The thoughts come into my mind today about the future of our democracy. As I continue to flip through the pages of Assault on Reason I'm greatly impressed with the ability of President Gore to communicate effectively when not pressured by the eyes of assault. In the progressive political climate of today's generation we've found ourselves in an age when there are multiple things happening.
I would assert we have ignored the most common bonds that have always united us and our responsibilities, myself included. It is now time again to keep this government in check out of responsibility of citizenry. Many Americans repeat the mantra that George Bush is a failure as a President. This is not neccesarily the reality though. The President actually is a success. Which is worse? Trying to do good and failing in the task -- or failing to try.
The lessons taken from President Lincoln have begun to change in front of our eyes motivated by President Bush's view on the war on terrorism and his constant requirement that we should relieve ourselves of freedom because other people threaten our existences. Terror is a way of controlling society by getting society to ask for protection out of fear at any expense.
Under attack from the West for clamping Emergency, President General Musharraf wore the shield of "learning" and told them not to demand of Pakistan their level of democracy.
The General, while taking on his critics, also compared his situation with that of former US president Abraham Lincoln.
[...]
"I would ask you to kindly understand the criticality of the situation inside and around Pakistan. Pakistan is on the verge of destablisation," Musharraf said.
Comparing his situation with that of Lincoln, Musharraf read out his quotation justifying imposition of martial law in 1864.
"The justification was a necessity," he said. Quoting Lincoln, he said life cannot be put to risk for a limb and sometimes a limb has to be amputated to save life.
source
A military General just overthrew a democratic country on the verge of destabilization as defined by him. I am not very well versed in Pakistani history however I am moderately aware of American history. So armed with the tools of wikipedia, which you must admitedly take with a grain of salt I have dug up the following information.
Habeas corpus was suspended by President Lincoln in Maryland and parts of midwestern states, including southern Indiana during the American Civil War. Lincoln did so in response to riots, local militia actions, and the threat that the border slave state of Maryland would secede from the Union, leaving the nation's capital, Washington, D.C., surrounded by hostile territory.
So under those considerations, there was violence erupting in certain parts of the country. Riots, militia action et al. If Pakistan is experiencing that type of behavior, which it could well be due to fundamentalism. I rightly can understand his joining of Abraham Lincoln with his struggle in Democracy in order to quell a growing amount of violence against the democracy he swore to protect.
However, the George W. Bush attempt to remove our inherit right to habeus corpus, declared so by the Magna Carta. That attitude is why I believe those actions are an affront to Abraham Lincolns core principles. This Administration relies on the lack of understanding of history and lack of debate in our society, arguably restricted and enhanced by television and profit.
To contrast with the Bush Administration's claims that they have genuine motives and appropriate precedent to authorize them to utilize the inherent right to do as it pleases in the name of 'protecting' our nation. Abraham Lincoln was not a capatalist which this Administration favors in its policies.
If he was he would not have used the words "These caitalists" in his first speech after elected into public office. A better choice of word would have most likely been a pronoun claiming ownership or affiliation such as We or Our. "Honest Abe" would have been honest with people I would assume. Which is also is another great contrast that the President compares himself against.
These capitalists generally act harmoniously and in concert to fleece the people, and now that they have got into a quarrel with themselves, we are called upon to appropriate the people's money to settle the quarrel.
Source: (Speech to Illinois legislature, (January 1837); This is "Lincoln's First Reported Speech", found in the Sangamo Journal (28 January 1837) according to McClure's Magazine (March 1896); also in Lincoln's Complete Works (1905) ed. by Nicolay and Hay, Vol. 1, p. 24.)
When asked in July regarding impeachment hearings Speaker Pelosi gave her reasons for not impeaching the President and Vice President.
"The question of impeachment is something that would divide the country," Pelosi said this morning during a wide-ranging discussion in the ornate Speaker's office. Her top priorities are ending the war in Iraq, expanding health care, creating jobs and preserving the environment. "I know what our success can be on those issues. I don't know what our success can be on impeaching the president."
Democratic Party leaders do not have the votes to pass an impeachment resolution. And Democrats could be judged harshly for partisan gridlock, just as the American people turned on Congressional Republicans in the 90s for pursuing the impeachment of President Clinton.
[..]
She is greatly disturbed by the lawlessness of this Administration and its contempt for checks and balances. "I take an oath to defend and protect the Constitution, so it is a top priority for me and my colleagues to uphold that." She notes the vigorous oversight hearings held by committee chairman like John Conyers and Henry Waxman.
[..]
"If I can just hold my caucus together," she says, "I can take them to this progressive place."
source
Yesterday the valorous Dennis Kucinich introduced articles of impeachment against Vice President Dick Cheney. I consider this action to be an important opening into impeachment. Remember Speaker Pelosi's words regarding impeachment in July 2007. I think it's time we finally stand up and do what we're responsible for doing, what we should have done arguably when the Supreme Court decided who our nation's President would be.
If Speaker Pelosi is worried about dividing the country perhaps she should worry about changing the face of our nation forever. If Dick Cheney's absurd interpretation of the constitution is not protested against by the people, I fear the values and way of life we've known will be gone forever.
"The most effective way to restrict democracy is to transfer decision-making from the public arena to unaccountable institutions: kings and princes, priestly castes, military juntas, party dictatorships, or modern corporations."
source
Since the impeachment hearings are sitting in John Conyers office I find this to be our moment of insertion into the public debate. I think its time for the political dictatorship which has emerged within our country to be purged. Not in a violent way or a socially irresponsible way but by the means which were laid out for us by the authors of the Constitution.
they who have put out the people’s eyes, reproach them of their blindness
John Milton Apology for Smectymnuus (1642), section VIII
I suggest we inform them we're not "blind" just apathetic or ignorant to the responsibilities we share living in a democracy surrounded by a trance-box known as television. If we truly want this Administration to be held accountable for their actions it is time to amass a movement similar to that of the Nixon impeachment/resignation.
Below I have listed the contact information for all members of the House Judiciary Committee so we the people can finally call one central bank of phone numbers to "lobby" for impeachment proceedings to take place. I have gathered them in one place for simplicity. If you want to enact change call every day, once a day, giving others a chance to call also. If you have a cellphone, there's no excuse for not calling these phone numbers. At least Hon. John Conyers. If we truly believe in Democracy and we're not going to be beaten by terror we must stand and be heard.
If Speaker Pelosi says that this country will be divided then I challenge each and every Democratic American, not in the party definition but by principle as citizens in the greatest Democracy on Earth to utilize the tools we have. The same principles we've been alluded to believing we have had for years. It is time to finally dust off and test our might, if you will. Shake the establishment practice Democracy. At least for the time being. Then we can all go back to sleep for a while after we clean house and get rid of the rats. If need be, we will be easier awoken in the future I wholeheartedly believe. Once you start to take an action it's easier to continue. The action which needs to be taken now is convincing others to take action as well.
Everyone you know that feels there is a remote chance something very unprecedented and potentially illegal has taken place should read this diary. I may not be the most educated person. I put the phone numbers in the same place to allow everyone to easily comply with the responsibilities of your citizenship in the United States of America. No one is above the law, not even the President.
Don't rant nor rave. K.I.S.S. - Keep It Simple Stupid.
Hello. My name is Mr. X. I live in < insert zipcode >. I would like impeachment proceedings against the Vice President as recommended by HR333 proposed by Dennis Kucinich. Please move them promptly from committee and to the floor for open debate.
Please. Be civil and no ranting. Our purpose has to be the principle. If we start with Vice President Cheney we have a more capable ability to prove High Crimes and Misdemeanors and honestly through proper investigation we will be able to connect all the dots. The truth is what the media tells you before deadline.
I heard someone say once that allegedly it wasn't until postcards flooded Washington DC that Congress took action against Nixon.
That time has come to send post cards and phone calls for this Administration to be investigated and held accountable for its actions. The President doesn't have the right to avoid that investigation. The Republicans already voted for it and I believe that they don't count on us taking action after they enabled us to. If we do this with enough energy and motivation behind our lobby efforts the Republicans could have possibly opened the door for Bush's imminent demise.
Nixon tapped one room. Bush tapped the country and the coffers.
2138 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
p/202-225-3951
Honorable John Conyers, Jr.
2426 Rayburn Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-5126
Honorable Lamar S. Smith
2184 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-4236
Honorable Howard L. Berman
2221 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
(202) 225-4695
Honorable Rick Boucher
2187 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-3861
Honorable Jerrold Nadler
2334 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
202-225-5635
Honorable Robert C. Scott
1201 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-8351
Honorable Melvin L. Watt
2236 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-1510
Honorable Zoe Lofgren
102 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-3072
Honorable Sheila Jackson Lee
2435 Rayburn Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-3816
Honorable Maxine Waters
2344 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-2201
Honorable William D. Delahunt
2454 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-3111
Honorable Robert Wexler
213 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-3001
Honorable Linda T. Sanchez
1007 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-6676
Honorable Steve Cohen
1004 Longworth Building
Washington DC 20515
(202) 225-3265
Honorable Hank Johnson
1133 Longworth Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-1605
Honorable Betty Sutton
1721 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: (202) 225-3401
Honorable Luis Gutierrez
2367 Rayburn Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-8203
Honorable Brad Sherman
1030 Longworth Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-0524
(202) 225-5911
Honorable Tammy Baldwin
1022 Longworth House Office Building
Washington DC 20515
(202) 225-2906
Honorable Anthony Weiner
1122 Longworth House Office Building
Washington DC 20515
(202) 225-6616
Honorable Adam Schiff
326 Cannon House Office Building
Washington D.C. 20515
(202) 225-4176
Honorable Artur Davis
208 Cannon H.O.B.
Washington, D.C. 20515
(202) 225-2665
Honorable Debbie Wasserman Schultz
118 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: 202-225-7931
Honorable Keith Ellison
2100 Plymouth Avenue North
Minneapolis, MN 55411
(612) 522-1212
Honorable Jim Jordan
515 Cannon Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-2676
Honorable Louie Gohmert
508 Cannon Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-303
Honorable Trent Franks
1237 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Honorable Tom Feeney
323 Cannon House Office Building
Washington DC 20515
(202) 225-2706
Honorable Steve King
1432 Longworth Office Building
Washington DC 20515
(202) 225-4426
Honorable J. Randy Forbes
307 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-6365
Honorable Mike Pence
426 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-3021
Hon. Darrell Issa
211 Cannon House Office Bldg.
Washington, DC 20515
Honorable Ric Keller
419 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-2176
Honorable Chris Cannon
2436 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-7751
Hon. Daniel Lungren
2448 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Honorable Steve Chabot
129 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
(202) 225-2216
Honorable Bob Goodlatte
2240 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-5431
Honorable Elton Gallegly
2427 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515-0523
(202) 225-5811
Honorable Howard Coble
2468 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515-3306
(202) 225-3065
Honorable F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr.
2449 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-5101