Impeach Bush & Cheney!
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YearlyKos Bans Impeachment
I'm at YearlyKos in Chicago and there are sessions on every topic of interest to progressive bloggers - except impeachment.
We asked nicely but they turned us down. Why? They wouldn't say, but I think the organizers worked hard to bring Democratic leaders like Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, and the organizers didnn't want to scare them off by confronting them with a few thousand incredibly smart, passionate, and articulate impeachment supporters.
But even if Impeachment isn't on the program, it's certainly in the house. I'm wearing my bright red Impeach Bush t-shirt, and I'm not the only one. Carl Manaster of San Diego is wearing a black one, and so are others who I haven't met yet. And there are lots of impeachment buttons and stickers.
So it's hard for me to walk the halls in my t-shirt without getting smiles, thumbs-up, and on-the-fly conversations about the intricacies of impeachment.
Pelosi is scheduled to speak tomorrow, and everyone I speak with wants to ask her why she is blocking impeachment. Luckily for us, Pelosi's panel will be moderated by our own Bob Geiger, who promised to ask her about impeachment. You go, Bob!
My impeachment t-shirt drew the attention of James Rainey of the Los Angeles Times, and we had a long interview about why Democrats are so afraid of impeachment. Hopefully some of this interview will find its way into the L.A. Times.
Stay tuned!
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Go Bob!
Go Bob!
The arguments for Impeachment:
First of all, standing up for the law and for what is right is never a negative. The comparison with the completely phony right-wing Bill Clinton Impeachment stunt is a totally false argument, because Clinton never cheated the Country, he only cheated his wife. People understand that difference.
More importantly, by just letting Bush & Cheney willfully trample all over and violate the U.S. Constitution, International Law, and respect for Congressional powers each and every day, this makes the Democratic look weak! This is never a receipe for "looking strong". It also makes them look like they themselves have no real Integrity or concern for principle. It is the worse thing that the Democrats could do, because it plays right into the whole caricature of the Democrats being weaklings and easy to push over.
Right now, the Democratic Party is acting like Charlie Brown, and Cheney & Bush are "Lucy with the football".
_________
Instead, if the Democratic Party actually stood up to the likes of Dick Cheney and confronted him, people all across the country would actually cheer wildly and respect that. It would greatly enhance the Party image to recast themselves as the champions of the U.S. Constitution and the rule of law -- especially with Independent voters and unaffiliated voters.
Furthermore, the Democratic Party is not on the cusp of winning any great triumph now. Polls now show that the Democratic Congress is viewed even worse than George W. Bush himself. Why? Because, they have the power to play hardball with Cheney and Bush and yet they just sit there like chumps and let Cheney & Bush continue to wage War at fullspeed and operate way outside the law (while pre-emptively guarranteeing they will face no serious consequences). Polls also show that Rudy Guiliani is in a neck-and-neck race with any Democrat for President. There is no landslide to be found here (especially with E-Voting machines alive and well).
The Democratic Party, on the other hand, would win in a landslide if it investigated and educated the Country about the criminality of the Bush-Cheney administration and showed to the Country and to the World that these guys, unlike what the U.S. Media would have you think, are lawless criminals. That is how you get to a place where you do have a landslide victory, not by capitulating to criminals and letting them do whatever they please without consequences.
Impeachment may in fact be the one thing that can rescue the Democratic Party image from appearing as mere hapless stooges for a criminal enterprise.
Finally, it doesn't matter if you have the votes now in hand - when there has been no investigation of Dick Cheney to begin with. It is the exposure of his crimes and his war-profiteering, with whistleblowers and witnesses coming forward, that will make him politically radioactive and create the push for votes. And even if, after the investigation is done, the votes come up short, this effort will have still served to accomplish three big, big things here:
1. Educate the Country about the criminality of this administration (which the U.S. News Media will not do and never has done by itself). Informing John Q. Citizen helps the opposition Party in 2008.
2. Demonstrate to the Country that the Democratic Party really stands for something and will defend and protect the U.S. Constitution and the rule of Law, and speak up for the public interest when blood has been spilled.
3. Make it much much more difficult for the remaining defenders of Bush/Cheney (and their criminals policies), such as Rudy Guiliani and Fred Thompson and Mitt Romney to win the 2008 General Election or to follow in their footsteps knowing now that there may be consequences to themselves for doing the same things. It puts people like Rudy Guiliani trapped in a no win situation.
Pose the incisive issue Bob.
PELOSI PUT THE CONSTITUTION OFF THE TABLE To order impeachment off the table is to order the Constitution off the table. If Pelosi wants to amend the Constitution by removing the impeachment clause, she needs to file that amendment. This is the bottom line that needs to be broadcast by the media to voters. Pelosi has stated her claim that the votes won’t impeach the traitors Cheney & Bush. No one knows what the vote count will be until official hearings are complete. Then the evidence can be analyzed by the American people and their elected representatives. It is very likely that the votes will be unanimous to impeach because the evidence appears to be so vivid. Pelosi has a hidden agenda. She is not protecting Cheney & Bush because she really wants to put the Constitution off the table. Why isn’t Pelosi being asked about the Constitutional issue she has decided to subvert? Regardless of her real scheme the correct questions are not being asked by anyone. It is time for the blogosphere to go into high gear on this issue because the broadcast media is protecting Cheney & Bush. I quote Thomas Paine, “It is the duty of the patriot to protect his country from its government.”
THE MEDIA CONSPIRACY
THE MEDIA CONSPIRACY MUST BE CHALLENGED AND STOPPED ONLY A FEDERAL LAWSUIT CAN REMEDY THE MEDIA The official act by an elected Representative of filing Articles of Impeachment mandated by the United States Constitution, Article II Section 4, is a very rare and important event. The failure by the mainstream broadcasting media to report this official act has prevented the public’s right to be informed on an issue that imperils the democracy by preventing the freedom of speech guaranteed by the First Amendment. The potential controversy expected by an impeachment process is now completely missing while not one of the five (ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, and CNN) broadcasters have mentioned the Articles of Impeachment official filing on April 24, 2007, or since that date. Precedent statements by the Supreme Court demands litigation. “It is the right of the viewers and listeners, not the right of the broadcasters, which is paramount….It is the right of the public to receive suitable access to social, political, esthetic, moral, and other ideas and experiences which is crucial here.” When broadcasters conspire to prevent the public from being informed on an issue that affects democracy, specifically the impeachment of the Vice President for purposely manipulating incorrectly the intelligence used to preemptively attack Iraq and misuse his media power to lead America into war -- a vivid line needs to be drawn. To draw this line, only a federal lawsuit can be the remedy. There is a vivid body of common law provided in numerous 1st Amendment cases I have read that fits this potential case. Now a plaintiff with standing must step forward. The plaintiff needs to be an organization with a huge membership so the court knows its being watched by many citizens. The case must survive to the deposition phase to establish the evidence that the defendants conspired to prevent the public from knowing that Articles of Impeachment were in fact filed on April 23, 2007. The job of getting to that hurdle is critical. From that point of deposing the editors and producers who conspired to prevent the public from being informed will be easy. If the impeachment blackout was an actual coincidence and not a conspiracy, the defendants would be eager to be deposed to set the record straight. After all it is the stock in trade of each media company to have its audience believe they are hearing the truth even if the truth is not “fair and balanced” and even if the news is not “fit to print”. THIS IS THE LAW “It is the right of the viewers and listeners, not the right of the broadcasters, which is paramount….It is the right of the public to receive suitable access to social, political, esthetic, moral, and other ideas and experiences which is crucial here.” Treason is a crime that undermines the offender’s government. It is an act of deliberate betrayal.
impeach the Thugs At 1600 Penn Ave.Cheney first
Last November the Democrats spoke,We as Americans want change ,and Nancy took Impeachment off the table,I say put it in the center of the table. I have never wore a cap,But i do now,it says impeach cheney on a blue cap. I wear it everywhere,many don't like it,but I don't like what has happen to the USA since 2001 and losing 3 friends to a war based on a lie ,hurts also. Homeland Security should be done away with period.This has been one of the biggest scams that has ever took place in American. Bush and cheney.Gonzo and rove all should be removed from any power.. no more wars talk first, We trade with china but we cant talk to North korea,or IRan,I ask what gives,isn't china a communist nation also? Congress and the Senate needs to be working in August,not going on vacation, Most Americans cant take a Vacation this year because of Gasoline being so high,I ask why should the lawmakers? Also K-Street should be shut down,and the lobbist blocked from the hall or grounds of the U.S.Government,Congress works for the taxpayers not corps. Have you had enough yet? I certainly have...mad in Tennessee..
Also since 1980 a bush or a clinton has been at 1600 Penn Ave.
Isn't it time to change names there?
I think so,so should you,let Hillary be a Senator.. Not a President..
Bob, PLEASE ANSWER THIS QUESTION!
Did you plan well in advance for an impeachment panel or did you just go up to them, right there, and ask if you could have one?
I know they want people to organize for one well in advance or else they turn people down. However the other concern is they didn't tell you why they turned you down.
Let me know ASAP!
I submitted my first request
on 7/10 to ykc@yearlykosconvention.org, three full weeks before the conference, but no one replied.
Jonathan Schwarz was able to reach the conference organizers a week before. He writes:
I know there were empty rooms and there were excellent speakers on hand, but I don't know any of the other details - printing deadlines, etc.
They should have thought of it themselves
It's not like this idea has just suddenly surfaced in the last couple of weeks.