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TechnoratiGore Vidal's Article of Impeachment
On June 9, 2008, a counterrevolution began on the floor of the House of Representatives against the gas and oil crooks who had seized control of the federal government. This counterrevolution began in the exact place which had slumbered during the all-out assault on our liberties and the Constitution itself.
I wish to draw the attention of the blog world to Rep. Dennis Kucinich's articles of impeachment presented to the House in order that two faithless public servants be removed from office for crimes against the American people. As I listened to Rep. Kucinich invoke the great engine of impeachment -- he listed some 35 crimes by these two faithless officials -- we heard, like great bells tolling, the voice of the Constitution itself speak out ringingly against those who had tried to destroy it.
Although this is the most important motion made in Congress in the 21st century, it was also the most significant plea for a restoration of the republic, which had been swept to one side by the mad antics of a president bent on great crime. And as I listened with awe to Kucinich, I realized that no newspaper in the U.S., no broadcast or cable network, would pay much notice to the fact that a highly respected member of Congress was asking for the president and vice president to be tried for crimes which were carefully listed by Kucinich in his articles requesting impeachment.
But then I have known for a long time that the media of the U.S. and too many of its elected officials give not a flying fuck for the welfare of this republic, and so I turned, as I often do, to the foreign press for a clear report of what has been going on in Congress. We all know how the self-described "war hero," Mr. John McCain, likes to snigger at France, while the notion that he is a hero of any kind is what we should be sniggering at. It is Le Monde, a French newspaper, that told a story the next day hardly touched by The New York Times or The Washington Post or The Wall Street Journal or, in fact, any other major American media outlet.
As for TV? Well, there wasn't much -- you see, we dare not be divisive because it upsets our masters who know that this is a perfect country, and the fact that so many in it don't like it means that they have been terribly spoiled by the greatest health service on Earth, the greatest justice system, the greatest number of occupied prisons -- two and a half million Americans are prisoners -- what a great tribute to our penal passions!
Naturally, I do not want to sound hard, but let me point out that even a banana Republican would be distressed to discover how much of our nation's treasury has been siphoned off by our vice president in the interest of his Cosa Nostra company, Halliburton, the lawless gang of mercenaries set loose by his administration in the Middle East.
But there it was on the first page of Le Monde. The House of Representatives, which was intended to be the democratic chamber, at last was alert to its function, and the bravest of its members set in motion the articles of impeachment of the most dangerous president in our history. Rep Kucinich listed some 30-odd articles describing impeachable offenses committed by the president and vice president, neither of whom had ever been the clear choice of our sleeping polity for any office.
Some months ago, Kucinich had made the case against Dick Cheney. Now he had the principal malefactor in his view under the title "Articles of Impeachment for President George W. Bush"! "Resolved, that President George W. Bush be impeached for high crimes and misdemeanors, and that the following articles of impeachment be exhibited to the United States Senate." The purpose of the resolve is that he be duly tried by the Senate, and if found guilty, be removed from office. At this point, Rep. Kucinich presented his 35 articles detailing various high crimes and misdemeanors for which removal from office was demanded by the framers of the Constitution.
Update: On Wednesday, the House voted by 251 to 166 to send Rep. Kucinich's articles of impeachment to a committee which probably won't get to the matter before Bush leaves office, a strategy that is "often used to kill legislation," as the Associated Press noted later that day.
National Book Award winner Gore Vidal has written twenty-three novels, five plays, many screenplays, short stories, well over two hundred essays, and a memoir.
Copyright © 2008 Truthdig, L.L.C.
111 Comments so far
Show AllA few days back I caught the tail end of a recorded message by Mumia Abu Jamal. Specifically he spoke to the idea that the color of the president doesn't matter so long as the holder of the office is just a manager for the empire. Obama's relative abundance of melanin is hardly a qualification given he's already sold out to the Imperialism Lobby. I doubt neither he nor McCain will be looking out for my interests seeing as I'm only "fodder for the empire". Perhaps it's time to bypass the removal of a lowly administrator for the imperium and remove the entire government and start afresh, as the Founding Patricians and authors of the Declaration of Independence would have us do for them. The succession of administrations have scarcely looked out for the interests of the class that lives by selling its labor. Shouldn't we have the right to establish a system of government that makes capital a birthright? Shouldn't we have a society that values the equality of outcome over some abstract notion that the same rules apply to rich and poor alike? I would like to see a scheme wherein the notion of the condition of humanity as we find it is the point of departure rather than a human condition as the propagandist would have us see it. No, don't impeach Bush and Cheney. Push the big reset button and start anew.
to all who have commented in relation to the Gore Vidal/Dennis K. impeachment issue. all sorts of blame, anger, backhanded put-downs to both/either color or creed. Jeez enough let's face it finally so far in so many ways we have been our own worst enemy. who elects these people? Who wants more, more easily, and with less effort? Who listens to or watches the talking heads, who are by the way entertainers with bleach white teeth?
Derisiveness. Divide and conquer that's what they've done to us, the common citizen of the US. We piss on each other and as long as we are they go along their merry way. We listen to all the crap that pitched about that color, or that faith, or whatever, we believe it and hate, or at the very least are bitter toward...
It's 'every-wo/man' who has made what is the best of this country. We fight and die, we grind away for 40 years to make it better for our kids, we put $70 bucks in gas tank every week, and we live. We are all, the beginning, the end, and everything in between. As long as we remain divided we shall remain conquered, but for us to come together we must let go of petty hates, biases, bigotries, and grudges.
Hello Mr. Vidal. This is my sneaky but sincere way of introducting myself as a writer and long-time admirer of your writing. My H.S. English classes read your play Visit to a Small Planet every year. I was a little shocked that you used the "F" word in your piece, but not disappointed. It packed the punch of your fury at Mr. Moron Bush. Please take some of your precious time to read me and my thoughts at www.madplatonews.blogspot.com
Thank you. And forgive me for using this comment board to get in touch with you.
Filing masses of freedom of information requests from citizens in regards to funding links in private contracting in the "war on terror" anyone?
Doctors in Fallujah are reporting skyrocketing birth defects in children due to phosphorus, DU and other toxic materials rained down upon them by U.S. forces.
In Afghanistan, an estimated 10 million people face starvation.
The corruption here in the U.S. is nothing. A Japanese Court already convicted Bush of war crimes.
tetti_tatti June 13th, 2008 10:00 am
I really like Dennis but I am afraid what you say about him may be true. Months ago when he was still running I kept asking: "Gee, DK is great on the issues, why is he a Democrat?" Someone responded that it was because he is chairman of the Domestic Policy Subcommittee of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and doesn't want to lose his influence.
Is that a good reason to remain a Democrat? What influence? How does being chairman of a reform committee help you if your own party members block the reform you are advocating? Wouldn't be more principled to leave the party as Cynthia McKinney did and join another?
Maybe tetti is right. Dennis is providing cover for the sold out and discredited Democrats by making it appear they have an anti-war faction that is viable when in reality it is a sham.
What about censuring the two rat-bastards?
Gore Vidal has been an inspiration for me. When I wrote The Messenger (amazon.com), I borrowed some courage from him to say things which needed saying.
While we are taking back our republic, we ought to padlock the doors of AIPAC. June 8th was the anniversary of the the vicious attack on the USS Liberty by Zionist Jews. they killed 34 defensless American boys and crippled an additional 170, strafing them even as they were loading the wounded in life rafts. Since there's no statute of limitation on murder, and AIPAC was (and continues to be)in league with those killers, a case might be made, a hefty fine might be applied, and voila', no more AIPAC. Gore Vidal is a saint.
ronbon June 13th, 2008 10:54 am Check this out......
http://www.wcltam.com/news/special/articledetail.cfm?articleid=23261
New must have bumper sticker:
Prosecute Bush!
I love "V for Vendetta"!
This was another stealth way to inform people about their society. Check out the DVD.
Many are asking "why now" regarding impeachment?
Could be that the door of accountability has opened a tiny crack with the securing of Obama's nomination. A small crack, admittedly, but certainly more than the absolute zero chance of accountability offered by either Clinton or McCain.
Like in "V for Vendetta", symbols are powerful if enough people believe in them.
I ,like Mr. Vidal, am an American who relies on the real world media to get the real story- BBC, the German ZDF, Euronews, even, heaven-forbid!- Al Jazeera ( which I find extremely serious, informative, and-dare I say it?-relatively fair and balanced).
To those who say "its too late to impeach, they're outta here anyway," I say, remember, the rest of the world is watching what we do (I would include Rice and Rumsfeld in this deal). Are we "with Bush" or against him? That is the question many Europeans are asking right now. Only an impeachment (and conviction?) would prove to the rest of the world that we don't condone Torture, rendition,etc. Even if we don't get em, and allow them to saunter off into the sunset, don't be surprised if a number of European countries put out a warrant for their arrest for war crimes. It may take years, but just like Pinochet, one day, if they step outside of the country, somebody will arrest them. Bush will never be able to enjoy the freedom of movement around the world that other former presidents have had-forget speeches at Davos, etc. But won't it be a huge embarrassment for the U.S. if the Europeans have to do our job for us? I hope Bush enjoyed his "farewell tour" of Europe this week, because it could well be his last!
A question: If the Impeachment effort fails, could Bush and co. still face any charges under U.S. law? Does anyone know how that might work? Would they have some kind of immunity?
I totally fail to acknowledge McCain's recognition(?) as a "war hero".
As a World War II veteran, I do not recall our POW's, for all the suffering they bore, being regaled as "war heroes".
And, after all, John McCain was certainly ONE THING...a LOUSY PILOT. He did, after all is said and done, get SHOT DOWN!
yap.chongyee June 13th, 2008 10:04 am
So Yap, your people and mine stop trying?
Outcomes don't matter: educating the public is what matters in regards to impeachment. It may not be successful, but that's NOT the issue! I applaud DK but wonder why this didn't happen in 2007?? btw, I understand his vote, it was tactical and smart as far as the one month wait is concerned.
Turce June 13th, 2008 3:44 am......There is just not enough thanks to you and the Vets for Peace.....Keep these bastards straight.
You Americans have been having a lot of fun pointing fingers at our beloved People's Republic of China; screwing our beloved China as not having a free press; but now I am having a time of my life enjoying the American circus and clown show in the USA.
You would say China has no freedom of speech and no freedom of the press, but let me pose another issue, WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE PRESS IN CHINA AND THAT OF THE USA ? Actually they are the same if you care to be honest and responsible. The way I look at the issue, there is no difference between China and the USA in that respect, in China the government will prohibit publishing material that it will not tolerate, by the same token, the USA so called "free press" of like minded sheep media & press WILL NOT PUBLISH ANY MATERIAL THAT THE "editor" does not see as their policy. So what is the effect of saying that the Chinese government will not accept publication as compared with the "editor" will not allow publication of stuff that they do not like. Why don't you compare censorship by Mr Rupert Murdoch with our own communist party commissar ? IN BOTH CASES THERE ARE THE SAME CENSORSHIP COMING FROM SOMEWHERE; so what is the difference. You will of course say that you are right by your just as arbitrary standards and we by ours. THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE. Communist China and the USA are the same, no bloody difference !
http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2008/jun/13/no-headline---ob9impeach13-fc/
Be part of the waterfall.
Write your concerns to your local newspapers. Eventually they have to give voice to the majority of thought. Yes, it does happen.
Learn how to write a letter to the Editor. Remember this is your local newspaper…no foul language, be polite, and write your concerns. Make it short and sweet. Make it work. We are the waterfall.
Kucinich and this impeachment effort are a part of a sham designed to keep the left in the Democratic Party somewhat happy. Pelosi, Reid, Conyers and the leadership are all behind this charade, which they know will go nowhere.
I just heard Kucinich on Democracy Now. He knows impeachment isn't possible solely due to Democrats, yet he's very conciliatory and respectful towards them. Why? If he's serious about impeachment he should be as vocal against Pelosi as he is against Bush.
His runs for president are also a charade. His candidacies are designed to keep the left in the party. At the end, he'll support whatever corporatist Democrat wins the nomination, like he did in 2000 and 2004. The Democratic Party is rotten to the core and if Kucinich were a serious progressive he would've resigned this cancerous party a long time ago.
The great waterfalls of the world start with only one drop of water meeting with many other drops of water. This waterfall is just beginning.
Articles of Impeachment here: http://www.democrats.com/files/amomentoftruth.pdf
After working for the Kucinich campaign, I have been bending myself in knots trying to be "passionate" about Obama, but it really doesn't take (though I still support him now for Pres), and DK's latest moves reminded me what my political passion feels like. And why I am just going continue to put my own efforts to support him and what he represents, no matter what office he holds.
The presidential election and the whole extended primary and the BS arguments over identity politics have been one huge distraction from the ONE important issue, which is impeachment, the meaning of which, whether it is successful or not, masturbation or not (and I hold NOT!!), touches upon the very essence of the Constitution. Gore Vidal has always been a truth teller, and he is true to form here. Anyone with sense would agree that Kucinich's presentation of the articles of impeachment was the most important thing done on the House floor since the Bushies slimed their way into office. Anyone with a sense of history understands that if a serious attempt is not made to hold the criminals accountable, the period from 2000-2009 will be regarded, through the lens of history, as a dark period akin to the 1930's in Germany (when it seems that the public and the government helplessly and without will let Hitler fulfill his dreams).
I think the argument that impeachment should not be pursued because "it will not be successful" or "it is too late" is ridiculous because I believe there is value in pursuing it and in publicly airing the crimes that have been committed, for the sake of posterity. Thanks, Metal, for publishing the addresses of the Jud. Committee--I have written so many letters to them already, but you have inspired to write yet another round. One of my greatest fears is behaving like a German in the 1930's who did nothing or ignored it when my Jewish neighbors started to mysteriously be arrested.
The fact that Americans have tolerated Bush for nearly eight years AND DID NOTHING to stop him shows to the world their democracy is defunct.
Two Grannies stood in front of a tank the other day in the U.S. Two brave souls out of 300 million? How come?
kalia June 13th, 2008 3:29 am
Kucinich and company can indulge in the impeachment masturbation fantasy all they want, but that is all that it is.
And what position in the Congress is it you hold again? Oh, that's right you were mind fucking so I see then it's the Executive Branch. In that case 35 Articles, thirty five. Next it will be 60, so keep that dildo next to your bed you'll need it to practice alot by yourself.
Kucinich and company can indulge in the impeachment masturbation fantasy all they want, but that is all that it is.
davfin,
"I am genuinly shocied that the American media is THAT BAD!. Do you mean to tell me that there truly is little or NO coverage of these matters?"
YES
"How is America then a true democracy?"
CHECK MY SN
"Is this why Bush and co, not to mention the American Corporate culture are like they are; they can get away with it, corporate culture owning and controling so much of the media?"
YES
"Is America then a facist state?"
NO COMMENT
"Just think about it!"
WE CAN'T. GOTTA GO.. AMERICAN IDOL IS ON.
If impeachment proceedings was started in 2006, when Pelosi came to power, Bush would no longer be our president, Better yet, in jail.
"If everyone demanded peace instead of another television set, then there'd be peace." John Lennon.
I was puzzled by the fact that Kucinich himself voted with the 166 Democrats to move the impeachment bill to committel, and that it would most likely die there. But one post above cleared my thoughts:
"The Democratic leadership seeks to block any vote to conceal as much as possible their role as the last line of defense for the Bush administration." (from post at 8:43 pm)
That makes sense: Democrats who supported the invasion of Iraq could be badly hurt by a counter-attack from the Republican noise machine. So Kucinich, knowing this, has presented his articles of impeachment to make a statement, but does not really want to hurt the reputations of some colleagues.
But I'm guessing on the basis of info from this thread and could be way off base.
Bush passed the impeachment exit miles ago. He's on a road headed straight for justice.
How is America then a true democracy? It isn't, the dirty little secret is that Bush stole two elections, and defies the will of the people. The media and the "opposition party", Democrats are 100% complicit.
I have always appreciated Vidal's honesty and directness. This bit of writing genuinly shocied me though. From an Australian perspective, some Americans may be interested to know that I am genuinly shocied that the American media is THAT BAD!. Do you mean to tell me that there truly is little or NO coverage of these matters? How is America then a true democracy? Is this why Bush and co, not to mention the American Corporate culture are like they are; they can get away with it, corporate culture owning and controling so much of the media? Is America then a facist state?
Just think about it!
Mr d. David; are you voting for the democrats? God help you; you will be hunted down by CD hit-squads, forced to vote for nader...
Look at it this way, if you succumb to pressure to report anything other than the truth then you will lose credibility. If you lose credibility, people will stop buying your newspaper. And when people stop buying your newspaper, the advertisers will stop buying your space.
It's simple. It's about the people.
Some toll-free numbers to the Capitol switchboard in Washington D.C.:
1-800-788-9372
1-866-340-9281
Below are the names of the House Judiciary Committee members who will vote on HR 1258, Dennis Kucinich's Articles of Impeachment against George W. Bush. Please call the committee members and ask them to vote YES ON IMPEACHMENT! Please cut & paste this post into emails to your friends and loved ones concerned with this most urgent issue of our day. Thanks!
MEMBERS:
DEMOCRATS:
Committee Chairman
Honorable John Conyers, Jr.
2426 Rayburn Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-5126
Honorable Howard L. Berman
2221 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
(202) 225-4695
Honorable Rick Boucher
2187 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-3861
Honorable Jerrold Nadler
2334 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
202-225-5635
Honorable Robert C. Scott
1201 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-8351
Honorable Melvin L. Watt
2236 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-1510
Honorable Zoe Lofgren
102 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-3072
Honorable Sheila Jackson Lee
2435 Rayburn Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-3816
Honorable Maxine Waters
2344 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-2201
Honorable William D. Delahunt
2454 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-3111
Honorable Robert Wexler
213 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-3001
Honorable Linda T. Sanchez
1007 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-6676
Honorable Steve Cohen
1004 Longworth Building
Washington DC 20515
(202) 225-3265
Honorable Hank Johnson
1133 Longworth Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-1605
Honorable Betty Sutton
1721 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: (202) 225-3401
Honorable Luis Gutierrez
2367 Rayburn Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-8203
Honorable Brad Sherman
1030 Longworth Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-0524
(202) 225-5911
Honorable Tammy Baldwin
1022 Longworth House Office Building
Washington DC 20515
(202) 225-2906
Honorable Anthony Weiner
1122 Longworth House Office Building
Washington DC 20515
(202) 225-6616
Honorable Adam Schiff
326 Cannon House Office Building
Washington D.C. 20515
(202) 225-4176
Honorable Artur Davis
208 Cannon H.O.B.
Washington, D.C. 20515
(202) 225-2665
Honorable Debbie Wasserman Schultz
118 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: 202-225-7931
Honorable Keith Ellison
1130 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
202-225-4755
REPUBLICANS:
Ranking Member
Honorable Lamar S. Smith
2184 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-4236
Honorable F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr.
2449 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-5101
Honorable Howard Coble
2468 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515-3306
(202) 225-3065
Honorable Elton Gallegly
2427 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515-0523
(202) 225-5811
Honorable Bob Goodlatte
2240 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-5431
Honorable Steve Chabot
129 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
(202) 225-2216
Hon. Daniel Lungren
2448 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Honorable Chris Cannon
2436 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-7751
Honorable Ric Keller
419 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-2176
Hon. Darrell Issa
211 Cannon House Office Bldg.
Washington, DC 20515
Honorable Mike Pence
426 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-3021
Honorable J. Randy Forbes
307 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-6365
Honorable Steve King
1432 Longworth Office Building
Washington DC 20515
(202) 225-4426
Honorable Tom Feeney
323 Cannon House Office Building
Washington DC 20515
(202) 225-2706
Honorable Trent Franks
1237 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Honorable Louie Gohmert
508 Cannon Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-303
Honorable Jim Jordan
515 Cannon Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-2676
I love Gore Vidal, he rocks! I still have a bumper sticker of "The Man" on my mini van, Mr. Dennis Kucinich For President. I wouldn't vote for a Democrat other than DK if my life depended on it. Screw the God damned Democrats! I'm voting for Cynthia McKinney. Go Greens!
If the Demoks impeach chimp the elites will fund the Repuks. Starve the elites. Check mate.
Kucinich has done all he can. We can help by letting it be known that a great number of American's are feed up with Peoloi's lack of leadership. Proof is in the number of signers at the following site asking for her removal form the Speakership.
Please visit the site below, sign the petition and copy the link onto every blog you visit. This deserves our best effort and will aid Kucinich in his effort to persuade a vote in favor of Impeachment of Bush and Cheney.
http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?everyman&1
Gore Vidal may be bitter, disillusioned old man howling his outrage at the wilderness.
But at least he is honest about it.
And he is right.
And I cheer him when he says that the collapse of American society is already underway.
Three cheers for Gore Vidal--82 and still kicking exactly the right asses and kissing none (though what he might have done in private with consensual asses is his own business). Gore's been my hero for twenty years now; I never tire of reading and re-reading his amazing essays and novels (right now I'm reading CREATION for the umpteenth time; it's definitely in my top ten), and I'm always delighted to read a new piece from him.
Silly.
The Moron Majority loves their idiot in chief. They deserve what they get.
You want to know why this country is in such a sorry state?
Look no further than a system that puts in power people like Nancy Pelosi and Steny Hoyer. These people, at bottom, just don't have personal integrity.
They are REQUIRED to impeach and put on trial George W. Bush. He has massive violations of federal law that Dennis has documented, as have others such as Ralph Nader.
There is a 36th crime. Bush conspired with the Wall Street Speculators to provide a tax rebate for tax payers. If you look at the price of oil when Bush announced the tax break and the price of oil now that the checks are finally arriving in the tax payers hands what you see is a huge run up of oil on the New York Mercantile Exchange. This tax rebate is going into tax payers gas tanks. In essense Bush manipulated a transfer from the US Treasury into the hands of the Wall Street Speculators via the run up in the price of oil. You can rest assured that Bush/Cheney Inc. through thier connections with Wall Street and Big Oil are the beneficiaries of this scheme. I wonder how much profit Nancy PelOILsi and her co-horts in Congress made on oil stocks? No wonder she took impeachment off the table.
The Corpirate Faux Media Buries the Story alone with the DEAD.
In con-mitee.
The BU__! SH__! continues.
Operative Mockingbird still sings the same song.
G A-S $5.00 a Gallon
Dead Eye and The Chump gloat
Keeping their Chicken Hawk
War Dreams afloat.
Pushing their clients oil stock high
High as that Pie in the Sky.
The poor get to eat.
One good thing to come out of the High Gas Prices!
They will no longer put the
Poisonous High Fructose Corn Syrup into everything
We eat.
It's too expensive now.
Sugar is cheaper and healthier.
A true contradiction
The Corpirates do something good
GREED works out for a change.
Put a Taco in your tank!
Where it can cause less human bodily harm.
The teenage Diabetes epidemic stops dead in its tracks,
So your SUV can move down the streets uninterrupted
Now that's economics!
Everyone studies the Disease instead of the cause.
Gored by Vidal.
If all the Fascists are Italian
What the Funk should we call all the
Corpirate A-s holes around here?
Wait till the next selection.
MAGIC
Smoke and Mirrors
November 2, 2008
GAS $2.50 a GALLON!
The utterly corrupt and cynical monied oligarchy that actually runs this country also of course controls the mass media. The last thing they want to do is to ignite a mass movement such as happened around civil rights and against the Vietnam war in the 60's and 70's. The oligarchy fears and loathes us--the toiling middle classes and poor of the United States. They learned the hard lessons of the 60's and 70's, and they now know how to keep the disempowered disempowered. They learned how to cut off a budding mass movement before it can get off the ground. So they feel secure and free to go about their theft of the rest of us. "Keep them in debt and scared." That is their slogan. Bush and Cheney are their front men of the moment. Behind Bush and Cheney is the oligarchy--several thousand extremely evil, scheming, corrupt, and disgusting individuals drunk on power and money. The own multiple homes, belong to exclusive clubs, sit on corporate boards. They think and act like demigods, but they have clay feet, and the republic they are tearing down will bring them down as it crumbles.
As someone pointed out in a previous post in this thread ... In 2004, Dennis Kucinich urged voters to support John Kerry: after vowing to fight for the nomination to the very end of the Convention.
In July of 2004, John Kerry gave an interview to the Wall Street Journal, in which he was asked: If you're elected, how long will the US be in Iraq. His answer -- for at least four years.
Needless to say, Dennis Kucinich was well aware of that interview. And yet he supported Kerry, who blew the Election because he refused to move to the left where there were MILLIONS of eager votes, there for the asking.
NOTE: In any given presidential election, anywhere from 45% to 55% of the eligible voters DON'T vote. How many of those millions of votes do you think Gore in 2000 or Kerry in 2004 could have gotten had they moved to the left, instead of the center-right? THEY WOULD HAVE *SWAMPED* THE REPUBLICANS!
Politicians speaking to media outlets such as the Wall Street Journal understand full-well that when they give interviews to such Establishment outlets, they are speaking directly to the US ruling class. Kerry's interview with the WSJ, then, was his signaling the economic elite that he had no intention, if elected, of pulling out of Iraq for at least four years.
Therefore the question must be asked -- What *responsibility* do people like Congressman Kucinich have for supporting a candidate who was, quite clearly, pro-war? Put another way: In what way is Dennis Kucinich a peace candidate if, ultimately, he supported a war candidate?
If people like Dennis Kucinich and Barbara Lee and Barbar Boxer and Howard Dean and John Conyers and Maxine Waters and Charles Rangel, et al were *serious* about providing the leadership needed to save this country, they would form a third party.
Their collective "name-recognition" would immediately and dramatically galvanize attention to their cause.
So why don't they do it?
Because they are comfortable with their power. They don't want to jeopardize it. They are more concerned about maintaining their power -- their "political property" -- than the are about saving this country.
In the sense that political power is political *property,* they are quite clearly putting property values over human values.
Can you imagine a third party with the people mentioned above -- plus all the other so-called liberals in Congress who talk a good game but who run for cover when it's time to stand up and be counted?
For a *real* profile in courage, watch the DVD "Ralph Nader: An Unreasonable Man." ...
http://www.amazon.com/Unreasonable-Man-Ralph-Nader/dp/B000N2HDHS/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=121...
I got it at my local library. Yours should have it, too.
The title of the DVD comes from a line in George Bernard Shaw's "Man and Superman" --
"The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man."
Finally, try this comparison on for size. ...
FACT: According to the National Center for Statistics and Analysis, from 1975 to 2004, 195,382 people's lives were saved because of seat belts. Seat belts are just one of DOZENS of live-saving mandates written into law as a result of the work done by Ralph Nader and his associates. ... Without exaggeration, MILLIONS of people's lives have been saved because of Ralph Nader's work.
Now, contrast that with the millions of MURDERS that have taken place in morally indefensible wars and ruthlessly inhuman foreign policy decisions that the Democratic Party has, historically, been afraid to question. Here are just a few:
-- FACT: Over 250,000 Iraqi died as a result of Gulf War I.
-- FACT: Over 1 million Iraqi civilians died as a direct result of the economic sanctions against Iraq -- with eight years of those sanctions occuring during the Clinton-Gore Administration.
-- FACT: TO date, over 1 million Iraqi have died during Gulf War II.
-- FACT: Afghanistan was the 20th country bombed by the United States since the end of World War II. All third world countries; many with no air force; and Iraq now without even a standing army!
Although horrible to contemplate, we must ask the question -- Are we at "six million dead" yet?
So Dennis Kuchinich's "bravery" doesn't impress me one iota. He's very useful to the ruling class: he gives the impression that there is dissenion in the Democratic Party when, in fact, no such meaningful dissenion exists. In fact, quite the opposite: the Democratic Party is as criminally liable for the crimes committed in the Iraqi War as are the Republicans. Acceptance is consent. Cowardice is complicity.
What Kucinich and his liberal cohorts need to do is to put their political property where their mouths are. Otherwise, they remain "part of the problem."
"A republic, if you can keep it."
Never have Franklin's words rung more true.
Rove, Cheney, et al are the personification of the Federalist's nightmare: faction.
They've made a mockery of the term "conservative".
They're making a mockery of the term "republic" (also "democracy").
And there's no guarantee that the national nightmare is over.
A nation gets the government it deserves.
Think about that for a while.
impeach bush!
and then fry him...
Truthseeker58 June 12th, 2008 3:47 pm
"Kucinich will go down in history as a brave patriot who stood up virtually alone for his country...... Vidal is right, this is the most important motion made in Congress in the 21st Century — because there won't be any more 'Congress' if they don't listen to Kucinich."
Truthseeker58,
The "vipers" in Congress are only concerned with themselves and how they can benefit from selling their moronic constituents their deadly snake oil massages.
Kucinich will go down in history as the 5'-7" Congressman who stood as a giant among his cowardly congressional peers, most of which are a total disgrace to this country!
This Congressional vote proved beyond "any reasonable doubt" that Congress only exists for itself - not for the citizens of this country!
The following is an excerpt from an article by Patrick Martin entitled "House Democrats Kill Resolution to Impeach Bush."
"The adamant opposition to impeachment proceedings on the part of Pelosi, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, and the rest of the Democratic leadership does not stem from a belief that such proceedings would be unpopular. According to public opinion polls, a majority of the American people and an overwhelming majority of Democratic voters favor Bush's impeachment and removal from office.
"A public vote in the House of Representatives would, however, find a clear majority of the Democrats in Congress siding with Bush against the sentiments of their own constituents. The Democratic leadership seeks to block any vote to conceal as much as possible their role as the last line of defense for the Bush administration.
"The Democratic leadership opposes impeachment not on legal, but on political and class grounds. They are well aware that the adoption of an impeachment resolution against Bush and Cheney, regardless of the outcome of a Senate trial, would deal a major blow against the White House as an institution and undermine the legitimacy of all Bush's actions as 'commander-in-chief,' especially in the war in Iraq.
"It would also inevitably raise the question of who in Congress was complicit with Bush's criminal conduct over the past seven years—tarring Democrats as well as Republicans, since a majority of Senate Democrats and a large number of House Democrats voted for the Iraq war resolution in 2002. Many other actions listed in Kucinich's articles of impeachment were given near-unanimous support by the Democrats.
"More fundamentally, the Democratic Party is a bourgeois party and it seeks to uphold the authority of the bourgeois state, the key political instrument for the defense of the financial aristocracy that controls American society and both the 'major' political parties. The Democrats want to replace Bush as chief executive with one of their own, and their rejection of impeachment is one more effort to demonstrate to the ruling class that they will be more 'responsible' in their conduct than their Republican opponents (who impeached Bill Clinton as he was ordering bombing raids against the Iraq of Saddam Hussein). …
"Kucinich plays the role of clown prince in these proceedings. He raised the issue of impeachment of Bush and Cheney both in the House and in the course of his abortive campaign for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination, serving as a 'left' cover for a political party that opposes the war in Iraq only because it has been a failure, in terms of strengthening the position of US imperialism in the Middle East and giving the US control over vital oil supplies.
"The Democratic caucus is less and less willing to indulge in such charades, however. Last November, when Kucinich brought a similar resolution to the floor against Cheney, he was able to enlist 22 co-sponsors, while 86 Democratic congressmen and congresswomen voted to have a debate on the resolution rather than refer it to committee. This time, Kucinich had only one supporter, Wexler, and both he and Kucinich himself joined in the unanimous Democratic vote to bury the measure. …
"The unanimous rejection of impeachment proceedings by the Democrats shows that this warning was an empty threat. In the event of a unilateral or joint US-Israeli military strike against Iran—which would be accompanied by a media barrage about alleged Iranian 'weapons of mass destruction,' support for terrorism and 'meddling' in Iraq—Congressional Democrats will roll over and play dead, just as they have endorsed or permitted every crime committed by the Bush administration over the past eight years."
Click here for the entire article -- http://www.wsws.org/articles/2008/jun2008/impe-j12.shtml
Bush and Cheney needn't walk out of the White House. Failure is not inevitable if we don't want it.
Pelosi made a deal with the White House to avoid being prosecuted for her complicity in a particularly vile landgrab. Expose Pelosi and the logjam ends. The sooner the better.
I still have my Kucinich---Strength Through Peace bumper sticker, and love the hateful looks I get...
Kucinich is serious, and no, he never intended a vote to be held yesterday. Soon enough, though. Like a true statesman, and unlike the Bushie crime cartel, he gives fair notice of his proposals and gives the House righteous time to look them over. Therefore as he planned all along, Kucinich voted to give THIRTY DAYS for the House members to consider the many Articles.
Read "WILLYBILL" (the very first comment after the Commondreams story), or read "TURCE" a few posts above this.
Kucinich in all of this, is obeying both the spirit and the letter of Parliamentary Procedure.
The misnamed treasonous Patriot Act went unread by most of our lawmakers, rushed through to a vote. Most important stuff is hidden from the lawmakers themselves--fine print, tacked onto some unrelated bill as an "amendment", or passed in the middle of the night, with a pre-selected quorum suddenly showing up pre-arranged, without the opposition's fair participation.
So you all got that? Kucinich is serious, letter and spirit.
"CHICLAYO" is really "CHICK LAYER". Got it? Silly.
Hate to feed an attention-thief by even mentioning him.
We live by many fantasies in this country.
GWB has turned out to be a great tool to puncture them. Though the faithful still believe his course was right, only incompetently pursued.
Gore Vidal outdoes himself in eloquence and indignation. If only he represented the widespread indignation of the American people. That millions of us feel the same way isn't, alas, sufficient.
But it's comforting - like great bells tolling - to read such a passionate outcry for simple decency. Heartbreaking, though, knowing that Kucinich's attempt will simply turn to dust.
Finally it has been uploaded, albeit they chopped up the Kucinich meet, Dennis occurs @ approximately 14:15. The Video is @ 1 hour so, see Conyers, see me cry, but it will explain why Dennis did what he did, why he had it read into the reacord the next day after the Cspan introduction.
http://vfpdc.blogspot.com/2008/06/veterans-for-peace-meeting-with-john.html
Chiclayo, how old are you? 12 or 13? You couldn't possibly be enjoying this. At your age you should have much better things to do. Perhaps you are suffering from the beginings of a sadistic personality disorder.
Liberal with an attitude, when you wrote this:
[indent]The fact that this story made the headlines in France and Ireland and Germany etc. actually does more harm than good. The affect is this. At home within their borders they see this legitimate earth shattering news and assume that it is so here in the US as well. So when nothing happens and Bush remains in office, foreign hatred for Americans festers because they say to themselves "how could Americans keep this despot in power".[/indent]
You so succinctly captured the effect, the wonder, the dumbfounding of the world. This is why I have been saying for the last several months that Bush should not be allowed to leave the office he has trashed with Texas strut and swaggering smirk. America has one opportunity to visit the justice he and his badministration spurn with every day they wear the titles they dishonor.
The effect of global control of the media and the silence of this most momentous bit of news throughout the mainstream should sound like a shot across the consciousness of our world, and turn all eyes to the Justice of America with hope for Rule of Law rekindled.
If impeachment is blocked, overtly, through obfuscation and manipulation of legal instrument and device that were not developed for such corruption of due process, then such a smoking gun should fire the soul of a people to such ire that they move to destroy such a system.
If they do not, then once again, it demonstrates the powerlessness of a once free people, enslaved by chains invisible, that corrupt the very nature of decent men and women.
If George W. Bush should escape impeachment and justice then America is lost to fascism completely and the people must move to reclaim their freedom. The triumph of the Power Elite will be complete, and they will know they can do anything and nobody can stop them. This world will be completely enslaved, and the means to prevent, halt, delay rapid population adjustment to ensure that the few who can protect themselves and reclaim the entire planet and all resources for them and their ilk will rapidly follow.
Gore Vidal, your books have always entertained and given rise to thoughtful consideration of great matters. Thank you for demonstrating the artist's love of humanity with your work.
pennerblu,
Bush and Cheney will walk out of the White House flipping us the "bird." That is why we cannot let them get away with commiting war crimes without prosecution. The day those two go to prison is the day I will throw a huge party and everyone who posts on CD is invited!
Oooookay.... I'm with you fellas.
What's sad about all of this is that Bush will go, like the article pointed out, his full term as president unscathed and untouched. This is what irritates me. This could have been done some time ago but our chickenshit congress has let it come this far and now G.W. Bush sees the exit door clearly in view. Is Bush STILL laughing at us?
it's the multinationals, stupid. bush and cheney are just lackies.
Wouldn't it be nice if, say, tomorrow, or Monday, another Congressman grew K-balls and introduced articles of impeachment against... can they get Condi? Or new AIs for Decider and Dick, listing, say, 35 of the other crimes against Americans they've committed?
Or, for those Congressman from the old school: it's time to play "Pile On," if, for no other reason, to needle them until they snap.
This is why I have supported Kucinich financially through two presidential campaigns, knowing both times that he had zero chance at the nomination, and yet did not feel my money was wasted.
This is why I'll do it again.
John C June 12th, 2008 3:57 pm
Whoa! whoa! whoa! - everybody !!!!!!
Have you not heard that Kucinich voted with the 166 Democrats to move the bill to committee !!!! And with nary an explanation to anybody !!! Just what kind of game is Kucinich playing?
He should have loudly explained his action or at least "abstained" from the vote.
I read one account that said that he voted "against" his own resolution to impeach.
And how come Gore Vidal leaves that out of his article?
Is there no limit to the deception we have to put up with in American politics?
John C June 12th, 2008 4:24 pm
LeeAnnG says:
"Kucinich is a true American hero. His efforts at impeachment, far from being a futile pissing in the wind, are important statements about what our country is supposed to stand for and has not for a very long time."
I certainly have always felt that way about Kucinich - but why did he vote to bury his impeachment resolution in (the traitor)John Conyers' Juduciary Committee? Why did he not abstain and thereby prevent CNN from claiming that "he voted against his own measure.
ONE MORE TIME, OKAY? Read what happened to us with our meetings yesterday, please.
Yesterday, 6/11 @ about 11:30 pm EST I said....
Today after a bunch of us from Veterans for Peace met with John Conyers to deliver petitions from 10's of thousands we went and met with Dennis at the Capital Bldg, he explained what occurred. He made apriveleged Resolution for Impeachment, this must be sent directly to Committees. He is giving them 30 days to review, if they do not reply in kind he will bring it to the floor , he is giving us the exact calender date next week, again but this time it will contain 60 Articles, if same occurs again with 90, again with 120….
He will not stop until our Constitution is adhered to regarding Impeachment , again reminding all of the system of checks and balances. He has asked us to urge this Nation to call their Congressperson, make sure to urge them to read all35 Articles and consume the meaning, give them 30 days , ask their position, if ambivalent ask them to read again and remind them of their oath to uphold the Constitution and to not Impeach is in direct violation of their oath of office. Call Pelosi and be respectful yet firm in urging Congressman Conyers that this is a matter of our nation not allowing their leaders to become more like that of an oligarchy which our forefathers needed to be upheld, they no longer wanted a King ergo checks and balances.
Repeat all steps until we do it. Go to Dennis's site to find out more.
We have another meeting scheduled within the next few weeks with Congressman Conyers where he promised to share his intent on the matter of Impeachment.
should be stuff on YouTube and The Real News by tomorrow.
Does anyone have a link for detailing the individual votes to move the resolution on?
Gore Vidal is a lone voice in the wilderness. I think there are about four or five honest politicians in the entire Congress and Senate - Senator Robert Byrd, Dennis Kucinich, Barbara Lee, Barbara Boxer and a handful of others. Last year I heard former Pentagon military officer and State Dept. diplomat, Ann Wright say she spoke with John Conyers and Harry Reid and they said they caved in and will not be seeking impeachment proceedings anymore because "getting re-elected was more important to him".
Our republic is in peril, democracy is in peril - the Constitution, Bill of Rights and Declaration of Independence has been shit on like a piece of toilet paper.
Nancy Pelosi is a fucking soggy wet pile of putrid mush. It is Pelosi who is BLOCKING IMPEACHMENT - for the most part, Pelosi has done nothing but RUBBER STAM 90% of Bush's legislation since the day she took office as Speaker of the House.
Gore Vidal - will you save a place for me at your villa in Italy? I am a 14th generation American - my ancestors emigrated from Wales in 1740, fought in Colonial Maryland Revolutionary Militia as Minute Men - but I am heartsick about the rape of the republic. Immigration is looking more like a viable prospect.
Gore, if you are out there in cyberspace somewhere - I will be your handmaiden and humble servant - I am half Italian (Friulani from Udinay) and would gladly emigrate back to my ancestral home. Aty least in Italy, they uphold and defend their republic. Here in America, we are a nation of somnabullists - sleepwalking in a societal, collective coma.
Americans are far more interested in who is the father of Brittney Spears latest out-of-wedlock little rugrat, Americans care more about Lindsey Lohan's latest meltdown and who will win American Idol. If 76% of Americans want an immediate end to the war - and Bush has a 78% disapproval rating - WHY HASN'T this obscene, genocidal, illegal war ENDED and why hasn't the Bush/Cheney/Rove Crime regime been impeached and sentenced to life in prision at Guantanamo?
Because Americans are a nation of complacent, narcissistic FUCKWITS.
Keep Hope Alive,
Grailmaiden
Colleen Whalen
The People's Republic of Sacramento, California
Rene,
Good for you! We welcome you with open arms. Nader in '08!
The brain-damaged Daniel David (4:15 pm) writes, "RichM...fails to remind you that impeachment cannot (CAN NOT) succeed with a conviction."
- It's so cute how Dan adds the "(CAN NOT)" part. That adds so much extra meaning to the post (not).
But Dan doesn't comment on the fact that it's the Constitution & the entire notion of government accountability that's at stake. These things are simply too important to be overlooked -- particularly because even if they win the election, the Democrats are going to do just what the rightwing demands, anyhow. That's the lesson of the Pelosi-Reid Congress.
If we fail to defend the Constitution & the entire notion of government accountability, we become a de facto dictatorship. It's likely that impeachment will not succeed (largely because the Democrats are such cowardly scum, & it would be up to them to set the case before the public) -- but the Daniel Davids of the world don't want us even to try. Not trying means abandoning the chance to at least lay a powerful case before the public.
Ironically, if the Democrats made a serious effort to impeach, it might well help them in November. The public supports impeachment, and would support it even more if televised hearings were held. This was the case with Nixon in 1974 -- the public was definitely swayed by the televised evidence of Nixon's crimes.
Cowardly Democrats (a redundant phrase, of course) always point to the fact that when the Republicans tried to impeach Clinton in 1998, they were hammered in the mid term elections. But that's was a different kettle of fish, because the public rightly understood that the impeachment was a partisan witch hunt. With Bush, it would not be a witch hunt, because we are talking about the highest possible kind of state crimes.
https://secure2.convio.net/pepib/site/ConsProfileUser?JServSessionIdr009=v5ec5pnup4.app1b.......
For Awaken 4:57 PM
I look forward to a petition I can sign to urge Congress to impeach these criminals. Meanwhile I will write my "representatives" to so urge.
The sleeping masses are finally being aroused. Meanwhile my local paper had a small article about Bush admitting that while Iraq was a mistake, he is considering an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities.
Impeachment now is a duty whether he is sucessfully removed or not.
Jeeve June,
Agreed 'action always speaks much more of the truth than words!!'. I was going to vote Democratic this election, but after reading Common Dreams and reflecting on the actions of the current presidential candidates, I find I have no choice but to vote for Nader in '08. Among the available choices, only his actions have consistently benefited the American public. For somebody who grew up passing out Democratic pamphlets at twelve years old, and working on Democratic campaigns for years, its a sad thing, but a necessary thing. The Democratic party is as damaging to the commonwealth as the Republicans.
finally America (USA) is shaking itself free of the state of shock it has been in since September 11, 2001 ... now that it has happened, the darkness will be shattered by light ... there will always be danger: just look at the environment the Founding Fathers had to work and fight in to bring the USA into being in the first place ... Al Gore covered this and much more in his book The Assault on Reason ...
when we finally really open our eyes and accept why George W Bush and company dragged the countries to war we are going to be really unhappy with ourselves for ever having allowed it to happen ... but, with realization comes freedom and as long as we are breathing it is not too late to stop and repair the damages ... the process is under way ...
rejoice .................
Unfortunately for the citizens of the USA, the world judges US citizens by the actions taken (or not taken) by its Congress.
So the world sees an entire country protecting its Executive Criminals.
And sees you all as despotic criminals by association.
and you wonder why shit like 911 happens???
LeeAnnG says:
"Kucinich is a true American hero. His efforts at impeachment, far from being a futile pissing in the wind, are important statements about what our country is supposed to stand for and has not for a very long time."
I certainly have always felt that way about Kucinich - but why did he vote to bury his impeachment resolution in (the traitor)John Conyers' Juduciary Committee? Why did he not abstain and thereby prevent CNN from claiming that "he voted against his own measure"
PLEASE base your decisions on voting records as well as on the Constitution, which I confess we need more reading of: ACTION ALWAYS SPEAKS MUCH MORE OF THE TRUTH THAN WORDS!!
PLEASE base your decisions on voting records as well as on the Constitution, which I confess we need more reading of: ACTION ALWAYS SPEAKS MUCH MORE THAN WORDS!!
RichM, ever demanding something moronic with great fanfare, fails to remind you that impeachment cannot (CAN NOT) succeed with a conviction. Even Kucinich knows this, but RichM plows onward into the abyss of know-nothingness, now calling Dennis a fake.
Dennis is not a fake. He is a realist. You can talk the impeachment for publicity of the crimes, but you cannot actually get a conviction.
Now meanwhile, win your darn election while you still can.
It's all that matters this year. It's ALL you can get.
If we don't impeach them in time, then we must try them as civilians. Corporate America will begin its all out assault on our due process to ensure that these madmen never face justice in a court of law. Already corporate media it pretending that this isn't happening preferring to inundate our TV's, radio's and news print with tales of corporate take overs (Google this, Yahoo that...)the latest tornado victims (without the global warming connection of course!) and gruesome 'body parts for sale' stories.
re John C (3:57) -- Kucinich himself is somewhat of a fake, I'm afraid. Here is a good analysis of his role in this farce: http://www.wsws.org/articles/2008/jun2008/impe-j12.shtml
Recall also that when push comes to shove, Kucinich always gives in to party loyalty. In 2004, for example, he wound up supporting the prowar Kerry, and reneged on his promise to continue fighting the war "right up to the Convention."
This is slightly off-subject, but it's something I've been wanting to post for some time now.
I read articles from several different progressive sites including CommonDreams, Alternet, Huffington Post, The Nation, and others on a daily basis. Like many other posters, I have criticized, complained about formats, wondered at some of the choices of articles, and sometimes responded with a certain vehemence to other liberals who might have had a different point of view. I have also congratulated, agreed with, and cheered both posters and authors.
For some posters, the views are not liberal or progressive enough. For others, they are too extreme. Sometimes - especially at Alternet - there are many readers who express contempt at the frivolity of too much focus on interpersonal human relationships or other complaints. There are those who object to the whole idea of belonging to one of the major parties and are quick to disparage Democrats who maintain their affiliation with entrenched power. And some hard-core Democrats may see third party candidates or members as spoilers and malcontents.
But in spite of differences, quibbling, and heated discussions, what is really important is the very existence of these newsworthy sites. People can actually find real, in-depth news that diverges from the corporate media. Thoughtful coverage of gender issues, health care, race relations, political malfeasance, under-reported bravery, and an entire host of subjects are available to anyone with a minimal ability to search the 'net. This is an amazing development, and it serves to keep people informed in a way that few other venues do.
So, no matter what ideological branch you come from - even the wingnut trolls who serve to keep us remembering how totally loopy and batshit nuts people can actually be - thanks to those who develop and maintain the progressive sites and to all posters for caring enough to share your ideas. So many thoughtful people respond to the various wonderful articles, provide links to even more information, and offer insight. This is a great thing, even more so because we don't always agree.
And, last but not least, Kucinich is a true American hero. His efforts at impeachment, far from being a futile pissing in the wind, are important statements about what our country is supposed to stand for and has not for a very long time.
Daniel David (3:34 pm) writes, "Electing your 2009 liberal government is far more important than impeaching the last one for a trial by a Senate that will not (indeed cannot) convict a Republican...."
- In other words, electing Democrats is more important than defending the Constitution.
That's what's really at stake, in the impeachment issue. If there's no impeachment, the US Congress has essentially ratified all Bush/Cheney's power grabs, all of which violate the Constitution. Everything from signing statements and torture to the doctrine of preventive war; from taking the country to war on false pretenses, to arbitrary arrests, rescinding habeas corpus, & warrantless spying on Americans. ALL of that and more becomes official precedent, as soon as Bush is permitted to end his term without any serious challenge from Congress.
To believe that it's more important to elect a pack of cowardly weasels than to defend the Constitution is just the kind of thinking that's typical for followers of the Dem Party. To continue to support Democrats is to place party over principle; and party over Constitution. The funniest part about this is that the DP hasn't really promised to do anything particularly attractive to improve the lot of average Americanss -- they're merely running on a "We're not Bush" platform. To abandon defense of the Constitution just for the electoral prospects of a bunch of D's who will cave into Republican demands even if they win in November is a lousy deal.
Whoa! whoa! whoa! - everybody !!!!!!
Have you not heard that Kucinich voted with the 166 Democrats to move the bill to committee !!!! And with nary an explanation to anybody !!! Just what kind of game is Kucinich playing?
He should have loudly explained his action or at least "abstained" from the vote.
I read one account that said that he voted "against" his own resolution to impeach.
And how come Gore Vidal leaves that out of his article?
Is there no limit to the deception we have to put up with in American politics?
re 3:34pm
wrong as usual. impeachment is a necessary first step in protecting ourselves and our families from terrorist retribution for the monstrous crimes of cheney/bush. it's a necessary first step in restoring the rule of law, especially the writs of habeas corpus and mandamus. it's a necessary first step toward revitalizing our constitution and bill of rights which, however racist and sexist and classist their origins, are still viable blueprints for a functioning democracy.
and electing a full slate of Duhs is no guarantee of even one real liberal's taking office (see results of nov. 2006).
Daniel David, you only piss yourself when you fail to confront power with truth.
"As I listened to Rep. Kucinich invoke the great engine of impeachment — he listed some 35 crimes by these two faithless officials — we heard, like great bells tolling, the voice of the Constitution itself speak out ringingly against those who had tried to destroy it."
Excellent description. Kucinich is profoundly wise. His use of the words of the Constitution repeated over and over rang like a bell to awaken the people to that part of moral perfection deep inside them. It's there. Wake up, people. You've gotten used to corruption and darkness. Now---here is the light. Remember?
Kucinich will go down in history as a brave patriot who stood up virtually alone for his country. Vidal is right, this is the most important motion made in Congress in the 21st Century -- because there won't be any more 'Congress' if they don't listen to Kucinich. No more civilian government. This is their last chance.
Electing your 2009 liberal government is far more important than impeaching the last one for a trial by a Senate that will not (indeed cannot) convict a Republican.
There is no debate here about how bad Bush and Cheney are.
They're BAD. But unless you achieve a result, a new liberal government, you are peeing into a strong wind that is going to leave you wet and wondering why.
I just called the St. Louis Post Dispatch the newspaper that I subscribe to. I called the news department and asked where in the paper I could find the articles of impeachment filed against President Bush. I was politely told that I would probably have to go to the Foreign News to get that information !!!
This shyt is deeper than we think !
Gore could have helped himself by letting Jesse Jackson stage protests about the stealing of the black vote.
Better yet, Gore could have voted for an investigation into the fraud.All they needed was one senator to support it.
He didnt.
Gore is responsible for Bush.
Thanks Al.
I agree with Scroller, we need to make clear to whoever follows in the White House that they solemnly swear to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. Not to their party, not to their idiology, but to defend the Constitution.
Thankfully, 5 members of the Supreme Court remember that.