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July 14, 2007 at 17:42:59

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Bill Moyers Puts Impeachment Back on the Media Table

by Dave Lindorff     Page 1 of 1 page(s)

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Bill Moyers has put impeachment in the news, in the process shaming both the national media and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the rest of the Congressional leadership.

In his Saturday program, Bill Moyers Journal, Moyers and guests John Nichols, the Nation's Washington correspondent and author of The Genius of Impeachment and Bruce Fein, a former attorney in the Ronald Reagan Department of Justice, made it clear that the Bush/Cheney administration has gravely threatened the Constitution and the survival of tripartite, divided government.

Moyers, feigning astonishment at the arguments of Nichols and Fein, asked if it might be justified for the Bush administration to grab special dictatorial powers in order to combat terrorism. His argument was demolished by both Nichols and Fein.

Nichols explained that the Constitution was designed by the Founders to be a "fighting" document, capable of handling dangerous times. He noted that the Constitution actually provides for the temporary barring of habeas corpus (the right to have one's imprisonment brought before a court and adjudicated), but he said that this was something that a president had to do <i>with the approval</i> of Congress, and only if the Country was under attack, which is of course not the case right now.

Fein for his part noted that most of Bush's and Cheney's abuses of power and violations of the Constitution and the rule of law have been done not openly and in consultation with Congress, but in secret and in the dark of night. His secret monitoring of American's communications--phones, mail and internet--for example, went on in for four years before it was exposed in an article in the New York Times. And the president has still not explained to anyone why he felt the need to break the law.

Fein and Nichols both blasted the current Democratic leadership of Congress for cowardice, lack of principle, and a basic failure to honor their oaths of office to uphold and defend the Constitution, in refusing to impeach the president. Fein said that in earlier administratiions, there were always at least a few members of Congress who were honorable enough to put country and the Constitution above party. "We don't have anyone like that in Congress now," he said.

Actually, it was one failing of Moyers' program that neither he nor his two guests mentioned that there actually are some such honorable members of the current congress. They did not mention that Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), has filed a bill of impeachment against Vice President Cheney, and that his bill currently has 14 co-sponsors, with more people signing on every week. They also failed to mention that Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) only days before the program, declared in no uncertain terms that Bush and Cheney should be impeached, saying that the country was "closer to dictatorship than it has ever been" because of the president's assertion of "unitary executive" powers to ignore laws passed by the Congress."

Despite this one shortcoming, Moyers' program is a public shaming of the tawdry and shameless corporate media, which has ignored the exploding impeachment movement blossoming across the nation, pretending that it doesn't even exist, or that it is the province of a few leftist wackos.

In fact, as Moyers noted, the most recent poll on the issue shows that half of Americans want both Bush and Cheney impeached and removed from office.

It will be interesting to see what impact the powerful Moyers program has.

While not watched by too many ordinary Americans, the program is influential among professional journalists and editors, and among liberals and progressives, who will be increasing their pressure on Democratic leaders to act.

Pelosi's efforts to block impeachment and keep it "off the table", will continue to look more and more pitiful and self-serving.

The next challenge to media blackout and congressional do-nothingism will be a march on July 23 from Arlington Cemetary to the office of Rep. John Conyers, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, and the man who has the power to kick-start hearings on impeachment--in particular to schedule hearings on the Kucinich bill (H Res. 333). (Click on the banner to the left for more information.)

A sit-in is planned in Conyers' office if he won't meet with the delegation, which will be headed by Cindy Sheehan, the anti-war and impeachment activist whose son was killed in action in Iraq.

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DAVE LINDORFF is co-author, with Barbara Olshansky, of "The Case for Impeachment: The Legal Argument for Removing President George W. Bush from Office" (St. Martin's Press, 2006, and now out in a paperback edition). Lindorff's other work is available at www.thiscantbehappening.net

 

http://www.thiscantbehappening.net

Dave Lindorff, a columnist for Counterpunch, is author of several recent books ("This Can't Be Happening! Resisting the Disintegration of American Democracy" and "Killing Time: An Investigation into the Death Penalty Case of Mumia Abu-Jamal"). His (more...)
 

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5 comments


I sent this to head of Judiciary Committee-- please join me

To the Hon. Conyers

The will of the people- 54% -is that VP Cheney be impeached (indicted, put on trial). Let the legal system according to our Constitution work the way it should. The people want the House of Representatives to try him and decide on his guilt or innocence. You own it to the country to allow this to happen. Who are you to block the will of 54 % of the adults in this country? Please ask yourself that.

 

by Christie (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 143 comments) on Saturday, Jul 14, 2007 at 8:58:24 PM

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A Corrupt network that lacks Honor

The lack of Honor among our legislators is nothing new, but you represented it well.  It probably has never been this bad.  The elitists who have been making the large contributions legally and illegally have control over at least 80% of our legislators and a network of access and munipulation within every branch of our government.  The mainstream media tells us what this corrupt force wants us to hear with no requirement for TRUTH.

Honor or the lack of Honor is what is broken in our government.  The majority of young Federal Governmental employees take the same oaths and swear that they are American fighting men who serve in the forces that protect this nation and our way of life.  They also state that THEY are willing to risk their lives in its defense.  Things like TRUTH and HONOR mean more to those who risk their lives on a daily basis then they do to elected officials whose biggest worry is building their campaign war chest and voting for their next raise.

It is hard to imagine protecting The Constitution of the United States of America against all enemies both FOREIGN and DOMESTIC when the elitest are selling their votes to interrest that are intent on shredding that Constitution.  These are the High Crimes that IMPEACHMENT is meant to address.  These are the seeds to rebellion that are addressed by the Declaration of Independence if our inallienable rights are not protected by the appropriate branches of our Government.

by Sleeper (1 articles, 1 quicklinks, 14 diaries, 312 comments [6 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Sunday, Jul 15, 2007 at 1:18:52 PM

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Others with honor integrity and courage

I was disappointed that the article mentions Mr. Kucinich but fails to mention Ron Paul

 

just like the mass media this truly american hero is ignored.  I for one am going to contribute to his candidacy for president and urge all to learn about him and support him with your $$s,  voices and votes

Joab Kunin

Kennesaw, GA

by MITYOJAB (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 26 comments [1 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Monday, Jul 16, 2007 at 2:20:54 PM

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Reply: Ron Paul has done nothing on impeachment

He more than anyone could get impeachment going by signing on to Kucinich's HR 333. He has not. He says Bush and Cheney are committing abuses, but he has not had the balls to do the right thing. I'd be happy to mention him when he does something to deserve it. Talk is cheap, and so far, Ron's been all talk on standing up for the Constitution and supporting impeachment.

by Dave Lindorff (438 articles, 0 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 193 comments [10 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Monday, Jul 16, 2007 at 3:16:33 PM

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Reply: Its time for both parties to impeach Bush

Dave,

I think you are right on this.  I like many of Ron Pauls positions, but he has not become a cosigner of HR - 333.  I really think that Nixons denials were devastated when he was criticized by a republican.  I can't remember William Cohens exact words, but I think they really helpped to bring about Richard Nixons resignation

by Sleeper (1 articles, 1 quicklinks, 14 diaries, 312 comments [6 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Monday, Jul 16, 2007 at 4:44:36 PM

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