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Impeachment Talk Reaches the Mainstream

By William Goodman, AlterNet. Posted March 14, 2006.


From the Wall Street Journal to MSNBC, talk of impeachment is no longer on the fringe.
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The groundswell for President Bush's impeachment is growing, and last week the establishment media finally took notice.

The Wall Street Journal ran a story analyzing how a planned impeachment of President Bush will play out as an "election issue," including a helpful pie chart showing 51 percent of Americans support Congress in considering Bush's impeachment if he "didn't tell the truth about the reasons for the Iraq war."

The Washington Post published a commentary acknowledging that support for impeachment is now "reaching beyond the usual suspects," and the Associated Press covered the spike in pro-impeachment resolutions from local officials across the country. Resolutions recently passed in Vermont and California, and this weekend Democratic Party officials in Michigan voted to urge local officials to pass another. Meanwhile, 14 Democratic candidates for Congress have announced their support for impeachment.

These local efforts are beginning to advance impeachment at the national level. The resolution by Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., to investigate impeachment is slowly but steadily gaining co-sponsors, including three this month. It now has 29 co-sponsors -- roughly one out of every seven Democrats in the U.S. House -- a promising start that ensures that the legislation attracts more votes when it reaches the floor.

These activist and legislative efforts helped finally push the "i-word" on to the notoriously conservative cable news last week. On Wednesday, Joe Scarborough aired an impeachment debate on MSNBC -- one of the first times the subject has been debated this year on cable. Scarborough's producers invited me to make the case for impeachment after learning of the new book I co-authored, "Articles of Impeachment Against George W. Bush."

Since impeachment rarely receives any consideration on television, I took the opportunity to explain our case, even if it meant going on Joe Scarborough's turf. Scarborough, a former Republican congressman who opposes impeaching President Bush, said during the show that he was "fascinated" by some arguments for impeachment. He accurately described the groundswell:

There's a movement out there right now calling for George W. Bush to be impeached. Just take a look at how many cities and towns across America have either drafted resolutions calling for the president's impeachment or are considering doing so. Not only that, but 11 candidates for the House of Representatives and three for the U.S. Senate are all running on the impeachment platform. Why do they want the president gone? Well, here are the common reasons cited. The war in Iraq, which they say Bush lied to get us into; warrantless eavesdropping, authorized by the president; the torturing of prisoners; and the president`s response to Hurricane Katrina.

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William Goodman is the Legal Director of the Center for Constitutional Rights where he supervises an active docket of over 80 cases, including representing the Guantánamo detainees before the Supreme Court, challenging the NSA domestic spying program, filing the first case to challenge the Bush Administration's " extraordinary rendition," and representing Muslim and Arab men caught up in the post-9/11 immigration dragnet.

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It's Aboout Time!
Posted by: Tom Degan on Mar 14, 2006 1:22 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Two and a half years ago when I first put a handful of bumperstickers on the back of my 1995 Nissan pick up truck that suggested (demanded, really) the impeachment of the half-witted frat boy in the oval office, the reaction was mostly negative. And yet as the months and years went by, attitudes started to change. Back in November, when I purcased a new van, I decided that puny little bumper stickers weren't going to cut the mustard any longer. I had two huge magnetic signs custom made for both sides of the van. They say, "IMPEACH BUSH" in big black letters on a white background. Best hundred bucks I ever spent. How has the reaction been? Well, I've been getting the finger alot but fortunately that finger has been the thumb.

What does it all mean? It means that all this talk of impeachment is no longer the domain of starry eyed radicals like yours truly (Here's an interesting point for you to ponder: The political climate of this country has been so depressingly dumbed-down in the last twenty-five years that someone as basically conservative as I am is viewed as a "radical". Incredible). The corruption and stupidity of George W. Bush was so obvious as far back, even, as 2000 that I made a prediction on the radio in December of that year, one month before the hideous little bugger took the oath of office, that his administration would end in impeachment. I have a tape of that interview and on the last day of his administration, as they're carrying the dirty bastard out of the White House in leg irons, I'll be playing that tape for everyone. Oh yeah, you can count on that.

Want another prediction? Here it is: George W. Bush will be remembered in history, primarily, as the first (pray last) former chief executive of the United States to go to federal prison. Are those the fantastic ramblings of an embittered "radical"? We'll see.

Pray for peace

Tom Degan
Goshen, NY
tomdegan@frontiernet.net

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» RE: about time Posted by: Ace-Del-Boy
» RE: It's Aboout Time! Posted by: kgs1947
» RE: It's Aboout Time! Posted by: mjm3iii
» RE: It's Aboout Time! Posted by: thinkverybig
» RE: It's Aboout Time! Posted by: cmford
» RE: It's Aboout Time! Posted by: bsdone
» RE: It's Aboout Time! Posted by: Asmodeus
» RE: It's Aboout Time! Posted by: kc10ken
» Hey Ken! Posted by: Tom Degan
» RE: It's About Time! Posted by: starvinmarvy
» RE: The only problem is ... Posted by: ccbite
» RE: It's Aboout Time! Posted by: Iconoclast421
» RE: It's Aboout Time! Posted by: AlienSlave
» Go Tom... Posted by: fifthworld
» RE: It's About Time! Posted by: Gazza126
» RE: It's Aboout Time! Posted by: triana1326
» RE: It's Aboout Time! Posted by: Asses of Evil
» RE: It's Aboout Time! Posted by: Cathy
» RE: It's Aboout Time! Posted by: Asses of Evil
» RE: It's Aboout Time! Posted by: palli
» RE: It's Aboout Time! Posted by: ladybug1@carrollsweb.com
» RE: It's Aboout Time! Posted by: glorybe
» RE: It's Aboout Time! Posted by: netmadman54
The Real DEAL?
Posted by: placid on Mar 14, 2006 3:12 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I am not complaining.(maybe a little).I was just about to turn the net off, and Alternet came in so I took a look,pinched myself, and looked again.Impeachment,censure have been swirling about.This is hitting the mainstream? Wow.It has been everywhere else.Lose our country, NEVER.so I really will turn this "thing" off and hope and pray the news is still going when I get Up.Too early to shout. I'll wait until I am in bed, head buried in my pillow and I'll shout into it cautiously..YES!! Mary Basombrio

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» RE: The Real DEAL? Posted by: ALANHESTER
torture
Posted by: amazed again on Mar 14, 2006 3:23 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
It seems to me that a lot of rhetoric has been spoken about Abu Ghraib Prison and Torture, but I for one have very large imagery in my head concerning both the PRISONERS and TORTURE and shudder in horror at the thought. It also seems to me that many people are inured to such rhetoric. It is not their flesh being beaten, it's not them being humiliated, Its not there kin disapearing into prisons. Or perhaps their imaginations are dulled by the needs of self. There is a need to make those who back Bush and his Cronies to actually walk a mile in tortured peoples shoes. Or second best perhaps those with enough feelings to feel for those injured could raise money to pay for prime time TV adds with explicit film, photos or graphic descriptions of Torture. Perhaps it might jolt some folk into seeing mans inhumanity to man for what it is. Evil. and those who advocate torture also evil.

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» RE: torture Posted by: AlienSlave
It will not happen
Posted by: farhada on Mar 14, 2006 3:30 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
OK Folks,
I am not a pessimist by nature, but impeachment and anything like that needs a firm support among the members of the congress and other legislative buddy of your country.

There is no opposition in the US at the moment, there are distant voices whispers and in some cases even shouts, but no major movement with the backing and support of any of the leaders of your country.

US is so much like the old Soviet Union that is really interesting for an outsider to study. The both parties are so entangled in the web of corruption; money and business that there is no way any one can break out of it and receive the support needed to make a change. The member of the party are the ones who make all the decisions and not the average Joe on the street.

What has happened in many other countries where a corrupt leadership is in power CAN not happen in the US. Not because people don’t want it to happen, but because your political system is not working “by the people” and “for the people” but it works for those who have the money to support the million dollar cost of an election and pay the media to cover your “message”. Without that, you will never be able get the attention from the TV watching people of America who are not so much engaged in politics as the most of the people in other countries.

So, talk about impeachment as much as you want, but as long as you have people like Liberman and the gutless Hilary as your leaders, you have to live with the presidency of Bush.
/Farhad

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» Its worse than what you think Posted by: Citizendeane
» RE: It will not happen Posted by: hhartman
» RE: It will not happen Posted by: writeval
» RE: for hhartman Posted by: matilda
» RE: It will not happen Posted by: farhada
» RE: It will not happen Posted by: hhartman
» RE: It will not happen Posted by: Jackieo
growing
Posted by: rsaxto on Mar 14, 2006 4:00 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Anti-Bush is growing, impeachment is growing, truth is growing and Republican wrath is being added to Independent and Democratic wrath. This is how life works: it grows until past stupidities become untenable. The lifeline of the Bushies is being squeezed to death by the imperative of reality which always wins in the end.

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» Delusions Posted by: Citizendeane
» By nature I am a cheery guy. Posted by: Citizendeane
» RE: Optimism is a moral imperative Posted by: drricklippin
Impeach Bush
Posted by: Lincoln fan on Mar 14, 2006 4:26 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
By all means Bush should be impeached. But I don't think that this will solve the basic problem. Bush is the front man and the fall guy. He is expendable. He has only done what he was elected to do, that is, to carry out the agenda of the corporate establishment.

The campaigns of both our political parties are financed by this corporatocracy. They control our government. They will remain in control after Bush is gone. even after the Republicans are ousted. Click on see who gives and who gets No matter who loses elections they still win. The only answer is for the people to gain control of both parties.

Join The Lincoln Initiative, a non-partisan grassroots movement, not an organization. There are no leaders, no contributions, no registration, no meetings, and no marches, just a peaceful revolution. Click on Join us

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» RE: Impeach Bush Posted by: Nnaahjwd
» RE: Impeach Bush Posted by: thinkverybig
» RE: Impeach Bush Posted by: Doubtom
Make history - Impeach V.P., too
Posted by: anothername on Mar 14, 2006 5:17 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
If the Republican-controlled Congress decides to impeach and to support the impeachment, Dick Cheney needs to be impeached, too.

Egads, that would leave J. Dennis Hastert as president. The country loses, either way. Nevertheless, I support impeachment, or at least Sen. Feingold's censure, because this country needs to admit publicly that the president is not a dictator.

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Why did the ports deal get slammed shut so fast?
Posted by: AlienSlave on Mar 14, 2006 5:34 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
It was because every republican in congress heard from the people back home. The message was stop it or pack your bags. Not until they hear the same thing about the White House gang of six will they get around to impeaching them.
AlienSlave

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» That's right! Posted by: Lauren
» RE: That's right! Posted by: AlienSlave
Impeach and imprison ALL the conniving bastards!
Posted by: waves999 on Mar 14, 2006 6:11 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I plagiarised these quotes from writers to the blogs, I am sorry that I didn’t note who wrote them or where they came from or I would have given them credit. Nevertheless, they succinctly cover the issues, and my point of view, and are worth repeating....

Never in a million years would I have thought that the American people would accept all of this Nazification without protest! It is surreal. I am a child of the 60's - and this turn of developments is the most bizarre thing that has happened in my lifetime. Homeland? Torture? Never-ending war? The Deaths beyond belief? Warrantless wiretaps? Suspension of basic civil rights? Suppression of dissent? Demonizing those who protest/disagree with the government? Collateral civilian deaths? The idiot president? The crooks and liars crawling all over Washington? MSM complicity in the horrors? The outright horror of it all? It is astonishing!

The simple reality is that recent polls consistently show the following: The American people don't like President Bush. They don't approve of the way he's done his job. They don't trust him to handle key issues. They don't trust him, period. They think he deliberately misled the nation into war. They think history will judge him poorly. They think Congress should consider impeachment. They don't like his political party. They like Democrats better. They trust Democrats more on more important issues.

Any journalist or pundit who makes reference to public opinion in a way that contradicts these basic facts, without offering specific data, is simply misleading the American people.

Impeach and imprison ALL the conniving bastards: Bush Junior, Cheney, Rummy and Rove before they destroy America and the Free World. Good riddance!!!


Just because I am paranoid doesnt mean they are not after me.…

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» That's the ticket... amen! Posted by: robinka33
a voice from the wilderness
Posted by: blind848 on Mar 14, 2006 6:14 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
the talk of impeachment is all very fine, but it is just that, TALK.. it does not matter...there will be no next election, there WILL be another 9/11, of some kind...the election will be "post-poned", martial law will be declared and we will arrive where we have been going since Lincoln suspended habeas corpus...
good luck, everyone!

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» McCain is the Pardon Option Posted by: afrothetics
power shift...
Posted by: starvinmarvy on Mar 14, 2006 6:19 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
As FUSTRATED as we all are I honestly think all of us here
posting,being diligent patriotic little peons,fuming/screaming/
crying out all the obvious injustices from our government, is
actually making a difference. Ever so little...but look at this
artical? Think it`d be making major newspaper stories at this
point if it weren`t for you? Nope. AS long as we continue to
pay attention.Watch and read.Kick and scream!
As much as I feel just about all of our legislators are "on the
take" ...to certain degrees...lets give Russ Feingold a standing
ovation !! Here again....the hierarchy is feeling our disent and
Russ had the balls to submit Bushys Censure Resolution. As
small as our snowball is right now its rolling.And only we can
kick it to the steepest part of the hill where it will take off and
get to avalanch proportions.
All those spineless twits on both sides of the aisle be notified:
we`re watching...we`re reading...we see through your gifted
oritory ramblings...character and honor stand out like a
beacon in the night...and practically NONE of you people
have it. Our terrorism comes from within.So lets forget about
terrorism bullshit and give us back the integrity of our
beautiful country!!!

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Impeachment with this Congress? Nah!
Posted by: custersbud on Mar 14, 2006 6:29 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
As a Democratic Party Precinct Chairperson, I can't think of anything better than making Bush squirm. However; with the current make-up of Congress, it ain't gonna happen!

Between now and November, as a party, we'd be a hell of a lot better off if we concentrated on more useful efforts, such as putting together a meaningful alternative to the current Republican agenda. The American public is waiting for this, and will support our candidates if we have a plausible plan.

If we take the House and Senate, Bush and Cheney won't finish their terms. Both of them have to go! With Democratic guidance, even Dennis Hastert should be able to hold the country together till January of '09.

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» Finally, someone who can read the timeline Posted by: Conan the Younger
Doing things in the right order
Posted by: DaveB on Mar 14, 2006 6:34 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Lots of people point out that if Bush is impeached, Cheney becomes president; if Cheney is impeached too, we get Hastert; and neither Cheney nor Hastert is an improvement over Bush. So here's what to do:

1. Impeach Cheney and remove him from ofice.
2. Congress chooses a new vice president acceptable to both parties.
3. Impeach Bush and remove him from office.

This is in effect what happened in the Nixon impeachment. Nixon was elected with Spiro Agnew as his vice president. Agnew was dreadful, but fortunately he got himself busted for corruption, and resigned. Gerald Ford was chosen to replace Agnew, and eventually replaced Nixon too.

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Confused
Posted by: boreader on Mar 14, 2006 6:48 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
As I understand it, impeachment does not equal removal from office. Clinton was impeached but he stayed President. Shouldn't Bush be kicked out of office rather than impeached, or does he need to be impeached first?

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» RE: Confused Posted by: Angie
» RE: Confused Posted by: jdub
» RE: Confused Posted by: janten
» RE: Confused Posted by: Doubtom
» Whoa..... Posted by: Rowdy714
» RE: Confused Posted by: thinkverybig
look out
Posted by: Erik1968 on Mar 14, 2006 6:56 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
you may have noticed McLellan's comments yesterday. Clearly the administration wants to use impeachment as a wedge issue to show how "out of touch" democrats are. That's the only reason a guy like Scarborough would allow this sort of thing on his show.

Let's hope it bites them in the ass, however. Too bad the Dems are such cowards.

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It is totally on the fringe thanks to the DEMS
Posted by: Rattlesby on Mar 14, 2006 7:28 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Where are our Democratic PartylLeaders? Why is Feingold out there on his own, made to look like an idiot? This is why the Democratic Party has alienated me. No backbone, no direction, no honesty of belief. Just run for office, defensively. what a bunch of losers.

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Can we somehow infer that Bush or Cheney got a blowjob from Abramoff in the White House?
Posted by: klaatukev on Mar 14, 2006 7:33 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
This might help:

Fake Classified White House Hannukah pic

From my weblog, http://intellectuallyidiotic.blogspot.com


I agree with an earlier comment that was made: impeaching Bush merely makes him the fall guy, and the American people don't have the stomach (or the votes, thanks to Diebold) to get rid of all the people who have put us where we are. If we truly wanted to clean up government, we'd also have to ditch the spineless Dems who have been more worried about looking like obstructionists than doing their jobs.

Look how little traction Feingold's censure is getting. We've got Dems like Hillary and Reid who've already started whining. What they're saying, in essence is, "the voters will think we're mean if we call the President to task for committing a crime!"

Additionally, we'd have to ditch Cheney, Hastert, Bridge-to-Nowhere-Asshole, etc. We need to think about the long run too. Most of this administration's leadership positions are filled with people who were in the Nixon White House, so even if we did manage to throw them out on their ear again, it doesn't mean they won't be back in 2008 or 2012. We also need to get real election reform, like proportional representation in the House, or some other reform which evens the playing field for third parties.

In the mean time, the disenfranchised citizens of this country need to keep complaining in forums like this until something is done.

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Thought On Impeachment
Posted by: brainvib on Mar 14, 2006 7:50 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
If George W. Bush is sucessfully impeached, guess what!!!!
Say. "Hello"' to Mr. President Chaney. Isn't that enough to cause nightmares for small children and adults alike. Some times the devil you got is better than the devil you'll get. The point is impeachment must be for the reprehensible two or it doesn't really solve the country's cancerous blight.

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Let's Get Real
Posted by: realist on Mar 14, 2006 8:03 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
First off, I think George W. Bush poses one of the gravest threats to our country in its history. Having said that, I think impeachment makes a great grass-roots rallying cry, but it makes for terrible government, and it's not good for the country.

It's already been noted that if Bush is impeached and convicted, we'd be stuck with either Cheney or Hastert. Impeach 'em all, you say? Great - is that really how we want to spend the next two years? We missed an opportunity to take care of a lot of business during the Clinton impeachment ordeal. If that was the GOP's point, it's a lousy way to govern. People are finally wising up to the tactics of government by distraction, and they are among the reasons people distrust government so much today.

Second, you actually run the risk of making a martyr out of Bush. Remember that, even after he was impeached but not thrown out of office, Clinton's numbers came back stronger than ever. And remember how we thought we were gonna clean Ollie North's clock once we got him into congressional hearings? All we did was give the courts a reason to overturn his conviction while giving him a national platform that he still enjoys today. Bush is doing a great job of being his own worst enemy right now. Don't give him the opportunity to play the victim; we're the victims. The country's already against him, so oppose his policies.

Third, do the math. Republicans control both houses of Congress. It's not gonna happen. Sen. Feingold can't even rustle up any significant support for censuring Bush, which doesn't even threaten to put him out of office!

Back in the 80s, Tip O'Neill declined to pursue the impeachment of Ronald Reagan for the Iran-Contra affair. He told his fellow Democrats that since the Republicans controlled the Senate and he knew it would be an empty, time-consuming gesture. He felt the country had more important things to attend to.

Tip's stand was right then, and it's right now. What we Democrats need to do is use Bush's weakness to win back Congress this November, so we can exercise some real oversight over this atrocious administration. That, in turn, should help us put a stop to current policies and help us take back the White House in 2008.

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» RE: Let's Get Real Posted by: haruki
» I agree. Posted by: Lauren
» RE: Let's Get Real Posted by: kelly.nickell
9/11 crimes are impeachable, need to be investigated
Posted by: Loose Nuke on Mar 14, 2006 8:09 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Bush is impeachable for all these things, but let's not forget his criminal negligence in regards to 9/11, which Congress, the Commission and the media failed to address; there were decades of signs, warnings and imagined scenarios (in 1995 9/11 style plot Project Bojinka was uncovered). The warning signs increased in the months before 9/11. Warnings about impending attacks were received from at least 11 different countries- that's just what made it into the mainstream media. The FAA received 52 separate air threat warnings, the Commission lied and said it was 5. A new investigation is needed as the Commission has been exposed as a fraud- 115 ommissions and distortions documented by David Ray Griffin:

9/11 Commisson: Ommissions and Distortions

Thousands of articles/statements from mainstream sources have been compiled into a 9/11 Timeline at

cooperativeresearch.org

These cast doubt on or prove the lie of the official story; the big picture blows it away

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H E A V E - H O !!!!!
Posted by: pzzp on Mar 14, 2006 8:29 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
H E A V E - H O !!!!!

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» RE: H E A V E - H O !!!!! Posted by: Doubtom
We have to impeach AND convict, or not impeach
Posted by: JoeBackward on Mar 14, 2006 8:40 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Clinton missed a big opportunity. After he was impeached by the house but acquitted by the senate in his second term, his power was potentially infinite. He could have done WHATEVER HE WANTED. If somebody complained, his retort could have been "you don't like it, so impeach me."

He didn't really use this power (except in the pardons he granted on the way out of office).

But guess what? The Rove / Cheney administration WILL use this infinite power if we give it to them. The impeach-Bush movement is far more useful as a threat than if we actually do it, unless it is possible to actually remove Bush from office. And, as others have noticed, if we fire the guy we have to accept his replacement.

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It's not gonna happen...
Posted by: bayway35 on Mar 14, 2006 8:47 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
It's not gonna happen...we the people do not have any power or balls anymore..his impeachment would not change a thing...he is only a figure head....let's live in a real world..people are trying to make a living etc. most have no idea what is going on and could care less they are just trying to make ends meet...The wealthy are a whole other story...every Marine that dies in Iraq is a waste...I served in Vietnam and it was a horrible waste too...but there were those who made alot of money...I can only see the worst for our country...sad.

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» RE: It's not gonna happen... Posted by: realist
» RE: It's not gonna happen... Posted by: bayway35
» RE: It's not gonna happen... Posted by: bayway35
clinker
Posted by: cottontail on Mar 14, 2006 9:17 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I'll tell you what's likely to happen. When and if the doofus ever leaves office we're faced with the likelihood of a McCain presidency. Good, you say? I strongly urge you to read Paul Krugman's column on McCain in the New York Times, Mar. 13. McCain is a clever enough con-man to hoodwink an already dumbed-down public. He will do anything or say anything to be president. He's a hack of the first order and the MSM will fawn all over him.

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» RE: clinker Posted by: kelly.nickell
America has NOT woken up
Posted by: granz on Mar 14, 2006 9:23 AM   
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MJM3iii asked "My question is do you think that America has waken up after seeing what a mistake they've made voting for the bush?"

As much as I would like to be optimistic and say yes, the majority of America still supports Bush in planning and executing war in Iran, as if his many lies were not enough, now we must destroy another country that has not attacked us? When will Americans wake up and get the voice out that WAR in Iran is not the answer and we do not condone it. I have not seen any movement that might help prevent this war that in my opinion is all but a done deal and it is just a matter of time before the bombs start dropping over Tehran. THE TIME TO ACT IS NOW!

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How about we take the Lincoln Initiative and finally use it to
Posted by: maxpayne on Mar 14, 2006 9:42 AM   
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put both Congress and the White House on trial and convict them. It might be the only way to bring any democracy back to America.

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how do YOU spell relief?
Posted by: Voicedude on Mar 14, 2006 9:45 AM   
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I - is for our IDIOT Commander,
M, - the MONEY that he likes to pander,
P - is for his PRIDE that’s all-too swollen,
E - is both ELECTIONS that were stolen,
A - is his ARROGANCE in warring,
C, - the CONSTITUTION he’s ignoring,
H - is for the HURRICANE Katrina,
....and the poorly staffed and funded FEMA.

B - is for our BUDGET down the crapper,
U - is this UNLAWFUL wire tapper,
S - is for his SMIRK while smugly winkin’,
H, - the HOOCH he’ll soon be back to drinkin’!

.....the sad thing is that I could probably do an entire phone book’s worth of crimes and misdemeanors in rhyme, but the list of Bush’s foibles and faults is so long that I don’t have the time!

Ask you Conservative friends if they think he broke the law (and stay on them untuil they agree to the truth), compare it to the fervor to get rid of Clinton, and then ask them if lying about sex deserves worse punishment than lying about reasons to go to war, lying about disaster preparedness, lying about human rights, lying to cover up other lies, and ignoring Constitutional privacy safeguards to name but a few.

Neo-Cons are not usually THAT stupid - I believe that deep down they know what a mess has been made with their administration. The ONLY way to win this thing is to get the “real” Republicans to take their party back!

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» RE: how do YOU spell relief? Posted by: Tom Degan
» RE: how do YOU spell relief? Posted by: Rattlesby
pat1898
Posted by: pat1898 on Mar 14, 2006 10:04 AM   
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Good for you! All of you!

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Bush to The Hague!
Posted by: cold2touch on Mar 14, 2006 10:06 AM   
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Now that Slobodan Milosevic's cell is vacant ...

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bodies all over iraq today...and abu gharib just closed.....
Posted by: cmford on Mar 14, 2006 10:19 AM   
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am I the only one who thinks today's findings of tortured bodies in mass graves might be our tortured prisoners from abu gharib, and is our government using these bodies to spur on a civil war that most iraqis say is a U.S. fabrication? shias and sunnis all consider themselves iraqi, and the bodies include both shias and sunnis.

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Echo Echo Echo
Posted by: BuckFush on Mar 14, 2006 10:20 AM   
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This whole impeachement movement sounds great in echo chambers like this one. But the real challenge is for echo chambers like this one to grow big and loud enough to be heard above all the others.

The case for impeachment encompasses all that has become outrageous, as well as the outrageous to be.

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Delusional Delight
Posted by: jockodog on Mar 14, 2006 10:50 AM   
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I cannot help but see efforts to seek an impeachment
as wishful thinking. The country has Bush to deal with.
He serves the interest of the few and will stop at nothing
to stop his enemies. President Clinton was impeached
for matters unrelated to his performance on the job.
But it serves no useful purpose other than payback to seek impeachment of his successor. Democrats who seek to return the favor while being otherwise unable to convince their own representatives in congress to stand up to the Bush administration's outright lies, mischaracterizations and its use of Bush's allies in corporate media and their sycophants in Congress are travelling the wrong road. After Abu Graib, Katrina, the outright giveaway to the Drug companies in the Medicare drug bill and other clear payoffs and payback to Bush's cabal of wrong-sighted or greedy allies including the political agenda of right-wing churches, where are the democrats in congress? The extreme method of impeachment for these transgressions is no substitute for the building of a political base on the ground which deals a blow at the ballot box in November. Only then will the right wing be controlled by the moderate Americans at large.

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Impeach Your Voting Machine
Posted by: dalea on Mar 14, 2006 11:06 AM   
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We elected John Kerry president in 2004. All of us who worked hard to mobilize the nation deserved this electoral victory. But John Kerry didn't. He allowed it to be stolen, and his pathetic, premature concession speech misled the American people into thinking George Bush had legitimately won a narrow victory.

DAMAGE CONTROL: ELECTION REFORM

What is the purpose of expending precious energy organizing and informing the public and legislators around any other issue (i.e., impeachment, Katrina, torture, the war, etc.) if the one, fundamental, nonviolent recourse that can be taken to hold elected representatives accountable is a mirage? What can we do in time for the 2006 elections?

As former White House counsel, John Dean, and others on a recent panel discussing impeachment have pointed out, "Until there is some Congressional oversight, this President will be able to do whatever he wants."

Radio talk show host, Mike Malloy, in referring to four corporate players (Diebold, ES&S, Sequoia, and SAIC) controlling the American vote count, says, "When you hear people saying, 'take a deep breath, we will pull through this,' 'we need to work harder,' 'we need to organize'- no. We will not. It's over. Unless electronic vote tabulation is history, and these companies are driven out of business, it's their country. Not ours."

SMART DAMAGE CONTROL: MAKE ELECTRONIC VOTING TRANSPARENT

Stanford professor of computer science, David Dill tackles the issue another way, "The election fraud debate frames the problem incorrectly. The question should not be whether there is widespread election fraud. It should be: 'Why should we trust the results of elections?' It's not good enough that election results be accurate. We have to know they are accurate—and we don't.

In a word, elections must be transparent. People must be able to assure themselves that the results are accurate through direct observation during the election and examination of evidence afterwards."

IMPEACH THE VOTING MACHINES

Impeachment must be used to generate awareness of, and insistent demand for, election reform. We need to state the grounds for impeachment, but only to emphasize that our focus must be on a realistic, effective course of action.

As a first step we need to push for, in a non-partisan way, support for Rush Holt's HR 550 to insure that our votes are verifiable and counted as cast—isn't this essential element of democracy the keystone to everything else we are working for?

On the state level, we need to support efforts to make our elections (and their supervision) fair, reliable, and transparent. We cannot tolerate another unauditable vote on November 7, 2006—we must demand a VOTER VERIFIABLE PAPER BALLOT, and mandatory random hand counted audits of votes cast in conjunction with any electronic voting machine.

Here's where to take action NOW --- see http://www.icountcoalition.org/
---------------------------------------------------- http://www.verifiedvoting.org/
---------------------------------------------------- http://www.votetrustusa.org/

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» RE: Impeach Your Voting Machine Posted by: Benjaminsjw
Instead of impeachment...
Posted by: Monkey Business on Mar 14, 2006 11:21 AM   
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Could Bush be brought up on charges after he leaves office?

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» RE: Instead of impeachment... Posted by: kelly.nickell
Impeach???
Posted by: kooz on Mar 14, 2006 11:49 AM   
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Bush is the greatest president in our lifetime. He's protecting us and spreading democracy in the Middle East. How in the world does that warrent impeachment. Freedom isn't free. Sometimes in order to protect American freedom you have to give a little of your comfortable life to the cause and if that means wiretapping, so be it.

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» Scott McClellan, is that you? Posted by: mmeetoilenoir
» RE: Impeach??? Posted by: Dale
» RE: Impeach??? Posted by: martian
» RE: Impeach??? Posted by: famouspipeliner
» RE: Impeach??? Posted by: thewern
» RE: Impeach??? Posted by: rollo
» RE: Impeach??? Posted by: notarepublican
» RE: Impeach??? Posted by: BuckFush
» RE: Impeach??? Posted by: Asses of Evil
Questions
Posted by: Dale on Mar 14, 2006 11:57 AM   
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I have a few questions that maybe someone out here can answer:

If the Democrats don’t take back the House this November, and assuming we can eventually regain fair elections, can Bush & Co. be prosecuted for their crimes AFTER he leaves office in 2008? Treason is treason, regardless of whether you’re Aldrich Ames, John Doe, or an ex-president.

What is needed to charge Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Gonzalez and Woo with international war crimes in The Hague? War crimes have no statute of limitations so, as long as they live, they could still be brought to justice.

Can the Republicans in the House and Senate that have time-and-again conspired to block investigation into Bush’s crimes be charged with conspiracy? (James Sensenbrenner comes immediately to mind, along with Bill Frist, Tom DeLay, etc.)

What is needed to impeach Supreme Court justices? I believe impeachment is the only way to remove Roberts and Alito. Countless polls indicated that the majority of Americans were against their confirmation but the GOP and much of the DNC disregarded the will of the people. If this Mafioso party falls from power, can these mockeries of justice be removed and replaced with worthy, mainstream, fair-minded judges? And don't tell me this would set a dangerous precedent. Allowing them to stay on the bench IS the dangerous precedent.

I’m encouraged by the Democrats that are finally finding their spine. Thanks to John Conyers for leading the way. I would encourage all Alternet readers to contribute ONLY to the campaigns of candidates that publicly call for impeachment. If they want us to write them a check, they better protect and defend the Constitution a heck of a lot better than they are now. The Democrats may be our only realistic hope for saving the Constitution, but we are THEIR only realistic hope for re-election. Democrats and Independents in this country are the overwhelming majority and we are at the end of our patience, so no politician – not even a Democrat – gets a dime more of my money unless they start speaking FOR me, not TO me.

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» RE: Questions Posted by: Pooty T
» RE: Questions Posted by: Lauren
» RE: Questions Posted by: fanny666
» RE: Questions Posted by: palli
Rush Limbaugh Said
Posted by: thinkverybig on Mar 14, 2006 12:13 PM   
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A reminder again....


By Rush Limbaugh:

I think the vast differences in compensation between victims of the September 11 casualty and those who die serving our country in Uniform are profound. No one is really talking about it either, because you just don't criticize anything having to do with September 11. Well, I can't let the numbers pass by because it says something really disturbing about the entitlement mentality of this country. If you lost a family member in the September 11 attack, you're going to get an average of $1,185,000. The range is a minimum guarantee of $250,000, all the way up to $4.7 million.

If you are a surviving family member of an American soldier killed in action, the first check you get is a $6,000 direct death benefit, half of which is taxable.

Next, you get $1,750 for burial costs. If you are the surviving spouse, you get $833 a month until you remarry. And there's a payment of $211 per month for each child under 18. When the child hits 18, those payments come to a screeching halt.

Keep in mind that some of the people who are getting an average of $1.185 million up to $4.7 million are complaining that it's not enough. Their deaths were tragic, but for most, they were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Soldiers put themselves in harms way FOR ALL OF US, and they and their families know the dangers.

We also learned over the weekend that some of the victims from the Oklahoma City bombing have started an organization asking for the same deal that the September 11 families are getting. In addition to that, some of the families of those bombed in the embassies are now asking for compensation as well.

You see where this is going, don't you? Folks, this is part and parcel of over 50 years of entitlement politics in this country. It's just really sad. Every time a pay raise comes up for the military, they usually receive next to nothing of a raise. Now the green machine is in combat in the Middle East while their families have to survive on food stamps and live in low-rent housing. Make sense?

However, our own U.S. Congress voted themselves a raise. Many of you don't know that they only have to be in Congress one time to receive a pension that is more than $15,000 per month. And most are now equal to being millionaires plus. They do not receive Social Security on retirement because they didn't have to pay into the system.
If some of the military people stay in for 20 years and get out as an E-7, they may receive a pension of $1,000 per month, and the very people who placed them in harm's way receives a pension of $15,000 per month.

I would like to see our elected officials pick up a weapon and join ranks before they start cutting out benefits and lowering pay for our sons and daughters who are now fighting.


"When do we finally do something about this?" If this doesn't seem fair to you, it is time to forward this to as many people as you can.


How many WILL YOU send this to?

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» RE: ush Limbaugh Said Posted by: kelly.nickell
» RE: ush Limbaugh Said Posted by: Doubtom
» RE: ush Limbaugh Said Posted by: kelly.nickell
true...
Posted by: starvinmarvy on Mar 14, 2006 12:22 PM   
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you all are absolutely right! But lets hope we can get the word out to the rest of America how the wool has been pulled
over their eyes!

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I would love to see an impeachement, but...
Posted by: Tamar on Mar 14, 2006 12:22 PM   
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then Cheney would be the President. That scares me worse than bush!

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Lets March People!
Posted by: starvinmarvy on Mar 14, 2006 12:54 PM   
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Can anyone tell me what better way to promote an idea or
get more imediate results than a people`s march in mass?
The weather in DC is getting better...lets grab our backpacks
and our political messages and own that malicious,immoral,
criminal town of Washington some weekend soon!! From there
we`ll talk with each other...make new contacts...pledge our
loyalty/allegiance to each other...to fight for one another all in
the name of justice and rightousness for all of us who pay our
taxes and fund this..this...administration whom we`ve all come
to despise!!!!

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» RE: Lets March People! Posted by: rollo
» RE: Lets March People! Posted by: kelly.nickell
» RE: Lets March People! Posted by: starvinmarvy
Feingold for President
Posted by: Daniel Shays on Mar 14, 2006 1:07 PM   
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Feingold is the ONLY ONE with any guts. I don't think he minds stepping out on his own to do it, but it is a crying shame he is on his own. Democrats are cowards and liars.

At this point, I think both corrupt parties are in a race to destroy themselves, or each other, or all of us, as quickly as they can.

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Articles of Impeachment Against George Bush
Posted by: jscott on Mar 14, 2006 1:27 PM   
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I have checked my local library and my bookstore neither of which can advise how to obtain Mr. Goodman's book. Can someone advise. Thanks

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Unconstitutional
Posted by: fanny666 on Mar 14, 2006 1:36 PM   
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In my opinion, we should be trying to get out the word that Bush ignores the Constitution. Article 6 Section 2 states that international treaties are "the supreme law of the land." He broke the UN Charter when he invaded Iraq, he's broken the Non-Proliferation Treaty, he's broken the UN Convention against torture.

Also, google Article 2 Paragraph 2 of Nixon's Letters of Impeachment and compare to Bush's NSA program.

Our case should be based in law, not emotional rhetoric.

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Impeachment can actually work for Bush
Posted by: kaili on Mar 14, 2006 3:22 PM   
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Details aside, let us assume the impeachment gets through.
Now what?

First of all, an international court like The Hague is out of the question. Teethless Europe has not even managed to force ordinary US soldiers to follow international law and agreements, let alone the president.
Technically spoken, the Status Quo is like this: If any citizen of the US was ever to be impeached at the European High Court, for whatever reason including for example breaking the Geneva Convention, the US could/would declare war on the Netherlands.
Now that's a hot potatoe not to picked up by any european politician for sure.

So we are talking a US court. It's not that buddy bush befriended independent jurisdiction already by placing some good friends in key positions, so everybody and his cat can sit back in a relaxed way, awaiting a fair trial.

And a real showoff we are poised to see!
Media coverage is about to reach new heights even in US standards, we could reinvent Playboy Bunnies showing numbered signs to start off any new day of rhetorical combat in the court. Boxing anyone?

OK. Seriously from now on:
Bush is in a weakened position at the moment. His administration would see an impeachment as the perfect way to strengthen him, as he could fight back on his own home turf.
He could simply state that any criticism concerning his policies etc. was being looked upon by the highest authority in the USA besides a president declaring martial law.

And who could deny this fact?

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The Crying of Lot 49
Posted by: gonzoskismet on Mar 14, 2006 3:28 PM   
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Try this. It's easy. It's simple. It doesn't take a lot of time. All you have to do to get this in the minds of all Americans is to take a pen or a Sharpie and write 'IMPEACH BUSH' on the back of a dollar bill, the most circulated article in America. This by passes the ineffectual media, is totally untraceable, gets the attention of the average brain controlled American and costs you nothing but a dollar bill. To hell with Karl Rove and his high tech shannigans.
Go Lo-Tech. As J-Bone said so eloquently 'Snatch back you mind, Zombie! Snatch it back and hold it!'

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» RE: The Crying of Lot 49 Posted by: kelly.nickell
» RE: The Crying of Lot 49 Posted by: thinkverybig
» RE: The Crying of Lot 49 Posted by: Lincoln fan
» RE: The Crying of Lot 49 Posted by: gonzoskismet
And the nightmare plays on.
Posted by: monkeywrench on Mar 14, 2006 5:00 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
". . .51 percent of Americans support Congress in considering Bush's impeachment if he 'didn't tell the truth about the reasons for the Iraq war.' "

Whadaya mean, IF? We're still arguing IF?!

Also, I'm not entirely sure that the Democrats have the stones to go through with impeachment and the Republicans certainly are not going to turn out Fearless Leader. I'll even predict that should the Dems gain majorities in both houses of Congress in the 2006 electiion (IF we can get a fair vote count), they STILL won't impeach. Why? Because they do not want to anger those who line their nests – namely, corporations. Dirty corporate money is the problem in Washington, and the green stain is on nearly everybody's hands there.

AND. . .if Bush is impeached, it will be like cutting the dead head off of a two-headed snake. Bush is basically an empty suit, with the real seat of power being the very wide one attached to Dick Cheney. And if we manage to impeach him too? Next in line is. . .that useless blob Dennis Hastert. Oh, lordy, lordy. . .

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Impeach bush?
Posted by: willymack on Mar 14, 2006 6:18 PM   
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What's the big deal, anyway? All the bushies did was: 1. Rig two national elections 2. Lie us into an unjust and unwinable war 3.Illegally spy on us 4.Commit war crimes and crimes against humanity 5. Loot the national treasury 6. Renege on every promise made to ordinary Americans 7. Expose a covert C.I.A. agent 8. Add significantly to those with no health coverage 9. Cause millions of additional Americans to slip below the poverty line 10. Allow a calamity to occur in New Orleans-even though they knew beforehand of the probable danger, and with enough time to evacuate most -if not all those most likely to be affected 11. Ruin the economy. 12. Mismanage everything through incompetence and shortsighted greed 13. Change us from a country loved and respected throughout the world to one hated and despised. Wait a minute-that's a lot of stuff, ain't it? Never mind.

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» RE: Impeach bush? Posted by: SALLY EVANS
» RE: Impeach bush? Posted by: starvinmarvy
impeaching Bush is too little, too late
Posted by: wli on Mar 14, 2006 11:58 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
It's relatively futile, even supposing he were put on trial and convicted in the Hague, which he doubtless richly deserves. It's necessary to understand the actual power structure to know who is really running this country and how and why elections and those elected by them don't matter, at least not insofar as popular sovereignty is concerned. Even the rigged elections amount to little more than palace intrigue. Even beyond all that, the criminalization of the state, i.e. the criminal enterprise holding all the positions of power enabling it to escape legal sanction, is complete.

Furthermore, Bush is a disposable figurehead. Expending precious energies and exposing the thin numbers of supporters to state repression for the sake of trading him in for another disposable figurehead is worse than a waste of time, possibly even suicidal. The entire putatively elected government is little more than a long-running PR stunt and horse race for bureaucrats deemed suitable for public speaking i.e. reciting propaganda. Expecting talking heads for hire to act for the sake of justice is laughable.

The ideological and political battlegrounds now are a far broader set institutions than the government, and their capture will require vastly more dedication, persistence, and care than wandering about holding up signs in the street or writing letters to Congressmen's wastebaskets. A great deal of them are even transnational, e.g. corporations, WTO, IMF, etc. The government still has many institutional arenas for such, but the bureaucracy is of vastly more importance than elected office.

You're not going to get anywhere by wearing your heart on your sleeve, either. Get in, keep your head down, and quietly help move ideological compatriots in until enough of the levers of power are manned by them to act consequentially. That's right, if you're going to make a difference, you're going to have to dedicate your life to it and make a career of it.

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Lets all log onto the popular conservative blogs....
Posted by: waves999 on Mar 15, 2006 2:38 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
”We have to reach out to these people. They are not bad people because they are republicans. Think of them as a huge bunch of swing voters whom we want to swing our way. Most of our goals for the country are probably pretty much the same. Once they stop thinking problems are solved by picking fights with 'liberals' they might want to actually listen to some Intelligent Design. I see no shortage of good thinkers.”

I feel we should all log onto the popular conservative blogs -- notice I did not say “wingnut” or use other negative nomenclature -- and in a non-confrontational way, try even harder to get out point of view across to them. In fact, I would even sneak a few posts in there as a conservative troll. They’d never know the difference. Just be polite, gentle, and stick to the facts. The truth. I’m gonna try it. At least... it will be fun to see if I can fool them....



All life is sacred until it grows up and disagrees with you... then you try to kill it.

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I’m sorry, I wasn’t paying attention.
Posted by: douglashoyt on Mar 15, 2006 4:47 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I thought this was a “joke” piece written by John Goodman, the comedic actor. Why? Because the author was talking about Democrats doing something constructive in Congress to remove the war criminal and his co-conspirators.

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textbooks
Posted by: janakiblum on Mar 15, 2006 6:58 AM   
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"The People's History of The United States" by Howard Zinn should be made a standard textbook in schools.

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» RE: textbooks Posted by: starvinmarvy
Cheney Is Already President
Posted by: patvic1405 on Mar 15, 2006 9:31 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Oh, excuse me, it's Karl Rove whose running the kuntry. Karl with a "K". Kinda Nazi-ish, sounding isn't it? Anyone who thinks Bush is running the show has another think coming. That idiot can hardly find his ass with a piece of toilet paper. There are probably many neocon minions pulling the strings behind that curtain. We'll never get rid of them all. They're like cockroaches.

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Beyond Impeachment
Posted by: t-abby on Mar 15, 2006 10:44 AM   
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Not only should W be censured and impeached, it is high time that he be brought up on charges of treason. To wit: he took this country to unwarranted war, is taking it to the brink of financial ruin, has hired and stands by his friends while directing them to "leak" identification of our security (read, CIA) personnel, authorized (read, ordered) torturous methods be used against such enemies as cooks and drivers of both US and non US citizenship but clearly in violation of Geneva Conventions to which we have pledged compliance, and blatantly defied US laws meant to safeguard privacy rights of its citizens. Where are the heroic senators and congressmen of JFK's "Profiles in Courage" mien who will stand up and protect this nation from the traitor in the White House? Why has the media been so silent? I can only recall how President Clinton (the liar, to be sure), his wife and his staff were subjected to 8 years of intense scutiny over every single move. And what did they find to justify the cost of the "investigations" and special counsel? Not much, really. On the other hand, W has violated the very basis of his oath - to uphold the constitution of the United States - and has placed at risk the lives of every US citizen and resident.

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» Well, put American! Posted by: Citizendeane
A Change is NEEDED..... A letter to my congressmen
Posted by: thinkverybig on Mar 15, 2006 11:37 AM   
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To: All U.S. Congressmen and Senators

Re: A Change is needed

Greetings:

First I would like to applaud Senator Feingold for having the courage to introduce a censure for President Bush but I do believe actions for more than a censure needs to taken. I am hoping to see Mr. Bush impeached and removed from office along with Vice President Dick Cheney. We have become a culture of greed and it's quite sad for me to be witnessing how money and power is all people strive and aim for in life. Love, friendship, freedom and compassion seem absent from the fabric in our lives. My name is Someone Who Cares and I'm an entrepreneur who votes and resides in America. I have been pondering many things over the past few years especially about how low we have sunken as a society and I’ve been inspired to be more active politically and make a stand for change.

The following are a list of my dissatisfactions and concerns:

• The voting rights act should be made law instead of having to renew every so many
years.

• We need real election and campaign reform. The entire
system is corrupted.

• We need to do away with monopolies. Large
corporations are controlling everything therefore
allowing corruption to breed and permeate everywhere.

• We should have Healthcare for ALL Americans.

• Convicted felons should be able to vote if they pay
taxes. This is a racist law in my opinion

• Members of Congress received pay raises while most
Americans are losing their jobs.

• Members of Congress after serving a term in office
receiving a monthly retirement of $15,000 while a
soldier who's served 20 years gets around $1,000 to
$2,000 a month is wrong.

• Both parties are being controlled by Corporations while
the interest of the people gets ignored.

• Lobbyists should be banned. It's a legal way of
corrupting politicians.

• Corruption in Politics and Corporate America is at an ALL
TIME HIGH

• The credit reporting system should be abolished. Sense
when does a credit score determines who or what a
person is or may become. People deserve a second
chance without being ripped off by being charged high
finance fees for having bad credit. Something must be
done to make things fair.

• The unfairness of late fees companies charge for being
late on a payment is ridiculous. If someone is late
then how can you expect him or her to pay the
additional outrageous late charge when they're having
problems paying the original amount?

• Increasing HIGH GAS Prices are out of control

• Mr. Bush is focusing on a war that shouldn't be while
he should be securing jobs for out of work Americans
and jump-starting our ECONOMY.

• Passage of the Patriot Act is a violation of civil
liberties

• The Katrina catastrophe was a black eye on America and
showed the world how far behind we are in treating
everyone equally in this country.

• Starting a WAR off of lies. There were never any
weapons of mass destruction

• A President who deliberately misled a nation to start
a war is ground for impeachment alone.

• I'm not pleased with the widening gap between the rich
and the poor


• Victims of 9/11 receiving millions in compensation yet
military families receiving only a few thousand is flat out wrong and something must be done to correct this travesty.

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Yes, "it's about time".
Posted by: Steven Wanzell on Mar 15, 2006 4:13 PM   
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One writer here said it all, with this. Above all, I think it's about time for "mainstream" Americans to take back the country from the imperialists who've stolen it, and stop lying to ourselves, that we truly share in the spoils of that Empire. All the "stuff" we so cherish and idolize is nothing more than the new drug; the new "God". Pathetic and expensive crumbs, fallen off the tables of the real "kings". But these crumbs haven't come cheap, but at the cost of our freedom; that thing we dilude ourselves that we posess. Introspection, humility, and self-criticizm are the key elements needed here. We were all raised in the myth of our inherent superiority in the world. (A cultural remnant of our British roots.) This arrogance is our downfall. The harsh contemporary truth: that many other countries (with far fewer resources) have largely achieved the democracy woven throughout the documents that founded the US. Simultaneously, we have failed to do so. We have fallen behind. It's time for us to face that reality, and unite in this, the greatest "war" (with ourselves), in our brief history. We are not (as a nation; a culture) "better", and above it all, as we were taught. Have we learned from world history, or need we continue to put the whole world in jeopardy, by our indifference? Steven Wanzell, artst/activist, wanzellarts.com.ar

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Poor Richard VIII
Posted by: The critic on Mar 15, 2006 8:45 PM   
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This the time to change the impeachment process. The decision should be made by popular vote. Congress will not start action so long as one party has the power to block action and the other party has not the courage to step forward.

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» RE: Poor Richard VIII Posted by: Doubtom
Impeachment is the only way
Posted by: Jackieo on Mar 16, 2006 3:18 PM   
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We have been pussyfooting around long enough, time to get down to the real deal, and that is removal of all for the country's sake. That is if you think this country is worth saving, and I certainly do - So I have really no idea where to start but I do think there are a few who are willing to speak openly and truthfully and get this ball roling.

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coalbanks
Posted by: coalbanks on Mar 16, 2006 7:36 PM   
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To paraphrase a Canadian politician of the 30's t0 70's, T C DOUGLAS, Social Democrat, Member of PArliament & Premier of the Province of Saskatchewan, where he & his party brought in legislation for: universal health care, human rights, 40 hour work week, and more, often the first time in North America:
" There was a country full of mice, the mice voted every few years but thier situation never improved, along came a little mouse who said " the problem is we keep electing CATS!"

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Impeach Bush for World Peace
Posted by: igmuska on Mar 16, 2006 11:35 PM   
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If we impeach Bush, then Iraq will impeach Saddam and will most certainly make finding Bin Laden easier. Arabs are notorious for being traitors towards their leaders, remember the desecration of Ayatollah Khomeni's body after he died. Impeach Bush and someone will claim the reward for Osama's capture and others.
Then we should allow our military to be given targets for assassination which must approved by Congress. Then we don't have to have these idiotic wars that don't make sense in the modern world. Our country has the noteriety of starting wars because of despots and tyrants, killing our soldiers and theirs, and then afterwards suing for peace and executing them after a fair and impartial hearing before a war tribunal.
I say this because remember even Saddam had his opponents executed for treason and if we impeach Bush, Saddam's own people will execute him.
Impeach Bush for Peace, if not, then we must prepare for World War III. The world will lose this time.

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Torture Applied to US citizens
Posted by: glorybe on Mar 17, 2006 6:03 AM   
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Street gangs stand accused of smugling people across the Mexican border. As a terrorist might enter America by this border the street gangs accussed of aiding illegel immigrants are now subject to the same treatment Arab terrorists are receiving. The catch is that many of these gang members are American citizens. We may be living in a time where people on the streets of L.A. are swept up and held in secret jails and given secret trials after being tortured to gather information. Of course we won't know about it if it is already happening as everything is secret.

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A truth about our democracy
Posted by: RPY on Mar 17, 2006 7:37 PM   
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These are words of the leading framer James Madison.
Politcal power,he explained,must be in the hands of "the wealth of the nation",men who can be trusted to "secure the permanent interests of the country"--- the rights of the propertied---and to defend these interests against the"leveling spirit' of the general public.
If the public were allowed to participate freely in elections,Madison warned his colleagues,their "leveling spirit"
might lead to measures to improve the conditions of those who "labour under all the hardships of life,and secretly sigh for a more equal distribution of its blessings."
Agrarian reform was the primary threat that Madison perceived.
Now adays the story goes something like this.The general public are considered"igorant and meddlesome outsiders"who should be mere "spectators of the process"not participants(Walter Lippmann);their role is that every four years, they get to cast their one vote to choice among the so called responsible candidates who are to function in "technocratic insulation",in World Bank speak,"securing the permanent interests".
So, folks this what it equates too.."WE THE PEOPLE" are suppose to accept and even welcome our meaningless ,subordnate lives, and forget crazy thoughts about running our own affairs.As we will learn in time, to abandon our fate to the responsible people, the self described" intelligent minorities" who serve the administer power.

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CHENEY FOR PRESIDENT
Posted by: thehodges1@prodigy.net on Mar 18, 2006 11:26 PM   
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We as "Grass Root" Americans must find some other way to start over because Rove and Cheney would still be President and Our country would still be destroyed. " A Small Town provokes big outage "( a story in the Boston Globe this date) stated that in Vermont a small townvoted to impeach the president spurs a backlash. It won't happen in a positive manner. Because Angry calls and e-mails sent to this small town illustrated what the President has older Americans and some Americans in deniel of what is happening. Believe this Money talks and this administration has lots of it. Shame is nothing to people who won't be here to watch this country go down. We are losing and Impeachment will not bring about a solution. After an Impeachment the Senate will not find him guilty and Lord help us if Cheney becomes President.

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Impeach Cheney First
Posted by: NotConvinced on Mar 20, 2006 11:35 PM   
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The question is where do we stop. Assuming that we do put enough Dems into congress to impeach Bush, we all know that is not far enough. At the very least Bush and Cheney have to go. The whole line of succession thing we had to learn in high school is just going to put some other nut case in charge. Ideally, even if we could boot the whole cabinet and a few other top contenders for the job out of the way, then who can step in and finish up the rest of the term? I'd like to see the whole presidency of BushCo annulled. Every executive order and every high level appointment Bush has made and every law signed into effect, should be reconsidered, and most of them thrown out. But reconsidered and thrown out by who? We the Sheeple still need someone at the head of the pack. We need to figure out who that might be in 07 let alone next election.

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Can we afford not to?!!!
Posted by: haddit on Mar 28, 2006 10:18 AM   
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Please let this be the time the Americans drop their apathy and stand up for this nation. We cannot afford another three years of this administration. Everything happening right now indicates that the foreign interests are so loud that the voices of Americans are being silenced. We need to get our country back before it's too late. Bush once commented that this country would be easier to govern if it were a dictatorship and he, the dictator. It's starting to look like he was sincere. It's time show him we are still a democracy, and we are still America.

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Teddy Roosevelt said it best:
Posted by: haddit on Mar 28, 2006 10:19 AM   
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"In the first place we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the man's becoming in very fact an American, and nothing but an American...

There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag, and this excludes the red flag, which symbolizes all wars against liberty and civilization, just as much as it excludes any foreign flag of a nation to which we are hostile...We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language...and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."

--Theodore Roosevelt, 1919

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Peace Must Come From within
Posted by: placid on Aug 10, 2006 2:56 PM   
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There certainly is a place for anger and often we may need to start there.My belief is ultimately we need to teach change hatred via learning how to be a role for peace. There are many paths to peace but it does not happen over night. War is tiring to me until my nephew sent me an e-mail regarding politics. I was talking over his had and this young man,22, awakened me. "There is so much more that is you." Don't ask me , I still feel the same but my approach is changing.Cetainly , people will need to find their own peace and then role modeling that which is effective. Who wants to stay stuck in anger, hostility. I don't. Oh, I am still involved but differently with people.Who wants to be around a person full anger, hosility and negativity. Thank you, Nick, for setting Auntie Mary on the Path. Mary Basombrio ,aka Placid

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