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Tag(s): Impeachment; Iraq; Iraq; Obama Hillary New Hampshire; Obama-Barack
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March 29, 2008 at 09:36:19

Senator Obama's Stand on Impeachment

by From Senator Obama's Office (Posted by August Adams) Page 1 of 1 page(s)

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Dear:

Thank you for advising me of your desire to see President Bush impeached. I appreciate hearing from you and understand your concerns.

I fully understand and share your strong dissatisfaction with the current Administration. Major challenges like the war in Iraq and the mishandling of the Gulf Coast disaster, along with more recent developments like the CIA leak investigation and the controversy surrounding Attorney General Gonzales, only
exacerbate the sense of frustration and powerlessness of those concerned about the priorities and judgment of this Administration.

While I know many Americans share your strong feelings, I do not think that options like calling for impeachment of the President or the Vice President serve our ultimate objective, which is getting the country back on the right track. The Democratic Party, by vote of the people, took back the majority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives in the November elections. But that result has provided Democrats in Congress with more than just subpoena powers or the Speaker's gavel. For the first time in over a decade, we have the opportunity to set the agenda and lead the policy debate, and we have a responsibility to do something constructive with that opportunity.

In this last election, we saw people from Montana to Rhode Island respond to a message of common purpose and progress. On the camp aign trail last fall, I saw people respond to a shared desire to educate our kids, grow our economy, care for the vulnerable and expand a culture of tolerance and diversity. I heard a call for progress, not partisanship or political gamesmanship. Americans are ready for a more civil and responsible style of leadership than the kind we have seen on Capitol Hill in recent years. Americans expect and deserve leaders who will focus on meeting the needs of their constituents and working together to solve the most pressing problems we face as a nation.

Thank you again for writing. Please stay in touch in the days ahead.

Sincerely,

Barack Obama
United States Senator

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18 comments

August Adams is a CPA and holds a Masters Degree in Psychology. He is an activist striving to create a fair and just world for all.
August AdamsAugust Adams is a CPA and holds a Masters Degree in Psychology. He is an activist striving to create a fair and just world for all.

I'd like your comments

I disagree with Senator Obama and his stand on Impeachment. I think this President has done irrepairable harm to this nation and created a Unitary Executive contrary to the Constitution. He has also broken numerous International laws and treaties which are the supreme law of the land. All this, without Congress or the Senate acting in any meaningful way to stop him. In fact, they seem complicit.

I'd like to hear your thoughts on the Inaction of Congress and the Senate to stop this administration. Thank you.

by August Adams (10 articles, 0 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 442 comments) on Saturday, March 29, 2008 at 12:47:39 PM

I am concerned about bring peace and prosperity to everyone in the world. I am concerned that people with too much power and wealth tend to be oppressive toward those who do not. I think the best policy is a balanced one. Balance comes when opportunity and motivation meet compassion.
im4unityI am concerned about bring peace and prosperity to everyone in the world. I am concerned that people with too much power and wealth tend to be oppressive toward those who do not. I think the best policy is a balanced one. Balance comes when opportunity and motivation meet compassion.

I want impeachment too!

Hi August,

I agree with you that impeachment, followed with well documented charges that would put Bush, Cheney, Rumsfield and a number of others behind bars for a long, long time would be appropriate. (I can think of a lot of other things I'd like see done to them, too, like putting them on the front lines in Iraq.)

However, I've been told that just because they finish out their term, does NOT mean they are forever free of charges. I only hope this is correct, and that, when we're under a new administration that has set us on a whole new course, domestically and internationally, there will be an arm of the Justice Department, or the Congress, that will follow up with appropriate legal action against these corrupt, brutal dictators. They should pay, and pay big, for what they have cost our country in deaths, suffering and loss of treasure.

by im4unity (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 52 comments) on Saturday, March 29, 2008 at 1:14:20 PM

I just wonder

I've also heard that once they leave office they are not free from prosecution - and that gives me a bit of hope.

Unfortunately, based on this letter from Senator Obama, not sure he feels the same sentiment.

Always thought that in a Democracy the will of the people prevailed, clearly we have not not yet reached that democratic ideal.

by August Adams (10 articles, 0 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 442 comments) on Saturday, March 29, 2008 at 1:25:10 PM

I live on an island off the coast of Maine. Political junkie of liberal persuasion.
I have long been a registered Independent and now am a member of the Maine Green Independent Party.

Widower, grandfather of two, retired.
Jack HarringtonI live on an island off the coast of Maine. Political junkie of liberal persuasion.
I have long been a registered Independent and now am a member of the Maine Green Independent Party.

Widower, grandfather of two, retired.

Impeachment

The attitude shown by Obama is very unfortunate. It shows he does not understand the basic Constitutional underpinning of our process of governance.

The attitude of non-impeachment shown in high Democratic leadership circles show how little they care about the average citizen and voter and it stands to explain why disillusioned voters are looking everywhere for someone they feel they can vote for.

by Jack Harrington (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 312 comments) on Saturday, March 29, 2008 at 1:51:34 PM

Constitutional Expert???

Many consider Barack Obama a constitutional expert. A graduate of Harvard Law School, he taught constitutional law at the University of Chicago for 10 years. Both are listed in the top 10 law schools in the country.

While he may be an expert in the "understanding" of the Constitution, he certainly doesn't seem willing to apply checks and balances called for to keep our country from slipping into a dictatorship (unitary executive as Bush likes to refer to himself).

by August Adams (10 articles, 0 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 442 comments) on Saturday, March 29, 2008 at 8:25:39 PM

A proud gay man
fouA proud gay man

This is the whole point

The man, BO, is not an expert in anything! Not a thing. He has no experience. He babbles with pretty baubles spilling from his mouth. But they are mostly meaningless words (ask his suporters to explain what he means by change, what exactly does he mean, what kind of change and how will it be effected? and Ask them why it is change we can believe in? Because he says so?).

But his resume is thin and his thinking is thinner yet.

And the obamaroids want us to trust him with the whole government.

by fou (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 90 comments) on Saturday, March 29, 2008 at 10:47:18 PM

I live outside of society as much as I can, like an alien, engaged in creativity and aghast at what is occurring. I play guitar, write, dance a ton, love women, and dote on my daughter.
Lover of TruthI live outside of society as much as I can, like an alien, engaged in creativity and aghast at what is occurring. I play guitar, write, dance a ton, love women, and dote on my daughter.

Obama's Sad Faustian Agreement

Sadly, it seems to be the (perceived) reality that in order to win higher office and thus do good, one must avoid anything certifiably too liberal.

Barak for all his brilliance is subject to this conventional thinking. Unfortunate.

By the way, I support Obama. No one's going to satisfy ALL our wishes. He's still the best bet for resurrecting our tattered country.

by Lover of Truth (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 24 comments) on Saturday, March 29, 2008 at 2:05:37 PM

Margaret Bassett is an 86-year old, currently living in senior housing, with a lifelong interest in political conumbrums. She hopes to hold out for one more presidential election. Bachelors from State University of Iowa (1944) and Masters from Roosevelt University (1975) help to unravel important requirements for modern communication. Early introduction to computer science (1966) trumps them. It's payback time. She's been "entitled" so long she hopes to find some good coming off the keyboa...

to see more of bio, click on member name
Margaret BassettMargaret Bassett is an 86-year old, currently living in senior housing, with a lifelong interest in political conumbrums. She hopes to hold out for one more presidential election. Bachelors from State University of Iowa (1944) and Masters from Roosevelt University (1975) help to unravel important requirements for modern communication. Early introduction to computer science (1966) trumps them. It's payback time. She's been "entitled" so long she hopes to find some good coming off the keyboa...

to see more of bio, click on member name

Thank you, August, for taking the initiative

Question for you: Could we engage in a round table on the question of when/to and what/for on the finer points?

This is the People's business. To blame uninspired Congresspersons is begging the question. Impeachment is a last recourse for those whose citizenship has been trampled on. If we want it back, we will need to say so, unequivocally. My observation is that a lot of folks are not tuned into the process and the reasoning and history behind it. Could we maybe start by analyzing some basic how/to hints? Maybe by an indepth discussion of The Genius of Impeachment by John Nichols?

Since you showed yourself to be a pro-active member, perhaps you could write "a call to deeper thought" kind of piece. I will do what I can to help.

by Margaret Bassett (25 articles, 1685 quicklinks, 29 diaries, 1015 comments) on Saturday, March 29, 2008 at 2:13:57 PM

A Call to Deeper Thought

Hi Margaret,

Thank you for your comments. I like the idea and will begin working on the piece you suggested - it's an excellent idea. I'll refresh myself by re-reading John Nichol's piece and see what other information I can reference in the article.

I like your suggestion (and believe it could be very powerful) to have a round table discussion on the merits of Impeachment.

Thank you.

by August Adams (10 articles, 0 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 442 comments) on Saturday, March 29, 2008 at 8:43:42 PM

Conservative prolife anti-death penalty tree hugger. Believe that less government is good government, government cannot solve anyone's personal problems, the government taking money from one group of people and giving it to another group of people is a crime, and that people should take responsibility for their own lives.
Mad JayhawkConservative prolife anti-death penalty tree hugger. Believe that less government is good government, government cannot solve anyone's personal problems, the government taking money from one group of people and giving it to another group of people is a crime, and that people should take responsibility for their own lives.

Practical

There are 8-9 more months before President Bush leaves office. There is an upcoming election with a lot at stake and it could be the last chance in some time to elect a Democratic President. The Democratic leadership is wise to disregard the rabid anti-Bushites because impeachment serves no practical political purpose and could severly damage Democratic presidential and congressional chances in 2008 and beyond if the Democrats got involved in a messy, drawn-out impeachment hearing and trial, assuming they vote to impeach.

Impeachment is just part of it. Once impeached the President and/or Vice President has to be convicted. Conviction requires 67 votes of the Senate. How likely does anyone think it is that 67 Senators will vote to convict? They could not vote to convict President Clinton when there was a huge pile of convincing evidence that showed he was guilty of the crimes he committed. Conviction becomes more about politics and less about evidence when the trial is in the Senate and the jury (the Senate) is nothing but a bunch of sleazy politicians who care less about evidence or rule of law. To top it off, President Clinton negiogated his way out of being indicted for his crimes after he left the presidency the last day he was in office.

by Mad Jayhawk (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 311 comments) on Saturday, March 29, 2008 at 8:31:21 PM

The Importance of Impeachment

The fact that there is less than a year before President Bush leaves the office misses the point. The "upcoming election" is and has been a distraction from the constitutional crisis unfolding in our nation.

This President and his administration have committed innumerable impeachable offenses. This country's very organizational structure has been shifted, with virtually no discussion. Here's a small list of some of the documented impeachable offenses:

1) The now famous Downing Street Memo, along with the testimony of former Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neil constitute direct evidence of a decision by Bush to invade a sovereign foreign nation on entirely specious grounds.

2) The decision to deploy chemical weapons in Fallujah came from Rumsfeld by receiving assent from Bush to use these banned weapons by International Treaty

3) The decision by Bush to dig up dirt on UN diplomats when the UN General Assembly was considering his illegal war resolution to invade a sovereign nation.

4) Authorizing torture of POW's - a direct violation of the protocols of the Geneva Convention

5) Holding "non-combatant civilians" for an indefinite period of time ,depriving them of their day in court ,access to counsel, and access to family members who could plead their cause to the public.

6) Kidnapping "terror suspects" through selective rendition, placing them on Rendition Airways, and sending them to countries like Uzbekistan who torture these untried, people sometimes to the point of death.

8) Engaging in a massive voter suppression campaign in the state of Ohio to secure a second term by fraudulent means. Such activities carry criminal sanctions as outlined in the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

9) Covering up the involvement of Mossad in 9/11. The fellow that secreted these spies and explosives experts out of country and back into Israel , Michael Chertoff, was promoted from Criminal Division of the Justice Dept to lead the Dept. of Homeland Security.!

10) The attempt to quash the testimony of Sibel Edmonds using the bogus shield of the States Secret Act.

11) Engaging in a sytematic campaign of depriving political dissidents of their 1st ammendment rights to condem Bush administration policy. Protesters are removed out of crowds and summarily placed in jail. The Secret Service, under orders of the President, conduct "Harassment and intimidation Interviews" of anti -Bush political activists.

12) Conspiring with Ken Lay to rip-off the the people of California by creating false energy shortages (Enron) thus creating the causus belli for charging energy consumers illegal, confiscatory rates.

13) Conspiring to rig the vote count in the state of Fl. by hacking optical scan machines and E-voting machines and covering up the latter by passing legislation in the state of Fl to prevent post-election examination of E-voting machines.

14) Illegally transferring $700 million from the budget for the war in Afghanistan for war preparations in Iraq in July 2002, without Congressional Approval. This is a Constitutional violation.

15) The "outing" of CIA operative Valerie Plame.

If we fail to do what is called for in the Constitution, to keep a balance of power between Congress, the President and the Judicial system, then the vision our founding fathers had for this nation, has already died and the "election" is a mute point.

by August Adams (10 articles, 0 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 442 comments) on Saturday, March 29, 2008 at 8:59:54 PM

A proud gay man
fouA proud gay man

What crimes!

Have you bought the Republican line completely?

Clinton was guilty of NO crimes. Sex in the Oval office, last time things were checked, is not a crime. Not revealing your personal life to people who have no business knowing about it, is not a crime.

Bush Cheyney have committed actual crimes.

No one was hurt during the sex in the Oval Office, no one died, no IEDs were exploded, no wars were started, no Halliburtons profited, no illegal activities were perpetrated. All that was exchanged was some pleasure -- if that's a crime, then the entire country should be impeached.

You cannot in your wildest dreams compare The Magnificent President Clinton to the crimes of Bush Cheyney.

by fou (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 90 comments) on Saturday, March 29, 2008 at 10:54:25 PM

Who are you responding to?

I'm in favor of beginning Impeachment hearings, not sure who you are responding to Senator Obama?

by August Adams (10 articles, 0 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 442 comments) on Saturday, March 29, 2008 at 11:12:13 PM

A proud gay man
fouA proud gay man

I was responding to

Mad Jayhawk who said there was a mountain of evidence of crimes committed in the case of President Clinton. No so!

by fou (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 90 comments) on Sunday, March 30, 2008 at 12:53:54 AM

A 53 year old man, fervant Ron Paul Supporter.
Exceited about the future! Challenges will abound!
1BigbeamA 53 year old man, fervant Ron Paul Supporter.
Exceited about the future! Challenges will abound!

Treason?

I am tired of this crap of impeachment. With Treason you only need TWO witnesses.

Destroy the Constitution? is that not treason?

Think about it!

by 1Bigbeam (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 5 comments) on Sunday, March 30, 2008 at 9:04:38 AM

Hi,
I'm a 66 year old woman, married with 3 children, 4 grandchildren, and 2 great grandchildren. I grew up in a family of 8 children. I work in Child Protective Services, with parents who either have abused or neglected their children or who are at risk of child abuse and neglect (generally due to such things as mental health issues, or abuse/neglect because of alcohol/drug use and/or abuse). I have worked in this field for the past 23 years. Poverty is a huge issue for families with wh...

to see more of bio, click on member name
Crystal PurcellHi,
I'm a 66 year old woman, married with 3 children, 4 grandchildren, and 2 great grandchildren. I grew up in a family of 8 children. I work in Child Protective Services, with parents who either have abused or neglected their children or who are at risk of child abuse and neglect (generally due to such things as mental health issues, or abuse/neglect because of alcohol/drug use and/or abuse). I have worked in this field for the past 23 years. Poverty is a huge issue for families with wh...

to see more of bio, click on member name

Impeachment

I do not see how anyone who has interest in taking an Oath swearing to uphold the Constitution can state that they are not in favor of beginning an investigation to explore the possibility of impeachment. To say that the country has an interest in our getting back on course is accurate and a part of the course from which the country has deviated is that of following the Constitution. We have an imperial presidency! Is that what Barack wants for himself? And, if we don't impeach, what kind of a message does that give to future presidents? IGNORE THE CONSTITUTION, WE SIMPLY DON'T CARE...WE'RE JUST TOO BUSY WORRYING ABOUT GETTING ON COURSE! Sorry, Obama. WRONG ANSWER

by Crystal Purcell (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 47 comments) on Sunday, March 30, 2008 at 12:27:19 PM

Wrong Course

I agree, we can both begin an impeachment investigation and get our country back on the right course - at the same time.

The Congress People in Washington are not representing the people.

by August Adams (10 articles, 0 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 442 comments) on Sunday, March 30, 2008 at 4:26:21 PM

Impeachment

Impeachment is an absolute necessity if we are to recover that which has been stolen from us, allowing us to move safely into the future.

Some laws have been broken, others subverted. Political processes such as signing statements have destroyed the checks and balances ideal in our government, and the concept of equal branches of government.

Our leaders govern with smoke and mirrors, using hot button social issues to keep people off the path of issues in true governance. Who we tax; at what rates; what we choose to spend the money on; how we contract out our needs; what place assistance and welfare have; how we educate our young; whether or not we have universal single payer health care; how we take care of fellow Americans in need such as the Katrina victims... We can all add many issues to this list. The point here is that we have the power, written into our Constitution, to make these decisions for ourselves. They are not subject to control by a small cabal sitting in the executive mansion. We set the policy and they execute it.

The people in this country see our leaders breaking law after law, Enron, Iraq, sub-prime mortgages and on and on, and wonder why they should obey the law when our leaders do not. If we are ever to return to a government of rule of law, if ever we wish to draw close to equality, peace and justice, we must impeach. If we do not, our Constitution will have been shredded, not by Geo. Bush who considers it a mere piece of paper, but by we the people and our representatives.

It is our government. We are the sovereigns. It is in our power and falls within our responsibility to maintain the rule of law.

Apply pressure to our Congressional representatives. Replace those who do not support impeachment by voting them out of office. Become active in campaigns, and donate time, money and ideas. Become a peaceful revolutionary and restore our country and its' promise for the future.

Without impeachment, the meaning of America is gone.

by Jack Harrington (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 312 comments) on Sunday, March 30, 2008 at 6:36:03 PM