One week ago, the calls for impeachment at Vermont town meetings showered sparks across our state, igniting a smoldering populace. We are coming to realize how great our numbers are, and we shall now harness our power to direct the attention of our representatives.
This past weekend, Cindy Sheehan, John Boniface and I spoke in Greenfield and Northampton MA, and the flames are spreading south of our border as well. The Western Mass. Progressive Democrats of America are working with MA towns to organize impeachment resolutions for town meetings in the coming months. The energy is palpable in the air.
But our spontaneous and determined march for democracy now meets with an unlikely barricade: the very leaders whom we have grown to trust and admire, the men and women who have spoken for the conscience of the Democratic party, stand in our way. From the chair of the state House Judiciary committee, to Gaye Symington the Vermont Speaker of the House, to our Senators Leahy and Sanders, the Democrats have taken their lead from Nancy Pelosi’s declaration that impeachment is off the table and have so far refused to consider even debating the issue.
When our representatives took their oath of office, they swore to uphold and defend the Constitution. Our Democrats have instead made their first allegiance to their party. In violation of their oath, they are making an election-oriented political calculation about an issue that is the very bedrock of our Constitution.
To make it worse, this unpatriotic calculation is not even accurate. By relying on the outdated D.L.C. philosophy of staying as close as possible to the Republicans on issues, so as to not lose the middle, the Democrats will instead lose everyone.
Their actions with respect to ending the war in Iraq show that they are not with us. Their actions on impeachment show that, not only are they not with us, they are against us. Their actions to date have done more to protect and defend George W. Bush than they have to defend the Constitution.
In November, America went to the polls and voted an overwhelming declaration against the war and the Bush administration’s policies. The Democrats knew this, yet they were out on November 8 saying that we had voted for bipartisanship and raising the minimum wage.
The same Democrats, who while in the minority were clamoring for the chance to investigate impeachment, are now saying that it is a luxury, or a waste of resources.
The American people have moved way beyond their leaders on this question. We can see clearly that the system has been violated, and we want it fixed.
Vermonters and neighbors in other states have been shocked to hear about the resistance of our Democratic representatives. Pat Leahy, Bernie Sanders and Gaye Symington have done many admirable things in their careers, and we have become complacent, assuming that they would always act in our and the Republic’s interest. They are proving us wrong. Are we now willing to shake off that complacency and call for accountability? Are we willing to chip away at some of the guild on our political icons and realign their foundations as necessary?
The Vermont legislature returns from a town meeting recess today, March 13. They will be greeted at lunch by citizen lobbyists, who will be scheduling meetings with the Speaker and other members, and buttonholing lawmakers every day that they are in session, convincing them that Vermonters deserve to have a debate on impeachment, and that the Judiciary Committee should stop sitting on an impeachment resolution introduced a month ago by over 20 co-sponsors, and instead start working on it.
Vermont airwaves and news pages will be carrying ads, spreading the news about our people’s movement.
If our representatives continue to refuse to take direct action to end the war and save the Constitution, their constituents will occupy their offices. This is a movement to turn anger into creative change. This movement is the expression of the people’s sovereignty.
Our freshman Congressman, Peter Welch, faces a predicament. Should he back the leadership of Nancy Pelosi, and take his place in line with all the other unremarkable Representatives who do as they’re told?
If he does, he can count on keeping his fine committee assignments and perhaps even moving up in the Democratic Party ranks.
Or will he listen to his constituents, take a stance for the constitution and file articles of impeachment against members of this administration? This would make him an American hero, not only in Vermont, where his bold action would be rewarded with a return ticket to Washington in ’08, but in America and the world as well.
It should be apparent to all at this point that the system is broken beyond repair. Democrats and Republicans alike march to the same fascist drummer. The military-industrial complex that fattens the portfolios of the Republicans also feeds the Dem's financial well being. Our government has become a corporatocracy that ignores the will of the people. Our elected liars are merely pawns who decieve the sheep and perpetuate the fantasy of self-governance.
by
Steve (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 27 comments) on Wednesday, Mar 14, 2007 at 11:51:45 AM
An older friend told me the other day: "There is something a little Vichy about these Democrats!"
Clever word play... Yet hauntingly accurate.
* Now - for those too young and/or those lacking a complete education in twentieth century history: the term 'Vichy' refers to the location of a French government which collaborated WITH the Nazis after France was defeated by Germany in 1940.
French citizens were urged by the Vishy government to remain calm, accept, support and cooperate with the German occupation.
So yes there IS definitly a Vichy odor to these democrats...
"Remain calm. Go shopping."
by
mrk * (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 311 comments [12 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Wednesday, Mar 14, 2007 at 7:59:47 PM
Only half the people vote. Most of the other half that doesn't gave-up on this sham of a government years ago. Not that that's a good thing, but it's the reality.
If you took 3 points away from the 25% of the people that voted for bush, due to loss to independents, and another 3 points due to voter fraud , you have only 19% of the populace that put this criminal group in power. That's not a majority of anything.
If you would believe that a major percentage of the 20 odd % that didn't vote for bush and another 20 + % of the disenfranchised want bush impeached and add about 5% of those that did vote for bush and took all these people together you're actually looking at conservatively 80+% of the people in this country want to impeach.
Now will it happen?
ha
by
Mr M (8 articles, 0 quicklinks, 66 diaries, 2845 comments [654 recommended, 27 rejected]) on Thursday, Mar 15, 2007 at 12:11:55 AM
It would appear that more and more folks are arriving at the same opinion, and one borne out by ample fact, that the Democrats offer little hope at all to those who seek justice, fairness and peace.
There are already, and in the relatively short time that Democrats have held the majority in Congress, numerous examples of cowardice, complicity and self serving actions, more than enough to arrive at the obvious understanding that neither of the two political parties in this nation of ours represent us.
The question should turn, then, to how do we the people regain the decision making authority within our supposed democracy? We see the power of money distorting the manner in which legislation is passed or proposed, yet do we insist strongly that the way elections are financed be altered to eliminate this imbalance that leads to injustice? We see the way our legislators are insulated from the clamor of the electorate by priviledge, by absurd benefits that greatly add to their sense of entitlement and superiority, by a lifestyle that is grossly out of touch with that of most of this nation, yet do we order that benefits and priviledges be returned to that of a more average American worker, hell no we dont. We see the lie of the two party system naked and exposed before us, yet do we seek to change our votes to third parties more representative of our wishes, less beholden to the power of money? Not so far we dont.
by
ardee D. (6 articles, 4 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 2377 comments) on Thursday, Mar 15, 2007 at 8:56:01 AM
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