By GEORGE BENNETT, Palm Beach Post
What do higher fuel-efficiency standards, expanded children's health care and improved relations with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono have in common?
According to U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler, D-Delray Beach, those are just a few of the benefits America can reap if Congress holds hearings on the impeachment of Vice President Dick Cheney.
Wexler, who represents an ultra-Democratic Palm Beach-Broward district, recently took an e-mail poll of about 3,000 constituents and found 61 percent in favor of impeaching Cheney and removing him from office. Wexler insists he hasn't prejudged the matter but wants hearings to probe whether Cheney manipulated intelligence to bamboozle the U.S. into war with Iraq, which Wexler voted to authorize in 2002.
At last week's Palm Beach County Democratic Executive Committee meeting, Wexler took issue with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's declaration that impeachment should be "off the table." And Wexler disputed the notion that impeachment hearings would be a distraction, asserting instead that they would help the Democrats' domestic agenda and lift America's status abroad.
"The way we pass stem-cell research, the way we get implemented a children's health care plan, the way we get higher CAFE (corporate average fuel economy) standards to bring our energy debacle into a better condition for generations to come is to have impeachment hearings," Wexler said. "Because that'll get the president's eye. That'll get the vice president's eye. That for the first time will show that the Democratic majority is here and that in fact we have the courage of our convictions."
In addition, Wexler continued, hearings would strengthen America's hand in dealings with Iran, China and others. Every day the House Judiciary Committee isn't grilling Cheney is a day world leaders such as Indonesia's Yudhoyono keep their distance, he said. He described Yudhoyono as someone who "wants to be closer to America, but he can't because we are so negatively viewed. Well, let me tell you one more thing those impeachment hearings will do. They will make America more popular."
http://www.davidswanson.org
DAVID SWANSON is a co-founder of After Downing Street, a writer and activist, and the Washington Director of Democrats.com. He is a board member of Progressive Democrats of America, and serves on the Executive Council of the Washington-Baltimore Newspaper Guild, TNG-CWA. He has worked as a newspaper reporter and as a communications director, with jobs including Press Secretary for Dennis Kucinich's 2004 presidential campaign, Media Coordinator for the International Labor Communications Association, and three years as Communications Coordinator for ACORN, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now. Swanson obtained a Master's degree in philosophy from the University of Virginia in 1997.
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Midwesterner, veteran of VietNam era naval service, I still feel an obligation to defend the Constitution against "all enemies, foreign and domestic." |
Better late than never I applaud Congressman Wexler (the Mustache of Justice) for his position calling for, and arguments supporting, impeachment of at least half of the deadly duo. Further, I urge his colleagues to stop being Nancy Boys and Nancy Girls by joining him and putting patriotism above concern for appearances. by
John Sanchez Jr. (5 articles, 0 quicklinks, 12 diaries, 1171 comments)
on Monday, December 10, 2007 at 12:14:02 PM
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I wish people would "get over" the politics impeachment is MERELY an investigation; it's not indictment, it's not conviction - and I'll be the polls in Wexler's district reflect the fact that people just don't even know that, the Clinton impeachment hearings notwithstanding. Quite frankly, Wexler's statements frighten me. JUST MORE POLITICAL REASONS. The real reasons to impeach are that it is ETHICALLY the right thing to do, for the Iraqis, for US troops stationed in Irak AND Afghanistan, for the Amrican people who are being totally ripped off by paying taxes to keep up the madness. Another reason to impeach is that - and this is aside from what is well stated in H. Res. 333 - America's morale is SO low, it cannot really stand another trauma exercise like 9/11 or NOLA. And the BEST, that is most awful reaon, is that if the US doesn't get with it, any nation already has the legal reason to attack the US of A. This is a grave, grave risk but since it is not pursuing the legal remedies at its disposal, truly Iran or anyone really does have the right to attack. I believe that ONLY impeachment can facilitate a healing process, one that is deep enough to bring out the best in everyone, just as Nuremberg accomplished in Europe. All over the world, legal scholars are looking to IMPEACH THE UNITED STATES for war crimes. CONgress is seen as a colluder, not just as an "enabler" - particularly Nancy Pelosi and John Conyers (you can throw in Henry Waxman and Harry Reid as well). America is not pursuing its legal remedies. The leadership is rotten to the core here. The National Lawyers Guild calls for impeachment; the ACLU does not!! Unreal. Everyone who doesn't side with impeachment can be seen as a collaborationist in the US with the present situation. After last week's DEVASTATING revelations, still the CONgress does not act; as of today. What's it gonna take; I don't know - the Tipping Point is what? I just keep blogging away, creaing an impeachment toolkit for WORLD citizens to read .. trying to get my readers to see that THEY can put in notarized letters as well, demanding that officials uphold the Constitution. Before I "go", I have one Big Question: where is Ron Paul on this, I mean REALLY! I am going to send HIM a highlighted copy of the US Constitution as clearly he does not "get" it -- much like a hypocritical minister running around with a Bible while torturing his kids on Sunday afernoons. He waffles; he spins - he knows it's the prescribed legal remedy, BUT .. and this I find truly sickening. All that energy being spent to get him elected and no call for his supporters to support impeachment (Before ALL the evidence is shredded or subjected to magnets!) is appalling to say the very least. I have no trust in any DEM candidates in the least but Dennis, none. Did you see that McCain says he doesn't want an inquiry into torture as he's convinced it's LEGAL!! Give me a break!! For anyone who can think, and anyone who cares about future generations should really really do their utmost to get impeachment ON THE TABLE, every single day. The real economic mess has yet to be fully revealed - whether the market fizzles or crashes, doen'st matter a whit. It's still totally destablized, will that prove the Tipping Point when everyone's brother in law has nowhere to live?? by
ladybroadoak (38 articles, 20 quicklinks, 12 diaries, 390 comments)
on Monday, December 10, 2007 at 12:54:09 PM
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Maybe "We The People" will be heard Maybe, just maybe, all these recent developments will cause a large enough out cry that the dem reps. will abandon their speaker and move on Impeachment. Maybe Conyers will remember "The Constitution is in Crisis" Maybe he will place it on the Table before the Judiciary Committee. I think things are heating up. by
Sleeper (1 articles, 1 quicklinks, 6 diaries, 276 comments)
on Monday, December 10, 2007 at 2:03:39 PM
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Midwesterner, veteran of VietNam era naval service, I still feel an obligation to defend the Constitution against "all enemies, foreign and domestic." |
I hope they're warming up I won't trouble myself with the particulars of Wexler's push for impeachment as long as he's pushing. I'll take my comfort where I find it. by
John Sanchez Jr. (5 articles, 0 quicklinks, 12 diaries, 1171 comments)
on Monday, December 10, 2007 at 4:29:05 PM
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I am a retired opera singer. I was a leading soprano with the New York City Opera for ten years. I am a strong supporter of Dennis Kucinich and worked for his campaign in 2004. I believe that he is the ONLY honest man in congress. He has been working against this insane war since before it began. I am 72 years old and I have been so frustrated with the media, the Congress and the American people that they don't tell the truth. |
Of course we should impeach!! There are many reasons for impeachment of Cheney and Bush but the most important one is that they are corrupt down to their boots. They are responsible for millions of deaths and billions of dollars spent on killing for greed. We need to impeach to heal this country and make sure that this cannot happen again. While we're at it Pelosi should be impeached as well. She has been a traitor to the Constitution as much as the Bushies. She has completely sold out to the dark side. Then we need to put the truth out in the msm that all of the "leading " candidates have been bought and paid for. The only candidate who is for the people is Dennis Kucinich. Wake up, America and see the truth. Only he has the right answers to all of our problems - a not for profit health care plan (Medicare for All), dumping Nafta, ending the war, and impeaching the Bushies. Get with the program! by
Caronome (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 223 comments)
on Monday, December 10, 2007 at 9:42:38 PM
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Mother of 7, grandmother of 21, great grandmother of 41 and great-great grandmother of 2 and loving every minute of it. I want a better world for us all than the mess we have now. |
Pelosi & etc For the speaker of the House of Representatives and the majority Leader in the Senate to take impeachment "off the table" is unconstitutional. Article ll, Section 4, of the Constitution reads; "The President, Vice President and civil Officers of the United Sates shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors." The Constitution uses the word Shall, not May. The word Shall makes impeachment a requirement of Congress, as opposed to may which implies Congress has an option. As for Conyers, he allowed Pelosi to threaten him and get away with it if he didn't take impeachment off the table. Dennis Kucinich had a bill..number 333 (if I remember correctly) regarding impeachment of Cheney. Not enough of the cowardly have signed on in support. Kucinich is the best of the elected. He never wavers in doing the right thing and voting for the best for the people. The bought and paid for fear him because he will go after all the wrong our global elite secret government has pushed down the throats of the American people. The bought and paid for media are spineless and do nothing but spout crap. They are as unamerican as the puppet who thinks he is the "Decider". The spineless, lying, posterior sniffing so called media will never decide who I will vote for. Dennis Kucinich will get my vote even if I have to write him in. That is if we even have an election and that is up for grabs. Guess it depends on how panic stricken our 'secret government' is that they might find themselves with their plan of a New World Order seriously threatened by someone who can't be bought. by
Rae (0 articles, 1 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 218 comments)
on Monday, December 10, 2007 at 9:50:11 PM
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Richard Mynick is a US citizen who, despite the best efforts of the corporate media, noticed something disturbing about how the 2000 election was decided, & felt it augured poorly for democracy. |
It has nothing to do with "threats," & it's unhelpful to keep tossing around such nonsense. This theory -- that "wicked Republicans are threatening our nice Dems" -- is just a silly, desperate & misguided attempt to keep believing that the Dems are basically "good", while still having an "explanation" for the obvious fact that they never do the right thing. It has nothing to do with "threats." Not that scum like Cheney & Bush are above that sort of thing, of course. But the cold hard truth is that the Democrats don't need to be threatened, to sell out the public's interest. They're quite proficient at that, all on their own. They don't require persuasion. Please give up on this childish theory. The reality is that both parties consistently protect elite interests. That's what's at play, here. The Democrats won't impeach, not because they're being threatened, but because they correctly perceive that impeachment would be an attack on elite interests. Democrats don't do such things. This is how the system is set up. There's a selection process that determines what type of person can be elected as a Democrat, and if you're the type that is willing to attack ruling class interests on behalf of "We, the people," it's 99% impossible to be elected as a Democrat. by
Richard Mynick (2 articles, 3 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 1168 comments)
on Tuesday, December 11, 2007 at 9:35:03 AM
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Mother of 7, grandmother of 21, great grandmother of 41 and great-great grandmother of 2 and loving every minute of it. I want a better world for us all than the mess we have now. |
regarding threat to Conyers by Pelosi John Conyers was told by Pelosi the unless he took impeachment off the table he would not be Chair of the House Judiciary Commission. by
Rae (0 articles, 1 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 218 comments)
on Tuesday, December 11, 2007 at 4:05:56 PM
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Richard Mynick is a US citizen who, despite the best efforts of the corporate media, noticed something disturbing about how the 2000 election was decided, & felt it augured poorly for democracy. |
Sure, that's entirely true. That's a different type of "threat" than what I was talking about. I acknowledge that on the surface, you "got" me on that one! I was referring, though, to a different phenomenon -- basically cognitive dissonance in action. Many liberals have a psychological need to believe that the Democrats are "basically good," so they develop a theory that the nice Dems are being threatened or blackmailed by the wicked Republicans. That's not a valid model of the real relationship between the 2 parties. But the kind of threat you're talking about, which works to maintain intra-party discipline -- that's a different kind of thing. I completely agree that that happens all the time (in both parties, in fact), & that the Conyers-Pelosi thing is certainly a perfect example of that. by
Richard Mynick (2 articles, 3 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 1168 comments)
on Tuesday, December 11, 2007 at 5:55:46 PM
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911 was an inside job, and the real perpetrators threaten... 911 was an inside job! Research it for yourself, if you actually want to know the horrible truth and the awful implications that threaten us all. Since the real terrorists are still on the loose (I am not talking about Osama bin Laden, for you newbies and apathetic cynics lacking conviction to seek the truth), we should assume the worst. The NSA and political operatives at other federal agencies has been spying on all national players with power and they probably have some dirt or they can manufacture smear on nearly any individual. Blackmail, threats, even the ultimate threat of a newly staged terror event hangs in the air and makes those in Washington run back to their districts on rumor that a planned terror strike will rumble in the gut of Michael Chertoff, if some new draconian legislation or funding for continued violence is not offered to the puppet masters. We must continue to pressure for impeachment. I happen to believe in the goodness of Nancy Pelosi, and I believe that friends, family, supporters, and and her entire beautiful district are under real and credible threat. She cut a deal to take impeachment off the table to ensure a cleaner election and a more smooth transition of legislative power. Refer to the May 2006 meeting of Nancy Pelosi a couple of weeks before her 60 Minutes public declaration taking impeachment off the table. She must come clean on this, before it is too late. I believe that George Walker Bush is a man of his word, even the devil will honor a contract, and so he may not pull the trigger on another false flag terror attack, but the stakes are too terrible to bear (war crimes either here or away are still war crimes) and these thugs must be ousted from power before they concoct another horrifying scheme. The nuclear cruise missiles "mistakenly" flown from Minot AFB to Barksdale AFB (the staging area for Middle East theater of conflict) show that insane and violent neo-con hawks within the Bush Administration are in a dangerous power strugle with the Joints Chiefs of Staff and the valiant service men and women who defend America from some amoral domestic enemies. We must impeach those who would urge us to war by purposefully lying about the NIE on Iran, war mongering, and attempting to stage false flag nuclear attacks on bogeyman "enemies" all for the sake of short term political advantage, continued war, Billion dollar expropriations, and consolidation of power by terrorizing us into submission of our liberties. Nancy Pelosi must come clean, muster forces with progressives and even centrist Democrats and speak the horrible TRUTH of it all. We are living with an abusive Executive office that must be ousted from power by elected representatives empowered to speak the awful, horrible TRUTH so that all of America can hear it. The office of the President and the Vice President is full of liars, thieves and terrorists. They are traitors to the Constitutional rule of law and they must be removed from office. by
Tim Riley (7 articles, 5 quicklinks, 7 diaries, 130 comments)
on Tuesday, December 11, 2007 at 8:08:41 PM
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JUST A CONCERN CITIZEN AND LOVE MY COUNTRY GREW UP IN A SMALL FISHING TOWN IN NJ,BUT THE DAY I GOT MY DRIVERS LICENSE,SPENT MOST OF MY TIME EXPANSING MY MINE. LEARNED A LOT THE HARD WAY,BUT MOSTLY STREET SMART. AT 65 HAVE PRETTY GOOD IDEA WHO THE SNAKES ARE. |
GOVERNMENT BY FEAR MRK YOU SO RIGHT, AND I SURE ANTHRAX LETTERS ARE STILL ON THE TABLE. by
RICHARD SHADE (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 460 comments)
on Tuesday, December 11, 2007 at 2:14:06 AM
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WMD's Who knows there could be Weapons of Mass Destruction under the control of our shadow government that few are acknowledging its full capability. One capability is weather control: www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=7561 by
Sleeper (1 articles, 1 quicklinks, 6 diaries, 276 comments)
on Tuesday, December 11, 2007 at 7:43:15 AM
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Cheney's Role in the things UnConsttutional This video seems to document the progress of this shadow government including the role Cheney has played: The Secret Government: The Constitution in Crisis, by Bill Moyers by
Sleeper (1 articles, 1 quicklinks, 6 diaries, 276 comments)
on Tuesday, December 11, 2007 at 10:26:20 AM
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