But I don’t think you authors are writing just for the joy of seeing your words in print. I know you are trying to evoke some response from your readers – some palpable action. I don’t think I can sit here reading night after night and not DOING something as a citizen of this country.

We can suggest, urgently call for, demand that our elected officials in Congress do this or do that (investigate, subpoena, question, impeach, deny funding, legislate timelines to stop the war), but in the end are we not just fobbing off all action to that body?

I yearn for some organizing spirit, not just a chaos of protest, of angry words, of (some commenters) name calling – bottom line, we can all call/write/email our Senators/Congresspersons – I think we all agree that Gonzales does not have our confidence and should resign – but (and if any of you are privy to the workings of an official’s office, you know they literally weigh the mail – for and against) our demand must be specific.

I read lots of ideas (demanding resignation, Senators to hold “no confidence” vote, impeach the AG) but no consensus on which way to go. I suggest (for consensus and for the Senate):

#1 Vote no confidence; #2 If he resigns, be picky about the replacement, take your time, the world won’t come apart without an AG; #3 continue to hold hearings, continue to demand withdrawal from Iraq, continue to refuse to fund the war; #4 If he doesn’t resign, begin impeachment hearings for AGAG.

For the rest of us, make a loud noise clearly stating objections to the war, to all these scandals, to any new crazy initiatives by Bush, and read the Constitution of the United States.

Thomas Jefferson said, “The price of liberty is eternal vigilance”.

Bush’s loyalty has to have a price – on Bush – and it doesn’t seem to have had one yet.

Bush stood behind Brownie.
Bush continues to stand behind Libby – a convicted felon.
Bush continues to stand behind Wolfie.
Bush stands behind Gonzo.

I’m sure there are others, but I think it’s safe to say that the President should not be allowed to endorse felons without criticism.

Bush stands behind Rummy, Rice, “Kenny Boy” Lay. On Lay, a qualification, the elder Bush and James Baker attended Lay’s funeral. The President of the United States did not but the former President and former Secretary of State reportedly exited and entered through a side door of the church to avoid the photo op.

This is the leadership of this country coming out of Houston. It’s a goddamn national embarassment.

Short of armed overthow of the government, it is hard to imagine a more insidious threat to our Constitution.

Now that is a provocative sentence construction. Have you considered changing the direct object?

I’d at least correct the typo, but if I had to write this again, I’d use a lot few words.

i can confirm the sen. kit bond is among the gop senators calling for gonzo to resign. just got off the phone w his office.

That’s good news. Reports had six so far, but didn’t include Bond.

It’s not suprising or important, but The Post offered op-ed space to Douglas Kmiec, this morning. The name might ring a bell with lawyers; he’s a fascist Pepperdine (i.e., Ken Starr) affiliated jurist/professor.

Anyway, if you can stomach it it’s titled “Testimony in a Teacup: What’s Overlooked in Comey’s Histrionics”. Aside from being viciously condescending, it’s weak, its argument consisting of two non-sequiturs — that old chestnut that “there was no crime” and that there could have been no ill motive behind the White House’s attempt to circumvent OLC (there is a war on!) — and the inevitable catch-all argument that if the President does it, it’s legal.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/…..01973.html

Here, meanwhile, is the post’s admirable editorial, “Caller Id”: http://www.washingtonpost.com/…..01974.html

Marty Lederman effectively dismantles the Kmiec op ed. The link is next to Marty’s name in the post.

Bear with me. Gonzales was acting in his capacity as a lawyer when he tried to obtain Ashcroft’s signature in the hospital. He knew Ashcroft had been in ICU nearly a week, that he was recovering from major surgery, that he was on narcotic pain medication, and that Ashcroft was so weak the President himself had to cajole Mrs. Ashcroft into allowing Gonzales to see him.

Gonzales knew Ashcroft no longer had the powers of the AG, and that his signature as AG would be invalid. Gonzales also knew that before delegating his powers to Comey, he had expressly refused to give the requested signature, as had Comey after assuming authority as Acting AG. Comey was readily available to deal with any legitimate issues requiring the AG’s attention, and Gonzales refused to deal with him because he wouldn’t give Gonzales what he wanted.

Put that into the context of obtaining a legally necessary signature on a will, a house title document, a corporate merger agreement, a financial disclosure filed with the SEC, a certification to the EPA or FDA, hell, even certification of a pleading or receipt for service of process. If a notary public had acted that way, s/he would lose their license; a lawyer would certainly be subject to censure, suspension or loss of license.

Gonzo gets a pass? Why?

I had thought that the Neocon/Permanent Republican Majority group was pushing the envelope to the extreme on every controversial legal issue. After reading a brief history of what the Stalinists were doing in Eastern European countries during the period of 1945-1947, I realize that I have been too kind. In that period, the Stalinists had to maintain an appearance of legality in order to achieve their goal of independence from Western interference. The communist parties did not have anything close to a majority so they worked to form coalition governments in the various eastern countries. As part of the coaiition government, they didn’t seek the highest office but sought control over important ministries like the Ministry of Justice so that they could provide the appearance of legality.

It looks more and more that the group at the White House is doing whatever they want regardless of the laws and is using the DOJ and the entire legal apparatus of the government to give their lawlessness the appearance of legality. Alberto had to become the Chief Legal Officer to remove pesky lawyers who would obstruct the group’s actions.

Agreed – the key is to reach Bush, and not let it turn into a roasting of Gonzales – he is the diversion. Yesterday’s question of Bush regarding whether he ordered Card & Gonzales to go to the hospital was a small first step in maintaining this frame – I’d like to see it become A Few Good Men in the public’s eye:

Tom Cruise(Iglesias!) Did you order the Code Red (in the hospital room)?
Nicholson(Bush) – YOU’RE GODDAMN RIGHT I DID!!!

This is how to battle the Kmiec meme about it being a disagreement among lawyers about dusty statutes, make Bush look like the lying bully he is. OT if he would order this, does anyone doubt he put the hit out on Valerie Plame?

Now that is a provocative sentence construction. Have you considered changing the direct object?

This is probably EPU, but just wanted to say it’s posts like this one that brought me to FDL. Rock on.