cross-posted at political fleshfeast
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." -- Edmund Burke
Welcome to Day 6 of ImpeachmentWatch, your daily diary that tracks Impeachment, whether the Mainstream Media covers it or not.
The courts have recognized a president’s limited right to keep the White House’s internal deliberations private. But it is far from an absolute right, and
Mr. Bush’s claim of executive privilege in the attorneys scandal is especially ludicrous. The White House has said repeatedly that Mr. Bush was not involved in the firings of nine United States attorneys. If that’s true, he can hardly argue that he has the right to conceal conversations and e-mail exchanges that his aides had with one another and the Justice Department.
Impeachment Video of the Day
Jim Terr - Please Impeach Me
Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles, and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likelyto effect their Safety and Happiness.
Recent Highlights
I believe we should let George Bush get away with breaking the law because the attempt to hold him accountable will play into the media's desire to not focus on things that matter, which impeaching Bush doesn't qualify as.
Rep. Wexler: It is a dark day when the Sun-Sentinel has the gall to tell the parents of the soldiers who have died in Iraq that pursuing consequences for those who prosecuted this war of choice based on outright deception is not a "real" issue that Congress should address.
Chairman? Chairman Conyers? You can stop cowering now. It's safe to come out from under the table. Sure, there were a few grumpy and screaming voices out there, but mostly there was silence. The corporate media does not want to take on this issue and will not be able to handle its actual existence the way it handles the threat of impeachment proceedings. If impeachment hearings get underway, the corporate media will have to deal with the substance of the charges. It will be impossible to simply avoid the matter or treat it dismissively. You know the substance of the charges as well as anyone, but apparently you have not considered what all that information could accomplish.
The blogs are alive with the sound of Impeachment. The notices are rolling into my computer faster than I can open them, sign them and send them out to friends or family. That's called activism, pushing back against this destructive force called Bush.
I think, perhaps, we are focusing on issues of impeachment through the wrong end of the telescope. We keep asking: how might this, potentially, negatively affect our Dems in the coming election cycle. Maybe we should turn the telescope around, for a wide-angle perspective, and ask: how might impeachment negatively affect every Republican running for office in the upcoming election?
Why are news outlets helping to cover up many of the President's blunders, lies and crimes?
The more Bush's dirty laundry is aired for all to see, the worse John McCain will do in November. The fact that John McCain supported the very things Bush could be impeached for should tell Democrats that going forward against Bush is great strategy.
And besides, given the excitement surrounding impeachment (see Digg, Reddit, etc...), it seems the people want this to happen anyway.
It's a win-win, Speaker Pelosi. Impeach Bush, hold him accountable for his crimes, and win the White House.
"The limitation of the period of his service, was not a sufficient security...He might lose his capacity after his appointment. He might pervert his administration into a scheme of peculation or oppression. He might betray his trust to foreign powers...In the case of the Executive Magistracy which was to be administered by a single man, loss of capacity or corruption was more within the compass of probable events, and either of them might be fatal to the Republic." – James Madison, July 20, 1787, at the Constitutional Convention which made provision for impeachment
"There's a way to bring an end to those practices, you know: vote the bums out...That's how our system is designed." – Barack Obama, June 28, 2007, on impeachment
That’s not how our system is designed.
The promise of another election was not enough to stop an Executive from abusing power in James Madison’s opinion but unfortunately, the Democratic candidate for president, much of the Democratic Party, and its constituents find the promise to be enough. And incidentally, it has never been enough.
"The system should be designed so that the two parties are so similar the people can 'throw the bums out' at anytime, without a substantial change in policy." -- Carrol Quigley
Vital Links
Full Text of the Articles of Impeachment (PDF)
Full Text Version of the Articles of Impeachment (TXT)
List of the Articles of Impeachment (TXT)
Entire Kucinich Impeachment Video (complete) [thanks to cspanjunkie]
Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5
"Ernest Hemingway once wrote, 'The world is a fine place and worth fighting for'. I agree with the second part" -- Seven
To paraphrase that great patriot Donald Rumsfeld: There are knowns, known unknowns, and unknown unknowns. The wiretapping program is a little like that. There are things we know and things we can only speculate about the wiretapping program. The number of customers affected by the surveillance remains secret, but the AT&T call-record database contains 1.88 trillion call records.
Mainstream Story Counts
front pages as of 8:00 am PST - 2008-06-15
CNN.com: 0
FoxNews.com: 0
MSNBC.com: 0
Google News: 0
Reuters: 0
AP: 0
Google News Search: Impeachment: 2,477 - (656)
Number of Days until Rep. Kucinich plans to re-introduce the 35 Articles of Impeachment: 24
Current Co-Sponsers: Rep Wexler, Robert [FL-19], Rep Woolsey, Lynn C. [CA-6], Rep Lee, Barbara [CA-9]
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. -- Margaret Mead
SteveInDC: "Not the Scott McClellan you knew?" ohh yeah...you thought he would take that crap to the grave like everyone else. Here's a clue... me thinks he wont be the last!
Daily Impeachment Tracker
Day 6 - 2008-06-15
ADS: Is Fascism an Impeachable Offense?
ADS: It's Just Plame Impeachable
METROWEST: Greene: Clear reasons for impeachment
OEN: You Can't Take a Poll to Decide if the Law Should Be Enforced
AZSTARNET: In support of the call for impeachment
Day 5 - 2008-06-14
WSWS: Kucinich, the Democrats and the impeachment of Bush
JAVNO: NO INVESTIGATION: Kucinich Impeachment Proposal Refused Due To Fear
IPP: Cindy Sheehan criticizes Pelosi for not supporting impeachment
OEN: Questions for Obama: WHERE do you stand on IMPEACHMENT? Is it "Off the Table" for YOU too?
OEN: Going Out With A Bang
OEN: POLL: Is the news media doing it's job?
OEN: Please write to Gwen Ifill: 35 Articles of Impeachment Censored
PEOPLES VOICE: 'George W. Bush has gotten away with murder'
ADS: Cindy Sheehan: Why Not, Nancy?
ADS: U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler takes issue with editorial on impeachment
CONCORD MONITOR: Impeach Bush
OEN: Followup Letter to Congress: Impeach
Day 4 - 2008-06-13
PROGRESSIVE: It's Conyers's Time to Act on Impeachment
DEMOCRACY NOW: Despite Opposition from His Own Party, Democratic Rep. Dennis Kucinich Vows to Continue Impeachment Effort Against Bush (video/audio)
ADS: Veterans For Peace deliver 23,000 impeachment petitions to House Judiciary Chair Conyers
ADS: Bush Tried to Destroy Medicare
PACKET: Bush actions merit impeachment
SPOKESMAN REVIEW: Why no coverage of impeachment debate?
DESERT SUN: The Bush administration: Is impeachment coming?
BUZZFLASH: Dennis Kucinich Says He's Not Giving Up on Impeachment: Morality and the Law Require It.
VENTURA COUNTY STAR: Your letters: Time to Impeach
NEWS MINER: Impeachment is Extremely Significant
ONLINE JOURNAL: Kucinich vows new round of impeachment articles against Bush if measure dies
ONLINE JOURNAL: The blogs are alive with the sound of Impeachment!
TPMCAFE: House Must Preemptively Impeach Bush On Iran
DKOS: Instructions: How to make an Impeachment Pie
DKOS: Bush Impeachment Polls
Day 3 - 2008-06-12
STARTRIBUNE: Animals aloft are a sign that impeachment might fly
RAWSTORY: O'Reilly, Kucinich spar over impeachment, unite on gas prices (video)
ADS: Dennis Kucinich on the Urban Journal (audio)
ADS: Obama Must Learn From Kucinich's Articles of Impeachment: Election Theft is Real
RAWSTORY: Cafferty: Why won't Congress consider impeachment? (video)
DEMOCRATS.COM: Impeachment Cosponsors Wanted!
ALTERNET: Kucinich's Mammoth Case for Impeaching Bush
DETROIT FREE PRESS: President's misdeeds go on record
OEN: Has Kucinich Exposed the Dems Complicity?
TPMCAFE: President Must Be Impeached to Forever Deny Him Any Pardons
DKOS: The 35 Articles of Impeachment
SENTINAL: Why Impeachment Is Good Electoral Strategy
DKOS: TELL PELOSI: Bush impeachment polls as high as Nixon when he resigned
Day 2 - 2008-06-11
WAPO: Kucinich Vows to Keep Up Impeachment Fight
CNN: Kucinich effort to impeach Bush kicked into limbo
RAWSTORY: Kucinich: Judiciary Committee must begin review of impeachment articles
ADS: Lynn Woolsey (D-CA) Supports Effort to Impeach President Bush
BLOG: Americans Want Bush Impeached Far More Than They Ever Supported Clinton Impeachment
TRUTHDIG: Gore Vidal's Article of Impeachment
DEMOCRATS.COM: PETITION: Put Kucinich on Meet the Press
TMPCAFE: Speaker Must Be Removed For Her Illegal Position on Impeachment Investigation
DKOS: My letter to Conyers addressing his "5 points against impeachment" - and how you can help
Day 1 - 2008-06-10
COUNTDOWN: Olbermann on ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT (video)
DKOS: I believe we should let George Bush get away with breaking the law because...
RAWSTORY: Mainstream media yawns as Kucinich offers impeachment
DEMOCRATS.COM: Impeachment: Where Olbermann, Turley, and Fineman Are Wrong
DEMOCRATS.COM: Full Text of Articles of Impeachment
DKOS: Wexler Co-Sponsors First Bush Articles of Impeachment
DKOS: The Purpose of Impeachment
DKOS: Why there is time and reason for impeachment of Bush
DKOS: Daily Kos
Poll: When will corporate media cover the impeachment hearings?
DKOS: Five reasons Impeachment is never too late
Day 0 - 2008-06-09
RAWSTORY: Kucinich presents Bush impeachment articles (video)
Pre-Impeachment
ALTERNET: Colbert says Impeach Bush now or you're a bunch of pussies... (video)
MSNBC: Poll: Do you believe President Bush's actions justify impeachment? - 89% YES, 700,218 votes
RAWSTORY: Murtha revises: Impeachment is 'on the table'
ALTERNET: Why Is Impeachment Important? (video)
ALTERNET: George McGovern Calls for Bush and Cheney's Impeachment
ALTERNET: Olbermann & Maddow: Why Are Democrats Afraid to Impeach Cheney? (video)
ALTERNET: Obama and Clinton believe accountability is "off the table."
ADS: If the People Want Impeachment, Why Can't it Happen?
TIMESNEWS: The President "serves at our pleasure" and I'm not pleased
DEMOCRATIC UNDERGROUND: International Justice: The World Has its Eye on George W. Bush
PBS: Moyers: Tough Talk on Impeachment (video)
How to Help
We need to put serious pressure on Conyers, Pelosi and the rest of the House Judiciary. FAX them. A fax, unlike a voicemail or an email, is a physical piece of paper that CANNOT BE IGNORED or easily deleted. Use FaxZero to send 2 free faxes everyday.
Nancy Pelosi: 202-225-4188
Harry Reid: 202-224-7327
Jerrold Nadler: 202-225-6923
John Conyers: 202-225-0072
Sending them the List of the Articles of Impeachment might not be a bad idea. Maybe they just haven't had a chance to read the list yet. Or maybe they'd like the complete text. [hat tip to Randgrithr]
Be the change that you want to see in the world. -- Mahatma Gandhi
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