I am hearing the following specious argument from various sources: Now that the "good guys" will rule the roost, all is well in D.C. and it is best just to ignore the past and let Pied Piper Pelosi guide us into an American Eden full of buttercups and lollipops and free beer for all.
I am also hearing a veritable Greek chorus of: "Impeachment will never happen" from those that actually do think it would be a great idea if it were possible.
That ain't the way a participatory democratic republic works, folks.
No doubt the future is suddenly much, much brighter. House Representative Pelosi's (D-CA) "First 100 Days" plan is a good one, certainly. The talk of finally extricating ourselves from the Iraq debacle is welcome news as is discussion of reversing the potential horrors of the Military Commissions Act and other horrible recent pieces of legislation.
The Democratic Congress' positive agenda will move our country forward, repairing some of the damage done and innovatively breaking new ground as well. Even actual conservatives can look forward to the end of this NeoCon tangent and work for the restoration of fiscal conservativism, citizen privacy, "States Rights" and smaller, less invasive government with a balance of power among the three branches again.
Choosing to ignore the past, however, would be as naive as a victim of domestic assault not wanting to press charges. The result will eventually be more of the same. You are just going to get beaten again, and probably much more viciously. It is not a matter of "if", but "when" - maybe next time to death.
We were bitten by a snake. The wound must be lanced and the venom removed, or it will leech into our collective bloodstream and inevitably target our national heart. Allowing this wound to "heal over" not only won't lead to a healthy future, it will assure the exact opposite.
Crimes have been committed. Not a few. Very, very many. Not just the break-in of a campaign office or a President getting lipstick on his cigar in the Oral Office. People have died because of these crimes - the lives of hundreds of thousands of families irretrievably destroyed. Some of these crimes are gross violations of the Geneva Accords and Nuhremberg Principles - identical to those for which Nazis were convicted and put to death. Our national treasury has been looted to the benefit of crony corporations. Our international reputation is in shambles. Our global Intelligence capabilities have been severely, treasonously compromised. The Constitution has had its throat cut and is lying in the gutter with no promise of a single Democratic Senator bending a knee to save its life.
The investigative work into prewar lies and related matters by Representative John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI). is already well underway. An excellent preliminary treatise: "George W. Bush versus the U.S. Constitution" has been researched and published by his staff.
The Center for Constitutional Rights, The Bush Crimes Commission, World Can't Wait, After Downing Street and ImpeachforPeace.org, among others, have laid out remarkably comprehensive reports on the crimes of George W. Bush, Dick Cheney and their Administration.
The case for impeachment is undeniably solid. Conyers will head the Judiciary Committee with the threat of full subpoena power if needed to rapidly confirm the crimes we are already aware of. More crimes are likely to be unearthed in the process as the antiseptic of truth throws light on this dark era.
New head of the Government Reform Committee, Representative Henry Waxman (D-CA) has said that "I'm going to have an interesting time because (the GRC) has jurisdiction over everything..." and "The most difficult thing will be to pick and choose." (AP).
We are a nation of laws. No American is above the law. The appropriate remedy for the temporary resident public servants in federal offices who violate the law is impeachment. We aren't shopping for shoes here, Condi. This isn't an optional step. This is prosecution of law deeply seated in the Constitution of the United States as it used to exist - indeed our very, inalienable moral fiber. To not enforce these laws is to set ourselves up for history to repeat itself in short order. To not undo the new preposterously overgrown Executive authority is to invite some future President - ANY future President - to snap his or her fingers and become a virtual dictator in a heartbeat. To "do nothing" would be a slap in the face of every patriot who bled for our freedoms. Give me liberty.
The Nancy Pelosi-led (D-CA) Senate will continue to advance a positive agenda in other committees and votes as the information made public during House hearings led by Waxman and Conyers should quickly make an impeachment recommendation unavoidable. In short order a recommendation to impeach should reach the floor of the House for a vote.
A simple majority in the House voting to recommend impeachment to the Senate should be a "slam dunk" after the public finally more fully awakens from its FAUXnews-induced slumber. They will become apprised of the full devious intent of these traitors and DEMAND that their Representatives sign onto the bill that will replace H.R. 635 - which expired along with the Bill of Rights and Habeas Corpus as the heinous 109th Congress recessed.
There is the kicker. It is up to us. It is up to you. The "People's House" must hear from us. Your Representative must hear from you. Four Hundred and Thirty Five Representatives must be buried in letters, e-mails, phone calls and visits demanding thorough investigations leading to impeachment. If they "drag anchor" on us, then veteran and first-time protesters must take up permanent residence outside their offices and expose their complicity.
Minneapolis Organizer: World Can't Wait-Drive Out the Bush Regime ~~~ Co-Founder: ImpeachforPeace.org ~~~ Theatrical Entertainer and Ballroom Dance Instructor by trade
Excellent article! (Except for the word 'proscribed' in the next to last paragraph, which reverses the meaning you intended. Should be 'prescribed').
I hope it gets a lot of reading.
by
Irvthom (6 articles, 2 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 74 comments)
on Wednesday, November 15, 2006 at 2:01:22 PM
