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December 23, 2007 at 10:47:23

John Conyers is being arm-twisted regarding impeachment, and needs to hear from us

by Kathryn Smith     Page 1 of 2 page(s)

http://www.opednews.com

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“John Conyers is not waffling about impeachment. He is being arm-twisted. He needs to hear from the public“.

Those were the words of an Aide at my U.S. Representative’ s office.



I wanted to weigh that talking point in. Because the truth is, the more signatures a congressman can wave in front of his face, the more calls he gets, the more public input to strengthen his position with Congress, the better the chances of winning an argument on the Congressional floor.

Last but not least, sometimes politicians need to be encouraged. Sometimes they fight against great odds, and other times they are up against matters behind the scenes which we know nothing about, etc. We don’t know what the pressures are on politicians behind the scenes, so it may be best not to judge.

The more public input, the better. This will offer our politicians encouragement and backbone they need to do whatever it is that needs to be done, especially if they are under adversarial pressure.

Rep. Robert Wexler said in his Florida Progressive Radio speech on Thursday, December 20th that first of all, it is not impeachment per se that he is advocating: Instead, it’s about impeachment hearings. There’s a big difference. Also, he said that as long as the process was done in a professional and fair spirit, the country would not be as divided as it was when Clinton was impeached.

Another important talking point is that Kucinich has pointed out on his campaign trail that due process of law for American citizens is at stake under this current Administration. To uphold, protect and defend the Constitution is a core issue and time is of the essence. One look at the ACLU's website statistics will provide mountains of evidence to support that statement.

The impeachment movement is gathering steam, and rapidly too.

http://www.americanresearchgroup.com/

A November 13 impeachment poll done by the American Research Group interviewed a cross-sector of Democratic, Republican and Independent constituents. Of these, more than 70% agreed that Bush and Cheney had committed high crimes or abused their power, 43% favored impeachment of Cheney even this late into the game, and 34% favored impeaching Bush. Those figures come before impeachment hearings have even begun: As hearings commence, it is extremely likely and even almost a certainty that those figures would climb. The figures would also be bound to climb if the public understands correctly what the term “high crimes” means: Far from being some sort of violent felony, “high crimes” refers to crimes against the Constitution and Congress. (Petit crimes refers to crimes against the people). With that understanding in mind, the numbers of people chiming in their “yes” to impeachment would probably be even greater.

The fact that Wexler got 120,000 signatures in a 5-day period favoring impeachment hearings for Cheney, without so much as one mainstream newspaper publicizing the cause, speaks miles about the public sentiment and how much this movement is gaining steam.

We should be encouraged, not discouraged!

Let’s add to the movement and let a wave gather to become a tidal wave!

Please write to John Conyers, Nancy Pelosi and your own U.S. Representative telling them we favor impeachment. When enough people weigh in, they can’t use the lame old argument that the country will be divided by impeachment, because the numbers of calls and letters will prove otherwise.

Please also remind them that:

A) It is not about partisan politics, but about upholding the Constitution itself. This is a very serious matter.

 1  |  2

 

Take action -- click here to contact your local newspaper or congress people:
please write your friendly editors an impeachment note

Click here to see the most recent messages sent to congressional reps and local newspapers

This quote summarizes the nature of my concerns and the content of personal experiences which stir my activism: "Necessity is the plea for every infringement on human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves". --Paul Revere, House of Commons

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8 comments

Hater of Nazis above all. Hobbies include activism, military model building, military history, exciting and vital conversation with retired crooks. Retired
John HanksHater of Nazis above all. Hobbies include activism, military model building, military history, exciting and vital conversation with retired crooks. Retired

Threats

I don't like to see a man threatened by right-wing filth.  They must have studied him for quite awhile, or they must have kidnapped someone to get to him.  Remember Anthrax and the Wellstones.

by John Hanks (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 789 comments) on Sunday, December 23, 2007 at 12:24:28 PM
 


Minneapolis Organizer: World Can't Wait-Drive Out the Bush Regime ~~~ Co-Founder: ImpeachforPeace.org ~~~ Theatrical Entertainer and Ballroom Dance Instructor by trade
Mikael RudolphMinneapolis Organizer: World Can't Wait-Drive Out the Bush Regime ~~~ Co-Founder: ImpeachforPeace.org ~~~ Theatrical Entertainer and Ballroom Dance Instructor by trade

Pelosi is compromised

It has just come out that Speaker Pelosi knew about the use of water boarding/torture way back in '03 along with Jane Harman and did nothing and said nothing. She is complicit and she knows it. Might that be one of the reasons for her taking justice and liberty for all "off the table"?

by Mikael Rudolph (49 articles, 0 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 76 comments) on Sunday, December 23, 2007 at 12:35:21 PM
 


Cynthia Papermaster is a law librarian, peace activist, and mother living in Berkeley, California. She works with CodePink and several impeachment groups and is working on a class action lawsuit against Cheney and Bush.
Cynthia PapermasterCynthia Papermaster is a law librarian, peace activist, and mother living in Berkeley, California. She works with CodePink and several impeachment groups and is working on a class action lawsuit against Cheney and Bush.

IMPORTANT: Wexler's Impeachment Petition

 Good article, but a shame she left out Wexler's impeachment petition website was left out: www.wexlerwantshearings.com

Click and add your name. Wexler asks that you forward the website address to everyone you know to get the numbers up!

by Cynthia Papermaster (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 7 comments) on Sunday, December 23, 2007 at 3:06:24 PM
 


Brett Paatsch is an Australian born secular humanist with degrees in management and science and an interest in politics. He is a former pro-American that wishes to be pro-American again and thinks the impeachment and repudiation of President George W Bush for the invasion of Iraq in March 2003 is necessary to reestablish trust in American signatures on international treaties and confidence in the global rule of law.
Brett PaatschBrett Paatsch is an Australian born secular humanist with degrees in management and science and an interest in politics. He is a former pro-American that wishes to be pro-American again and thinks the impeachment and repudiation of President George W Bush for the invasion of Iraq in March 2003 is necessary to reestablish trust in American signatures on international treaties and confidence in the global rule of law.

And Wexler is by no means alone in that want

Though it is by no means clear to me that Conyers is with Wexler on this right now.

Here is what Conyers said in response to questions as recently as December 20, on record - thanks to the folks at Democracy.now.

 

"AMY GOODMAN: Since last week, over 100,000 people have signed a petition on Congressman Wexler’s website supporting impeachment hearings. And we’re wondering, Congressman Conyers, now with your committee members taking up this issue, an issue that you actually long championed, what your feelings are today. Will you be supporting them in this?

REP. JOHN CONYERS: Well, no, but there are a lot of things that can and will be done.(*1) We’re documenting the transgressions and errors of the administration in the Department of Justice, which have led to the firing of nine US attorneys. We’re looking at the protections of the right to vote. The election is coming up. We’ve got to protect everybody’s right to get out here and make a choice and make sure that it’s counted.

AMY GOODMAN: Why stop short of hearings on impeachment?

REP. JOHN CONYERS: Well, because, unless we’re going to impeach the Vice President and the President within this space of time, I think we could be very seriously compromising the greatest important—most important thing, in addition to documenting any misdeeds that may have happened, whether we continue to have Bush enablers continue to shatter and tear the Constitution to shreds. And so, all of this, academically, (*2)  is great. I’ve got a number of books from my friends (*3) about which articles would be best and which ones we should go after more. But it seems to me that the time element and also the feasibility of whether or not there is any possible chance of success—there is a very stark reality that with the corporatization of the media, we could end up with turning people who should be documented in history as making many profound errors and violating the Constitution from villains into victims. And those are the kinds of considerations that have entered my mind in thinking about this process, Amy. "

 

 

 *1 Note.  Conyers evades the pointed question. He offers consolation prizes and smaller deliverables to constituents who want their Constitution and their childrens Constitution defended.  

*2 "Academically?" Conyers apparently thinks that upholding a personal oath when you are a Congressmen is academic.  Imagine if young American servicemen and women in harms way took a similar attitude to upholding their own oath to the constitution. "What we have to patrol a road that contains IED's and risk snipper fire? because we took an oath at 18 years of age. To hell with that. How about we send you some nice photographs of us doing some great arms maintenance exercies back at base in Iraq instead mr congressmen and mr President?. We can't be too ready you know."

* 3. Perhaps Conyers needs to start losing a few friendships so that his friend's children have a better chance of keeping their constitution and growing up with the rule of law intact.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

by Brett Paatsch (0 articles, 2 quicklinks, 17 diaries, 773 comments) on Sunday, December 23, 2007 at 9:37:58 PM
 


Irv Thomas, ratrace escapee and cultural outsider for 35 years, editor of Black Bart Brigade during counter-culture days, hides out in Seattle. Presently putting out a sporadic pre-formatted email newsletter called Irv's Scrapbook, which can be had at no cost if you send me an email address for it.
IrvthomIrv Thomas, ratrace escapee and cultural outsider for 35 years, editor of Black Bart Brigade during counter-culture days, hides out in Seattle. Presently putting out a sporadic pre-formatted email newsletter called Irv's Scrapbook, which can be had at no cost if you send me an email address for it.

IS THAT REALLY WHAT CONYERS SAID??

Boy, if that is an accurate quote of him, he is really floundering . . . trying to get out of the bind that the question has put him in. Goodman really must have caught him off guard.

It's very clear, by this time, that the Democrats have locked this thing down. It is going to take some major butt-smashing by the American public for any congressional action to get going, on this impeachment. I don't know, frankly, where that is going to come from. Unless . . . something really outrageous surfaces (and God knows, there has already been enough!!) that will get the public at large, out in masses unseen before, the next time an impeachment march takes place in Washington . . . which is in March, up ahead.

It's really hard to believe, that the American public has become so incredibly stupefied . . . but I guess it's all in how the media is controlled and is controlling them. And as long as people get their weekly paychecks.

And maybe THAT will be the route that the disaffection finally unfolds. When the paychecks stop covering the increasing debt crisis...when the mortgage can no longer be paid...when the homeless have nowhere else to go but . . . the streets of Washington D.C.

Could that happen by November? Not very likely . . . but it could happen during the next Republican administration, which will probably begin in November, if past patterns hold true.

by Irvthom (6 articles, 2 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 74 comments) on Monday, December 24, 2007 at 1:55:23 AM
 


Brett Paatsch is an Australian born secular humanist with degrees in management and science and an interest in politics. He is a former pro-American that wishes to be pro-American again and thinks the impeachment and repudiation of President George W Bush for the invasion of Iraq in March 2003 is necessary to reestablish trust in American signatures on international treaties and confidence in the global rule of law.
Brett PaatschBrett Paatsch is an Australian born secular humanist with degrees in management and science and an interest in politics. He is a former pro-American that wishes to be pro-American again and thinks the impeachment and repudiation of President George W Bush for the invasion of Iraq in March 2003 is necessary to reestablish trust in American signatures on international treaties and confidence in the global rule of law.

Yes its accurate- check the link and see. Re butt-mashing...

it is actually more the case that the decisions to have hearings or NOT to have hearings is NOW going to be made by a handful of empowered entrusted congressional representatives each of whom has a personal duty to America and Americans which they assumed when they became representatives. There is no point right now for Americans that want impeachment to proceed to spray their efforts all over the place. The place that matters and the people that need to be appealed to are those representatives that are members of the House Judiciary Committee.

If hearings happen in the House Judiciary Committee, then impeachment will pick up momentum as the media will report it. If hearings recommend articles go to the full House of Congress then will be the time to try and work and persuade and cajole the whole house of congress but now the decision lies in the hands of only those members who in the house judiciary committee. And Conyers warrants attention because he Chairs that Committee and can be a blocker or an enabler. And he seems to be acting (speaking in his recent media interviews - see that link-  as a blocker or a diffuser or a dissembler).

by Brett Paatsch (0 articles, 2 quicklinks, 17 diaries, 773 comments) on Monday, December 24, 2007 at 5:18:42 PM
 


Brett Paatsch is an Australian born secular humanist with degrees in management and science and an interest in politics. He is a former pro-American that wishes to be pro-American again and thinks the impeachment and repudiation of President George W Bush for the invasion of Iraq in March 2003 is necessary to reestablish trust in American signatures on international treaties and confidence in the global rule of law.
Brett PaatschBrett Paatsch is an Australian born secular humanist with degrees in management and science and an interest in politics. He is a former pro-American that wishes to be pro-American again and thinks the impeachment and repudiation of President George W Bush for the invasion of Iraq in March 2003 is necessary to reestablish trust in American signatures on international treaties and confidence in the global rule of law.

Irv if you click on the blue text in my comment it will take

you to the source where I got the excerpt that is the quote from. The beauty of the internet is that you don't have to trust me you can easily check for yourself.  Please do check as that validates my efforts in respecting you enough to go to the trouble of providing a relevant supporting link.  Democracies will work or fail because the systems of checks and balances they contain and make available are made use of by sufficient people or not.

by Brett Paatsch (0 articles, 2 quicklinks, 17 diaries, 773 comments) on Monday, December 24, 2007 at 5:24:46 PM
 


I'm supporting Dennis Kucinich for President. 
Ty ShlackmanI'm supporting Dennis Kucinich for President. 

John Conyers

John Conyers is a gutless coward.

 

by Ty Shlackman (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 534 comments) on Monday, December 24, 2007 at 5:29:32 PM
 

 

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