We saw during the immigration debate how much noise you can make; now is the time to make as much noise on another issue that threatens the integrity of the republic. Even now we are noting your response, and we’ll remind you of it often when you complain about President Hillary doing it and citing W. as precedent. If that prospect troubles you please make a principled stand with us right now; you don’t want to be laughed out of the room like you are with your recently-rediscovered passion for fiscal responsibility.

Love,
The Libs

Has anyone thought yet about how to get the Republicans on board with Impeachment of Cheney/Bush?

I think people should remind the GOP that if nothing is done to stop the Bush Administration now, HILLARY CLINTON!!! will have UNBRIDLED POWER!!! to do whatever she wants in the next election cycle.

shorter version: BOO!

That’ll do it.

Ya want cardiac arrest, tell em Teddy Kennedy

Everybody reading this blog knew in their hearts that this is exactly where we would wind up.

For god’s sake Jane, there have been a LOT of people since 2000 SHOUTING out loud the evil of these people.

Where the hell YOU been? ….

It happened cuz progressives slept for 3 decades. If you want to DO something about it, you’d best get ready to wade into the fray and count some coup, and book readings won’t cut it to save the Republic.

Harumph.

You assume that Jane wasn’t aware of those events a generation or more ago. Clearly you haven’t read many of her essays.

And the creation of this blog-site and the book-club is IN FACT a means of educating people (particularly young people and those who are now just realizing) that something is seriously pathologically wrong with this country.

I find it interesting that there are many people out there willing to cast aspersions at the credentials of those that came later to the realization or “activity” than others, however. Or that didn’t “wade into the fray” and “count coup”.

That arrogance is a recipe for the failures to succeed that, in fact, allowed the Bushies and their cabal to lull the public into the sense of acquiescence that have allowed them to cement their power. These are failed strategies that have been used by the Conservatives and Neo-Conservatives to engender fear within the public.

We HAVE TO BE SMARTER to succeed this time ’round!

I don’t believe that such exclusionary language about “WHERE WERE YOU WHEN….” will ever accomplish what you want…hundreds of thousands out in the streets. Because those people will also be the ones you are marginalizing as not being a legitimate part of the movement.

I think that this blog has reached hundreds of thousands MORE people in far less time than the best efforts of those black-masked anarchists breaking Starbucks windows in Seattle ever could. And how effective do you think the escapades of “Code Pink” prancing about in the Senate Chambers while Valerie Plame gave her statements were?

If one wants to expand a movement one has to have respect for those that you are trying to educate and recruit…and realize that they come from a different place than you do. If you don’t you’re going to remain a marginalized movement…

Now ask yourself WHY “progressives slept for 3 decade”.

Or maybe it wasn’t that they were sleeping…it was just that they were doing ineffective things to counter those in power.

pow wow @ 87

A concurrent resolution is a resolution passed and in force after approval by only the Legislative Branch – no presidential signature involved. If Congress truly wanted this conflict in Iraq to end, they should be throwing every tool at their disposal at it. In this case, it would be the provisions of the War Powers Resolution, and any subsequent showdown about it in court. Vote to direct Bush to bring the troops home, and let the chips fall where they may.

Http://www.washingtonpost.com/…..v=hcmodule

The concurrent resolution is also known as the legislative veto and it was declared unconstitutional by the Berger Court in INS v Chadha in 1983.

That case was decided on the basis that the INS decisionmaking was an appropriate EXECUTIVE FUNCTION and the Congressional action of determining that Chandra could remain in the US violated the principle of “separation of powers”.

This case would be different since the War Powers Act specifically authorizes Joint RESOLUTIONS as legitimate authorizations for allowing the President to undertake temporary military actions abroad. It is not a BILL…AND, in fact, since declaring WAR is an express legislative function, entirely within the domain of the Congress to DEAUTHORIZE by use of a resolution requiring a simple majority.

Of course, the Democrats still have to overcome the issue of the Republicans in the Senate who will refuse to enact cloture and allow the Bill to come to the floor for a vote.larue @ 187

the reason I don’t comment here much anymore, or on any of my fav political blogs, is I simply don’t know what to say, I just don’t have any words

what do you say when you’re stuck in a car with a suicidal drunk driver that nothing is stopping?

“I think I’m going to vomit … on you. D’ya think maybe ya could stop and let me out?”

There may be some Republican senators saying similar things to Georgie Boy.

I suspect it will take a while for the enormity of the public shift away from Republican senators to be recognized. In that time Dems will gain tremendous support and the inevitable will still happen — Republicans will leave Bush and give Congressional Dems the power they need to set things right.

I suspect, after the September Petreaus report, that some more Repubs will begin to oppose the Iraq war. That alone might be enough to change the world.

Getting rid of Cheney would take a while (if he doesn’t leave of his own accord before then).

I’d expect an impeachment investigation to be underway by January 2008. And to me it looks like troops will be coming home no later than next Spring.

That means there could be a presidential impeachment begun next Summer…just in time to really destroy Republicans who are out campaigning for president on the basis that they’ll be all the president their predecessor (you know, the guy in chains in the dock) was. Lovely.

Of course, events could hasten if Republicans sense this schedule isn’t really to their liking.

… it boggles my mind to think that this one insipid fool can undo over 200 years of American democracy. …

But it’s not just Georgie Boy. It IS a Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy!

Just look at all the discrete financial or political interests served by the Iraq war. It serves a lot of different interests. And, they’re not going to go down easy. They’ll all be yellin’, “You’ll never take me alive copper.”

‘Course, they all actually think THEY are the LAW and nothing can ever touch them.

Well my opinion is that if these idiots desire to expose themselves as the hypocites they are then we have to allow them the forum to do so. Let them defend there vote for impeaching Clinton while, just a few years later IGNORING the clear Unconstitutional acts of the despot from THEIR PARTY.

And THEN, when the voters speak on the next cycle of Senatorial elections we can hang their votes, and their unflagging devotion to their Presidents WAR and his stripping OUR CONSTITUTION AWAY upon their necks. Bush is asking them to put “THEIR NECKS into the meat grinder” ~ so let them do what good Bushies are expected to do!

THEN…in 2009 a second vote on impeachment can be taken…after the NEW PRESIDENT enables the full-exposure of the Bush cabals crimes…and Bush can then (with a more rationale Congressional super-majority…and scared incumbent Republican Senators) to disqualify Bush, Cheney, Gonzalez, Rice and others from the right

“to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust or profit under the United States.”

Read THAT carefully!

They would no longer be able to hold an ambassadorship, judgeship, SERVE in any executive capacity, receive Federal Contracts or Grants (there goes the “George W. Bush Presidential Library” although I suppose that a private donor could give the money to place “My Pet Goat” in an outhouse)

or ENJOY their federal pensions, retirements, Secret Service protection, franking priveleges, the right to use the TITLES or SYMBOLS of office to promote speeches or books (no playing of “Hail to the Chief” or use of the Presidential Seal on the dais).

I suppose the impeachment conviction could allow the use of the term “former President of the United States” for historical purposes…but only if it included the phrase “impeached and convicted”.

There is historical precedent for post-term impeachment. A former Secretary of State who resigned was impeached by Congress, and Judges have also been impeached after quitting. And the striking of pensions and other benefits from impeached individals (as well as those convicted of felonies) is one that has long standing in English Common Law and in the Constitutions of the States.

Francis Bacon was “impeached” by his peers in Parliament and forbidden to return to his position in the House of Lordsand was almost stripped of his titles after a bribery confession.

Here is an article on post-term impeachment presented when the impeachment of Clinton was going on.

http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/pardonop3.htm

Don’t let Bush (and these Senators) even think they can “run out the clock”.

Take “the clock” back from them…and give us back our Constitution!

He explains the exact meaning of “the right moment…”

I’m not freaked out, I’m just… trembling a tiny bit… can’t sleep… angry most of the time… trying to figure out when to leave the country… that sort of thing.

Don’t be silly, Jane. Freaked out? Not me.