And it's always been illegal. It is illegal under the U.N. Charter and our Constitution to invade and occupy another nation, to lie to Congress, to misappropriate funds to begin the the attack before congressional approval, to launch a war without a declaration of war, and to turn a six-week cakewalk into a permanent occupation using bases that were never approved by Congress or publicly discussed. The semblance of legality has been provided by Congress's check book. If they cut the money off, Bush and Cheney won't end the occupation. And the worry about funds for withdrawal will look rather comical as Bush manages to find much greater amounts. Congress is now passing a record “defense” bill, so the money will be there.
When Bush keeps the war going, Congress will have two choices. The first is to admit that we now have a king and a bunch of court jesters, rather than a Congress and an executive. The second choice is also the second useful thing that I mentioned Congress can do. It can take out and make use of that portion of the Constitution that reads:
“The President, Vice President, and all civil officers of the United States shall be removed from office on impeachment for and conviction of Treason, Bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.”
Congress is going to have an opportunity to do so this week when Congressman Dennis Kucinich forces a vote on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives on a resolution to take up the impeachment of Vice President Richard B. Cheney. You might as well start at the top.
We need everyone to flood the media and Congress with the demand that Congress support impeachment. You can find out how at http://impeachcheney.org
Congress members have a lot of excuses. One of their favorites is that it would look bad for them to cosponsor a resolution that many of their colleagues will supposedly never support. That excuse goes away this week. They're no longer deciding whether to bring impeachment up. It is up. They can vote to kill it or to give it a chance. It costs them the same effort either way. They are on record for history either way. They must face their votes in the next elections either way.
There are congress members with form letters they send to their constituents who urge them to sign onto Kucinich's resolution. They won't sign on, they say, because they have other priorities, but they'll keep the public's concern in mind if the matter ever comes up for a vote. Well, here it comes.
SO, WHAT CAN YOU DO?
If you are in the military, you can refuse illegal orders. The rest of us must support those who take such a step. At http://DontAtackIran.org is a letter that Marcy Winograd and Michael Jay of Los Angeles helped write to the military urging disobedience to orders to attack Iran. You can go there and add your name. You can also get a book called “Army of None” and use it to counter recruiting efforts. The Army just had its worst recruiting year since the Vietnam War. That is the one and only reason that there are not more U.S. troops n Iraq.
If you are in government, you can expose crimes and refuse to take part in them. You can follow the example of Ann wright and resign. The rest of us must support those who do.
If you work for a company profiting from war or manufacturing the tools of war, you can (if you can manage it) quit your job. The rest of us have a duty to support people who take such steps. If we had a labor movement worthy of the name, it would be advancing this cause, not pushing bills destined to be vetoed and funding television networks through election campaigns.
If you are a member of an astroturf party front group like Americans Against Escalation in Iraq or Moveon.org, you can push that group to back impeachment. Force every group to take a position on this one – yes or no – for the rule of law or the rule of Cheney.
The ACLU led the charge for impeachment 34 years ago and is now afraid to act. Shame the American Cheney's Still at Liberty Union into living up to its past. Amnesty International, People for the American Way, these are organizations that now lack the integrity of the Center for Constitutional Rights and the National Lawyers Guild. The NLG yesterday unanimously and enthusiastically passed a resolution supporting the impeachment of Bush and Cheney.
Hound these organizations until they step forward. Make them feel it in their bank accounts.
The National Organization for Women used to back impeachment. I saw the president Kim Gandy on election night, and she was still for it. Within a week she flipped. She prevented her board from taking a position, and backed the number one opponent of impeachment in the country, Hillary Clinton. Is it the National Organization for Woman, singular?
Other organizations working on other issues, such as those active this week on global warming, should join with the impeachment movement or admit that they are just pretending for the next year.
When Bush keeps the war going, Congress will have two choices. The first is to admit that we now have a king and a bunch of court jesters, rather than a Congress and an executive. The second choice is also the second useful thing that I mentioned Congress can do. It can take out and make use of that portion of the Constitution that reads:
“The President, Vice President, and all civil officers of the United States shall be removed from office on impeachment for and conviction of Treason, Bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.”
Congress is going to have an opportunity to do so this week when Congressman Dennis Kucinich forces a vote on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives on a resolution to take up the impeachment of Vice President Richard B. Cheney. You might as well start at the top.
Congress members have a lot of excuses. One of their favorites is that it would look bad for them to cosponsor a resolution that many of their colleagues will supposedly never support. That excuse goes away this week. They're no longer deciding whether to bring impeachment up. It is up. They can vote to kill it or to give it a chance. It costs them the same effort either way. They are on record for history either way. They must face their votes in the next elections either way.
There are congress members with form letters they send to their constituents who urge them to sign onto Kucinich's resolution. They won't sign on, they say, because they have other priorities, but they'll keep the public's concern in mind if the matter ever comes up for a vote. Well, here it comes.
SO, WHAT CAN YOU DO?
If you are in the military, you can refuse illegal orders. The rest of us must support those who take such a step. At http://DontAtackIran.org is a letter that Marcy Winograd and Michael Jay of Los Angeles helped write to the military urging disobedience to orders to attack Iran. You can go there and add your name. You can also get a book called “Army of None” and use it to counter recruiting efforts. The Army just had its worst recruiting year since the Vietnam War. That is the one and only reason that there are not more U.S. troops n Iraq.
If you are in government, you can expose crimes and refuse to take part in them. You can follow the example of Ann wright and resign. The rest of us must support those who do.
If you work for a company profiting from war or manufacturing the tools of war, you can (if you can manage it) quit your job. The rest of us have a duty to support people who take such steps. If we had a labor movement worthy of the name, it would be advancing this cause, not pushing bills destined to be vetoed and funding television networks through election campaigns.
If you are a member of an astroturf party front group like Americans Against Escalation in Iraq or Moveon.org, you can push that group to back impeachment. Force every group to take a position on this one – yes or no – for the rule of law or the rule of Cheney.
The ACLU led the charge for impeachment 34 years ago and is now afraid to act. Shame the American Cheney's Still at Liberty Union into living up to its past. Amnesty International, People for the American Way, these are organizations that now lack the integrity of the Center for Constitutional Rights and the National Lawyers Guild. The NLG yesterday unanimously and enthusiastically passed a resolution supporting the impeachment of Bush and Cheney.
Hound these organizations until they step forward. Make them feel it in their bank accounts.
The National Organization for Women used to back impeachment. I saw the president Kim Gandy on election night, and she was still for it. Within a week she flipped. She prevented her board from taking a position, and backed the number one opponent of impeachment in the country, Hillary Clinton. Is it the National Organization for Woman, singular?
Other organizations working on other issues, such as those active this week on global warming, should join with the impeachment movement or admit that they are just pretending for the next year.
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