Washblog

We've all heard cliches about patriotism, democracy and citizenship; to me this was the literal expression of those fine words. I heard some exceptional and inspiring rhetoric from these speakers, ringing with truth and integrity (see? it comes off sounding corny...) But I ended the day feeling profoundly let down.  
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We've all heard the long list of reasons for impeachment of the Bush Administration. It's hard not to sound over-the-top, hard not to equal NION's classic levels of screechy alarmism about U.S. fascism and imperialism that makes the average citizen quickly cross the street to avoid them. Except it's true.

PRO-IMPEACHMENT RALLY

The resolution had a pretty good shot, we were told, before a few well-known names like Patty Murray, Jay Inslee and Chris Gregoire made their displeasure known. Loud boos.

This one is my statement. It's tricky to be busy photographing and also participate in a demonstration, but a photo of moi was posted on the Olympian's photo gallery and a video clip featured on the Channel 5 coverage that evening.
I was famous for 1.7 seconds.
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I heard some damn fine rhetoric from each of the speakers below; burning with the passion of a citizens' fight to rescue their government from power-hungry hijackers before it's too late.

Someone said, "Isn't it funny how the Constitution is always held up as an revered icon of our shining democracy, but if you get loud about defending it, you'd think somebody let their crazy uncle out of the attic?

Senator Eric Oemig is the sponsor of the Bill SJM 8016.

Linda Boyd, of the Eastside Fellowship of Reconciliation, has been tirelessly organizing the impeachment effort. EFOR's Impeach Bush page, with petition
Linda's description of last week's well-attended event at Olympia Performing Arts Center: Impeachment: Breaking the Dam in Olympia, Washington

A couple of weeks ago I met Eric and Linda Boyd in Bellevue event at Eastside Fellowship of Reconciliation IMPEACH? Hell yes! Senator Eric Oemig comes out swinging

Mayor Rocky Anderson of Salt Lake City is a liberal firebrand from a notoriously red city and red state. Rocky delivered a rhetorical barn-burner, then later returned to continue describing the exact charges against BushCo. It was quite lengthy.
Rocky Anderson's Daily Kos diary A Clear Case for Impeachment

Colonel Ann Wright (in olive coat, left foreground) is one of a handful of high-level military officers who resigned over the invasion of Iraq. She's since been an antiwar activist, standing with Cindy Sheehan and Lt. Ehren Watada.

Randy Gordon is the Bellevue lawyer who wanted to unseat Rep. Dave Reichart in 2006, but dropped out to support Darcy Burner. Randy is an inspiring speaker, and I told him so.

J.T Johnson is a member of the Olympia City Council and the Green Party. He too exhorted our legislators to risk radical action in radical times.

Phil Burk has left no stone unturned on Impeachbush.tvsince 2001. He is available for as a pro-impeachment speaker on the West coast.

The Raging Grannies shivered in the cold for an hour or more before they got a chance to do their crowd-pleasing performance. One admitted that their group was divided; only half were willing to sing pro-impeachment.

The famous Vashon Island Chain Gang attended, looking suitably pissed or dumbfounded.

One of the speakers (Randy?) told of having a conversation with the top staffer of a congressmember "who shall remain nameless". When she raised the usual objection that impeachment proceedings would tie up congress and create gridlock, he reminded her that Clinton's impeachment took only 2 months in the House and 2 months in the Senate. Although it was sensational, government business went on as usual.

She replied: That was Clinton. Investigating Bush or Cheney would be way more complicated because of the many charges, and might take a year. So there you have it: Bush-Cheney crimes are so massive and convoluted, they can't take the time to investigate them!

Another speaker recalled the history of John Quincy Adams, who served in the House after his single term as President--and he did NOT consider himself above the position. At that time there was a rule against introducing anti-slavery legislation or resolutions. In each  of the eight years he served, he did introduce such bills anyway, and was widely ridiculed. But each year he got a few more votes. In the eighth year, a bill passed. (Sorry, I don't remember details. One of you history buffs could help?)

LOBBYING OUR LEGISLATORS
Three of us who arrived together are 34th LD PCOs: me, "Janet" and "Nancy". "Jill" was a newbie who did not know her senator or even her district.

Erik's staffer helped Jill find her district and Senator. It was Jeanne Kohl-Welles of the 36th, who is one of the impeachment resolution's co-sponsors.  Jill left a thank-you note for her senator.

Senator Erik Poulsen was on the floor. We left notes for him although we had all written earlier, asking him to consider supporting the resolution. I added that this was the first time I'd paid him a visit.

FIRST LETDOWN
On our way out, we ran into our Rep, Eileen Cody, wearing a large red hat, symbol of the "Red Hat Society" of fun-loving over-50 women. She recognized us `cause we are active in the 34th, and one of us once ran for office. We told her were in town for the demonstration. "Which one is that?" she asked. "There's a demonstration here just about every day, sometimes two." We asked her how she felt about the impeachment resolution. "It won't get out of the senate," she shrugged.

One of us expounded on her reasons for supporting the resolution. "You're naïve," Eileen chuckled. That remark did not go over well at all. "Janet" brought up Greg Nickels deciding to form a mayors' version of the Kyoto Protocol that was not supported by the U.S. government; that was called naïve but he accomplished it. After a bit of unproductive back and forth parrying, we parted.

It seems Eileen Cody doesn't agree with our concerns, our strategy, and doesn't have "The Vision Thing". That's all right, I guess. I'm sure she's a good person, she knows healthcare issues, she's practical, she's effective in her niche, maybe she likes working out the wonky details of local bills.

But you know what? She laughed us off. That's what we'll remember. We made an effort to show up from out of town on a weekday and ask her about an issue monumentally important to us; she looked at our earnest, worried faces and laughed us off. That means she also laughed off people like Col. Wright, Eric Oemig, and thousands of people who signed the petition.

Hey Eileen, next time at least pretend to take your constituents seriously.

ANOTHER LETDOWN: TURNOUT
There might've been 200-250 people at the rally...many of them I recognize from Seattle. That had to have been disappointing to the organizers. Yes, it is a weekday afternoon...many people can't take off work to travel to another city. But what about the famously liberal Olympia residents and college students? Could they not have taken a long lunch hour to show up for this? I don't get it.

ANOTHER LETDOWN: JAY INSLEE & ERIC OEMIG ON KCTS
A PBS news show gave the impeachment controversy about 30 minutes.

Jay Inslee is telegenic. No doubt why he appeared as the spokeman for the publicly anti-resolution trifecta: himself, Patty Murray and Gov. Gregoire. Eric Oemig was heard only as a voice.

Jay said:"If anyone wants to fight President Bush & Vice President Cheney, they will have to stand in line behind me, Patty Murray, Jim McDermott and the other WA legislators in D.C. We voted against the war, and have been fighting to stop it ever since. And we haven't been shy about it either!"

Funny how he left out the name of Maria Cantwell, there...probably a wise decision. And to put Patty Murray in the same category as Jim McDermott is quite a stretch. Yeah, she's been wringing her hands ever since 2002, but...

Jay didn't mention the other aspects of the unitary exec's power that have gone unchallenged: the human rights abuses; manipulation of intelligence; illegal signing statements; the list goes on. A deliberate reluctance to connect the dots, IMO.

"TELL him, Eric!" I said out loud.

But no! The voice of Eric Oemig on the TV was NOT the voice of the confident, inspiring, visionary Oemig I heard at the EFOR event a few weeks ago, nor even the somewhat more subdued Oemig at the rally this afternoon. It was the voice of a chastized man - a man who's lost confidence. The voice of a man with his arm twisted behind his back?

If you heard it and think I'm exaggerating, please say so! I'd like to hear another interpretation.

Eric started off shaky; he hesitated and stammered...seemingly searching for words that would not be confrontational nor controversial.

He fell all over himself to heap praise on Inslee and the other WA electeds Leading The Fight in the U.S. House and Senate...hailed their heroic efforts to end the war and combat Repub abuses of power.

As for the WA State legislature: he listed their many, many important priorities...energy conservation ...transportation...protecting the environment...education...health care...we want to do it all...of course; occasionally though we have a bill naming the State Amphibian, heh...

Eric explained the Impeachment Resolution as an attempt to fulfill requests from those people who elected him, constituents who felt their voices were not being heard, who needed to vent their feelings in public hearings...

Hey. That is NOT what I heard him say before, when he made it clear that HE was excited to do this, that HE was convinced that nothing was more important. Now...his tone was dispirited.

Inslee's response to all this [my interpretation]: "That's fine, you can do whatever in your state hearings to make frustrated people feel better, but don't interfere with federal government business. We'll let you go this time, but don't let it happen again. Cause trust us, we ARE working on stopping the Iraq war."

We really are. Hopefully before the first strike on Iran that starts the third Bush-Cheney war. Then we'll try to stop THAT war.

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WHAT HAPPENED? It's not hard to imagine what happened. Murray, Inslee, and Gregoire united to deliver a major SMACKDOWN to the new, idealistic, upstart state legislator. Eric may now be humbled, on his way to a appropriate level of cynicism. Or maybe not.

UPDATE: This is only speculation. I don't know if I'm being unfair to Inslee, Oemig or anyone else. Please correct me if you believe otherwise.
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I almost forgot: the call-ins.

Caller 1: This is not appropriate for the legislature, it's a waste of time, we need to focus on local issues.
Caller 2: (insert quavery grandma voice) "Impeachment? I'm afraid we'd be stuck with Dick Cheney!"

Did anyone see the rest? Did ANYONE call in pro-impeachment? I just could not tolerate any more.