There had been the sound of many feet on a Brooklyn street at the first funeral, of firefighter Joseph Graffa-gnino, and at the second funeral, of firefighter Robert Beddia, a fire engine sounded in front of St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Fifth Avenue. In my office about an hour later, slips of paper came silently out of a machine, the slips coming from the Department of Defense and carrying the names and ages of the 14 soldiers who were killed in Iraq when their helicopter crashed. Four were under 21 and nine 25 or under. Of course the first thought was how the city at this time could handle such calamity if the 14 dead were New York firefighters or police officers. This gives a good view of the catastrophe that happens in Iraq, day after day.
But as the soldiers die at a time of national Alzheimer’s, there was virtually no reaction to the 14.
When anybody you elect tries to end the war, Bush blocks all intentions with a veto or threats of a veto that prevent it. And his Supreme Court is ready to validate whatever he does, this court with its five Catholic justices, and a chief who falls on his face a couple of times that we know of.
Our politicians despair that there can be no way to override Bush and save our young and everybody of any age in Iraq.
Of course there is. By all the energy and dignified disgust of a nation that needs it to keep any semblance of greatness, there is an extraordinary need for an impeachment of this president and his vice president.
You start an impeachment with an investigator who starts to develop a case. That’s what got Nixon out. He had the most expensive, elaborate defense in the world, and when they were pressed his assistants folded and Nixon quit. I wonder whether Bush and his people can do any better when pressed.
I have here in front of me a large number of pages that I keep for their significance. They are from a United States Senate hearing and are titled, “In Re Impeachment of President William Jefferson Clinton.”
He was only the 42nd person in our nation to make the commitment to “faithfully execute” the Office of the President and to “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution.”
He was being impeached over lying about girls.
Bush the President is our 43rd. He lied to the nation to get us into a war in Iraq that is without end. Every young person who has died leaves drops of blood on Bush’s hands and those of everyone around him. He lied to the nation and daily he tries every greasy way to undermine the Constitution he is sworn to uphold. Thus making his oath false.
Clinton’s charges seem frivolous. But Bush appears to have committed high crimes and misdemeanors and must be thrown out of office in the disgrace that he is.
Bush, reminiscing the other day over something that further scatters the mind, compared the end of Vietnam with the Iraq war that thrills him so much because it makes him a wartime commander.
I don’t know why Vietnam is on his mind. He skipped the thing to have his teeth fixed in Texas. Showing such utter confusion causes questions of how much evil he carries in his mind and how much of stimulants.
He raises the end of Vietnam. If you want to know what that was like, Bernie Edelman, who went from Flatbush to Chu Lai, yesterday opened the book, “Dear America,” that he compiled with the New York Vietnam Veterans. The pages consist of letters written by veterans of Vietnam.
One is by Air Force Lt. Richard Van de Geer, a helicopter pilot assigned to assist in the evacuation of Saigon in 1975. This letter is on 15 May 1975, the day he was killed.
“The aircraft that landed on the Midway - landed about 50 feet away from mine - and the man who got out of the aircraft had been quoted approximately a week earlier as saying that any South Vietnamese who had left the country was a coward and that everybody should stay in South Vietnam and fight to the bitter end. This very same man was the first man to arrive on the USS Midway and to my knowledge the first to be recovered by the 7th Fleet. The man was Gen. Nguyen Cao Ky, vice president of the Republic of South Vietnam. Now I really don’t have any personal feelings about the war here. I really don’t care one way or the other in regard to who is right and who is wrong because that is a waste of time, a waste of thinking. But I did find myself feeling that I wish he had been shot down.”
Officially, Lt. Van de Geer was the last man to die in the Vietnam War. His name is listed as last on the memorial in Washington. If Bush wonders from his dentist’s chair about the end of Vietnam, Van de Geer gives you a fair idea.
Copyright © 2007, Newsday Inc.
You are correct. This has to be done for national sanity.
America has been hijacked.
I’m depressed because I can see through the smoke screen. It’s like the Shadow’s evil twin has taken over and clouds men’s minds. Sorry, women, you’ve been clouded too.
Ed Graham
Born again Christians don’t lie.
Do they?
Bush et al need to be removed from office as quickly as possible via the impeachment process. However, I doubt the Dims have the drive to do this. Time after time they’ve shown no backbone. Like their Republican counterparts, they’re corporatists to the max and lack the will or desire. Cowards they all are and we pay the price, not them.
Regardless of whether one believes that Bush is not any more dishonest or corrupt than Clinton, Bush is such an obvious buffoon and his corruption and crimes are so blatant and extreme that he not only embarrasses the USA, he embarrasses Western civilization and even the whole human race. It is doubtful that many third world tinpot dictators could hold on for this long with such incompetence and scandal. Some say Bush’s problem is the lack of transparency in his administration. I believe he provides great transparency, as he tells the most transparent lies in US history.
Everybody knows it. Most want it. The Democrats won’t do it. But they will join in on beating the drums against Iran.
Where does that leave us?
I doubt if there are many presidential candidate who are willing to impeach anyone in this administration. Just look at all of the doors that have been opened up and power that has been absorbed into the office they are seeking. Makes it possible to do just about any darn thing they want and get away with it.
‘It is the mythology within the Declaration of Independence we speak of, the fiction that tells us we are endowed with rights, and that those rights are unalienable.’ Burning the Law in a Riot of Treason
By William Rivers Pitt
t r u t h o u t | Columnist
Monday 27 August 2007
no need for an investigator to develop a case. it is all been done in the open. start now.
I fully agree, but first things first.
If you want to impeach Bush for the high crime of launching an illegal preventive war of aggression on Iraq, based upon lies and fixed intelligence, then the first order of business is for Congress to repeal the 2002 Use of Military Force Resolution. And to do the impeachment job right, Congress should then also repeal the torture authorization provisions of the Military Commissions Act, and the warrantless NSA wiretapping statute that was enacted right at the end of the last legislative session.
How can you convict a man of committing a high crime, when the allegedly criminal acts are expressly declared to be legal, according to Congress’s own enacted statutes?
This is not just some picky technicality.
Bush/Cheny should indeed be impeached for lying us into war, and for engaging in torture and illegal wiretapping.
But repeal is the necessary first step in that Constitutional process.
Bill from Saginaw
Maybe this will help. Doesn’t Breslin more of a reputation of being a more middle of the road, average American guy, than a lot of progressive journalists? Maybe this will cause some ripples with the Dems. I think they won’t make any moves to impeach until they are absolutely sure that it is the will of Middle America and not just that of a bunch of red (or green) progressives like us. Then again, maybe they won’t make any moves to impeach no matter what happens because they are so worried about the 2008 election and grabbing power. (Except, as always, for Kucinich, the man with integrity and a sense of the Constitution).
With the majority of both sides of the Senate & Congress having supported Bush’s invasion/occupation every step of the way, it’s very unlikely that they’re going to suddenly go against him.
We need a revolution. We should throw all those national politicians who have supported the invasion/occupation in jail for aiding and abetting crimes against humanity. We should let those few like Conyers, Kucinich, & Bird who have had the wisdom & courage not to support Bush, to take charge of the ship. Maybe call on Al Gore, Jimmy Carter, Noam Chomsky, & Howard Zinn (and others) to help out.
Nice story and idea.
Now, how do you get Reid and Pelosi to stop protecting Bush and let this proceed? You’d have to chop down a forest to print all the possible impeachment charges against Bush. There’s no shortage of possible things to charge him with.
The problem has been all this year is that Reid and Pelosi are committed to propping Bush up and making sure he stays in office until the end of his turn. So how are you going to convince them to go forward on this.
And if you don’t have an idea on how to convince Reid and Pelosi to stop protecting Bush, then just file this one away with the thousands of other articles that all give very good and legitimate reasons why Bush should be impeached.
Vote Green. Vote Sheehan. Vote for someone and something different if you don’t want more of the same-old, same-old.
PS … its not that the Dems ‘lack the drive’ to do this. Its that its the committed policy of the leadership of the Dem party not do this. Its not because they are afraid, or they lack drive, or they didn’t drink enough coffee this morning. ITS BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY IS AND THIS IS WHAT THEY BELIEVE IN!
Christian Zionists and Bush are bringing have brought us to the brink of disaster and are more than willing to continue. Clinton’s follies look so innocent compared to the crimes of G. W. Bush and company.
Support the Greens on the local level and the great programs they espouse but let’s take over the DEMS and make them accountable. (It is my party, too, I say!)
In the meantime, remind the Dems that impeachment doesn’t mean conviction. Let’s get Bush and Cheney impeached, whether or not they get convicted. But once the facts get portrayed in the rightist mainstream media as their trials should certainly cause them to be, even the Senate members of the Republican Party of corruption might then be forced to vote to convict. The people will demand it.
Try Cheney first and when convicted replace him with a reasonable (there are a few) Republican acceptable to both Repubs and Dems. (Check out John Nichols of the Nation and author of The Genius of Impeachment on this.) Then they can’t say we are being partisan.
If anyone ever deserved impeachment, Cheney and Bush do. CONTACT your Representatives (again) and tell them to impeach the son of a Bush and his puppetmaster.
Thanks.
Kate Anne for Peace
The Republicans are still, in the fifth year of this monstrous crime, nothing more than a bunch of two foot tall strutting storm troopers. The Democrats are the very definition of the word craven. The so-called two party system has hit bottom and no longer has anything whatsoever to offer this country; yet the vast majority of this nation’s people will not create the political atmosphere for a true change that will rid us of the Republicrats. That’s where we are now as George Wanker Bush, the real life incarnation of the Travis Bickle character in “Taxi Driver”, lays the ground for an attack on Iran. “You talkin’ to me?”
The democrats and republicans are just doing the “Good Cop - Bad Cop” trick. They’re in cahoots. As long as you THINK that one will be better for the country you keep the nation divided. A divided nation cannot resist tyranny. They have done an excellent job at keeping us pointing our fingers and arguing about “who’s better for the country”.
Accountability must come first. Until we can hold ANYONE accountable, we may as well not even have an election. There can be no change without change if you understand what I mean.
Simple “talking point”, say it over, and over, and over:
To get the US out of Iraq, you must first get Bush (and Cheney) out of the White House. Period.
Impeachment is neither enough nor fast enough, not that the GOPathologicals and their loyalbushieDem cohorts would ever dare to even initiate such a thing.
No, as JB makes abundantly clear above, the Loonitary Decider has become Domestic Enemy Number One to our Constitution and must be removed by force, immediately. Colin Powell, are you listening? Time to atone for your sins against us and the world. Hook up with Scott Ritter, all the Vet orgs against the illegal invasion/occupation, and as many of the more than 60% of military volunteers who are more than prepared to uphold their oath to defend our Constitution - and storm the f**king White House already!!
Think anyone in the SS or Capitol Police is going to bother to stop you? Most of them are operating under a sworn oath as well, remember? And the rest of the GOPathologicals and loyalbushies are all wimps and pussies - if anything, they’ll form a line to squeal on the guy next to them faster than you can say “perp walked to an undisclosed location.”
Forced removal is the only option “We The People” have left.
Maybe the first thing that has to have happened in this country in order to bring on revolution, or at the very least break the 2 party system once and for all, is for vast progressive left wing in this country to be completely disillusioned with the Democrats. We all knew that the Republicans were nasty, but a lot of us believed at one time that the Democrats were progressives. No more. They have indeed revealed their true colors. It has been a lengthy process, but it is coming to a head now. Now that so many progressive Americans know they cannot turn to the Dems to rescue us from the Repubs, it is indeed time for something surprising to happen: a revolution? a new party takes a lot of seats? (Hell, it’s sort of amazing how Hamas won in Palestine!)
frnk1569,
I totally agree with you.
for the obvious reasons.
I think it is way past time for The People to be just as Blatant to these criminals.
” we stand and watch like old ladies getting our bag stolen,
it’s time to chase these criminals,
I see the devil, and the devil is running…..”
–The John Butler Trio
don’t forget bush turncoated a cia operative in deep cover.
REMOVE THE MSM MEDIA FOR MAKING IT ALL POSSIBLE… ONE BIG CORRUPTION, ER, CORPURUPTION, …
Pelosi and the rest have destroyed the Democratic party by not following the will of the people who elected them. They will go down in history as co-conspirators with Bush in the ruination of our country. Their acquiescence and support of his criminal policies has been disastrous.
Nothing is going to work unless we realize the depth of the Great Political Depression we are in, a ’30s failure of government–with no FDR in sight. We must act as a people against the corruption of our political system by politicians and businesses. We must turn to the ideas of those who successfully fought that corruption, but have been largely ignored since, like the visionary pragmatist, Ralph Nader. He taught us that the dollar is the people’s power; in other words, what we buy, we support. Even if, for one day, most of the people boycotted one national chain business, like Wall Mart, the rest of the business world could not ignore the implications for themselves. And if the boycott armed itself, for example, with a list of demands for salary and health benefits–specific changes in the distribution of profits equitably, with the goal of establishing an economic democracy, a goal that motivated many of the framers of the Constitution, especially Franklin and Jefferson, we might have a chance of saving our country and those original hopes as inscribed in its Constitution.
JOHN CONYERS, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE, SPOKE AT A TOWN MEETING IN DETROIT ON TUESDAY. HE SAID HE IS WILLING TO PUT IMPEACHMENT ON THE TABLE IF HE THINKS THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WILL SUPPORT IT. EMAIL HIM AT
JOHN.CONYERS@MAIL.HOUSE.GOV AND LET HIM KNOW THAT WE NOT ONLY SUPPORT IMPEACHMENT, WE DEMAND IT.
Let us not forgit about the U. S. Army anthrax attack on senators Daschle and Leahy. Everyone and their issue will be paying an extra three cents postage to clean up the mess. That little stunt to put Bush’s toadies in the courts murdered and maimed American citizens.
How is it the ‘leader ‘ of the U.S. House is allowed to say an investigation is off the table. THAT IS ALL an impeachment is.
It is an investigation into whether charges should be brought against a federal imployee, and in this case TWO - CHENEY AND BUSH.
If the impeachment proceedings are begun, BUSH will fold like Nixon did and Cheney is too smart to hang around. He will probably be out of the country before we know it.
We must all demand of Reid and Pelosi that they do the obvious and get the investigation underway. Too many funkies have seen the writing on the walls of the White House, packed their bags and vanished.
Congress can do NOTHING OF CONSEQUENCE anyway because the Psyco In Chief will simply use a signing statement to change WHATEVER, Congress sends to him and change it to his liking.
SO, WHATEVER THEY THINK they can do, THEY CANNOT until these criminals are out, impeached, resigned, overthrown, whatever.
I choose impeachment.
Bill Moyers for President and Colin Powell - V.P. Let’s have a national movement. If Powell is willing to walk into the White House and assume control, we can deal with that. At this point, he could probably do it, hands down. At the very least, he should walk in and encourage the lame smirk to hand over the reigns to someone more capable of salvaging what is left of our military, our respect around the globe and our infrastructure beginning with bridges to New Orleans.
to impeach these assholes is the right thing to do. that is exactly why they won’t do it.
UMM, that’s “employee” NOT “imployee”…
U.S. Citizens want George W. Bush to be impeached. U.S. Citizens want the legislation giving Bush war powers to be repealed. Our elected officials, save for a few are not listening to us. We will remember come election time.
I was so encouraged by the Democratic “sweep” last year… how wrong can one man be! We need someone in office who, unlike Ms. Pelosi, is not afraid of their job.
I agree wholeheartedly that we need to impeach both frick AND frack, especially after the saber rattling over Iran and the report from the UN that the level of Uranium Enrichment is not that of weapons mongers.
I truly believe that Speaker of the House Pelosi has only one reason for keeping impeachment “off the table”, After the Pres. & Vice Pres are gone, the Speaker of the House is in charge. Is that correct?
We blamed all the German People for what Hitler did, in responce, they said they did not know or that they were powerless. What will we tell the
Iraq People? That we were Cowards? We are supposed to have a free press to tell us what is going on. Has the press become a prisoner of
Cheny-Bush-Rove also? The press like the dems are complicit by the black out on the truth.
The Pelosi followers could at least tell us about the War Merchants in the Middle East..
Halliburton, Kissinger and the others..
Colin Powell for V.P.??? Are you outta your mind? Do you remember his lies about WMD? He’s as guilty as George and Dick.
The number one reason why the Democrats won’t impeach Bush over lies leading into the Iraq war.
— The Democrats were telling exactly the same lies.
And the number two reason is
— The Democrats have supported these wars from the beginning. They voted for the approvals to launch them. They’ve voted for all the funding bills. And they vote to fully fund the bloated Pentagon budget requests above and beyond the war money.
Coyotita………….well,now, that is IF you get an election time; if Bush bushwacks you with martial law, no elections, per se!
In all this talk don’t forget that Clinton killed half a million Iraqi children with a ten year embargo. Doesn’t seem to insignificant to me although Bush will certainly surpass him in bloodletting soon. Of course its the Christian thing to do.!!! Gotta keep us safe from the evildoers!!
I thought it was interesting that the article pointed out that five of the Supreme Court justices — a majority — are Roman Catholic.
It was not so long ago that Roman Catholic bishops were putting pressure on a certain Roman Catholic presidential candidate regarding his stance on abortion.
Why on earth are the US Catholic Bishops not putting pressure on the Justices for their anti-life and anti-poor stances on, well, everything, which are totally inconsistent with Catholic social teaching?
Breslin is right, of course, only why did it take him so long to publish this? Bush’s lies were well documented by 2003.
It’s easy for a columnist to write this when most Americans are against the war and Bush has a below-30% approval rating. It would have been courageous and insightful in 2003.
Thanks,”Bless the Beasts,” for this bulletin:
DETROIT ON TUESDAY [8/28/07]. HE SAID HE IS WILLING TO PUT IMPEACHMENT ON THE TABLE IF HE THINKS THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WILL SUPPORT IT.
E-MAIL HIM AT JOHN.CONYERS@MAIL.HOUSE.GOV AND LET HIM KNOW THAT WE NOT ONLY SUPPORT IMPEACHMENT, WE DEMAND IT.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Passed the above on to my lists and added this:
EVEN THOUGH ALL THE POLLS SAY THE MAJORITY OF THE PUBLIC NOW WANTS IMPEACHMENT PROCEEDINGS TO BEGIN, LET’S SAY IT AGAIN LOUD AND CLEAR!
PASS ON.
There is a campaign that Bush has used to justify the Iraq War and scare Congress into passively accepting his fraud. It is called The War on Terror. Allowing this language to be employed to describe the American policies for domestic security gives Bush limitless scope and authority to do anything he wants to “protect innocent lives”. Convince Congress and the media to drop such a destructive, vague slogan when discussing policy and we can start having a meaningful dialogue about how to preserve our democracy.
It’s not only Bush who needs to be removed, add Pelosi, Reid, Conyers, 100% of the GOP and 99% of the scummy Democratic Party to the list.
On Democracy Now two days ago, Conyers said “I’ve got the constitution in one hand and a calculator in the other.” He won’t impeach because there aren’t enough votes.
Mr. Conyers, the Constitution doesn’t order congress to impeach only when there are enough votes. The Constitution orders congress to impeach when crimes and misdemeanors are committed, do you think we are a nation of 2 year-olds? PRESENT YOUR CASE TO THE HOUSE FIRST, MR. CONYERS, PERHAPS YOU’LL GET YOUR VOTES THEN.
Conyers is just as brain-addled as Bush. He needs to step down or be replaced as House Judiciary Chairman. I think we need someone a little more articulate to make the case.
Impeach Cheney / Bush Now, BEFORE war is declared on Iran. It is possible that many lives can be saved if President Cheney / Bush is discredited BEFORE he can declare war on Iran. War on Iran will endanger our troops in Iraq, leave us weakened in the world and our stature greatly diminished. It’s obvious that the same propaganda techniques are being applied now as with the buildup to war with Iraq. Only this time we can expect to see even worse results.
Please fellow Americans, urge congress to act.
Impeach first then get the crooks who stole and are still still stealing out tax base…GOOGLE COST OF WAR
$500,000,000,000
GOOGLE COST OF WAR…AND get them to pay back ALL of the $$$ taken or
WE THE PEOPLE WILL NOT PAY ANY TAXES ON 4/15/2008!!!!!!!
I was at the town hall where Conyers spoke and indeed he said impeachment was still on his table, but to get to him the call to impeach will have to be by the People through their personal representatives.
Also, considering the impeachment poll that touted 54% in favor of impeaching Cheney and 45% for Bush…those numbers are way too low and indicate their still needs to be work done educating friends and neighbors as to the hideous nature of the crimes and the betrayal committed; as well as who their Congressional representative is.
Hey Blessthebeasts, thanks, that’s be best information I’ve seen yet. My e-mail to John Conyers has already been sent.
Mr. Conyers,
I am sorry,but You have NO GUTS. How do You know, there is not enough votes for impeachment? Present our case to the House.Even if We don’t have enough votes, Dubya & Co. will be exposed to the world. War crimes must be exposed and punished!!
Sincerelly,
name and adress
COPY OF MY EMAIL TO MR CONYERS
Before impeaching President Bush, Vice President Cheney must be impeached and convicted. Can you imagine a President Cheney? It is important to do, not only for this presidency, but for future presidencies.
Even if impeached and convicted, they will just leave office. Some type of class action should be brought against them, Wolfowitz and Rumsfeld to hold them financially accountable to the nation, the soldiers and their families and the Iraqis. Otherwise, they’ll just leave office and enjoy the financial benefits from their actions. Prosecution for war crimes is also another possibility.
So simple, Impeach. It’s what the populace wants, it’s what Bush/Cheney deserve.
Before you asshats throw out the government, consider that it is just the rule of law that keeps the population from running you out of town on a rail. Read the latest stats on gun ownership and guess which side of the curve owns the most?
Breslin comes out of the wilderness like Elijah and tells it like it is.
The common chord to noble screeds like this one and other voices urging impeachment is the implication that where there’s a will, there’s a way. And the will to build a case for impeachment isn’t there; apart from Pelosi’s infamous rejectionist ukase, individual Democrats, e.g. Barney Frank, have firmly repudiated the prospect.
I wonder if this Hear No Evil, See No Evil, Speak No Evil refusal to oblige Constitutional duties is an end-stage symptom that partisanship has finally triumphed over sworn duty. Politicians have devolved into technocrats who are each a franchise of sorts, a going concern of legislative business and fund-raising and campaigning. The idea of “impeachment” is not considered as a straightforward Constitutional responsibility, mandated by certain circumstances. Rather, impeachment is reduced to an element of political calculus, something to be done or not-done according to whether it is expedient and politically propitious.
The Democratic leadership appears to have made the usual cynical calculation that regardless of dissent and discontent from progressive elements, blowing off impeachment won’t cost them much support. They can always rely on their Lesser-Evil base, a core constituency.
John Conyers Was on Democracy Now the other day. He said quite clearly that he and Pelosi have no intention of starting impeachment proceedings. He made some lame comment about having to weigh the Constitution in one hand and his calculator in the other. The man clearly does not understand his duty, if he did he would put down the calculator so he can have both hands free to more firmly grasp the Constitution! Then he mad it clear that he feels it would be a waste of time and energy. I think too much time in office has corrupted Mr. Conyers principles, so that he is now more concerned with maintaining his own status quo than with upholding the rule of law and the spirit of what is left of our representative democracy.
Chunga’s Revenge:
Conyers could file for an impeachment, but far too few senators would support it. Filing for impeachment takes a great deal of time and energy and would prevent other relatively important, and do-able things from being done.
It’s like you’ve got an old car with a flat tire, but you’d rather have a new car. You have bad credit and no job. You could go and spend half a day applying for credit in hopes of getting the new car, or you could just fix the flat on the one you have.
Idealism is important, but we also have to be practical.
Surely there’s something that can be done after Bush is out of power. A life sentence in a maximum security prison way down there in dirty old Texas? Put him in charge of cleaning the toilets? Make him write letters of apology to the victims of his so called war on terror - like about 30 per night?
not paying taxes won’t stop this…it’s all going on the credit card. not paying your taxes will give them reason to cut “entitlements” like the rebuilding of new orleans or keeping all those big, empty national parks open or bridges that stay up. they’d just as well keep gorging themselves on cash withdrawals from our charge account, thank you.
Does anyone else here get tired of reading the same crap over and over…????
Bush and his advisors may have lied but they wouldn’t have been able to convince people who were just a little more interested in the world around them.
The truth was out there and if I could read it and hear it anybody could. I can see how an ordinary person busy with work, children, school, and family matters could be lulled by a leader who advised “just go shopping or to Disneyland” but I can’t forgive our representatives who have staff to help them stay informed for voting to give such enormous power away. And truthfully, if people are concerned about work, children, school and family matters then they should be more curious and interested in the actions their government is taking in their name. There is a phrase, “a well informed electorate”, and there is no better example than this occupation in Iraq and war in Afghanistan to show why we need it.
My letter’s been sent to Conyers. Here’s a copy
Mr. Conyers,
I can’t imagine this administration could INVENT any more reasons to be impeached! Will somebody please STOP THEM before his next executive order renders the Constitution obsolete? It is the duty of OUR elected officials to UPHOLD AND DEFEND the Constitution of this Country. Mr. Cheney and Mr. Bush seem to have forgotten that oath, I sincerely hope those elected officials in Congress have not followed suit. A message needs to be sent in this Country that no man is above the law, please forward this message to the appropriate parties!
joy, you are so correct. I talk myself blue in the face trying to open some people’s eyes but they don’t WANT to get it. It’s easier to just say “there’s nothing I can do” and resume the victim role.
While Clinton was in office the Republicans spent upwards of $60 million trying to dig up some dirt on him.
What did they get? The most expensive blow job in history.
While Bush has been in office the Republicans have spent about $700 billion against the American people’s will in their War OF Terror.
What did we get? Blown off.
When Bush declares martial law and cancels the upcoming election it will most likely be because, just like on 911, an American city was BLOWN UP.
Now who do you think stands to gain from such an event?
Is it the man hiding in a cave thousands of miles away, or the ‘playboy flyboy’ hiding in the bunker at the Whitehouse?
Watch out Boise, you’re next!!!
“Does anyone else here get tired of reading the same crap over and over…????”
Yes, but that is how the message gets circulated. Starts as a whisper to a yell until it reaches critical mass.
That is why they “float” messages to introduce “product” and then they send out marching orders and everyone echoes it everywhere: manufactured consensus.
How do you counter?
Removing these thugs is only a first but necessary step. In order for our nation to regain credibility and begin to heal, justice must be done. Either here or in the Hague, Nuremberg type investigations and trials must be held to root out the disease that lead us here and to punish the perpetrators and those most complicit. Nothing less is acceptable here or in the eyes of the world.
Out now. As we used to say.
How can you impeach these scum?
Incompetence is not a crime.
Lying to the public is not a crime. Lying under oath is perjury.
Starting a war/occupation supported by Congress is not an impeachable offense.
Sex is the gold standard of scandal and impeachment. Can you imagine Bush/Cheney engaging in kinky sex in the White House (ala Clinton)?
The Iraqi insurgents are the best hope for stopping Bush. They have not yet been bullied by Bush. Congress and the US public are no match for Bush and posess no leverage on him. Raw power rules and Bush has it.
If this administration is not impeached, then the American experiment in democracy is over. It will have failed. The bar will have been set so low that “rule of law” will be no more than an empty slogan.
All of them have sworn to uphold the Constitution and every one of them has violated that oath. There is no recovery possible if they are not called to task for it and removed from office.
“Well, Doctor, what have we got—a Republic or a Monarchy?”
“A Republic, if you can keep it.”
–BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, at the close of the Constitutional Convention of 1787, when queried as he left Independence Hall on the final day of deliberation—in the notes of Dr. James McHenry, one of Maryland’s delegates to the convention.
After 200-some years, that statement has every bit as much relevance and importance as when first spoken by Dr Franklin.
If we become complacent as a people, if we fall for slogans and propaganda and corporate media spin, if we behave as sheep and fail to assiduously defend our freedoms, we shall surely lose them.
What would Reverand Billy Graham say in responce to Mr. Bush calling the United States Constitution just a G– D— piece of paper?
Wait a second, pundit, lying to Congress is a felony. Violation of the Constitution after having sworn an oath to uphold it is an impeachable offense in and of itself. Bush’s warrantless domestic spying is a clear violation of the 4th Amnendment.
Violation of the terms of an international treaty to which one’s country is a signatory is a violation of the Constitution and is patently illegal. Bush’s use of torture and extraordinary rendition are violations of the Geneva Accords, a duly ratified treaty which the United States signed onto.
The invasion of Iraq violated the UN Charter, a duly ratified treaty to which the US is a party. That was a high crime if ever there was one. There are plenty of provable offenses which can be used to impeach Bush and Cheney.
Clinton lied to a grand jury, which is a crime. To uphold the rule of law he was impeached. Fine. Now, to uphold the rule of law, a far more egregious violator must be impeached.
It’s really that simple.
Since we’re playing a little “Show and Tell” here, I’ll post the letter I sent to Conyer’s yesterday via email:
Dear Rep. Conyers:
It is my understanding that you said if you believed the American People supported impeachment you would be more inclined to pursue that avenue.
Frankly, with what has happened to our country to this point, I fear for not just our country, but for the entire planet! I think Cheney and Bush are a threat to the entire world with their saber rattling against Iran.
I fear, if allowed to run amok, Cheney and Bush will lead us into WW III and I don’t say this lightly.
These two men are dangerous at the helm and I honestly believe they should be arrested. I believe they are criminals and the evidence is right in all our faces.
Let’s be clear about several things. It has been proven that Cheney and Bush stole the election in Florida in 2000. The evidence is already there. It’s clear the election in 2004 was stolen in Ohio. The evidence is already there. It is clear that Cheney/Bush had pre-existing plans to go into Afghanistan and Iraq prior to the election of 2000. The evidence is already there. On the matter of “the official” story of what happened on 9/11, I’ve yet to meet one American who believes The 9/11 Commission Report. It created more questions than it answered. To imagine that Cheney and Bush refused to be questioned at all about 9/11 then finally, under pressure from the widows of 9/11 victims who were premeditatedly MURDERED!, they gave in and agreed to answer questions but ONLY TOGETHER, WITH NO FAMILY MEMBERS PRESENT, NO NOTES, NO PENS, NO PAPER, NO RECORDING DEVICES, NO TRANSCRIPTS AND DEFINITELY WITHOUT TAKING AN OATH TO SWEAR TO TELL THE TRUTH. There is lots of evidence about 9/11 that did not make it to the 9/11 Commission Report. This evidence is already there. (See Dr. David Ray Griffin’s book, “Debunking 9/11 Debunking” and Michael Ruppert’s “Crossing the Rubicon”).
Cheney/Bush told us the day of 9/11/2001 that we were attacked because Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda don’t like the fact that we are FREE. So, what did Cheney/Bush do?! Pushed through the Patriot Act that stripped away practically all our freedoms! With Democratic support I might add. By Democrats and Republicans who didn’t insist on reading and debating it properly to protect the rights of the American People. The evidence is already there, Rep. Conyers. Recall the chilling statement by Ari Fleischer the day after 9/11: “You’d better watch what you do and watch what you say. If you’re not with us then you’re with the terrorists.”
Through various Presidential Directives, The Military Commissions Act Cheney/Bush can choose any person in the world, including an American citizen and charge him/her as being an “enemy combatant” and this person can be held in solitary confinement and tortured without an attorney on nonsense charges and kept indefinitely. The latest is that if anyone doesn’t support our efforts in Iraq they can be arrested, and all their assets seized. We now have policies of spying on the American People that are legal! And on and on and on. The evidence of what these men have done to our country is already there Rep. Conyers.
Then there are the lies that got us into Iraq. The Downing Street Minutes, the Valerie Plame case, all the innocent Iraqi citizens who have been murdered and maimed, all our soldiers who have been killed and maimed and their lives destroyed over a LIE!! The evidence is already there. And the use of depleted uranium munitions in Iraq which is against the Geneva Conventions. And the whole scandal at the Justice Dept. with the firing of the attorneys. Was this really about stealing elections? They are allowing a private mercenary army to be built up in the U.S. that is even building it’s own private air force with private fighter planes! Right here in the U.S.! And these men are not working for the American People. They are in Iraq and God only knows where else. These Blackwater mercenaries have taken no oath to the Constitution or to the American People. They should not be allowed to function on the soils of this country.
Our country has been hijacked Rep. Conyers. And one last thing, that I’m quite sure you are already aware of. Beyond all that I’ve listed above as an indictment of these men, I will add my concern over the death of Sen. Paul Wellstone. Did you know that Cheney called him to the White House prior to the vote on a use of force in Iraq and that Cheney threatened Sen. Wellstone? Here is the brief story:
“Cheney was rounding up Senate support for the October 2002 vote on giving the administration carte blanche to invade Iraq, with or without blessing from the United Nations. Cheney strong-armed opposing politicians like the most vindictive of mafioso leaders, and opponents usually gave in.
But not Wellstone. Whatever you thought of his progressive brand of politics, he wasn’t a wimp. And that’s what made him more than dangerous in the eyes of people like Cheney.
At a meeting full of war veterans in Willmar, Minn., days before his death, Wellstone told attendees that Cheney told him, “If you vote against the war in Iraq, the Bush administration will do whatever is necessary to get you. There will be severe ramifications for you and the state of Minnesota.”
Wellstone cast his vote for his conscience and against the Iraq measure, the lone Democrat involved in a tough 2002 election campaign to do so. And a few weeks later on Oct. 25, as he appeared to be winning his re-election bid, Wellstone, his wife, Sheila, his daughter, Marcia Markuson, three campaign staffers, and two pilots died in a plane crash in Minnesota.”
Rep. Conyers, I put nothing past Cheney/Bush. They are dangerous and their hijacking of the Constitution must be derailed, if for no other reason, to honor the Founders. They gave their lives for the Constitution that Cheney/Bush have totally disrespected. Bush even referred to it as “Just a Goddamned piece of paper.” He took an oath before the entire world to “protect and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies both foreign and domestic”. He and Cheney have become ENEMIES TO THE CONSTITUTION AND TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
Rep. Conyers, once all the charges are agreed upon and impeachment is started, by the time it comes to a full vote, the American People will be VERY vocal in support of impeachment. They just need to see the facts of the case, which are overwhelming and far, far more serious than Clinton lying about a sexual escapade in the Oval Office. Ours must be a country of justice. The TRUTH must come out about ALL the issues I’ve raised, including 9/11.
As an American and as a human being, I beg you to seriously consider my plea to you to bring impeachment against Cheney/Bush immediately. You will forever be respected if you do.
I would suggest, if you are not aware of him, Michael Ratner who is an attorney and the President of The Center for Constitutional Rights in New York City, to help you with the question of impeachment. You have so many great Americans who would help you. Scott Ritter, Michael Ruppert who wrote, “Crossing the Rubicon” and I noticed that now Jimmy Breslin of “Newsday” is calling for the impeachment of Cheney/Bush! There’s an example of mainstream support for you! The American People are here to help with this sir. Just tell us what you need and we’ll do it.
Sincerely,
Dubya is not the only one guilty of the Irag killings, Wild Bill Clinton did his share of bombing. old man Bush did his part and most importantly we the people let the elected ones allow it. There have been many elections since this started but we have re-elected the same ones who helped. When we broke away from England in 1776 and had to “fight” til 1781, that was the long hard work of one man Ben Franklin. Once he got a few to join him it became more able to do. That took about twenty years. The leaders who will lead this country to a better freedom are yet to answer the call.
Americanos - Stop yapping and do something
Five Catholics on the Supreme Court? There is really only one who understands the Catholic social teaching and that’s Ruth Bader Ginsburg. I would say she is the only Catholic on the Supreme Court. Those other guys? Republicans and therefore in a state of mortal sin.
Wounds must be cleaned before they can heal. Impeachment is just such a cleansing, but the patient, being fast asleep, isn’t asking for it.
Columns and forums, signs and slogans, letters to editors, water cooler talk, all these must be used to help the patient wake up. Of course we need to rely on our senators and reps, who are,unfortunately, themselves germ carriers, to perform the necessary work. But that will follow if we can rouse enough voices to demand it. Pardom my lame analogy, but the necessity of impeachment cannot be overstated.
However he leaves office - whether by impeachment, resignation (as if THAT would happen) or the expiration of his term - something needs to be done to keep him from skipping out to his 100,000-acre Paraguayan ranch whence he can thumb his nose at any attempt to make him answer for his actions.
In response to an earlier comment that lies are not illegal, they are perjury when given before Congress.
The richest treasure trove of evidence would come with the reopening of the 911 inquiry with an impartial panel instead of a whitewash panel. If the public were exposed to even a small dose of that medicine, impeachment of Cheney would be guaranteed.
If you have any doubts about this, see academic Eric Hofschmid’s free video documentary called Painful Deceptions on Google at http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1336167662031629480
or another more popular one called Loose Change.
And, yes, the first priority is getting rid of Cheney, he has been the driving force for 911, the subsequent Patriot Act, the illegal torture program and a host of the most egregious offenses.
If you have not written you congresspeople, you don’t have griping rights.
Go to http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/ for all the email contact info you need.
I liked abbywood’s letter it Coyers. I have wondered for some time why the Democrats are acting the way they are. It could be that some of them are wimps, or jellyfish, or brown noses to the administration, but not all of them. It doesn’t seem possible. Could the spy programs have dug up dirt on all of them, and they are being blackmailed? Could it be something more sinister? May be they have a gun to their head.
The way Coyers has recently been acting, is completely contrary to anything he has done in the past. We have had outspoken liberal Democrats in Congress who have been there for decades. Where have they all gone? They seemed to have just milted into the wood work. May be something many people fear could happen in this country, has already happened. Is Congress doing nothing because they are not allowed to do anything?
I hope the above is not true, because if it is, some of us commentators, and bloggers may soon get to meet one another in one of Hilliburton’s brand new concentration camps. I noticed the person who poster the wonderful letter to Coyers, didn’t put a signature on it.
RE: Bill from Saginaw August 30th, 2007 1:29 pm
Bill, you are exactly correct…first things first. I think most Americans are unaware that the MCA 2006 (Military Commissions Act ) exonerates everyone in the administration from any wrong doing or illegality, and retroactively at that. This means by an act of congress they can’t be held responsible for their crimes. We must especially rescind this onorous piece of legislation BEFORE impeachment or trials, or they will walk away free because of it. Thanks for mentioning that and keep spreading the word.
RE: abbybwood August 31st, 2007 9:51 am
How could anyone help but be impressed by your supurb letter to Conyers? Well written, and pretty much all-inclusive (including even mention of usage of the WMD of DU), I didn’t even notice a single typo. We need more capable & organized scribes like yourself to succinctly state what we mean and our intent. I look forward to seeing your other thoughts posted on various subjects. Many thanks. My letter to Conyers pales by comparison.
Thanks for the thumbs up, John J Coghlan and PaulMagillSmith. I appreciate the positive feedback.
Bush is way ahead of Congress and has been for more than 7 or 8 years. Now don’t be surprised if this disgusting dog expects to stay in office until his natural death as he has his private army, is chief of our armed forces, has powerful ties with not only corporate powers, but nations like Mexico and Canada as well. Impeachment isn’t good enough for this god of death. What Congress needs to do is hog and tie this incompetent and power mad dog and lock him up for life in a Federal Prison. Impeachment would take to long and too many lives are at stake on account of his imbecility.
judi: “What Congress needs to do is hog and tie this incompetent and power mad dog and lock him up for life in a Federal Prison. Impeachment would take to long and too many lives are at stake on account of his imbecility.”
Judi, Judi, Judi…..
You people are wasting your time writing letters to Conyers. Conyers is a petty crook who had Cindy Sheehan arrested for protesting his refusal to impeach Bush. Then after a furious public reaction to this outrage, he and his friends tried to silence the opposition by playing the Race Card.
The complete 180-degree shift in his attitude toward Impeachment that took place after the 2006 election is highly suspicious. He is a charlatan.
We have the clone (clown?) of the USS Caine’s Captain Queeg on the bridge of our Ship of State. Unlike the crew’s “mutiny” in the novel there is no disputing how Bush can be removed from leadership. The Constitution provides for such impeachment but it takes a congress with the balls to proceed to do it. However, with Holy Rollers and foreign loyalist/lobbyists giving Bush unprecedented power and support it seems we are now likened to the passengers on the Titanic soon to be singing “Nearer My God To Thee” before gurgling “blub, blub..” Steve, USN, WW2
Let us not forget that the Dem’s are WAR PROFITEERS also! Dianne Fienstein’s husband, Richard Blum is the newest Regent at UC BERKELEY, which happens to be now working on our newest nuclear supply at the LIVERMORE LABS>. It all goes back to WHO is profiting from this war, which is why the Powers that Be, will never give it up. Who are the CEO’S at all of the leading arm manufactures??? Those making huge profits from their stocks portfolios need to be exposed and publicly named!
hedge teacher August 31st, 2007 10:22 am
Americanos - Stop yapping and do something
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Americans are already out in the streets protesting the war — join them!!!!
This reminds me of something my friend Peter Camejo used to say in his stump speech to illustrate the collusion against workers of the two parties when he and Ralph Nader were campaigning in 2004 , and I think it reflects on the lack of action toward impeachment now.
“The Republicans want to cut wages by 10%, so they demand that wages be cut 20%. They make a back room deal with the Democrats, and then the Democrats come out and say, ‘We are the friend of the workers, we will only cut wages 10%.’ Then the Republicans say, “You’ve got a deal!’ and wages are cut by the 10% they wanted in the first place.”
I should add though, that I resigned my position on the California Green Party State Central Committee, and am now Vice Chairman of my county Democratic Committee, and was a delegate to the California Democratic State convention this year.
I am supporting Dennis Kucinich for President and you should too.
I think the time to start making citizens arrests on site has come. They ignore the law at every turn and now we must enforce them, the laws of nature that is. If the Secret Service tries to stop you arrest them for aiding and abetting. Turn them all in to the local police and let them stay in the county and State prisons they love to fund so much.
I’ve written letters, e-mails, called Congressmen, demanded, cajoled, and screamed; and all I can think of now is an old joke about a couple of surgeons discussing who they like to work on. The punch line is, “me, I like working on politicians, they have no hearts, no spine, no balls and their mouths and their asshole are interchangable”.
We, the people have been totally shafted. The time has come to forcibly demand impeachment and an end to the Iraqnam debacle! I shall not give up. I have to think we’ll prevail or I’ll go insane! Free People Impeach the Criminal Bastards!
For me, 2007 is the year of the letter–to editors, elected officials, institutions–almost anyone who can amplify the cry of disgust over this war. Bush and his small band of deciders flirt with war crimes, not only deceiving this nation–and carelessness at this level is not acceptable; this ins’t a common job–but the world, destroying a country, causing the deaths of over a million people just to kill Saddam Hussein and establish free elections.
I can’t believe how they got the media to go along with this–to call the U.S invasion a Coalition of the Willing, to refer to an escalation as a surge. Now he’ll ask taxpayers to cough up another $50 billion dollars and refuse to answer questions about why we are in the war and why they created an insurgency to prolong our stay. Why did they not establish martial war when looting began to occur? Why did they fire Jay Garner and Ambassador Bodine? Why won’t the Congress insist on answers to these questions?
As someone born and raised in Holland, and still live here (a more “free” country than the USA is - how does this fact make Americans feel?
), I feel compelled to respond to any questioning if whether or not George W. Bush and his cabinet should be tried for war crimes. YES! The Bush Administration, including EVERY member of his cabinet, since the USA administration began up to its present day, MUST be tried for war crimes for deliberatly waging war against sovereign nations. If the Global community can punish the Third Reich Cabinet of Adolf Hitler and Slobodan Milosevic for what they did - then the global community can punish George W. Bush for his choices…it is only fair.