somewhere between Yankeeland and Mexico, but probably closer to Mexico culturally/economically and in terms of how powerful the state is.

Sorry to keep adding comments, but this stuff is just too funny ...

"'We will have legislation that will change the mission in Iraq from engaging in combat to training the Iraqi troops, to fighting terrorists and also to protect our forces and our diplomats there and to protect our interest in the region,' Pelosi said."

BTW, that's exactly what Bush says the 'mission' is in Iraq today. Even when she's trying to suck up to 'the left', she's still backing Bush 100%!

To some of the comments above ...

-- we already know what a Clinton presidency would look like. We had 8 years of it. Been there, done that, had a t-shirt, but sold it at a yard sale years ago.

A Clinton presidency means trade deals that favor corporations and send our jobs overseas. It means 'welfare reform', and 'the era of big government is over.' It means illegal wars overseas, and supporting and funding right-wing terrorists (see plan Colombia). It means passing 'anti-terror' legislation when bad wiring makes an airplane blow up. It means 'logging riders' that give the logging companies the rights to destroy our forests. It means a 'jobless recovery'. It means forget about campaign finance reform because they'll be hustling dollars in exchange for sleepovers in the Lincoln bedroom. And on and on and on. My reaction to the last Clinton presidency was to vote for Nader in 2000. I'm sure not in any hurry for a second.

And ... 'Clinton liberal' is an oxymoron.

The best thing we can do to 'alter the political climate' would be to kick all the Congressional Democrats the heck out of office and replace them with Greens and Independents. The Democrats are not the solution to the problem. The Democrats are the problem.

Bullshit!

Words don't count. Actions count. We've seen Pelosi's actions. She promised right after the last election she'd deliver the war funding uncut and with no strings attached, and she's delivered on her promise to the power brokers. She promised before last election she'd help protect Bush and keep him in office and make sure there was no impeachment, and she's delivering on that promise.

From her actions, I know exactly who's side Pelosi is on.

Yes.. Pelosi may be too late in waving her wrinkled flag. The idea is to step up and take action when it is needed. She balked at the 'I' word for King George and then she balked at stepping in and being a voice to stop the war ASAP. They all just signed away 'hope' when it was right in front of their faces. Now, after the fact, the democrats are getting brave again. Has a familiar ring to it doesn't it?

YAWN. Pelosi used all her political capital months ago. She is lame.

Ms. Pelosi, I'll believe it when I see it. Talk is cheap. Actions speak louder than words. Put your money where ........well, you get it.

Great song, Poet.

And by the Way, Nancy, we all know what you mean when you say universal health care. And it's not single payer. It's meant to put a smile on the faces of insurance CEOs.

MEDICARE FOR ALL

Insurance companies: get your bean counters out of our healthcare decisions and your hands out of our wallets! Please explain why we should spend 30% of our healthcare dollars on you, and force our healthcare providers to spend 20% of their earnings justifying their charges to you? Medicare For All can do all this for less than 3% of our healthcare dollars without denying treatment or cherrypicking patients. You're ruining our economy and our lives. So get out. And Nancy, you should be ahamed of yourself for pandering to these people instead of the voters you're supposed to represent.

The article is laughable BS. The phrase "the fiery liberal wing of the Democratic Party" in the first sentence announces loud & clear that the article is aimed exclusively at gullible idiots.

There is no such thing as "the fiery liberal wing of the Democratic Party." The best the Dem Party has is Dennis Kucinich -- and he's not quite what his admirers think he is, either. (If he were, he wouldn't have caved in & supported the contemptible warmonger Kerry in 2004. And he would have long since denounced his party & become an independent, if his principles were really what he claims them to be.)

And after Kucinich, who at least holds some admirable positions, there are only a small handful of Dems who even qualify as "decent." After these 4 or 5 (say, Lee, Woolsey, Waters, maybe Conyers & Feingold), they all pretty much stink. That's hardly the makings of any "fiery liberal wing."

Pelosi should primarily be understood as a Bush-enabler. She doesn't even know what "The Left" is. She probably thinks it's a synonym for "Democrats." She probably regards Bush & Cheney and all the other Rethuglican monsters as "colleagues," with whom she has a few tactical differences, but with whom she shares many goals & aspirations. It wouldn't surprise me if the thought had never occurred to her that she represents the same social forces as Bush & Cheney.

With friends like these...

Hmm...Let's see. Unbelievable quotes from discredited sources:

"I'm from the IRS and I'm here to help."

"Fox News--fair and balanced"

"I'm no crook"--Richard Nixon

"I'm Nancy Pelosi and I'm on the Left's side"

The Poet feels a song coming on:

With apologies to bob Dylan I present:

Nancy's Song
It ain't no use to sit and wonder why, babe
It don't matter, anyhow
An' it ain't no use to sit and wonder why, babe
If you don't know by now
When your rooster crows at election's dawn
Look out your window and we'll be gone
You're the reason we're trav'lin' on
Don't think twice, it's all right

It ain't no use in turnin' on your light, babe
That light we never knowed
An' it ain't no use in turnin' on your light, babe
We're on the dark side of the road
Still we wish there was somethin' you would do or say
To try and change your mind and not stray
But you never did too much listenin' anyway
So don't think twice, it's all right

It ain't no use in callin' out our names, gal
Like you never did before
It ain't no use in callin' out our names, gal
We can't hear you any more
We're a-thinkin' and a-wond'rin' all the way down the road
We once trusted a woman, a progressive we were told
We gave you our hearts but you sold out your soul
But don't think twice, it's all right

We're walkin' down that long, lonesome road, babe
Where we're bound, we can't tell
But goodbye's too good a word, gal
So we'll just say fare thee well
We ain't sayin' you treated us unkind
You could have done better but we don't mind
You just kinda wasted our precious time
But don't think twice, it's all right

gyptian said: "experts at stringing along desperate progressives and paleo-liberals into believing that they really support that constituency's issues and beliefs You couldnt have said this better. !!!"

I agree too!

If anyone is wondering what a Clinton Presidency would be like look no further than Pelosi.

NMBill

I spent about a month or two checking out and participating over at mydd. After several reads and posts, I came to a very similar conclusion.

Overt willingness for main edops to support(pander, give favor to?) Blue-dogs, Obama (at least optimistically), and Edwards. Mydd mission appears to focus on new media technology and its use to advocate and push "liberal" agendas into the political landscape. Political operatives intent on swaying public. Even if that means backing blue dogs. interacts w/kos -networks. I came out of there wondering what the hell liberal and progressive meant to them. I don't know if that is really to important. I don't see social change as much as technology change? I mainly see it as a left-leaning, upstart- media network intended to supplant FOX and broadcast in general.

They be lobbying in DC. There's a reason they make the Hill, TAP, and get the politicians. Politicians might assume mydd is reaching progressives maybe because mydd is convincing when they label themselves progressive., "direct democracy(!)" but no Mike Gravel? Mydd forums mock direct democracy advocate Mike Gravel. (Then again Gravel is a former chairman of AdTI)

We do not need to work with the Democratic party. They need to work with us. This is not about making a compromise that everyone can live with. This is about ending the nightmare of the Bush administration NOW. The Democrats on Capitol Hill, to borrow and repurpose a phrase, are either with us or they're against us.

End the occupation of Iraq. Impeach the Bush Administration. Aggressively pursue a national sustainable energy policy (wind and solar, not nukes or liquid coal). Leave the WTO. Simple, obvious stuff, IMO.