One problem is the well know "Potomac Fever" that hits politicians after a few years in Washington. They get the power, lobbyists are sending them on cool trips, they are paid
150,000+ for what should really be a part time job, they are surrounded by synchophatic ass-kissers, and they get treated like rock stars. Pretty soon they forget the people that sent them there, except 6 months before election time. Once an incumbent, trying to defeat them is like joining a 100 meter race where your opponent gets a 25 meter head start.

Bring back the idea of term limits. Put it in the Constitution,
since we remember how many Republicans and Democrats that took the pledge to not run again actually kept their word.

Repubs and Demoprats - both horns on the one goat. I still think there is a shiver out there looking for a spine to crawl up.

"Congressman John Conyers Betrays the American People."
He's not alone. Didn't you mean the Congress?

Well, Medea, I guess it had to take a bare slap in the face by the Democratic Party leadership in Congress to finally wake you up to what the Democrats really are. You played footsie with these corporate-dominated people since 2004 thinking that the Democratic Party was the progressives' only hope for change. SURPRISE! Now, come back to the Green Party where your leadership is sorely needed.

congress is made up of all the big brothers who hold up the toy mom got you-right out of your reach and keep taunting, " see. i'm in charge-i was here first "
they don't care if you're right or the urgency of it all-they just run things, and you " can't have it. "
time for this territorial brain based system to end. to hell with the " US government " it's killing us all.

It's funny that the Dems say we should concentrate on getting a Democrat into the White House. It hasn't done us a damn bit of good to give them control of Congress, so what difference would it make to give them the White House? Bunch of Republican lapdogs.

the "election event" of 2000 was not an election. was a coup, these nazzi's won't leave in '09, or any other year, the money never relinquishes power voluntarily. we must shut down their cash cow, or show willingness to do so.

Kuchinich and Gravel ought to get out of the Democratic Party because it's impairment to their credibility.
---
The two did pretty good last night on CNN/YouTube debates.

Gravel, was allowed half the time of the others, I thought that wasn't funny!

I agree with these sentiments entirely, but question one key piece of the chronology.

Nancy Pelosi as I recall announced that impeachment was "off the table" prior to the 2006 Congressional elections, not just after formally becoming House Speaker. To my recollection, Rush, Hannity and the usual neo-con demagogues were rabidly fear mongering the notion that liberals were planning a "coup" that would make Pelosi the President. Taking impeachment "off the table" (and having Nancy Pelosi keep an incredibly low public profile prior to the 2006 balloting) was a way of blunting that right wing propaganda campaign.

Please correct me if I'm wrong about this chronology.

In any event, I wholeheartedly agree that that was then, and this is now. The Democratic leadership should have responded to Bush's surge/escalation by putting impeachment very much back on the table. Not only is the threat of impeachment intertwined with ending the occupation of Iraq, it remains the trump card for purposes of actually forcing the White House to begin the withdrawal process prior to Bush leaving office.

Conyers should start the hearings, while the Senate should focus on repeal of the AUMF and the most noxious provisions of the Patriot and Military Commissions acts.

Bill from Saginaw

Conyers and Pelosi can't be as unprincipled as they seem to be. Did they receive a visit from a couple of guys, five feet eight, 250 pounds, saying "Now, we wouldn't anything bad to happen to youse guys..." or were more sophisticated techniques used to frighten them into the abject submission they now display?

Dims always have the same answer as they sell us out -- elect us and contribute to our campaigns . . .

Repugs never worry about "having the votes," they know how to push even the most horrendous legislation through.

"...proof of the bankruptcy of the two-party system..."

Exactly. It's nonsense to believe that the greatest democracy on the planet can only have 2 viable political parties. This only leads to oligarchical collectivism, hence, impeachment is off the table.

Also, note that no other country on the planet has an American form of government. The 231 year old form of government is past its prime. It's time for a new American revolution.

Conyers told you why he will not move to impeach. He's not unprincipled. It's the same with Pelosi. They don't have the votes. It would be futile and useless and they'd look like buffoons. And, occupying his office won't help.

He told you what to do if you want him to move to impeach. Get him the votes. Start turning GOP reps and senators. Put the pressure on them. Get them to propose impeachment.

Any other tactic and you're preaching to the choir. Convert the GOP.

DUMP THE DEMOCRATS!
UNITE INTO A NEW THIRD PARTY NOW!

We the people, opposed to the destruction of the planet and it's peoples, now atomized and powerless in "grass roots" and "special interest" groups, must unite our efforts and resources into a new party to replace the corrupt Democratic Party! A new party that rejects corporate funding in order to end the corporate plunder of the federal government.

A new party explicitly opposed to the Project for the New American Century. Opposed to unending war for profit and power. Cut the military budget by 50%, shut down the 700 military bases around the world. Re-instate taxes cut by Bush gang.

A new party that commits the entire resources of the country to end global warming, end imperialist wars, implements true non-profit universal health care. promotes mass transportation, develops renewaable energy, and produces the essentials for human survival.

A new party that promotes an economy that works towards fulfilling the economic needs of all the people, not just to profit a tiny minority of super wealthy. No more people living on the streets! No more hospitalized people being dumped into the streets when they have no money or health insurance! (See the film SICKO)

A new party to unite all of the oppressed people of this country. A new party that cuts across all the false social and cultural divisions that keep us forever powerless (racial, ethnic, age, language, etc.). A new party to unite us against the unending destruction of peoples and planet.

A SOCIALIST HUMANIST PARTY to promote the end of gangster capitalism, run-amok capitalism, which is supported by both Democratic and Republican parties.

A new party to support the labor movement and all working people. We urge the labor movement to stop supporting the Democratic Party (already besotted by corporate money), and to focus its precious resources to fund a new national radio and television network. By being on the air 24 hours a day the labor movement can provide the latest news, information, education and current affairs analysis desperately needed by all working people. This effort, combined with the formation of the new party, will be a bold step towards reviving the organized labor movement.

For years we have listened to radio programs like DEMOCRACY NOW! that has discussed with numerous "grass roots" groups desperately struggling to make a positive change in society. Anti-war protest groups, civil rights groups, union struggles, affordable housing groups, teachers unions, health care access, seniors about Social Security, have involved millions of people. Now is the time to unite the energy and resources of the people into a new party.

The new party provides a means of uniting the "special interest" agendas of each group into the platform of the new party. The new party candidates, selected from the various individuals and groups, would become the candidates representing their cause and the new party. The new party will contest for office at every level of government in order to take power. The new party will provide the new leadership and new programs this country desperately needs.

There is still time before November 2008 elections to start this process. Even the announcement and preparation for a founding convention of such a new party will shock both Democrats and Republican incumbents. They will know that their days are numbered!

The needs of all previous "minority" and "special interests" people now become the platform of the new party representing the vast majority of people. Can the existing activists of so-called "minority" and "special interest" groups overcome their existing powerlessness, and link up with each other to start this new party?

This all-inclusive struggle will attract millions of atomized working people, often non-voters and uninvolved people, who have been atomized, exploited, brain-washed by corporate media and ultimately destroyed by gangster capitalism.

This is why we need to urge other voters NOT to vote Democrat or Republican. Get the word out. If someone somehow can get on television at the next Democratic Party debate, sequester Mike Gravel and Dennis Kucinich (they are the good guys) and blast the rest of the panel. Let the public see our outrage and expose the other candidates for the myopic, feckless, corrupt, corporate sellouts they are. Support the blast with a laundry list of irrefutable facts. Tell Conyers, Pelosi & Co. to enjoy their remaining days in office because we will vote them out. Seriously folks, it is time for the blitz, or I apologize for the term, but "shock and awe" politicians by seeing millions of people vote them out of office. We need to deliver the referendum and recall on these idiots. And we need to do it now! But the only way is by expanding our base and sending Washington an unmistakable message: your days are numbered in political office!

We need to change the democratic system in this country to be based less on economic value and more on democratic value.

The same goes for the mainstream media. We need to keep the internet open and flourishing.

Then we will have leaders who will be more in line with the goals of peace, legitimate governments, fair markets, and healthy environments.

We shouldn't be shocked that the current system has us in this type of environment. We also shouldn't give up. We need to be active, not passive.

I totally agree that we need a Third Party and this is the time to do it. More than 40% of voters in this country actually are ready to vote for an Independent candidate. We need to capitalize on this!

As soon as I learned that Pelosi was a tool of AIPAC, I reckoned she was irreconcilably damaged goods. Unfortunately, this does not distinguish her in Washington. Nothing she has done since this revelation has countervailed my lowest expectations of her politics and her morality. The Clintons, Pelosis, Feinsteins, and Liebermans of the world are not now, nor have they ever been Democrats, progressives, populists, or legitimate statesmen. They are professional scammers, virtually indistinguishable from the slightly more rabid Republicans. Expect very little. Conyers doesn't know what time zone he's in.

Today, loyalbushieGonzo admitted there were "other secret intelligence activities" being conducted illegally above and beyond the NSA party we already know about. So let's do the math: Cheneybush have been illegally spying on US for over 6 years now, and not a single terrorist cell or terrorist or friend of a terrorist or plot or plan or scheme has been discovered. Which means either A) the "homeland" is secure, or B) an ulterior motive. Like, say, threatening Congress members and Senators with exposure of whatever dirty laundry they've found via the illegal spying, for example... Maybe JC and NP have skeletons in their closets Rove is dangling over their heads...

the POINT of the impeachment proceedings is to GET THE VOTES, it's like evidence at a trial, you convince the jury. Perhaps if they started the proceedings and the media had to pay attention some people might wake up and lean on their reps, isn't this how it's supposed to work.
The problem is with Pelosi, she is one of the top 10 wealthiest members of congress(both houses), do you really think she has your best interests at heart? These people live in such a different world they don't really know we exist.

Read Charles Derber's framework in his book Hidden Power. There are two kids of Democratic Party politicians: corporate and progressive. We need to replace the corporate, militarist Democrats with progressive Democrats *and* strengthen the Green Party. A two-party strategy wouldn't be necessary if we had legislatures that were structured with proportional representation like Germany, New Zealand and Ireland. But we don't. So we progressives need to work with both from precinct to county-level to state-level to Congress.

the Dems and Repubs are wearing out their fingers washing each others backs

its a shell game with only two shells, and no pea.

1. Impeachment.
The House's appointment of a special counsel would garner publicity and public outrage as evidence of impeachable offences would be gathered and exposed. The American majority now supporting impeachment of Cheney would increase considerably, as would the current near majority in favor of impeaching Bush. This public support would, in turn, force reluctant Democrats and possibly even some Republican members of the House to support impeachment.

The public airing of the administration's crimes in this process, and impeachment by the House, even without conviction by the Senate, would be sufficient to destroy the legacy of the administration in the public mind. It would help to jell the public preception of this presidency as a dark one, at least as bad, as Nixon's. It would also discredit the senior people and policies of the administration and help to ward them off in the future.

2. Electing a Democratic President.
Getting Hillary or Obama elected will not solve the basic problems. Hillary has pledged to keep tens of thousands of US tropps in Iraq even AFTER the war is over (Washington Post, July 16, 2007, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/15/AR2007071501112.html?nav=hcmodule). She would continue her Republican-lite political tactics and give a fresh face and a Democratic seal of approval to many of the Bush policies by continuing them, not apologizing for supporting the war, not exposing the extent of the NSA eavesdropping, etc. Only an impeachment process can expose the extent of these policies and repudiate them.

As a lifelong Democrat (I'm 63) I gave up entirely on the two party system this past year. It's completely obvious to me that the two parties are simply two sides of the same ruling class and our only salvation is to create a multi-party system. Oh, yes, AND we MUST impeach the violators.

Do we prosecute criminals only when we're convinced that we will win the case? Refusing to impeach the violators is tacit approval of the violations.

"Pelosi's chief of staff, Terry McCullough". That explains the DLC's meathooks on both Pelosi and Conyers. It's about corporate campaign cash, as usual, with some threats thrown in for good measure. They may know something we can't know. But let's face it. Politicians can't save us. Only we can save ourselves. And that means direct grassroots democracy, as in the Green Party. Vote for progressive Dems, but switch2greens.

Welcome to the world of Ernst Roehm, Leon Trotsky, and Lin Biao. All three represented the more radical elements of the Nazi, Soviet Communist, and Chinese Communist parties.

All three and their followings were tolerated as neccessary head count on the way to siezing control on behalf of their movements. All three were ultimately banished and subsequently executed by those movements whose power they helped to build.

Common dreamers you will be tolerated for as long as you are an interesting side-show in the circus of power. The moment you seek to move to the main ring you better either be willing to die, have way too many people to be easily killed, or have way more guns than "they" do.

As for those Democrats like Conyers and Pelosi, my bet is that if anyone's life was threatened it wasn't their own but rather the lives of their children and grand children. That's how organized criminals do it.

As for Cindy and Medea and all the other brave leadership in the peace movement. Know that you have been infiltrated from the beginning and are not only being closely watched, but also being carefully influenced buy "them".

Case in point Ray McGovern "former" CIA operative (as if anyone in that "comnpany" is ever "former" short of being in the grave).

Greenman is right: The purpose of beginning impeachment proceedings is to GET THE EVIDENCE OUT ON THE TABLE WHERE PEOPLE CAN SEE IT. It's the PROCESS which is important here, because the beginning of the proceeding will mean the beginning of the gathering and assembling of the (massive) evidence necessary to convict after impeachment. Once the evidence starts to come in, even the RepubliKKKan enablers of these fascist thieves will be hard-pressed to vote "no". Or at least the ones who want reelection will be.

I saw the same dynamic work with Nixon; at the beginning there were far too few votes to impeach, but within months that had completely changed. And the Bush syndicate is worse than Nixon ever thought he could get away with; the threat posed by them (Iran is next on their neocon-attack list!) is so great that they MUST be stopped.

Paul Craig Roberts, former treasury official under Reagan and the inventor of Reaganomics, said last week that he believes that in one year, we will be a fascist dictatorship at war with Iran. For this reason alone we should be vigorously checking-and-balancing the Bushthieves. But I fear the "mainstream media" poison has set in too deeply. And that Roberts is right.

Heil Bush...

For all of you Ralph Nader haters and bad-mouthers -- that includes quite a few in the so-called "liberal-left" community -- here is yet another reason why the Nader candidacy is so valuable.

What is the fail standard for Democrats?

How many times must they spit in the eye of the people before the people decide to vote for a third candidate and party?

Nader has said, time and time again, that there's not a dime's worth of difference between the "..craps" and the "..pugnants," and we see, with the arrest of peace activists yesterday, that he's right.

For Christ's sake, don't vote for the Democrats in 08! Send 5, 10, 20 bucks to Cindy Sheehan and to John Conyers' opponent(s) in the primary! At least do that much.

I agree with Medea that Conyers' action is proof of the bankruptcy of the two party system. But then isn't everything they do proof of their bankruptcy.

It used to be said that the difference between Democrats and Republicans is that Democrats use vaseline. I'm getting the feeling that is no longer true.

lksafford:
I completely agree with you. We are all singing to the CD choir and pushing the Democrats to move the Bush administration mountain without the votes they need to get the job done. The goal is impeachment of an imperial president and vice president. The Republican House Representatives are the reason that impeachment is "off the table". They are the ones that need to hear from all of us on a daily basis. They need to feel our anger. We need their votes. We need to speak loudly enough that they can't avoid hearing us.

Taxation without representation.

America has the best democracy corporations can buy. The industries of the military elect our politicians and feed them afterwards. Common people have no voice in this government.

May the revolution be as swift as it is peaceful.

Vote out ALL incumbents.

Peace to you and yours.

Don't vote.

Let this be the least participated in election EVER. There is NO difference between a Dem or a Rep, so WHY VOTE?

Let's bottom this thing OUT and get some EFFECTIVE change.

Peace to you and yours.

p.s.

KUCINICH '08 (dreaming)

The key problem with Conyers argument that "we don't have the votes" is that it fails to acknowledge that the importance of impeachment proceedings is the PROCESS, not the OUTCOME of the proceedings.

Whether impeachment goes through and a hearing begins in the Senate or not, the purpose of the proceeding at this point, as pointed out by Nichols and Fein in the Bill Moyers show, is to restore balance to our system of government.

It's simple. Our democracy is off kilter. Impeachment proceedings are the mechanism to right the ship. Whether Bush gets impeached or not is not essential to that end. The end is democracy, not removal from office.

Impeachment fever is speading. The body is fighting back, though we are only seeing a small part of it. Impeachment fever is spreading -- the body is fighting back.

When will we learn that there is no difference between the "two" parties.There are only the ruling elites and then the rest of us.

Seconding alamac and greenman: Impeach to bring the info out in an organized and ery public manner. Do this because we must for the sake of the Constitution. The proceedings will raise the number of votes necessary.

I would not want any of the current Dem candidates to become President thinking he or she just might take advantage (just a little) of the expansion of executive power that would be left behind in the White House if this Administration's actions are not challenged. Esp. Ms. Clinton and the other hawks (a-military-base-in-every-country-and-a-thumb-in-every-economy imperialists) in the crowd.

We have politicians; we need statesmen and women--Big Picture people. I'm rooting for Ms. Sheehan for reviving the Congress in 2008.

The problem with the word "elites" is that it confers too much respect on those with money. It reinforces a "wimpy, worthless us" and "almighty, great them" mindset.

IT'S TIME PEOPLE. With the vast majority of people visiting this site and sites like moveon.org, we can make a difference. Write to your congressmen, representatives, newspapers, and anyone else you can think of, and let them know how ANGRY and DISGUSTED you are. Jam their phones with calls. Remind them that they work for us. DO IT TODAY. Attend your local demonstrations, DON'T GIVE UP! CHANNEL your anger and disgust. HIT THE STREETS. TIME TO TAKE BACK WHAT BELONG TO US. WE ARE THE MAJORITY.

http://www.house.gov/pelosi/contact/contact.html
John.Conyers@ mail.house.gov
http://Kucinich.house
www.house.gov/writerep/
feingold.senate.gov/
reid.senate.gov/

the democrats are SO worthless. how could any crowd roar approval over any speech of theirs? i've seen them stand there and make so many promises. it's time to end this pathetic 2 party system and get something new

The two party, money corrupted, corporatists have got us by the neck, and they know it. They have things organized to make it virtually impossible for a serious opposition (third party or revolutionary movement) to develop here. The media who are in bed with them--after all they are fellow corporatists, aren't they--create and enforce the day to day consensual reality of the United States and that reality is: the disempowered and discouraged majority--us-- live under a fascist government doing the bidding of the very rich and corporations who gather ever more of the country's wealth and power onto themselves. They keep us passive and compliant by keeping most of us in debt and worried about losing jobs and benefits. That used to be called debt peonage, and proved an effective method of keeping down the restive working drone class in earlier times. The prospects of real change in the United States are slim it seems. The rest of the world marvels at how the majority in the so-called model democracy puts up with this tyranny.

I'm going to say it again: They were most likely bribed by the GOP. I think the last time I posted this it was edited out of the blog. But for heaven's sake, people, use Occam's Razor!

If the other side has enough money to hire private mercenaries like Blackwater, and there is virtually no oversight of the official war spending, there's lots of money to grease palms.

Impeachment is off the table because Karl Rove deposited too much suitcase money there.

Improve your state, abolish the federal government!

Or, limit all elections to one person, one vote.

The tax rate for all corporations should be: 1.) full medical coverage for every person in US, 2.) global peace, 3.) a chicken in every pot & a roof over every head. Then they can distribute their obscene profits to their share holders.

I completely agree with 'goner' above. I'd like to add an analogy...

For Conyers to say that he won't pursue impeachment because they don't have the votes is like seeing your own child drowning in a lake, and not jumping in to save her because you can't swim.

I'm sorry that his government, his country, and the US Constitution are not important enough to Rep Conyers to risk his own embarrassment (or whatever the hell it is he thinks he has to lose).

There's one other thing I'd like to point out: for Democrats to say 'let's focus on '08' is basically agreeing with the Bushies that the Presidency is more powerful than Congress. They're either co-equal branches or they aren't, and eschewing impeachment in favor of focusing on an election over a year away is inherently defeatist.

There is no such thing as "co-equal" branches of government!!!!

Go read the Constitution. The powers and duties vested in Congress far outweigh those of the Executive and Judiciary.

Or, better still, go read Madison's Notes on the Federal Convention.

Maybe it's time to reject so-called Democrats altogether. We've know for a long time that there's little difference between the two parties. The Republicans are maybe a bit better groomed. The Democrats may have a little more formal education. What they share is an unprincipled view of government. an utter disregard for the public interest, and a treasury kept fat by rich patrons. Promise now to work against every Democrat, even to the point of asking people not to vote at all, and you might be heard. No Democrat for mayor. No Democrat for state rep. No Democrat for selectman or constable. No Democrat for dogcatcher. If Republicans win, so what? Republicans win when Democrats win, as they've proved in a few short months.

Hello Medea,

Thank you for continuing to demand and end to the war and impeachment.

But we need to introduce new ideas into the political discourse. Each electoral season, politicians tell us what we want to hear, and then we express indignation and even surprise when they betray us in office.

I have a new idea. Last year, in fact, I made the idea concrete, running for Congress under the auspices of Nevada Vote Direct, a new organization that had implemented a perfectly viable and fully operational system for putting registered voters in Nevada's 2nd Congressional District directly IN CONTROL of the votes of their representative in Washington. The system incorporated fair and secure open-source Internet and telephone technology to enable citizens to vote on specific legislation pending in Congress. As the candidate, I pledged that I would vote in Congress strictly and only as directed by the majority of my constituents. Naturally, I can't tell you about the system in just a few words, but I can assure you that it was thoroughly thought through so that the design of the system and its rules of procedure ensured that it would honestly reflect the will of the people.

I should add that this new technology may be easily (indeed MUST be) implemented at all levels of society; for example, in labor unions where leadership has been either notoriously corrupt or merely incompetent in their representation of the real needs and desires of their rank-and-file memberships.

I am continuing to pursue this project at America Vote Direct, which I hope you may be interested in looking up. I am appending below our announcement email, which I hope you will consider forwarding to your friends and associates.

With best regards,
Daniel Rosen

Hello,

I'm writing to ask you please to help me spread the word about America Vote Direct.

We are inviting prospective candidates for Congress who are willing to take our "PLEDGE" to apply for support through America Vote Direct. We will provide Vote Direct DMS technology, customized and free of charge, to all successful applicants, one per congressional district. And we will coordinate campaigns in each state under our national campaign umbrella to maximize the efforts of all.

The Vote Direct PLEDGE: "As your Representative in Congress, I will vote exactly as you, the citizens in my district, direct me to vote through your participation on our district's Vote Direct website, or by secure telephone connection to my office in Washington: no ifs, ands, or buts."

Last year, in my campaign for Congress, I took this Pledge and created Nevada Vote Direct, a secure and fair, open-source voting system for the registered voters in my congressional district. This system promises to give citizens full CONTROL over the votes of their representative in Congress. As I explained, political corruption is actually guaranteed by our current horse-and-buggy political technology. But new technology invites us to cut off corruption at its source. No lobbyist would even attempt to buy the vote of a congressional representative who is bound by the will of registered constituents as measured by their participation in the Vote Direct system.
My campaign introduced this new technology, and the idea of direct citizen CONTROL, for the first time. Due to my very limited campaign fund ($2500), I was unable to inform large numbers of citizens about this new political option. But the majority of those I did inform were extremely enthusiastic about the idea of citizen control. (Please read this full report on my campaign.)

Now, America Vote Direct is taking this idea national. Do you want government that is truly responsive to the will of the people - government of, by, and for the people? Then, please help us to spread the word about America Vote Direct. Forward this email to your friends and associates, or as we say "Pass It On."

With thanks and appreciation,
Daniel Rosen
Vox Populi Systems
P.O. Box 2963
Stateline, Nevada 89449
rosen@vpsystems.net

No impeachment ??? okay hang the King and his puppet George. Demand the elected do what they promised, but keep the rope handy for them too.
Two party system ? what happened to competition ? well that never really was the case anyway General Motors, General Electric and Standard Oil either grouped all the big companies into theirs and ran the small guy out of business. Bigger is better crap, well some of the Dems got big. So get a big rope.

Conyers and Pelosi took an oath to "uphold and defend the Constitution" seeing as they are not doing that is there any way to rid ourselves of them before '08?