With Pelosi castrating impeachment, the constitution is crippled. Pelosi should be removed from office, and the constitution restored. Impeachment is a must not because Bush and Cheney are such criminal monsters, which they are, but because the constitution provides for a way to get rid of such politicians, and so we must exercise and keep healthy this tool, impeachment, for the health of the country.

I think the issue of other's corruptness is moot when it comes to the impeachment of Cheney and Bush. The crimes committed by this regime and the two who reside at the top of it are far beyond vague, by default corruption charges and need to be separated from your everyday run of the mill transgressions in a corrupt environment such as DC. These men that took us to an unjust and uncalled for war in Iraq should be and must be held accountable. No amount of wrongs makes a right. They are world criminals just as Saddam once was. Though they deserve better than he they still deserve justice. Impeachment is just a start in a better world. But they will get neither as the hairs are split. An old African proverb says it all - "Only when lions get to write history will hunters cease to be heroes." And the beat goes on…

We've been apprised of the necessity of doing this for 5 years. Even longer, if you include all the efforts to impeach due to the stolen election of 2000 and about a thousand other crimes of this administration.

There must be a hundred groups around the country who've been doggedly working to bring impeachment to the table all this torturous time. But Nancy Pelosi says one phrase ("off the table") and debate over. This isn't a democracy; if it were, these bastards would have been impeached YEARS ago, and would now at the very least be serving hard time in lock-up, with no parole, no appeal.

Curiously, we haven't been able to verbalize our way to impeachment. No amount of books or articles have done anything. We have an immoveable Democratic-controlled Congress, whose only consideration is not "distracting" voters from how miraculous it will be to elect a Dem president and get more Dem congressional representation in Washington. They care about NOTHING else and believe this can only be achieved by never holding Bush-Cheney accountable for their serial crime spree, especially for the war crimes they've committed with full Democratic party endorsement and consistent support.

Noises made that they're determined to pull us out of Iraq and all the other blather accompanying their campaign rhetoric, whether from Hillary or Obama, is just more hot air. They don't want to impeach largely because they KNOW they aren't going to atone in any way for Bush's war crimes, they're going to keep us quagmired permanently in the Mideast, they're just as hostage to the oil companies as Bush and Cheney's cronies are, and let's not hear a lot of peacenik nonsense, except when it sounds good in a campaign speech. Promises made during campaigns are the most easily revoked. Say whatever the rabble wants to hear, get elected and do the opposite, suffer zero consequences. They've learned a lot from Bush.

There's never been any more chance they'll impeach even Cheney, much less Bush, than they'd all agree to jump from an airplane without a parachute. Their rock-ribbed belief is that impeachment will only lead to losing the White House this year, even if McCain is being kept alive on life-support come November and his running mate is Dan Quayle. The only reason Bush-Cheney are still in office, torturing the country and the world, is these useless, spineless, cowardly collaborationists who pose as some magnificent "alternative".

The idea that there isn't enough time is sheer nonsense. Listening to the House debate the naming of a Post Office in Remoteville or the naming of a short stretch of road in Rolling Forks Somewhere after some pocket-picking politician, is more important? Then listening to some egotist spout off about what a great job the House is doing, makes one sick. No wonder I can't get the Senate on C-span anymore!!!

Certainly if they acted on impeachment it would boost their chances in the 2008 election as a party which moved to remove a dishonest, immoral and incompetent administration rather than caving and doing nothing.

Perhaps the dilemma is that impeachment would lack any Republican support. So instead of being seen as fidelity to the Constitution and the rule of law, it would appear to be a blatant partisan attack on the Bush/Cheney administration -- which has legions of mindlessly loyal GOP backers in Congress.

It's also difficult to predict how a Cheney impeachment would affect independent voters, who are the key to this election. With the economy teetering on the brink of a bad recession, it's possible that independents would shrink from political uncertainty on top of the economic mess. I admit to loathing Cheney, but let's be careful what we wish for. Once these two leave office, who knows what fate will have in store for them?

If the Dems impeach Ren and Stimpy for their crimes, then the Dems would be able to commit them themselves when they win in 2008....its simple.

Perhaps they should skip impeachment and go directly to the War Crimes trial?

you forgot a major one: the boy prince has been the major obstacle to democratic legislative work, e.g., child healthcare.

I'll say this again -

In 1868 the President was impeached in 3 days.

Every impeachment has led to the opposing party winning the next Presidential election.

We could already have a Democratic President, stopping the march toward more wars and repairing all that has been broken.

Time's a-wasting. America's precious time.

All of the current candidate for President should be asked to vote for impeachment or explain to the voters why they will not do so.

Actually lets include candidates for the Senate and House as well.

Impeachment is impairative. Starting with Cheney. If impeachment hearings do not begin NOW, our Constitution, Bill of Rights, and the Rule of Law will NEVER be restored.

Conviction is not really what matters. The hearings and the process are what is important. The American people deserve and must hear the truth. This Congress MUST obey their oath of office.

Wexler's call for HEARINGS is vastly different than a call for IMPEACHMENT. And much more palatable for everyone concerned. It is the right framing for proceedings to start. Pelosi took impeachment off the table. Did she take hearings off the table?

On Monday, get on the phone to all of your House congress critters, repug and dimm. Get them to sign on to Wexler's letter to Conyers calling for hearings. (toll free 800-828-0498). And don't forget to call Pelosi's office too. I finally got my congress critter to sign on last week after badgering him for two years. I think that asking him to support hearings, instead of impeachment, was the deal maker.

So, get on the phone and send those e-mails. I know how hard it is to keep going after beating our heads on this brick wall for so long. But I think that if we stay focused and work together, we can make this happen.

P.S. Please do not harrass your Senators. Especially if they are running for office in '08. Senators are the "jury" that hears the evidence once impeachment charges have been filed by the House. They cannot even appear to be prejudicial BEFORE the trial begins and evidence is presented to them.

The dim's and repug's are treating people like fools. Vote all incumbents out. Congress is a team sport. No impeachment, no vote.

Right on Amos and rebel farmer. It is way past due for those at the top to pay the dues of their transgressions. If this doesn't happen, the constitution and bill of rights are moot and it's everyone for him/her self. It is time to stand up to this in the way the rest of the world stands up to this abuse. Local, community level gorilla warfare. Writing letters to the editor. Running for local office. Taking time off work to demonstrate. This is how the right did it starting 20 years ago. It's the damn human learning curve that just seems to take so long to start heading up. It's inertia, people's desire to cling to the same old solution of violence and the more of it the better. Some say our problem is overpopulation due to the availability of fossil fuels. Most of us on this list will be able to say they lived to see the end of cheap energy on planet earth -- gaia to some. Those that believe in gaia (google james lovelock), believe the microcosm is a microscopic blueprint for the macroscopic. These folks also believe that all is connected. The harm that we're causing in Iraq is coming back to each and everyone of us who hasn't resorted to sociopathy. My empathy wasn't totally killed by the culture i grew up in though i had to work to reconnect to it.

"Democratic leaders took impeachment "off the table," apparently fearing it could hurt their chances in 2008. "

This total sellout by the Democrats who won both houses in 2006 is totally shameless. I wonder, could they possibly think that we out here in the rest of the world aren't noticing their treason. Can they possibly think they will escape retribution, karma, justice? Is this the time of ultimate hubris that will usher in a paradigm based on peace and cooperation or one based on dominance, and the worship of celebrity over basic human dignity. That is the crossroads we're at i think.

The squeaky wheel is always the one to get the grease. I know, not fair but the way it is. I repeat rebel farmer's words to squeak on monday. Call this number, ask to speak to someone able to respond on the issue. Ask for a reply that isn't in the form of a form letter. Toll free number below.

On Monday, get on the phone to all of your House congress critters, repug and dimm. Get them to sign on to Wexler's letter to Conyers calling for hearings. (toll free 800-828-0498). And don't forget to call Pelosi's office too. I finally got my congress critter to sign on last week after badgering him for two years. I think that asking him to support hearings, instead of impeachment, was the deal maker.

"Promises made during campaigns are the most easily revoked."

it's kind of funny, really.
no one disputes that politicians will lie to get into office.
yet almost everyone believes they will stop once elected.
"fool me twice . . "

If congress had acted as we thought it would after the last election, we would not be waiting so anxiously for November 2008. Pelosi and her wimpy colleagues must bear blame for the current situation in this country since they could have taken measures to force change and did not.

My Comment Is Awaiting Moderation

My moderation is awaiting a change in reality

… … … … … Mahatma Gandhi … & … ML King … … Inspiration … … … … …
« We must be the change we wish to see in the world »
« There is a sufficiency in the world for man's need but not for man's greed »
« We adopt the means of nonviolence because our end is a community at peace with itself » — MLK

"No serious student of the Constitution would question that sufficient grounds exist to impeach both President Bush and Vice President Cheney."

The majority in Congress, after swearing oath to uphold the Constitution, are neither serious students of this document or the law.

Recent history would indicate that a president must engage in sexual misconduct for Congress to initiate the impeachment process.

Haven't you heard, the Bible has taken the place of the "goddamned piece of paper"!

Does anyone know why Dennis Kucinich never filed the Articles of Impeachment against George Bush? I know he was working on them, and I know he is fighting to hang on to his congressional seat. But why were the Articles not filed?

The Repuks are pleased to learn that impeaching the Demok president gains them eight years to shatter all the laws of the land without risk of impeachment. New tool to be used coming up! Until the rabble converges. Ready?

The world is so incredibly complex. Even if we humans were peaceful and kind to each other (yet alone to other animals), we now find that by virtue only of our industrial activities we look likely with global warming to be on the way to bringing ourselves and many other animals to extinction.

I believe that the criteria for being a super-power was based on the power of a nation to influence all others. The US demonstrates that power based on military and economic productivity. It is interesting though that these two powers both now turn out to be powers of Destruction. Military power is obviously destructive. Now we see that Economic Power is possibly even more destructive than Military Power, as it might turn out to completely annihilate the human species.

Given these facts, it is more important now than ever that there be unity among humanity because coordinated decision-making needs to take place for the benefit of us all.

So long as the leaders of the US behave unconstitutionally and aggressively internally and in matters of foreign affairs, there is no chance that the Nations of this planet will be able to reach the urgent state of cooperation and trust necessary for us all to save ourselves from a fate of extinction.

Compassion and wisdom rather than fear and greed needs to be the basis of decision-making from the worlds strongest Superpower. Bush and Cheney appear to have grossly abused the liberties granted to them by virtue of their positions, caused catastrophic upheaval globally in doing so. Their mandate itself is highly controvertial with rumours that the elections were rigged being widespread. Once there, they have acted with the brutality and arrogance of tyrants.

I am extremely sad about the state of the world, about our indifference to the suffering of others, of the:
* animals that we turn a blind to as we pay supermarkets to pay slaughterhouses and factory farmers to brutalise and treat these animals with utmost severe cruelty, so that we may fatten ourselves with burgers and slabs of meat
* animals we torture in laboratories and universities for the chance that we may live another 10 years in old aged homes while inflicting on the millions of each of those animals lives of prolonged unending torment and anxiety
* millions impoverished in the world who barely scrape together enough to drink and eat each day

More generally, though, I am sad that governments do not make it their priority to offer the leadership of healing hatred and mistrust between humans. Instead they seem more concerned about winning the next election.

I don't care if its Hillary, Obama or McCain, frankly, as long as any of them devoted themselves to genuinely creating peace and taking steps to immediately attend to the global warming issue and positive voluntary human population reduction incentives... that's where we need to be going.

Bush and Cheney have only led us in the completely the wrong direction. Impeachment would help signal to all who follow that this is unacceptable.

Ms Holtzman cites three violations in the fourth paragraph of her article as grounds for impeachment.

My question is why did only 20 House of Representatives members sign Kucinich's Bill last year and why so few Democrats? We know how the Republicans think, but the Dems? I hope Wexler has more success than DK, and if the hearings ever do get started, the momentum against Bush/Cheney might accelerate into real action.

Gail, Sad but true. Welcome to the United States of Dumb and Dumber.

Frank Lieb, Good point. They've got to do something in their spare time.They sure ain't representing us.

Rebel Farmer, You are right about continued pressure on Congress and I hope all reading this article take down the number and start the calls Monday.

Call me a cynic, but I think the Dems calculation is simple. With the other party having done the heavy lifting to establish the legitimacy of an unaccountable Executive branch, now they will swoop down for the prize they think is theirs for the taking. They see ahead possibly 8 years of kleptocracy with wealth flowing in their direction. Enabling (for a commission) the industrial-military-entertainment-sports complex will be so much easier from now on, since the politicians have legitimized (by non-action) presidential signing statements, ignoring congress when it comes to making treaties and starting wars, spying on everyone everywhere, you name it, the Presidency is really attractive, no wonder billions of dollars are being spent to capture the White House. And no, Obama won't address the underlying rot, hypocrisy, complacency. He is no Shirley Chisholm, who once said "When morality comes up against profit, it is seldom that profit loses."

Bottom line - no impeachment, perhaps never again, because nascent fascism will not countenance such assault on its rulers.

As for Dennis, I believe he is about to be put in his place by the system. He has made too many awkward, anti-establishment noises, way too often.

One must keep the faith. I believe Kucinich will survive, and when Shirley Chisholm said "When morality comes up against profit, it is seldom that profit loses...", I ask "Who's profit?"
The vast majority is starting to see the situation as it is, and always has been: if you're a multi millionaire then Republicanism is fine, if not then some Dems/Greens/Independents start looking very good.
Who's profit, indeed.
The President and VP have busted all the constitutional rules to make their profit; the Congress, most of them, have gone along because they hope to do, and have done the same in the past.
All it takes is the vote, and an accurate vote count...

REF: the U.S. Constitution

Have any of you read or heard about the children's book Lynn Cheney is writing about the Constitution? On Oct. 10, 2007, she was interviewed by Jon Stewart on The Daily Show. During this interview, she gave us a preview of what the book will be about. Below you will find several of her quotes from the article and the interview.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marty-kaplan/the-pet-constitution_b_68374.html

1. "Preamble" is a fancy word that means "apology." Our Founders were wise men who understood that government is bad, and since the Constitution establishes a government, they wanted to be sure to begin by saying how sorry they were for doing it.

2. The text of the Constitution itself is divided into seven Articles. "Article" means just what it does in modern English: it's a story, like you'd find in a newspaper or on television. And just as with any media story, except for Fox News, the key is not to take the Articles on face value, but instead to look for hidden biases and correct for them. It's also important to look in the text for things the Founders meant, but didn't actually come out and say, perhaps because they didn't want to be accused of being politically incorrect.

3. Okay, let's take our first look at the Articles, paying special attention to the "tensions" between them. For example, Article I says that Congress has the power to pass laws. But Article II says that the President can issue "signing statements," which explain what the laws really mean.

4. Article I says that Congress has the power to declare war. But Article II says that the President doesn't have to actually ask Congress for permission to declare war, because if he did, he wouldn't be called the President, would he?

5. Article I says that Congress can't suspend "the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus." That means that people can't be kept in jail without being promptly charged and tried. But Article II explains that a privilege is just what it sounds like -- a special treat, like being allowed to stay up late on your birthday -- and that the President can take that treat away from someone if he doesn't deserve it.

6. Article I says that the Vice President is the President of the Senate, which is part of the legislative branch. But Article II says that the Vice President is part of the executive branch. Since no one can be in two places at the same time, this means that the Vice President doesn't have to obey any of the laws passed by Congress, and that he doesn't have to listen to the President, either.

7. Article III establishes the Supreme Court. The Court's most important power is overturning laws that the President doesn't agree with.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marty-kaplan/the-pet-constitution_b_68374.html

"Mom, Dad, if Richard Cheney and George Bush can get away with murder, lying, stealing, and cheating then why can't I? How many 14 and 15 year olds are asking this question either consciously or unconsciously?

Giving a known murderer carte blanche to murder for four more years? Not enough time to impeach? One less week or day with the Inflated Flyboy Lunatic and the Grand Inquisitor is plenty of time. Our have we totally lost the Rule of Law?

Note to self: redouble efforts for impeachment!

From what all I can tell, the democrats cannot impeach Bush or Cheney for pretty much any of the crimes they are accused of without implicating themnselves.

Go back over the years. Over countless dead bodies you'll find the shadows of both republicans and democrats. There is no evidence that I can find that suggests that that has changed in the last 7.

"Impeachment is impairative."

Exactly. And it needs to be followed up with NULLIFICATION of the entire Unadministration, then arrest, trial, conviction, restitution (recovery of all available moneies "given" away to all of the cronies including all of the bush and cheney crime families money), extradition- to The Hague for war crimes prosecution, then ultimately EXECUTION.

YES WE CAN!

runamuck

That's exactly it, impeachment would entail self-examination by the body politic, and the public can't handle the truth about itself, the way its silence aided and abetted the criminals from both parties. Yes, the
Dems have no intention to indict themselves as co-conspirators.

I would argue that we need a war crimes tribunal.The war mongers need to be tried for treason to our Constitution and murder. When your country is being attacked war is noble and honorable. When your country attacks another for $ and greed, that is called murder. This has gone way beyond impeachment.

Impeach Dickhead Cheney and George the Lessor now! Gutless demopublicans won't do it. I think Move On should organize a million person march to DC, everyone carrying citizen's arrest warrants for Dickhead and Bu-Shr, surround the capital and sit in non-violently. Will they send out the black clad Blackwater Imperial Guard to protect the resident? Imprison 1 million people?

Indeed, a non-violent sit-in, in effect a siege of the ostensible center of power would be far better than petitions, one-day demonstrations. It would constitute a people's impeachment, 'cause democracy should not be left to be mis-managed and corrupted by the professional political class.

We would need thousands and thousands of Port-a-potties. :-)

IMPEACH both Bush and Cheney.............NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The reasons for impeachment have to be spelled out clearly and debated openly and fairly in the halls of congress and the senate so the public is informed and accepts its justification for protection of the rule of law and our sacred constitution.

waterdragon:

Damned great idea! anyone up for organizing such a thing? I'd love to be a part of it,

penguinity to all

I would love to believe that impeahment could occur. I can only hope that the Mother of all Dick's will be indicted by whatever entity possible as it has been his plan to rule by his imperial untiarian executive priciples to the globe sinse he was in the Nixon White HOuse. The imperial replublican machine knew W didn't have a frigging clue about squat. The Dick has stealthily taken care of everthing. Let him "dunk " till he drowns

Did anyone watch the last pres-dent state of the union address?

Pelosi was chatting up a storm with Cheney, smiling, joking, laughing. I have never seen this kind of sucking up before.

Makes me wonder if Cheney has been working her "dark side"

I have this weird feeling that there will be tears in the eyes of the Democrats as the 30 or so Republican members of the Senate and House retire and kiss them goodbye. Sad, that the excuse for sitting around and lining their own pockets is going away, because them bad Republicans kept them from being progressive and building good government. Jealous, because former members cash in with the corporations and lobby firms they have all so slavishly served. Horny, because nobody gets laid like a politician in power.

Messrs Bush and Cheney are good men who've done what they might have thought right and true -- but in fact was not.

That said, let impeachment go forward. Even good men have to be held accountable. You and I would be accountable by their very justice department if we used lives, funds, materials, and oaths in a criminal manner.

I'd like to know how we go about getting rid of Pelosi. She's as guilty as B&C.

Actually, most of Congress needs to go.

A good chunk of the Supreme Court, as well, for that matter.

1. Scene: cold block room w/single light bulb. CIA interrogation room. An Arab being waterboarded. The agent pouring the water says, "OK, Abdul, I'm gonna ask you one more time—Who set up 9/11?". Abdul: "blubDickblubblub blubCheneyblubblub". Second agent with a clip board, to a third agent with the video camera: "Eh, that's what they all say the first few times…".
The little mouse in the corner says, "Must be a conspiracy"….

FairPlanetWalt and ZephyrnDinburg:

I don't know why there has been no serious proposal for a large sit-in/non-violent demonstration/civil disobedience (people armed with arrest warrants for the two Residents for war crimes, war profiteering, lying to the population.....). The falun gong people in China did it in Beijing and shocked the government ...of course the government cracked down on them with violence and jailings, but as seen with Katrina, some truth filters through the media and people will see what is actually going on. Maybe MoveOn believes in working within the system (or just plain believes in the system) and doesn't want to get in trouble with the potential for violence with such a large event. That's okay, there are other ways to organize it. Only a thousand porta-potties?

I applaud this group of young Representative who are taking their rightful place to honor the wishes of the People of America. The time is long over-due to initiate these hearings. Bush/Chaney and all of their Accomplises must be held in contempt. All, Media inclusive.

These brave young souls are exercising their Constitutional duties. Let this stand as notice to the old Establishment crowd that their tenure is over. The Now Generation will hold you ACCOUNTABLE for all of your illegal actions against the People of America.

Constitutional Integrity will once again be restored to the People of this Great Nation. Honor, Integrity, Inclusiveness, Love, are but a few terms that you sent us off to the Colleges and Universities of America and abroad to learn.

Mrs. Speaker, you and the rest of the old establishment must be made to re-connect with the principles of Constitutional Integrity. This now generation has built their lives on Integrity, unlike you and so many of your associates. You are elected officials, Constitutionaly sworn to honor the will of the People. Yet you choose not. Your entire generation must be swept out of the positions that we placed you in. Your Integrity is in serious question.

What a bunch of hypocrites, these bumbling Democrats, along with Pelosi and I too wondered what happened to Kusinich's impeaching Cheney. It's all about the money, so why else would anyone publish anything written by Lynn Cheney? The Congress, includig both the Dems and Repubs should have impeached these criminals a long time ago. Looks to me that the whole Congress along with the Supreme Court should be tarred and feathered and marched before their own Military Tribunal and tried and convicted without due process of law as they intend for anyone of their choosing. The whole congress should be held in violation of their oath to uphold the constitution. Or is it that our government has been sold to the highest bidder and American Democracy no longer exists?