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July 12, 2008 at 07:54:48
Promoted to Headline (H2) on 7/12/08: by Rob Kall Page 1 of 1 page(s) |
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A poll, run on the OpEdNews.com website, responded to primarily by 300 left leaning respondents (7% radical, 54% progressive, 24% liberal, 12% moderate, 3% conservative) asking if Nancy Pelosi put impeachment back on the table, showed that 23% of respondents would be satisfied with impeachment and give a positive rating for congress. The poll also found that 26% thought the congress is hopeless and the US is toast. Among this polling group, only one person out of the more than 300 who responded to the poll gave congress a positive approval rating. Keep in mind these are people who are have high levels of political awareness and interest. This is good and bad news to congress. The good news is that by starting impeachment hearing, ratings would go up dramatically (23% overall, 28% for Democrats). Better news is that people have not given up hope and would be willing, with some more positive actions by congress to give them a positive rating (51% overall, 58% for democrats, . 45% for independents. ) 
That whopping 51% with hope that congress could do more that would satisfy them raises a big question.
What does congress need to do to get a positive rating?
The nice thing about the net is we can get an answer, right here, in the comments for this article. YOU the reader can complete the article, filling in the things you want congress to do so that you could cast a positive response in a poll regarding congress.
I'd like to see comments discussing specific actions or resolutions congress, particularly the house, since that was what the poll covered, could do that would turn you from dissatisfied to giving a positive rating for congress.
Try to describe things that are actions that can be taken, in addition to resolutions that stop or block things.
The demographics suggest that lower income, less educated respondents are least satisfied with congress. Men and women responded identically, with 23% saying they'd switch to a positive rating if impeachment came back into play, but men were less willing to give positive ratings if other things were changed-- 30% to 21% saying congress is hopeless and US is toast.
If possible, in your comments, talk about how the changes you want congress to make will affect you and the people and communities you care about.
To our knowledge, OpEdNews.com is the only site on the web that provides crosstabbed demographic analysis for user created polls.
Methodology and disclaimers: This is a non-scientific poll. Respondents were self selected and not representative of the general population. Demographic data was not provided by all of the respondents. This is a project of populum.com and is still in the experimental phase. Criticism and suggestions for improvement to the poll process are welcome.
Rob Kall is executive editor, publisher and site architect of OpEdNews.com, President of Futurehealth, Inc, more...)
The views expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author
and do not necessarily reflect those of this website or its editors.
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| 36 comments |
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Here are 6 areas for work: 1) slashing military spending
(including dismantling the empire's worldwide array of military bases) 2) single payer healthcare 3) crackdown on Wall Street -- the people behind this "mortgage crisis" should be in jail for life, rather than directing national policy 4) serious crackdown on Bush administration criminals, & their Democratic enablers. It's not enough to just "put impeachment back on the table" -- that could simply lead to phony hearings like the Warren Commission & 9-11 Commission. The effort must be serious. 5) End the 2-party duopoly. Give alternative parties a serious chance to be elected to Congress. The range of debate must be greatly broadened. 6) Break up or nationalize corporations & oligopolies that have achieved a death-grip over the national life, such as the oil companies & Wall St. Yes, I'm well aware that Congress would never consider these things in a million years (& my list is not intended to be exhaustive). But you asked! by Richard Mynick (2 articles, 4 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 1552 comments [255 recommended, 5 rejected]) on Saturday, Jul 12, 2008 at 11:20:05 AM  (0+)
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Reply: 2nd this
i forgot about universal healthcare, and electoral reform needs to include eliminating the Republocrat stranglehold, opening up the political process to ALL human beings, not just corporate cronies and sycophants by Better World Order (4 articles, 568 quicklinks, 39 diaries, 1111 comments [56 recommended, 1 rejected]) on Saturday, Jul 12, 2008 at 11:35:39 AM (0+)
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in order for me to believe Congress is doing the minimum
to honor their Oath of Office to defend the Constitution, and that they have the brains and integrity that public servants should have: * Call the mandatory Article 5 Convention for proposing Amendments they have been treasonously failing to call for more than a century * Conduct a FULL investigation of 9/11 with public hearings and Bush and Cheney under Oath, starting with that 70% of the families questions that were ignored by the 9/11 Commission 9/11Victims' Families' Review of 9/11 Commission Report and addressing all the questions raised by the public record: * Abolish the Federal Reserve system and create a money system that is transparent and has true public oversight and accountability, audit the Fed banks and Fort Knox, investigate the Fed Board and the bank owners. The Constitution authorizes Congress to COIN money; that power should never have been given to private parties, let alone ones with a penchant for selfishness, secrecy and corruption, like the Morgans and Rockefellers * Break up the media monopolies, put control of programming in the hands of the People and local communities * Work with the States to require and implement voting systems that are transparent, secure and publicly accountable (outlaw evoting) * Eliminate corporate money and influence from the political process * Abolish corporate "personhood"; require public interest provisions for corporate charters * Nationalize the oil industry and seize the records of the oil companies; investigate and prosecute all crimes uncovered * Create a national energy plan focused on implementing clean, renewable energy. Oil production has/is peaking, but gains in Solar will make it economically obsolete as an energy source within 20 years anyway; thanks to nanotech, Solar is becoming an information technology and gains in efficiency and cost reduction are following trend patterns similar to those in computing speed and storage that have been consistent for more than a half-century. This Universe began with a Big Bang and has organized itself into human beings who created the Information Age; there's no logical reason to believe the Universe will not continue to accelerate its creation of information and evolution into higher orders of complexity. Solar Power to Rule in 20 Years, Futurists Say | LiveScience * Impeach, remove and prosecute Bush, Cheney and all other criminals in the Bush Administration * And whatever else i'm forgetting by Better World Order (4 articles, 568 quicklinks, 39 diaries, 1111 comments [56 recommended, 1 rejected]) on Saturday, Jul 12, 2008 at 11:32:32 AM (0+)
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I would give Congress a big A-PLUS
if after they impeached Bush, held all the war-proifiteers and oil companies accountable for the billions and billions of dollars they have stole, Wall Street and "K" street, cleaned up the Department of Justice and imprisoned all those who have broke the laws, (torture, spying and lying) then if Congress would all resign and never run for public office again..a 100% approval rating by Susan Nelsen (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 287 comments) on Saturday, Jul 12, 2008 at 11:42:43 AM (0+)
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my list
1-end funding for the war. Bring the troops home 2-Hold hearings on rampant corruption throughout Bush administration and redo all statistics promulgated by Bush appointees. 3-Declare all Bush's signing statements illegal 4-Start the US on a certain path to single payor universal health care 5-End Corporate person-hood. 5-make consumers and citizens higher priority than corporations, starting with revised bankruptcy laws. 6- Get rid of corporate welfare -- oil, agriculture, etc. 7- End all globalism treaties that do not include a skin or membrane that protects US workers, industries and laws. (see my article Bio-Politics; Nature vs Globalism, Conservatism and Libertarianism) 8- reduce the distance between the wealthiest and poorest. Tax the people with $10 million or more and raise inheritance taxes drastically on estates over $10 million. 9- The military is out of control. Massive changes must be instituted to put the public, not corporations and not career military in charge of military policy. The idea that generals should dictate policy is deranged and misguided. 10- Get serious about climate change and ending dependence upon fossil fuels, particularly for transportation and electricity. 11- support smallness. Big business, mega-churches, massive food combines, decreasing media diversity-- are all major threats to democracy and the future. by Rob Kall (952 articles, 4177 quicklinks, 374 diaries, 2087 comments [45 recommended, 3 rejected]) on Saturday, Jul 12, 2008 at 11:54:59 AM (0+)
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Reply: connecting values, principles, issues and policies.
hi Rob, those are all policies I could support and progressives need to start laying out visions and plans like that. However, what I would like to see, is those good policies you made tied back to the underlying progressive principles on which they are grounded, and to see those principles tied back to the values from which they flow. And then compare those values to competing conservative values for a contrast. This is to build a more holistic vision, which includes progressive; values, principles and polices all together.. That would make for stronger and more holistic arguments I believe. I've been trying to build a model for doing this at this url. Keep up the good work, it's appreciated. by Edwin Rutsch (64 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 155 comments) on Saturday, Jul 12, 2008 at 1:49:02 PM (0+)
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Reply: 2nd all these
note on the inheritance tax: wealth and income inequality has been linked to all manner of social ills, including infant mortality, disease, crime, illiteracy and even lower economic productivity, in addition to poverty. I think human beings are worth more than minimum wage, and considering what's currently going on, there's little evidence to support the idea that the Republocrats represent the best and the brightest, when industrialized nations with more socialized services have higher rates of productivity. Level the playing field so the best ideas and minds can rise more easily, and so corrupt parasites are exposed and kept out of politics and off corporate boards. End corporate welfare. Facts, Statistics, and Theories on Racial, Ethnic, andCultural Diversity Module 4: Socio-economic Status and Demographics http://www.alliance2k.org/products/4017.pdf JaneElliot's "Blue eyes, brown eyes" exercise #497 -Economic Inequality and Health, 05-Jun-1996 http://www.rachel.org/en/node/3944 PBS-Unnatural Causes http://www.pbs.org/unnaturalcauses/explore_learn.htm Wealth,Income, and Power by G.William Domhoff http://sociology.ucsc.edu/whorulesamerica/power/wealth.html by Better World Order (4 articles, 568 quicklinks, 39 diaries, 1111 comments [56 recommended, 1 rejected]) on Saturday, Jul 12, 2008 at 3:20:06 PM (0+)
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Reply: 74% Would give a What ?? For this Congress' Efforts In ou
Dear Rob Kall, You have been Sorely missed >>> I Agree with All of Your Pointers ( And the few more Mr.' M' added ! Yes, It All should Begin With the "" Disasterous "Happening that WAS propagated Against Our Country on Sep. !!, 2001.' AS We know, to Do an authorized and open investigation As to ""WHO..What..AND.. HOW Cum they have not been brought to ''Trial...IS The best Starter position. Ron, YOU are To be Most Highly Praised along these lines of 'Inquiry'...And Because of YOU..and A few other such Dedicated Individuals.. WE Will Get The Truth OUT.If we left it to this 'Do-nothing-about-it' Congress..Nothing would ever be Brought out..Wonder Why This IS ? Could IT BE That People Better Be Watching The Members OF This ""Grand-fathered-In'' Congress ..A Lot more Closely ?? YOU have some Quite Well informed Readers and Fighters Who Aren't backing down from their Quest for The Truth..right along With YOU, Rob.. I especially Admire YOU, and each one who Speaks out. I was Beginning TO Wonder Where the Heck YOU Had Been 'Dungeoned' Away ! I was Going to Write you Today..anyway..But was So relieved to SEE YOU ARE BACK !! VGF by VGF (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 39 comments) on Saturday, Jul 12, 2008 at 3:33:10 PM (0+)
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Reply: Not bad for a liberal : - )
From your list numbers 1, 2, 3, 5, 5, 6, & 11 are right on target. (Though we would probably disagree on how to implement #s 11 & the second #5. BTW, I hear their hiring down at the census, they can use someone like you. LOL) #4 a bad idea. What we need is for the government to get out of the healthcare biz completely. They already regulate the heck out of the medical, pharmacautical, & insurance industries & pay for half of all medical treatment. In other words, government has tried & failed to deliver healthcare. Why anyone would want to give them more control over it given their dismal record with it is beyond me. #7 There's no need for these international trade agreements. Just let people trade, ie get the government out of it, not more involved in it. #8 wrong direction on taxes. We need to tax everyone less, not more. #9 What we need is to go back to the Founder's antipathy to a standing military establishment. Let the militia be the backbone of national defense. #10 Without getting into a debate about climate & energy, the idea of putting the government in charge of these 2 things is all wrong. They'll just mess everything up as they always do. by Darren Wolfe (15 articles, 400 quicklinks, 141 diaries, 1031 comments [84 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Sunday, Jul 13, 2008 at 7:50:41 AM (0+)
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Reply: I agree Rob but I would add....
Congress must put an end to corporate funded campaign finance and give free and equal air time to every candidate. If the FCC can give the largest corporations hundreds of millions of dollars in free airtime with their new mandatory digital TV cannard, they can create a channel for national political campaigns and debates and a channel for local political campaigns and debates. We own the airwaves and its about time the congress enforces this. Also the congress should force the FCC to abandon it's strategy to consolidate media into the hands of a few corporations and allow smaller, local and independent media to buy back the media stolen from under them. They need to break up this corporate trust that is the current major media the same way Teddy Roosevelt broke up the Trusts in his day. They should also make network neutrality permanent and insist major newspapers be owned and operated by people who live and have a stake in the communities they serve. by Michael Shaw (12 articles, 1 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 439 comments [16 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Sunday, Jul 13, 2008 at 9:51:53 AM (0+)
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Reply: 7- End all globalism treaties
What treaties? by Samuel Bryan (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 168 comments [7 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Tuesday, Jul 15, 2008 at 10:15:03 AM (0+)
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only the most pressing items I shall list
gota keep the list short and easy to read, afterall, we are dealing with Americans ; 1) impeach & imprison the criminals behind the illegal wars in Iraq & Aghanistan - make use of the ICC in The Hague for best results. 2) stop funding the wars & bring the troops home asasp (this includes no further funding for any wars anywhere, for any reason (Americans are already armed to the hilt : we can defend ourselves in the event of an attack on US soil). 3) draft a course of actions to be taken following steps 1) & 2), set goals & timelines and have these posted and distributed worldwide (for hints on what kind of goals to set, see the above entries) so the world can assist in controlling our efforts. Complete these three easy steps and I'll go buy new bread for better toast. by Tony Forest (7 articles, 18 quicklinks, 166 diaries, 1429 comments [5 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Saturday, Jul 12, 2008 at 12:35:27 PM (0+)
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In the time it took to post this poll ...
and us to respond, more than two soldiers have died and who knows how many Iraqi and Afghan citizens. But we still nuance what we can do to get the criminals that okay-ed these murders to "change" ... just wonderful. I guess I must be one of those "radicals", me not believing that you're going to get these enablers of genocide to swing our way - all in good time too. But that's okay, take your time - what's another few hundred, or thousand lives give or take to us, as we try to get this current congress to do the obvious after they've already spit in our faces, not once, but several times since 06' when we sent the last massive message to stop this war ... and you think they're going to give you the rest on the list ... it would be laughable if it weren't so tragic. And I noticed that 9/11 hasn't been mentioned - or does that fall under "crimes"? Because if we start with just that one crime, we'll clean house with that alone. Seriously, how many of you think that most everyone of the people in government right now don't at least suspect what really happened? How many were aware prior or just after? How many would have to have been complicit? Yet what do we get from them? If not out-right ridiculed, some have even advocated our death if 9/11 is brought-up as a crime perpetrated by this government. And it was our government, the same government that you're advocating give you all these wonderful things, health care, clean energy, tearing down our military, why don't you just ask Dracula to donate blood? I have a suggestion - why don't we just gather, march on Washington, bring plenty of pitch-forks, ropes and torches and tear it all done and start from scratch. It will be a hell of a lot quicker than anything anyone here can suggest and I'd rather put my trust in whatever we come up with after that than in these current batch of cretins. Ah, but never mind, 74% of you think because you've been thrown a bone that these leopards will change their spots. I wish you well. And I won't stop phoning, emailing in a vain attempt to get things done, but short of the pitchforks and torches I don't think anything will change for the positive. We might try civil disobedience and jamming their offices with bodies, go old-fashion sit-ins, but if they don't respond after that - light a match! by Mr M (8 articles, 0 quicklinks, 66 diaries, 2845 comments [654 recommended, 27 rejected]) on Saturday, Jul 12, 2008 at 1:30:14 PM (0+)
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Reply: 9/11's on my list
Full investigations are needed to document who knew what when and did what, but it's clear it was an inside job on some level- who made the $5 billion purchase of US Treasury Notes early Sept 01? Make the SEC investigations public * Conduct a FULL investigation of 9/11 with public hearings and Bush and Cheney under Oath, starting with that 70% of the families questions that were ignored by the 9/11 Commission 9/11Victims' Families' Review of 9/11 Commission Report and addressing all the questions raised by the public record: by Better World Order (4 articles, 568 quicklinks, 39 diaries, 1111 comments [56 recommended, 1 rejected]) on Saturday, Jul 12, 2008 at 3:27:29 PM (0+)
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Reply: PS, i think spreading the word is better than pitchforks
these pretender "representatives" fear light, truth and public opinion more than a group of radicals- even those with bombs. Guaranteed, anyone into using violence for political ends will get infiltrated and shut down; unless they want to use you as a patsy and make an example. Non-violence is the way to go- civil disobedience can be non-violent, but i don't think it's necessarily the best way to raise public awareness. The emperor has no clothes, and his dollars are worthless. by Better World Order (4 articles, 568 quicklinks, 39 diaries, 1111 comments [56 recommended, 1 rejected]) on Saturday, Jul 12, 2008 at 3:33:29 PM (0+)
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Reply: Strange things happen...
...when you mix politicians with gas stations. by waldopaper (15 articles, 3 quicklinks, 34 diaries, 609 comments [84 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Saturday, Jul 12, 2008 at 3:48:40 PM (0+)
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what I'd like to see congress do...
1--universal healthcare 2--strengthened retirement system 3--alternative energy & conservation 4--workers rights: better pay, more vacation & leave time, more job security 5--cut the military and stop policing the world 6--secure borders 7--fair trade, not free trade by shane1962 (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 4 comments) on Saturday, Jul 12, 2008 at 4:09:08 PM (0+)
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Resign
If every member of Congress who voted for the latest FISA bill out of respect for the Constitution, I might give them a positive rating. The fact that 74% of people have hope Congress will turn it around, shows how effective the consensus manages perception, and how strongly people hold onto their denial. On the horizon, ask your Congressman if they would support a proposal thats out there in Canada. Otherwise, in 2 years the internet will be toast. http://www.americanfreepress.net/html/canada_net_censorship.html " A net-neutrality activist group has uncovered plans for the demise of the free Internet by 2010 in Canada. By 2012, the group says, the trend will be global. snip “We had inside sources from bigger companies who gave us the information on how exclusivity deals are being made at this moment between ISPs and big content providers (like TV production studios and major video game publishers) to decide which web sites will be in the ‘standard package’ offered to their customers, leaving all the rest of the Internet unreachable unless you pay extra subscription fees per every ‘non-standard’ site you visit,” snip The plans would in effect be economic censorship, with only the top 100 to 200 sites making the cut in the initial subscription package. Such plans would likely favor major news outlets and suppress smaller news outlets, as the major news outlets would be free (with subscription), and alternative news outlets, like AFP, would incur a fee for every visit. snip “By 2012 ISPs all over the globe will reduce Internet access to a TV-like subscription model, only offering access to a small standard amount of commercial sites and require extra fees for every other site you visit. These ‘other’ sites would then lose all their exposure and eventually shut down, resulting in what could be seen as the end of the Internet,” Leysen said. " My bet is Obama and a Democratic Congress will be all for this. Those sites who want to be part of the basic subscription site will be mainstream, or controlled dissident sites. Too critical of the government, or allow comments that cross the rubicon, and get threatened with being kicked off the basic subscrition plan. They will be loving it. You won't, but you will not have any choice. by pft (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 601 comments [7 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Saturday, Jul 12, 2008 at 5:24:24 PM (0+)
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well...
anything short of IMPEACHMENT is TREASON by Ben Marble, M.D. (23 articles, 0 quicklinks, 230 diaries, 349 comments [3 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Saturday, Jul 12, 2008 at 5:49:06 PM (0+)
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Reply: the pay-per-view internet is a hoax
designed to generate web traffic for the art/pranksters who thought it up. American Free Press was already a non-credible source, due to their support for holocaust denial and bogus theories about 9/11, such as "no 757 hit the Pentagon" by Better World Order (4 articles, 568 quicklinks, 39 diaries, 1111 comments [56 recommended, 1 rejected]) on Saturday, Jul 12, 2008 at 7:01:18 PM (0+)
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Reply: I disagree
The concept has too much going for it, especially in a market without competition, and a corporate government who would like to control perception and truth, despite the messenger. BTW, the hoax sites are sponsored by those who seek to cover up acts like 9/11 with ridiculous stories and holocaust denial, but if you can see through deception, there are some nuggets of truth that get discredited as a result of the flak. Discrediting truth is a science. Besides, even this site accepts this is where we may be heading http://www.savetheinternet.com/=101 "The End of the Internet? Make no mistake: The freewheeling Internet as we know it could very well become history. What does that mean? It means we could be heading toward a pay-per-view Internet where Web sites have fees. It means we may have to pay a network tax to run voice-over-the-Internet phones, use an advanced search engine, or chat via Instant Messenger. The next generation of magical new inventions will be shut out of the top-tier service level. Meanwhile the network owners will rake in even greater profits" Ignore this danger if you wish. Cable Channels like CNN were at one time commercial free. Today I call CNN the Commercial News Network. You can't influence the news without paid sponsors. It's already happening to many blogs who get "contributions" and "donations", so long as they avoid certain topics." by pft (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 601 comments [7 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Monday, Jul 14, 2008 at 1:28:19 AM (0+)
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I ask but ONE thing!
From each member of Congress: Suicide. It is the most honorable thing, as any Sumari warrior could tell you. by Daniel Geery (26 articles, 95 quicklinks, 126 diaries, 912 comments [27 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Saturday, Jul 12, 2008 at 6:02:51 PM (0+)
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A clear message to Congress
by Munich (1 articles, 86 quicklinks, 14 diaries, 1125 comments [86 recommended, 1 rejected]) on Saturday, Jul 12, 2008 at 6:27:26 PM (0+)
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First things first. Begin impeachment hearings IMMEDIATELY
Our elected officials in whom we trust to represent us must do their jobs or move over. Before we do ANYTHING else we must investigate corruption at the top. If we are a land of law and principles then no one is above the law, including our president. Impeachment is not a matter of "political distraction" it's about whether or not crimes have been coimmitted. Everything stops until we can be sure of our leadership. Nothing else matters. Let the chips fall where they may. There can be no more holding us hostage to this fear mongering about terrorism. It's time to protect the whistle blowers and encourage them to come forth, wherever it takes us if we are to redeem ourselves and the fate of this once great nation. by Nick van Nes (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 596 comments [150 recommended, 1 rejected]) on Saturday, Jul 12, 2008 at 7:06:45 PM (0+)
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I'm not one of that 74%.
Not even after they've been tried, convicted, and punished for war crimes, would I give Congress a positive rating. I still don't even give Hitler's regime, or Idi Amin's, or Pol Pot's a positive rating. Once you commit crimes against humanity, you have to ask the Lord for forgiveness, because you sure won't get it from me. Since none of the above suggestions, not even impeachment, could possibly bring about any change before the year 2010, as Congress has already funded the wars of aggression until then, I will assume that in the November election, Congress will still have no more than the 9% approval rating the latest Rasmussen poll indicated. I not only want to see the President, Vice-President, their staffs, and every Member of Congress (including Kucinich who is still a member of a political party that opposes everything he claims to stand for) stand trial for torture and war crimes in The Hague, I think that every single U.S. citizen who knowingly continues to vote for them should be in the dock with them. Constitutional law expert Jonathan Turley on war crimes. Consensual Political Intercourse. If you knowingly consent to something, three times in a row, don't come crying to me and say you didn't know what would happen. You know. The question is, do you care? by Mark E. Smith (21 articles, 30 quicklinks, 100 diaries, 1325 comments) on Saturday, Jul 12, 2008 at 7:19:31 PM (0+)
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I don't give a FIG about CONgress
and that's the bloody truth. We are going to have to rewrite the Constitution totally before this is done. Those who think immediately removing the US troops is the priority item are sadly mistaken; reparations must be done in Iraq and in Afghanistan (and maybe before the shakeout is through - perhaps Kosova, too.) Many military bases are going to be closed due to an inability to pay for them and for them to procure necessary supplies. Also, the intelligence community needs a complete overhaul - as now there really are terrorists to worry about. There are many things that must be done (and quickly before the earthchanges really take over) to RESTORE THE RULE OF LAW. We need better oversight, term limits, public financing of elections, more power given to the states, a complete overhaul at the DOJ -- do you think CONgress will do this? Hardly likely. I've read alot about other problem areas - Dept of Energy, the FCC, the Federal Elections commitee - and this blighted CONgress sure ain't gonna get around to doing any of these NECESSARY things, that is for sure. We cannot ever take the chance of another IMPERIAL PRESIDENCY. The two party system only wants 'winners" so we have to devise an entirely new way of doing MURKAN governmental business. CONgres sure as sh*t isn't gonna like that. by ladybroadoak (39 articles, 20 quicklinks, 12 diaries, 394 comments) on Saturday, Jul 12, 2008 at 11:45:13 PM (0+)
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Reply: Ladybroadoak
Though I share your distain of the congress, we should never be thinking about rewriting the Constitution. What we should be doing is making sure the politicians do not ignore it or skirt around it. This is where the major problems lay. Also term limits in themselves are dubious since all they really do is create more former politicians with lifelong salaries who become far more aggressive in ripping off the taxpayer and feathering their own nests then they normally would. Term limits give us a constant flow of rookie statesmen who don't have time to learn their jobs let alone get good at them and the people who are good at them are forced from office. The answer to this is oversight and accountability and perhaps a mandatory opponent when they have to rerun for office. Also an end to electronic voting and mandatory prison sentences for anyone caught tampering with the vote. Term limits are in fact a rewrite of the Constitution. That happened first when Roosevelt ran for and won 4 unprecedented terms. The republicans feared the idea of having a good guy in there forever thus they rewrote the constitution to ensure themselves the opportunity in getting in their own candidates. Of course I wouldn't want to see Bush have the ability to run for three or four terms but it all boils down to ensuring the vote is not manipulated and if it is, those responsible are severely punished. by Michael Shaw (12 articles, 1 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 439 comments [16 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Sunday, Jul 13, 2008 at 10:27:33 AM (0+)
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Nothing this Congress Could Do
There is nothing this Congress could do short of resigning that would increase their approval rating for me. I'd like to see them removed one by one from office. They betrayed us in 2006 and they continue. The Republicans by voting in lock step with Bush their Captain, failing to apply any independent thinking or critical analysis. The Democrats, Nancy Pelosi and John Conyers at the top of the list are WORSE then the Republicans, should resign or be forced out. There are a handful of exceptions. Dennis Kuccinich is one of them, he's got my support. I hope Citizens Peacefully protest their representatives and the criminals in the Administration wherever they may go. It was heartening to see Bush Heckled at Monticello on the 4th of July, may that continue. by August Adams (11 articles, 0 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 585 comments [11 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Sunday, Jul 13, 2008 at 12:31:38 AM (0+)
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Reply: August Adams wrote:
There are a handful of exceptions. Dennis Kuccinich is one of them, he's got my support. Yes? Are there members of the Mafia who have your support? Members of the Crips, Bloods, or MS13? How about the Ku Klux Klan or the Minutemen? What about members of Robert Mugabe's government? Neo-nazis? White Aryan Resistance? Congress is one of the most despicable organized crime syndicates in the world. It has consistently, over several years, voted for and voted to fund crimes against humanity even AFTER learning that they were based on lies. I personally would not want to be a member of any criminal organization. And I make no exceptions for any members of such organizations. As I've noted many times before, each political party has a designated shill -- otherwise they couldn't keep their con game running -- and CONgress is the biggest con game in the world, raking in trillions of dollars of taxpayer and borrowed money for defense contracts alone every year. Here's how a con game works: Imagine some pug-ugly thugs who make a living hitting people over the head in a dark alley and stealing their money. The only problem they have is that people don't usually go into dark alleys and won't usually follow thugs into dark alleys. So they hire a shill. The shill doesn't look or act like a pug-ugly thug at all. The shill is attractive, well-dressed, personable, charming, and appears to be more trustworthy than God. People happily follow the shill into the dark alley, the thugs hit them over the head and take their money, and then the thugs give the shill his cut. In the case of Dennis Kucinich and Ron Paul, the designated shills for the Democratic and Republican parties respectively, they claim to oppose everything their party stands for, they support everything American voters want, and they draw in the suckers. As with all political party shills, before the election they drop out and throw their support to their party's nominee as the lesser evil. People who have trusted and invested their faith in the shills, will follow their lead and vote for somebody who opposes everything their shill stood for, because their shill told them to. This plays out in every presidential election. This particular con game is also called the old bait-and-switch. But as P.T. Barnum said, there's a new sucker born every moment, so people continue to fall for it. by Mark E. Smith (21 articles, 30 quicklinks, 100 diaries, 1325 comments) on Sunday, Jul 13, 2008 at 6:01:28 AM (0+)
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Reply: Mark, you are spouting w/o knowing what you're talking about
Mark, have you checked the Congressional voting record? Who is paying you, Mark, to divert people from supporting the truly good people in Congress and thus, by default, upholding the bad apples? Get lost, Mark. Watch what you say if you don't want to be labled an idiot or accused of being a troll. Duh! by Kathryn Smith (110 articles, 2 quicklinks, 43 diaries, 542 comments [23 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Monday, Jul 14, 2008 at 1:04:36 AM (0+)
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Reply: Mark, Cut Your Losses...
Dennis Kucinich is obviously among many pirates, but he's just as clearly wise, trustworthy, courageous and SINCERE, - absolutely foremost among our few remaining patriots. Suggesting we heave him over with the pirates because he's trying to restore our democracy (and our Democratic Party) from within is just plain STUPID. by Donald Rankin III (2 articles, 0 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 60 comments [4 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Monday, Jul 14, 2008 at 1:56:57 PM (0+)
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One fundament is conspicuously missing in all these posts:
Free speech is slightly basic. This Congress voted for gag orders, warrantless/unilateral FBI powers to arrest citizens DUBBED as terrorists. The term "activist" defined as "terrorist" in the Patriot Act is a concern echoed by the ACLU, Center for Constitutional Rights, Electronic Frontier Foundation, Gun Owners of America, and more than a dozen conservative entities joining the ACLU's fight against teh Patriot Act. How in the world will we ever discuss impeachment, global warming, 911, or anything else if this Congress has legislated cracking down on freedom of speech? Of course they must impeach. Should that arm-twist and bribe us into supporting them with false hope of their sincerity? Absolutely not in a million years! Of course it will never happen. Neither will it ever happen that this Congress cleans up its act, even if they pretend to by impeaching. These guys are fascists, dictators, murderers and have their own selfish agendas. ANyone who stands in the way of those agendas is dead meat. Ethics mean nothing to these people, and you yourself and your hide mean even less. Good luck America. God help America. So long as upholding, protecting and defending the Constitution----and civil liberties and free speech----are not FIRST on the public agenda, we have absolutely no hope left. by Kathryn Smith (110 articles, 2 quicklinks, 43 diaries, 542 comments [23 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Sunday, Jul 13, 2008 at 1:03:48 AM (0+)
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Burn it
And salt the ground so that nothing ever grows there again. Veteran 66-68 by Roger (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 465 comments [22 recommended, 1 rejected]) on Sunday, Jul 13, 2008 at 1:23:43 AM (0+)
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Impeach Bush
But the world is divided into crooks, suckers, and lazy cowards. It is mostly cyncial crooks in congress these days. by John Hanks (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 1760 comments [39 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Sunday, Jul 13, 2008 at 11:03:28 AM (0+)
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Twain Quote
"What if I were a member of Congress? What if I were an idiot? But I repeat myself." - Mark Twain This quote is over 100 years old. Can we stop thinking that Congress is ever going to be more than a collection of "idiots" any time soon? by Bill Cain (3 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 434 comments [67 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Monday, Jul 14, 2008 at 10:55:46 AM (0+)
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There is no hope.
Let the Congress and the Traitor-in-Chief continue down their path to WW3, so that maybe if we are lucky DC will be nuked and all of the problems solved at once. Do you suppose that they have ever considered that all this bullying Iran around might result in an American city getting nuked to smithereens? by daveys (9 articles, 0 quicklinks, 22 diaries, 272 comments [20 recommended, 2 rejected]) on Wednesday, Jul 16, 2008 at 1:42:26 PM (0+)
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