What to Say

I've been meaning to post on a number of things lately, but just can't come up with the words. The tricks pulled that meant we'll be stuck with the 2008 RNC convention instead of the DNC convention we should have had (and probably, based on my conversations with current DNC members before the RNC announcement, would have had...) pissed me off, and then came this atrocity of the torture vote.

That torture bill is blatantly anti-Constitutional. It's not just that it goes against all American principles, values, morals, and ethics. It's not just that it contravenes the spirit of every bit of law since the Magna Carta. It's directly, obviously, illegal. It cannot be logically reconciled with the Constitution as law.

I remember the oath of office sworn by our public servants. Obviously, those who voted for this do not. They swore to defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic. They have broken that oath; moreover, they have put themselves forward as enemies of the Constitution. It is now the duty of those who actually believe and honor that oath to take action.

The embrace of torture and attempting to put men above the law does harm to our Republic; it imperils our security; it threatens the well-being of our armed forces who are in harm's way; it aids our enemies in attacking us; it gives comfort to our enemies in their own barbaric violations of the rights of mankind.

It is the very definition of treason.

This bill will be struck down. If not by the courts "within days", as unnamed sources allegedly tell the media, then eventually by law or by ruling. This will not stand. But those who would attempt to force such an abomination upon us must face the consequences of their actions.

Every single one of them must be replaced in office by people who will honor their oaths, people who will not betray their country in time of war for what they think will gain them short-term political gain.

I'll be expanding on this greatly over the coming months. In the short term (ie, the next month and a half), every Republican who voted for this should lose in this coming election (as this would be very nearly all Republicans in Congress, I obviously do not expect this to happen, I am merely stating what should), as should Joe Lieberman (The only non-Republican with a Democratic opponent to vote for this cycle, now that primaries are over).

Slightly longer term, all those who voted for this and continue in public office beyond the election must be challenged at the next opportunity: every single Republican must have a credible, reasonably-funded Democratic (anti-torture) challenger in the general election, and every single Democrat who voted for this must have the same in their next primary. (Here in Minnesota, I don't want my party's initials on a ballot line next to Collin Peterson's name ever again after this election.) Some will decry purges, left-wing extremism, litmus tests, blah blah. Let them, it doesn't matter. For example, I've defended Sen. Ben Nelson to people in the party for years. I've said he's the best we can expect in Nebraska. His opposition to stem cell research (and thus, support of my death) made me stop defending him, and with this, I will not be silent and neutral about him either. The people who went against Democratic and American principles this time have done it many times before. Mark Pryor, Mary Landrieu, Ken Salazar, Henry Cuellar... these people again and again defy everything we stand for. Enough is enough. Remove them all. From power, from positions of influence, from the public discourse. They have failed in the duties, failed to honor their oaths, and betrayed this nation.

Longest term? End the Republican party. Its leaders took the illegal actions that this bill was written to pardon; its leaders had the bill written; nearly all of its officeholders voted for it. The countless offenses perpetrated in its name and in our names by its hands are themselves inexcusable; this, however, is the last straw. It is not enough to "send them back into the minority for decades", as I've heard some fondly hope for. Another party will rise; our electoral system virtually guarantees it. But there must be no more such thing as the U.S. Republican Party, and its leaders must never again be allowed into the halls of our government.

Treason has been committed. The nation deserves justice.

Crossposted.