This is not about legal standing (or ANY legal issues, for all that matters).

This IS about the installation of fascism in the US, and the steps they take to get us there.

These are only *maneuvers* used to stall for time while they still feel the need to ACT like this is still a democracy.

Unless the US population WAKES UP, pretty soon they won't even need to play those games. They'll just take uppity folks like Conyers and haul 'em off to prison for questioning authority.

This is not about procedures, nor interpretations. This is about Resistance. To have THAT requires a Resistance Leadership that will speak the truth about what is going on. For all the media circus about the Primaries (where NOTHING of importance is revealed or discussed), Rev. Wright is a MUCH better candidate for giving Americans the Reality Checks they need than Obama is or ever was.

Dick Cheney: a man who needs a jail cell-and truly does need it, desperately!

Quelle: Thanks!

Tonyo,

I too am fifty plus and feel the same way especially this part:

All who would accuse me of having any crimminal intent,
are the same people or agencies who justify conformity,
acceptance, or submission to the policies of torture
and murder.

Good God, where did the rebels go?

No matter what branch that little tyrant says he's in , he still works for us we the people. We need to hold him accountable, ALL OF THEM ACCOUNTABLE. It's time to take a stand people!

SavetheBOR April 30th, 2008 6:38 pm
Thanks for the insight. That makes sense. Like I have been saying, the Republicans and the Democrats are the right and left wing, respectively, of the same party. It's all insider trading and backroom deals. Our only hope is a third party.

Peaceman,

So would I buddy, so would I.

Quelle,

I appreciate your commentary. As for myself, I'd rather be called "a wimp" than "a bully."

Re: impeachement and pardon. If there were impeachment procedings against W, Hillary would have a very hard time going after him because her husband, Bill, and W's father are close buddies now. Same with a pardon, she would be likely to pardon, and very unlikely to appoint a special prosecutor for Bush and Cheney once she took office. The families are too close.

There is one way to keep your sanity when dealing
with the divel that passes for reasoned discourse in
america. 1. Treat this murdererous regime and all who
support it like crimminal scum i.e. don't help them
survive in any form or fasion. If they are dying. let
them die. 2. If you are assaulted in any form or fasion,
for this belief, inform your assailants that anything
goes in a fight, as long as you get hit first.

3.Inform these MF'S that because of their greed and
murder, their lectures on morals and ethics are calum-
ny and one isn't obliged to follow the orders of any-
one hellbent on using autogenocide against those who
oppose these treasonous policies.

The current crud of enablers running for the president-
cy deserve only scorn and revulsion for taking impeach-
ment off the table, telling the people to bide their
time, trust us, we are so well informed that you
couldn't possibly understand why the past 37 have been
socially and ecomomically debilitating for the people,
both nationally and internationally.

This post will be considerd by some to be devisive,
irrational, and hatefull. All living things fight to
survive. Living things don't consciously chose to fol-
low anyone, including our leaders to certain suffering
or death. We are forced to follow BS artists or one can
expect social or actual inprisonment or death for your
failure to go along with the program.

Governments, corporations and the rich can hide behide
rule of law to supress debate or displeasure only so
long as the people allow it. Since my patience is ex-
hausted after fifty plus years of living and getting
beaten by the might makes right mentality, This is the
chosen course of action for me.

All who would accuse me of having any crimminal intent,
are the same people or agencies who justify conformity,
acceptance, or submission to the policies of torture
and murder. It's a lie and I would defend myself by any
means necessary. "That's the way it is" one is told in-
numerble times in the course of your life.

Slavery and other atrocities were accepted practices
throughout history. While these practices were curtail-
ed, they were not eliminated. They raise their ugly
head in our racially uneven sentencing guidelines and
breed contemp for the law and those who justify them.

So, for all those who would criticize me for my beliefs,
I say "F**k You Too".

Eternal vigilance IS the price of freedom...we all learned that in school. What we DIDN'T learn was, that if your country is powerful, the greatest danger it will face will come from WITHIN.

We have to be careful folks, about who we elect. When we vote for candidates for high office, we have to be more discerning about the "character" of our candidates. We have to learn that "character" is a whole lot more than looking for evidence of extra-marital sex (not so important). Or looking for (easily-faked) allegiance to pious-sounding religious principles (not-so-important)...Looking for evidence of "love-of-country" and respect for our democratic ideals, and the will of the people, these things ARE important. They are also not-so-easy to ferret out, especially with the hype-focused media of the present age. But we do have to TRY to figure out the true character of the folks we elect.

But a far more urgent question that all of us must face is this one:
"What and who do we, as a nation, want to be?"

If we CHOOSE to be the most powerful military power on the planet (only U.S. citizens CURRENTLY have to face this one), then we are choosing EMPIRE.

If we want to revert to that "sleeping giant" that we used to be (before WWI and WWII), and I am not at all sure that this is even possible, we would be choosing JUSTICE (and peacefulness) over EMPIRE (and inevitable use of force).

If we choose to continue as "the big dog on the block", we inevitably turn our backs on participatory democracy and the equality of all men (and women). Now I know from experience that lots of us guys "just love" macho posturing, "just love" talking tough and swaggering...we have to "grow up" folks.

I am not saying that any of us is "directly responsible" for such events as occurred on 9/11...what I AM saying is that Empires are ALL universally and unavoidably "oppressive", and oppressed people the world over, and throughout all time, resist the power of Empire in any way they can.

And equally important, those "bad apples", those people (among us) who yearn for power and wealth, who delight in playing the part of a "bully", who delight in inflicting pain on others...those kind of folks will scheme and strive (and cheat and bribe) to grab hold of the reins of power.

I am afraid that this is exactly where we are today in America...two unprincipled cowardly bullies are in charge of the circus...it must never happen again. And we, as a Nation, have to tone down our militarism. We have to resist the temptation to solve problems by force of arms.

We have to TRULY respect other countries and other cultures. We have to admit to ourselves and others that "we don't have all the answers", that we "don't know what's best", that our "national security" doesn't trump the "national security" of any other country. And if we don't learn to treat other countries "as equals", we will eventually go the way of the ROMAN Empire. The only way to AVOID such a fate is to CHOOSE to STOP BEING AN EMPIRE.

Nobody has balls anymore.

Onelove said: "The vice-president is not the commander-in-chief, so he has zero decision-making power about the military. He can give advice all he wants and assist the president, but the Constitution gives him no power in that regard."

I don't think George was ever informed of all those facts. Has anyone told him yet?

Well, War is necessary for Totalitarianism.

For any general population war brings:
Fear of Losing the War.

Fear of being called an enemy or unpatriotic.

Fear of losing your job if outspoken.

Fear of being spied upon...phones tapped,

Fear of losing all your rights and being imprisoned or beat up by some bigots..

I guess these are just a few....

But don't be afraid anyway, since it is the Fear that stops us from using our heads along with our hearts.

Articles of impeachment have already been intoduced in congress. Their failure to act shows the fix is in. They're just running out the clock...like Clinton did...like BushI did and on and on

Jim Glover,

Thank you for the words of encouragement. We'll try our best!

I haven't heard anything about Nader.

Fear of what? Unless some of the Dems were threatened or blackmailed. Will we ever find out?

I"ll let you all know from my perspective how it goes tomorrow, Jim. I'll write a small feature for CD...'The Peaceman Speaks' or some type of headline.

Thanks, again.

Peaceman,

I hope you have a peaceful May Day celebration with Cindy and Cynthia Mckinney and all.

I wonder if Nader will show up too.... He is so aloof...we'll see.

Please keep us posted on it in a few days.

So many folks here wonder why they haven't been impeached.... the reason is Fear.

America has been afraid of the Bushes since I was a kid.

War profiteers make war and war makes fear and the politicians are just as afraid as most Americans.. It is just simple psychology that they know how to use against the people

You are the brave ones that America wants to become.... so Keep Going.

The French knew how to deal with this sort of elitist rabble back in 1789. So much for progress. Cheney, Bush, Rumsfeld, Rice, Wolfowitz and Pearle need to be dragged from their respective offices, put on a plane and dropped buck naked into the market place in Damascus.

What 'should' happen and what is going to happen are two different things. One thing for sure though, we are not going to like our new reality that much. I'm not even too fond of this one, come to that.

Invading Iraq was the second biggest mistake our country has ever made. Not impeaching Bush/Cheney was the biggest.

Living as we do in a Neofascist Corporate Plutocracy, just count on nothing being done about Chickenhawk-Puppeteer Cheney one of the real heros of the plutocrats awash with war-related profits.

We should count on even more, and that is that John McBush will end up in the White House Oafel Office, succeeding the Puppet. As we close in on the election in November, look for a sudden international emergency focusing on Iran, complete with the red alarm alert in Ridge's revived color chart. This will send a semi-hyerstical electorate running off to vote McBush into the equivalence of the third term of the Puppet's Disaster.

Them with the gold makes the rules...because only they can afford to run for public office.

Armchair guerrillas sittin' pretty while Sadr's freedom fighters take the US bullets.

All the armchair guerrillas posting didactic treatises.

I am NOT complacent.

I am angry. Pissed. I could spit nails.

One day witholding my labor only hurts me. I want to hurt them.

I want them to know what it's been like trying to figure out how to make ends meet.

Cleaning their toilets to do it does not make me humble it makes me seethe.

Watching illegal immigrants pack ten in a house in single family dwellings and get free education and free health care, health care I cannot get because I live by the rules makes me ill.

I want my fellow citizens to join me in taking a stand.

1) I want to see who you are. Start carrying or wearing a bandana daily so I can see who you are.

2) I want to hurt the pocketbooks of the big guys. At then end of every month we turn off the tv ALL DAY and we don't buy anything ALL DAY. We add another day (say the 15th) once we see if we can even get enough people to do it one day a month.

3) Begin demonstrations at a local recruiting office. OR

4) Do military opt-out protests at local high schools in your area. Do not let these kids sign up.

I am old, I am tired, I fought many of these battles once before.

I want the people of this nation to grow some balls.

I want the rhetoric on blogs to be accompanied by ACTION.

Let's start using this internet for its best and highest purpose. Let's start communicating what we NEED TO DO not just how sorely brutalized we are.

How do we get small groups all over the nation which I know alot of you are in differnt places hooked up with people on the blog who live in your area?

I live in West Palm Beach FL. How do I hook up with others here so I can begin?

Will Common Dreams moderators allow the revolution to begin here in print?

Off to work now...........so I can pay for this war.

Only reading a little ways down into these comments, I hear over and over the familiar calls for impeachment. One even says it's long overdue but totally necessary still. Look, impeachment has been "off the table" for 8 years; it didn't require Pelosi's admission of this fact to see that the Dems never were going to impeach. Cindy Sheehan has done all any person could possibly do, with plenty of help from others, to force Congress (beginning but not ending with Conyers) to uphold the Constitution and do what their constituents demand. Congress doesn't give a shit what we demand. Only a handful of Dems in Congress have had any serious problems with any policies issuing from this criminal administration since they illegally seized office in 2000. You can't get impeachment moving with 20 votes. Also, tomorrow it's the lusty month of May, only 6 months until the next rigged election, a little late to be worrying about, demanding or expecting impeachment. Not gonna happen, was never gonna happen. Blame Congress and corporate media who have worked beautifully in concert to guarantee Bush/Cheney two full terms to wreck the world and basically destroy this country into the bargain. If Cheney could have ever been caught getting a blowjob or pulling an Eliot Spitzer, he might possibly have been impeached. Merely starting an illegal war and getting a few million people killed for the greater glory of ExxonMobil, Shell, Bechtel, Halliburton et al., and violating the Constitution by torturing innocent scapegoats, do not constitute grounds for anything but more of the same in this criminal system.

Politicians have been lying and scheming for years with the exception of George Washington. Cheney is just the most grotesque example of a manipulative egomaniac. His ambitions no no bounds. In his mind, he IS above the law and he will defend this delusion until his artificial heart beats its last beat. What is so puzzling is that this has been going on so long, out in the open and NO ONE has stepped up to stop him. Bush because he is complicit in all that Cheney does, most certainly deserves to be impeached. Who has the guts? Why are the American so complacent? Because the media have taken over our minds and hand feed us a bunch of garbage they choose as news. Always rememberm,, the media makes the news. If you want the truth, find it yourself or read Noam Chompsky, my hero.

The only hope is to march on Washington and physically remove them...It HAS come to that.

If only that were true, Dump Bush. Sex with an intern will bring Impeachment right back into play, because that's the level of awareness of our elected officials. The Consitution? What's that? Victorious males throughtout history have taken their victory thus. Law? What's that? It falls before male lust and power plays every time.

After all the Constitution is only 200+ years old, gotta a way to go to catch up with male paower doing its thing.

This administration has blocked the will of the American people at every pass. Does it surprise anyone that they have done it again and gotten away with it, while stomping on the constitution at every opportunity?

No doubt they are clinking hi ball glasses at the end of every day in their finest smuggery.

I couldn't believe how GWB blamed the current economic problems on the Dems for not introducing any stimulus bills, then quickly transitioned to voting for a war bill that will quickly fix the economy.

Golly, I don't think the American public will swallow that horse bill.

Yah Dick "the anti american hitlerian criminal" Cheney has said this in one form or another many times.

http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/03/27/7921/

Funny thing is so-called conservatives falling for these people. They aren't conservatives. Dick Cheney is a monstrous nightmare the founding Father's warned of and tried to prevent. People need to wake up. Anyone that supports anything the Bush administration has done is in no way whatsoever a conservative, idiot yes, but not a conservative.

Hi ~MIKE CORBEIL~ It didn't occur to me that anyone was unaware that Cheney recently answered a reporter who said to him on a nationally broadcat TV news program, words very much like, ___ "Are you aware that over 75% of the American public feel the war in Iraq was unnecessary?" And Cheney with a scornful look of utter contempt and distain replied with one word. ___"SO".___ Or in other words, __ you the people,___ "Screw you".

So that was the reason for my comment you failed to understand, and why it was all I posted.___ "Never forget the one word,___ "SO"___." Sorry I didn't realize any would have not known of it, some others here referred to it also, and there were some artilces published here at C/D about it but I see you missed it. So here is my clafification for you.

The vice president, in this case, is a psychopathic criminal of Hitlerian proportions. He should be tried on a multi-million count indictment. He has committed treason against the American people and all kinds of other great crimes. Well the list is virtually endless. But we must all wake up to the realization that we have given too few people too many powers. However what no one has ever done is given the office of the vice president or some other convolution of the office or the vice president or his criminal cohorts any exemptions whatsoever from the laws for which Congress alone is charged with writing and overseeing.

Dick Cheney is a lawless bloodsucking criminal who has done more damage to the United States of America then our worst enemies could possibly dream. He should be treated as such.

I'm very pro-Founding father et al the federalist papers etc but boy did they screw up in failing to build in components to really prevent the kind of lunatic ultra fascist psychopathic idiots from hijacking our great country. We absolutely need to take money out of politics. And I'm in favor of considering more of a parliamentary model with enhanced features to make it impossible for someone in the office of the President to become a veritable dictator. I even think we should consider having a kind of committee of 5 representing five regions of the USA rather than just one man. We need to prevent our nation from being taken over and run into the ground by a band of hoodlum trash idiots.

Part of that call for change requires each one of us to become much more knowledgeable and questioning. We must work for our country and the freedoms and society we hold so dear.

Waving flags like a bunch of dumb monkeys is simply not the answer.

I have bad news for everyone, Cheney plans to retain his duties as WEEP when he expires.

He's already decided he's gonna do damn well what he pleases; no god nor death is gonna stop him.

So one day, if any of you happen to be in Foggy Bottom, touring the WHite House and notice an ugly snarling bald headed porcine ghost, that'll be `ole Dead eye Dick hisself prowling about causing a ruckus.

Good posts by all you Common Dreamer's again but I'll address three and add mine.

Judi; Social Studies 101: Checks and Balances. The most important item folks. "Checks and Balances." For you youngsters, ask your elders what we learned in grammer school in social studies class. Yep. Those three majestic words which helped keep our country free dictatorial powers since George Washington. We were the envy of the world for quite some time in our short history as a nation. One of the main reasons was "checks and balances," meaning none of the three branches of government- the executive, legislative, and judicial couldn't dictate power because each branch was accountable to the other two. It's a bit more complicated but relates to this article. Since the disingenuous Democrats "retook" Congress in 06, all their requests for serious investigations of top officials in this administration have gone nowhere The Republican Crime Family pays little attention to their "gentle friends" on the other side of the isle and all that malarky B.S. So, Judi, You get an A+ today for a simple but astute answer.

Galen, 4;46pm post; Right to the point. I agree with you.

Curmudgeon99; Thanks, buddy! It's time to quit whinning in kindergarten and start acting like grown men and women. If the seven magic words were "realized" in visualization and followed through in all fifty states, We The People can topple the most corrupt regime in US History in a short period of time! What are the words?

"TAKE TO THE STREETS, WITHHOLD YOUR LABOR." (peacefully) All in capitol letters. Starting with international worker's day, May Day, May 1st, take off from work (unless you're in a life-saving job, ( nurse, doctor, firefighter, cop,etc. ) I don't care if you're an airline pilot (they want to screw you too), call off. To use a cliche, It's got to be a concerted effort and the momentum will grow, once the public catches on. This type of action works. The task is not easy and will be burdensome to many, but what is the alternative to a rapidly growing dictatorship in OUR country? I don't have all the answers (just most of em'). Kidding aside, I'm open to suggestions. And PLEASE, don't keep wasting your energy on the "mythical" knights in shinning armor, The Democrats, to impeach the coward-in-chief and the vice-coward. How many emails, petitions, faxes, phone calls, telegrams, and continued lamenting (to each other) on CD and other progressive web sites has resulted in impeachment? Conyers, Kucinich, and Wexler's have gone into the trash can. Pelosi? I don't even want to get started on her. My computer screen would catch fire.

I am taking off work this Thursday, and will be up near Fisherman's Wharf on Mason Street in San Francisco, 10:30am to rally with the longshore workers, workers in other trades and professions, Cindy Sheehan, Cynthia McKinny and all my make believe girfriends in CodePink. Them babes rock!

Eternal Vigilence, folks. We've slumbered off over the years because life was pretty good. Tyrants never sleep.
Please do whatever you can, whether a little or a lot, starting Thursday, May 1st. Wherever you live take the day off for peace and justice. Your fellow citizens are counting on us to help them.

Tsk tsk, we mustn't work ourselves up over this. After all, there's plenty of historical precedent. Like Germany 1933, Russia 1917. . .

Unless you stop talking this way about Dick, you'll run the risk of getting a face full of shotgun pellets!

You've been warned!

Cheney claims that he is a hybrid of the executive and legislative branches, so he is immune to any subpeonas, etc.
The vice-president is not the commander-in-chief, so he has zero decision-making power about the military. He can give advice all he wants and assist the president, but the Constitution gives him no power in that regard.

As for the legislative function, he only votes in the Senate in case of a tie. He cannot vote otherwise nor may he introduce legislation or bills.

But, since when does the Constitution matter to Cheney or any of these Bu$hco bastards? After they are out of office, W and Laura plan to live in Dallas, not the "ranch" he bought right before he ran for Prez. And Cheney? He also lived in Dallas, but had to claim he lived in Wyoming, as the Constitution does not allow both the prez and veep to be from the same state. So, watch and see if he goes to live in Wyoming after they are out of office.

I wonder what it takes to send EMP to a pacemaker?

Tell me you wouldn't do the same. You shoot the guards and rob a bank in broad daylight. Next, the keystone sheriff (Democrat) shows up at your house wanting to question your driver for running a red light during the getaway. What do you do? You tell the cop to go FUCK HIMSELF!

What are they going to do? Write your driver a ticket? All your have to do is tell the spineless sheriff you refuse to show him your drivers license. Fuck him, you have already gotten away with murder.

Truce,

Your quote of Pres. JFK's words sure make him seem to have possibly been really visionary, whether he realised his words would come to reflect actual reality in the USA, or not.

And I believe one or more considerably earlier presidents had spoken enough in similar terms. Perhaps one of them was one who promoted the right for every citizen to have weapons, or guns. Another, if not the same, spoke in terms of monetary control, and his words are used by people who want an either end to or reformation of the Federal Reserve. And yet another spoke of the need to make sure that a MIC, military-industrial complex situation does not form in the USA. But I think one, or more, also spoke in more similar terms to those of the quote that you provided of Pres. JFK.

They may not have all been presidents, but those who weren't were among the founders of the Constitution and/or Bill of Rights, I believe. (Founders, minus the weird reference of fathers, for it sounds too worship like to me, and they're definitely not my father(s).)

A little eery were or are those prescient words of all of those people; right?! It's a little eery [and] depressing, actually.

If Pres. JFK was not really visionary, but speaking based on what he knew had already commenced to evolve with the U.S. govt, then his words were not really prescient. Either way, though, his words still and clearly were a WARNING to The People, for them to WAKE UP, pay attention, and be [responsibly] and therefore conscientiously active citizens.

Sort of like with motor vehicles, or a house, they require maintenance, or else they'll not last as they should and could be made to last; democracy requires maintenance, which in turn means paying careful WATCH on it. For crying out loud, if The People accept for citizens and other residents to serve in the U.S. military and want them to abide by military law, which says to defend the country against enemies from both without and within, then the least the rest of The People can and must do is to maintain very careful WATCH on their democracy; else The People will reap what they helped to sew. It's tragically and frustratingly what we have for reality today; a democracy that was in need of improvements, some maintenance work, gone despotic, rogue.

However, given all there is to learn from human history, it did not require mystical visions to be able to foresee the too possible corruption of the U.S. govt; therefore, not only these aforementioned leaders should've been able to foresee the possibilities they spoke of, The People should be able to foresee just as much. Instead, The People have been awfully responsible for NOT guarding democracy and the rest of the govt(s) (federal and state, as well as local).

Nonetheless, the warnings we were given were good things to state and should've been heeded by [everyone].

I'm particularly weary of The People too constantly electing and re-electing candidates on whom enough really is already known in order for it to be clear that they are UNFIT, and often criminals, to serve in the offices of The People. I'm really frustrated by this perpetually repeated idiocy, nonsense, bs, corruption of The People. After all, it is the voters who elect the representatives.

Hopefully, people will curb that atrocious habit.

It's obvious we have a dictatorship, folks. Their salary is paid for by us taxpayers, yet Bush, Cheney, Rice, et al love to rub our noses in ___________ (you fill in the blank).

If this country should ever reach the point where any man or group of men by force or threat of force could long defy the commands of our courts and Constitution, then no law will stand free from doubt, no judge would be sure of his writ, and no citizen would be safe from his neighbors.

John Fitzgerald Kennedy
30 September 1962

If Cheney claims Congress has no authority of oversight, then he is not a Vice President and GWB is not a President. They are despots, attempting to impose authoritarian rule, wherein, as Nixon once put it, "if the President does it, it isn't illegal."

This said, I must say that the Democrats in Congress have been an unspeakable disappointment. They were explicitly elected to stop the war in Iraq and rein in the Bush "Administration." They have done neither, and thus have made themselves accomplices in the ongoing Constitutional train wreck.

Recall the fall of the Soviet Union, or the British rule of India. When enough people simply refused to cooperate, the few could no longer rule the many. It is long past time we withdrew our support, implicit or explicit, of the dominant Washington paradigm.

- Yilmaz the Downwinder (http://home.roadrunner.com/~wxnil/)

You, yes you, have not elected enough progressives to Congress to impeach anyone. You do not have enough power. Time to get to work.

I think the justice system works fine even if its goes against my point of view. In a Democracy, the justice system, depending on who is sitting on the bench, determined by who appoints, will always be against someone's point of view. That doesn't make it wrong, just frustrating.

Nothing is going to happen. Conyers will write yet another "strongly worded letter" and that will be that. Impeachment was/is the only answer and that isn't going to happen either. The circle is unbroken and the mission of the fascists has been achieved. It no longer matters who is to blame.

Economic collapse and hungry bellies are the only things that will get the sustained attention of the masses. Couple that with gas shortages (not just increased prices) and we have a real shot at some fundamental changes. But what will the changes be? Getting the masses to move in the same direction as their best interests is wishful thinking at this point. Without a true leader like a Gandhi (sp) or a King we are all screwed.

I don't know what to do anymore. I'm too old to be scared. But young enough to be very sad and rapidly running out of hope. It's taken a long time to grind me down to this point. And maybe that was the game all along. Mission accomplished......

Actually, in 2008, while its true that Bush submitted a budget that increased the deficit, Congress increased the budget by another 22 Billion above Bushes budget thus increasing the deficit further. As Ralph Nader once said, the difference between Democrats and Republicans is their party symbols.

Cata - I hate to be the one to tell you, but you are naive in the extreme if you think that 'taking the issue to court' is going to make any difference. Did you happen to notice the make-up of the Supreme Court? Did you read about the White House-directed firing of Federal Judges that they didn't toe the White House line?

And still you believe that the U.S. justice system is blind or would be blind in this case?

Wake up and smell the coffee. We're long past the time where naivete of US citizens about their criminal government can be tolerated, let alone considered cute.

Seems that this may be true with Cheney or Bush as no one will challenge him to the contrary.

There is one "branch" of the "government" that can take care of Cheney:

"I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and DOMESTIC..."

Can ya hear me now, Military Police? The man formerly known as the Vice President, now known as, er, Unelected Hybrid?, has admitted, repeatedly, to VIOLATING OUR CONSTITUTION, to the point of insisting it does not even apply!!!

Go get em boys...

Cheney appears to be a very sick man, and so does McCain.

Lucifer awaits their arrival. As do we all.

May God help them to their graves pronto.

the Ego of this man(sic devil) is well beyon d the scope of the law, but not his actions as a public servant, time to get rid of this warmongering profiteer, and this corpirate administration, seems funny that the repuglicans have run up the largest debt, debt in the world history and then have the stupidity to talk about the (tax and spend democrats) like paying down the nation's debt is a bad thing (who's debt) I didn't sign the Checks,,,cancel it and the tax burden of the rich will go down, no income from robbery,national treasury thievery

The tree of liberty looks like it needs a bit of nourishment...

I agree the only way that cheney is going to leave office is on a stretcher... I still hope he's not assissinated, that would make the puke a martyr to the braindead repukes...

I may be naive on this subject, but if Congress thinks it has the power to obtain certain information from an Executive Branch office and is not getting it, why don't they take the issue to court? My understanding is that is what the judicial branch is to be used for. Everything else is just opinion, which with $4.00 can buy you a cup of coffee at Starbucks, or a gallon of gas.

Them with the gold makes the rules.

I haven't read the article yet, and have only read h buchman's post so far, so hope to not be too redundant with what readers have also stated above.

h buchman,

I agree, but also wonder if Congress hasn't rendered itself actually more criminal than the Cheney-Bush administration. If yes, then I suppose that it would not amount to significant differences in terms of punishment, i.e., justice, unless all guilty members of Congress were individually indicted for betraying the country and the rest of our world here on "Mother" Earth. I don't wonder about this in practical terms, given individual members of Congress would not be given the justice they merit; but the question still comes to mind in terms of what the laws on books actually provide for.

Imo, Congress is more guilty, for it could have ordered full stoppage of this war as of the moment it was criminally launched; but instead, and as we all know, chose to continually refund the continuation of the war or military aggression (how ever you prefer to refer to it).

There's that, and the fact that the Congressional authorisation of fall 2002 did not allow for the launching of the war, for Saddam met the contingency requirements or demands of the Bush-Cheney-Congress cabal. The weapons inspections were wholly successful, in favourable terms for Iraq, and still criminally interrupted or curbed; and there was absolutely no way to provide any proof whatsoever that Saddam had any relationship with the CIA's Al Qa'ida or involvement in the 9-11 attacks.

The authorisation was dead done cooked fini null-and-voided. And Congress definitely knew this and silently allowed, surely some members also having supported, the launching and maintenance of this military aggression against a CRUSHED country, it's whole population; except for perhaps the Kurds in the north.

They could've stopped Cheney-Bush right away, so I believe Congress is even more guilty than the exec. branch is. If Congress had acted according to law and moral ethics, instead of the ethics, i.e., norms, of state gangsterism, then only the exec. branch and all of its counterparts, such as Ahmad Chalabi and his INC, f.e., would've been guilty. Of course we could and surely should add all U.S. military generals, ... who had no reason to not realise that the war was criminal aggression; for, and after all, there is NO excuse for them not strongly, really wholly, siding with the U.S. Constitution, so also international laws, ....

I think that's worse than them only being criminal enablers of the supreme international crime. But I'm no law expert and maybe the human-established laws do not cover the above sort of judgement or ruling.

Re. 9-11, the following is an article I believe everyone should carefully read and keep in mind.

"9/11 Contradictions:
When Did Cheney Enter the Underground Bunker?",
by David Ray Griffin, Apr 24 2008

http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=8788

There are some slightly older articles of this very above kind, the considerably many and strong contradictions, at GR, only needing to go to the appropriate index there.

I imagine that those articles are accurate, that is, factually based; and if they are, then the Congress is also guilty for not ensuring thoroughly honest, truthful investigation of the 9-11 attacks. I doubt very much that these authors with these articles at GR fib or distort. Given that the contradictions described are surely fact, there is absolutely no way to legitimately excuse Congress' inaction; it's more of the members' [treasons].

Despotism, totalitarianism!

The Democrats should draft Cheney as their presidential candidate. Perhaps then they would win the office. He's certainly a lot smarter than they are.

Cheney knew.

Impeach Cheney, or forget constitutional democracy.

Wake up folks. We have lost our country to the corporate-government-media fascist cabal that runs things anyway they please. It is not Dumbya/Dickhead and their neocon henchpeople who are the real problem. WE THE PEOPLE ARE THE PROBLEM because we continue to elect them and the Nancy Pelosi's and Harry Reid's of the world. As much as I'd like to see Cindy Sheehan defeat Pelosi, the thought of that sleazy silver haired fox from Maryland as Speaker of the House is truly frightening.

'Tis a serious Gordian knot we have created for ourselves. "To the streets" only has a remote chance to work if the military stays on its bases. How much chance do you think there is for that to happen? Zero is too high a number.

Perhaps me and my partner have found the answer -- retire to a nice little energy/food/water sufficient foreign country with a low cost of living and watch the slow but steady descent of the USA from world leader to just another once was empire.

Cheney is beyond description. There aren't enough words in the english language to describe the hatefulness this man can conjuure up. He is the devil personified.

Tricky Dick strikes again.

We'll soon go through all this again when President McCain selects Cheney as his running mate.

Stiv Whitman April 29th, 2008 12:03 pm

Sick stuff. 98% of the US population will never see this article. Or the story is chopped up and rehashed in a positive spin.

Quick, someone tell Anthony Scalia, that the Executive branch is RE-interpreting the constution AGAIN, and not sticking to its ORIGINAL INTENT....

Did anyone see that interview on Sunday night of him on 60 minutes?

Talk about HUBRIS - that man reeked of it.

So...
If you and I decide to BREAK THE LAW....then all we have to do is..have someone SUE US AND WE CAN AVOID HAVING TO GO BEFORE CERTAIN GOVERNMENTAL PANELS?
WOW!
Far-fuckin-out!
Y'know...I have ALSO been wondering about TORTURE? AS IN..IF I DECIDE TO WATERBOARD SAY..FOR EXAMPLE..THE STUDENTS INVOLVED WITH THE "GHOST WORKS" PROGRAMS OF DEFENSE CONTRACTORS..SAY THOSE LITTLE WANNABE SCUMBAGS INVOLVED IN HELPING THE SURVIELLANCE SOCIETY BECOME REALITY..WELL..WHAT IF I WATERBOARD EM..AND THEN...WHAT? WOULD THAT BE OKAY? COULD I JUST SAY.."HEY..THAT IS NOT A CRIME..PERIOD! SO...LEAVE ME ALONE..!"
OR WHAT IF I WATERBOARDED SOME REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRATIC OR RELIGIOUS ZEALOTS...SAY TO FIND OUT WHAT ILLEGAL ACTIVITY THEY HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN..YOU KNOW.."PRE-EMPTIVE" TYPE DISCOVERY PROCESS...YOU KNOW..JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE ARE NO ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES GOING ON...BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW...AND SO..ANYWAY..WOULD THAT BE..SIMPLY PUT..."OKAY"? I THINK IT ACTUALLY WOULD..BECAUSE THERE IS NO STIPULATION THAT I HAVE READ OR HEARD YET THAT INDICATES THAT THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HOW THE "GOVERNMENT" BREAKS THE LAW..OR MAKES UP LEGAL EXCUSES FOR OBVIOUSLY ILLEGAL ACTIVITY..AND HOW OR WHY...THE CITIZENRY CANNOT DO THE SAME...AFTER ALL..IF IT IS ILLEGAL..THEN THAT IS THAT....SO..IS IT THE CASE...AND I DO NOT KNOW...BUT IS IT THE CASE THAT ONCE THERE HAS BEEN AN EXCUSE MADE..BY THE GOVERNMENT NO LESS..FOR SAY.."TORTURE" THAT THIS THEN (SIMILE?) IS.."OKAY"? I DUNNO..KIND OF CONVOLUTED POINT..I KNOW...BUT I THINK IT IS CLEAR WHAT I AM ASKING...CAN I NOW TORTURE ANYONE I PLEASE TO SEE IF THEY HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN ILLEGAL ACTIVITY?
I CANNOT WAIT..I THINK THERE ARE MANY LOCAL POLITICIANS AND STATE AND FEDERAL POLITICIANS THAT ARE CURRENTLY INVOLVED IN ILLEGAL ACTIVITY...SO..MAYBE I SHOULD...OR WE SHOULD....FIND OUT..EH WHAT? AT LEAST IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IT MIGHT BE "LEGAL" TO TRY AND FIND OUT WHAT..ILLEGAL REAL ESTATE DEALS OR OTHER EVIL SHIT THEY ARE UP TO..WHAT ABOUT THOSE LITTLE SWINE WANNABE FASCISTS THAT ARE PART OF YOUR LOCAL "INFRAGUARD" YOU KNOW THE FBI PRIVATE EXCLUSIVE GROUP OF "BUSINESS" PEOPLE THAT CAN SNITCH ON YOU AND BASICALLY USE THE FULL POWER OF THE FBI TO TAKE OUT THEIR LITTLE FANTASIES OF BULLYHOOD ON THE REST OF US? WELL..THERE ARE ALREADY TWO ACCOUNTS OF WHAT THEIR "POWERS" ARE...FOR EXAMPLE THAT THEY CAN ACTUALLY "SHOOT" TO KILL ..AUTHORIZED...FBI DENIES THIS..BUT..WELL..MAYBE THE LOCAL "SAFEWAY" VP..AN ACTUAL "MEMBER" IN NORTHERN CAL..SF..CHAPTER OF "INFRAGARD"..WELL..MAYBE HE IS ILLEGALLY GIVING CUSTOMER DATA FROM.."CLUB CARDS" BECAUSE YOU KNOW...EVERYONE WANTS TO SAVE A LITTLE MONEY WHILE BUYING THEIR DASTARDLY DEEDS GROCERY ITEMS..WELL..ANYWAY..MAYBE HE SHOULD BE..."COMPELLED" TO TELL US WHAT HE KNOWS...FOR IT IS SURELY ILLEGAL...AND SO...ANY KIND OF TREATMENT IS NOW...'JUSTAFIABLE' AND AS THERE IS NO TELLING FOR WHOM OR IN WHAT CAPACITY A "CITIZEN" IS ACTUALLY AND "AGENT"...MAYBE..WELL..UNDER THE SECRECY ACTS...ALL 20 OF EM..MAYBE I CAN JUST GO IN AND ROUST HIM OUT OF HIS OFFICE AND TORMENT HIM FOR AWHILE UNTIL HE TALKS...HMMMM..YOU THINK?
SEE YOU IN THE TRENCHES..MAYBE..
LIVE FREE OR DIE

Cheney's lawyers are so smart they can also write legal briefs explaining why every protester of the Iraq war is a traitor to be hanged from the neck until dead. The defense argument that Cheney and Co. launched the war in violation of the UN charter and the US constitution will be deemed "irrelevant, immaterial, ludicrous and indeed, pathetic." We who protest here are the hangees, not the hangors.

The only way we are likely to see Cheney leave office is on a stretcher. After a massive fatal coronary his pacemaker couldn't handle.

Any bets that he nominates himself again to be McCain's running mate? Or am I being too cynical?

In any case, Bushco is frantically laying the groundwork for the imminent attack on Iran. The US ambassador to the UN has stated categorically that Iran is responsible for supplying arms and explosives to the 'insurgents' in Iraq. And it was only months ago that Bush said that 'if there was ANY sign that Iran was responsible for US servicemen's deaths' he would attack Iran.

The hype to attack Iran is just as bogus as the WMD scare to attack Iraq. But it is more subtle this time. I am willing to bet money we will see a 'Tonkin Gulf' incident on US Navy vessels, possibly during the May 1-8 ' emergency preparedness drills'.

Duck and cover, boys and girls.

Maine-ah,

The number you wrote would mean that that there is only a one in 1700 chance that a single person on earth will read this story. But it is certainly worse than Stiv's estimate of one out of fifty.

But back to the topic - does anyone have trouble imagining any way out of the current descent into fascism at this point?

The only thing I can imagine is some kind complete economic collapse, precipitating an overthrow of the current republic - and there is at least a 50% chance that this would only plunge the US even deeper into fascism.

Alternatively, like Germany and Japan, as a result of a severe economic depression the US wages a world war, gets defeated by a worldwide alliance against it, then under the guidance of occupation forces, establishes a new democratic republic. But then again, that option was foreclosed in the New Mexico desert on July 15, 1945.

I guess the Bushies were right about the status of the US Constitution. It really is "just a goddamn scrap of paper".

It certainly appears highly unlikely that anyone has either the will or the intestinal fortitude to prove them wrong.

limric,

Yes, you are correct about reality. Sorry, I should have included that. I yearn for the days when politicians took the Constitution seriously and the Congress actually did its job. Thanks for the reality check.

Cindy: I agree with you. Pelosi sold out America when she said: "impeachment was off of the table". She took an solemn oath to up hold the Constitution and if Bush and his evil buddy aren't guilty of high crimes and misdemeanors, then no one will ever be---except anyone that has sex in the oval office!!!

If congress has no oversight authority then who does?

I think it's time the people do the oversight...dicky ain't gonna like that.

This will buy them time to create more mischief and who knows how much of it before they leave -
if that ever happens.

We've had two more years of America being tortured by these thugs because Pelosi and Reid didn't move to IMPEACH.

Oh Claudius. You may be right but in reality you are wrong. The Cheney Bush cabal make up the rules as they see fit. They bow to no law or anyone. they have gotten away with everything they wanted to, and I mean everything! What makes you (and all of us for that matter) think he will obey any law now? Even if he killed a rich white baby on live TV his lawyers would have a defence. And he would just say, "So".

The only remaining method Congress has to exercise its Constitutionally mandated oversight function is impeachment, and it is way past time that impeachment of Cheney and then Bush should begin.
If impeachment proceedings do not occur a dangerous precedent will be set for all future administrations that they are above the law.

There seem to be differing legal and political opinions about whether impeachment now or legal action later against members of the Bush-Cheney administration is the wisest course of action.

Investigation and possible prosecution for crimes could be sabotaged by pardons by the current administration.

Waiting until they are out of office could have advantages. However, this leaves them free to continue questionable activities now without any risk of impeachment.

Some of these elements are explored in the article:

"Going in Circles: Vietnam, Iraq, Calls for Impeachment"

Truthout.org
16 January 2007

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/011607D.shtml

Author's blog site is:

http://jointreconstudygroup.blogspot.com/

To the streets, People...to the streets!! We still have the power. Name the place and the date. PS.....Better make sure it's before these military exercise 5/1-5/8.....Have a better answer? I'm all ears!

"Thus far all have claimed their deliberations are privileged."
Let's see these lawyers are paid by my tax dollars and not by Cheney. Guess what? I, through my representatives have a right to know what is going on.
OYE

Actually, Cheney's lawyers are wrong. Since Cheney is a publicly elected federal official, by law he has to be held to the same standards as the President, even if he is complicit in commiting high crimes and misdemeanors. His lawyers need to go back and review the Constitution. They are on very weak ground.

Just another example of how cheney is NOT about to hand power over to Hillary or Barack in Nov.

I agree with Cindy that the Capitol police go directly to cheney's office and arrest him (and his little sidekick too while they're at it).

What do you expect from cheney? He sees himself as a king, who dares dethrone him? Not any mere mortal

Whit, Sorry to inform you but it is 99.99999999999%

Are you f**king kidding me?
I have been dragged out of Conyers' office and arrested by Capitol Hill police for demanding impeachment. I have been dragged out of the State of the Union for wearing a t-shirt...it's time that Congress send Capitol Hill police to the VP's office...and do it before there is another pesky fire to burn any evidence.

At this point, we do have a dictatorship. This is just another coup, in the long line of BushCo coups that have demolished our rule of law...with the cooperation of a bend-over Congress.

Amazing!
xo
Cindy

Sick stuff. 98% of the US population will never see this article.

Congress is obligated to uphold the US Constitution; The Geneva Convention; and other International Laws. If they continue to REFUSE to meet those obligations they are as guilty as the administration for CRIMES AGAINST THE UNITED STATES, ITS CITIZENS, AND HUMANITY IN GENERAL.

Congress is also obliged to investigate 9/11 however
tragic and revealing it proves.

This is the consequence of taking 'impeachment' off the table. As soon as the Democrats did that, Cheney knew he could tell them to go stuff themselves and they couldn't do anything.

The founders provided a remedy for this behavior in the Constitution. Unfortunately, the Democratic leadership is determined to protect Bush and Cheney from the consequences of their crimes that they taken it 'off the table'.

Conyers is a feeble-minded fool who is perfect for "leading" the investigation; anything he touches is still-born.

KEM PATRICK,

Re. your 'BIG WORD', 'SO', and saying nothing else:

SO, Congress needs to [end] these damn military aggressions, as I already elaborated upon. Impeachment's not required to do this; as I arleady explained my view that ending these crimes can be done without needing to attach this to impeachment as if there is no other way to stop these crimes.

Congress won't do that, for it's yet again adding more, very much more funding for these crimes, but Congress has the ability to end these military aggressions by refusing to authorise any more funding.

Not accepting to treat impeachment and ending these crimes as related, but still distinct issues is to be either blind, or else being of the mind to really not want these crimes to be curbed, which is to treat Iraqis, Afghans, and others as if they're your sacrificial lambs, which they definitely are NOT. They are NOT to be treated as sacrificial lambs for anyone, including the rest of all of humanity.

A significant, if not large, majority of Iraqis want the U.S.A. et al OUT, gone, SO the USA [must] work on seeing to making this happen; as well as to provide financial assistance for Iraqi refugees who are in need, and reparations to Iraqis for the destruction caused with this military aggression that hasn't ceased to be maintained yet.

SO, so simple; just need to see to making what needs to happen take place. Not simple to achieve with an extremely corrupt, despotic, rogue Congress; but it's simple to realise what needs to be done and that it doesn't take rocket scientist intelligence or knowledge to pressure Congress to do what it must do.

And when I speak of only Iraqis, I also have the same view with respect to Afghans, Haitians, and others, btw.

And, SO.

Dear Congressional Democrats: If you had any actual love, or even regard, for democracy (small "d") you would have done something, anything, to put an end to Cheney, the American Stalin. In the current depressing and pathetic political environment words mean absolutely nothing. Only actions count. Your total lack of action means you are not mere moral and political cowards; you are, like the Republicans, enemies of democracy whose only real passion is power and the winning of elections - nothing more. Your attempts to transform yourselves into kid glove, tennis shoe Republicans have failed utterly. We no longer want the bread crumbs you toss us as if we nothing more than the family dog. There is no longer any mainstream opposition to the creeping tyranny that's turning us into a nation no better than China or Zimbabwe. You people deserve to rot in Hell even more than the Republicans. When it all finally goes down here, you can repair to your condos and mansions in Park City, Utah or Vail, Colorado, drink the latest "hot" Merlot and count and recount all the pairs of shoes you own, like Imelda Marcos.

what's the big deal? I love the dictator we have. Keep him in the whitehouse until he dies from old age. Nobody seems to care anyway. those that matter i mean. We the people deserve what we've gotten ourselves into. Let's hope Bush and co. blow up this piece of shit world. We deserve it.

Social Studies 101:Checks and Balances!

The power is with congress. Don't fool yourself, they are not weak or cowardly, they are in favor of these policies. Bush is taking the heat but congress is making the moves. The power is also with the people. Don't fool yourself, the people are not good, they are aggressive and selfish. Aggressive and selfish defines the American people. If you don't believe it, watch televison: aggressive, violent, and glorifying success and the military. The people are no good and the congress represents them perfectly. The posters here are not the American people, and as much as I admire them, they (we) are ultimately irrelevant. The power is with the people and congress, not with the small number of progressives in this nation. Live with that.