Washblog

I am submitting the following resolution to the 41st Democrats LD meeting tonight in Bellevue:

http://truthsite.org/politics/ImpeachmentResolution.pdf

Furthermore, I've submitted the following guest editorial to the Seattle Times.

Even as the Bush Administration beats the drums for an insane war against Iran, Congress stands by and wrings their hands. Republicans (except for supporters of Ron Paul) continue to walk lock step behind their leaders, while many Democrats in Congress warn against excessive partisanship.

Are people numb to the truth?

This Administration has tortured in violation of the Geneva Convention; lied about the reasons for attacking Iraq;  lied about Iran's nuclear program; pursued an unjustified and disastrous war that has killed hundreds of thousands of civilians and nearly 4000 US soldiers; ignored and, by their incompetence, aided the real terrorists responsible for 9/11; committed the nation to years of expensive, debilitating conflict in Iraq; engaged in illegal wiretapping; held prisoners without trial; weakened our constitutional protections; corrupted federal agencies; handed out no-bid contracts to politically connected companies; outed a CIA agent; politicized the Justice Department; suppressed inconvenient evidence; withdrawn from numerous international treaties; bungled the Hurricane Katrina recovery effort; stolen elections; used signing statements to circumvent the will of Congress; engaged in obsessive secrecy; obstructed investigations; destroyed evidence; increased media concentration; exploited fear and patriotism for cynical ends; bankrupted the country; transferred hundreds of billions of dollars to the super-rich; bungled foreign, energy and environmental policies; and ignored the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and oil dependence that are the ultimate causes of terrorism and war.                                                                                                                
Given these offenses, and given Congress's failure to stop the craziness, it's no wonder that Congress' approval ratings are lower even than the President's.  Indeed, many progressives are ready to abandon the Democratic Party. Likewise, many grassroots Republicans are fed up with their leadership and are supporting protest candidates.

But there is hope that the Administration will be held accountable . Over two dozen House members have announced support for impeachment hearings against Vice-President Cheney (House Resolution 333); and Washington State Senators Oemig, Regala, Kohl-Welles, Kline, Spanel, Fairley, Kauffman, Fraser, and Prentice are introducing State Joint Memorial 8016, a resolution to request impeachment hearings against both Bush and Cheney.                                                                                                                
Some Democrats oppose impeachment because they think hearings would be a distraction from the issues that really matter. Doesn't Iran matter? Congressional Democrats have failed to end the war, failed to override the SCHIP veto, and failed to reverse the Administration's many regressive policies. About all they've "accomplished" is to condemn their ally MoveOn.org and earn themselves even lower support than the President.

Some Democrats argue that pursuing impeachment would generate sympathy for the administration, allowing the Republicans to win in November.  But the Republican impeachment of Clinton led to the (contested) defeat of Gore in 2000. Moreover, the Bush Administration has been caught red-handed again and again for matters much more consequential than sex in the Oval Office.  Administration culpability provides the Democrats with an opportunity to decimate support for the GOP.

For years the Republicans engaged in the dirtiest political tricks and the brashest rigging of elections. Why this sudden undeserved bipartisanship on the part of the Democrats?

Republicans too, if they can see beyond short term party loyalty, must realize that their party will suffer at the polls for its loyalty to the Administration.

In any case, such crass electoral calculations pale in comparison to the constitutional and ethical issues in question.  Impeachment is simply not a partisan issue. Indeed, Bruce Fein, a prominent Republican jurist who pursued impeachment of Clinton, has spoken powerfully of the need for all Americans to call this Administration into account and defend the rule of law.  

Some opponents of impeachment argue that "the votes just aren't there," especially in the Senate. But it's a good bet that support for the Administration will evaporate after Congress begins impeachment hearings. Impeachment by the House is like an indictment, and the purpose of hearings is to examine the evidence. Once the lies and crimes are confirmed under oath, even Republicans will abandon the Administration.  This is precisely what happened during the Watergate hearings.  

Even if the Senate were unable to convict, investigations will expose the truth, weaken the Administration, and deter future administrations from similar shenanigans. If Congress gives up without trying, they are being derelict in their highest duty, which is to defend the Constitution and hold even leaders accountable to the rule of law.  

by ThinkerFeeler on Wed Jan 16, 2008 at 01:42:53 PM PST

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hopefully some of us recall how our DC strategic ... ha ha ha

geniuses said to back off from impeachment cuz ...

there was so much more caving into fascists to accomplish?

Should we all send diapers to Jay and Patty so they won't have to worry about peeee-ing their pants over Democrats having spines?

rmm.

http://www.liemail.com/BambooGrassroots.html

by rmdSeaBos on Wed Jan 16, 2008 at 03:59:53 PM PST

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I remember the cloying tentative and timidity-based party arguments about how Impeachment would be a waste of time and how Pelosi said Impeachment was off that table.

...as if she and the spineless wonders had more important tasks to accomplish. In reality they had much more important task from which they repeatedly backed down ... again and again.

Like, how did Lincoln feel when he asked his general who wouldn't fight ... "If you're not using the Army I'd like to borrow it."

Chris Hedges recently said it best and defines why a serious Impeachment attempt, whether successful or not or whether there's time or not ... is absolutely the medicine this civics-challenged citizenry needs.

Impeachment would be like electro-shock, the cathartic that could awaken a country back to its original legitimate values.

And no, we have no more important tasks regardless of who thinks Republicans could take back congress if we divert ourselves with Impeachment.

The energy needs to go there ... more than to electing any specific democrat at any specific national or state level.

[Excerpt]

Bush will have flown from Israel to Palestine to Kuwait to Bahrain to the United Arab Emirates to Saudi Arabia to Egypt in search of a legacy, one that he hopes will lift up his name in history.

But, isolated and deluded, he has yet to grasp that he and the United States are reviled and detested for our violence, arrogance and greed. The bands played on the tarmac. He was toasted at state dinners. But even our allies, including Kuwait and Egypt, know Bush is a danger to himself and others.

... It is the end of the road for George Bush.

The world takes less and less notice of him.

He strutted and swaggered across the stage.

He bellowed and raged. He plundered and murdered.

And now he wants to be anointed as a peacemaker.

His presidency, like his life, has been a tragic waste. But he at least he has a life.

There are tens of thousands of mute graves in Gaza, Lebanon, Iraq and Afghanistan that stand as stark testaments to his true legacy.

If he wants to redeem his time in office he should kneel before one and ask for forgiveness.

Arthur
You sure you ain't staking too much on yer theories? Not enough common sense?

by Arthur Ruger on Wed Jan 16, 2008 at 07:02:17 PM PST

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was a blast. Pam Roach totally lost it. See my report here

by On Puget Sound on Fri Jan 18, 2008 at 01:51:18 AM PST

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in that we are both military families.  I am referring to the recent impeachment hearings in Olympia where Sen. Pam Roach (R-Auburn)appeared to deliver her objection to the action of impeachment hearing.  Her objection seemed to be to the hearing taking place in state building as improper use of state resources, and to notify of her intent to register official objection.  Her objection was noted by the chair of the proceedings and the chair was ready to move on with permitting additional testimony.  Sen. Roach again asked for recognition from the chair to make some additional comments. It is those comments that compel me to make comment of my own.

Sen Roach has a son in the military, Capt John Adams Roach, USAF.  At the impeachment hearing she showed a photo of him with comments that some in the legislature, including herself, believe 'we' (I take that to mean the U.S. Administration orders for the U.S. military to be deployed in Afghanistan and Iraq)are doing some good things in freeing people who would otherwise be in bondage.

That there is great loss of life, and that her son will deploy next September and she will be down on her knees praying.  She wanted people testifying to know he and others are real and this hearing is a disgrace.

I would wish for Sen. Pam Roach to know that we, as well, are a military family, with two in our family who are returning Iraq veterans, having served the first 'extended' (stop-loss) deployments March 2003 - August 2004.  And one is currently deployed now in Iraq in his second extended (stop-loss) 15 month deployment.  That he is not scheduled to return home until March or April 2009.  His family (my daughter and three grandchildren)await with great trepidation his return.  I do hope she is praying now for our loved ones and I am willing to pray for her son when he deploys.  

It seems that it always falls out this way, a military family will hold one view while another military family will hold another view and what strikes me as the commonality that binds us is that we are, in fact, military families with loved ones who have deployed or are deployed or will deploy to Iraq and Afghanistan.  Let's hope not also in Iran. The difference in viewpoints as military families is not as much at issue as the fact of being military families and supporting one another even with variances in viewpoints.  

In that vein, I support that Sen. Pam Roach passionately believed she had a message to deliver at the impeachment hearing.  However, so did the people giving testimony feel passionately about the messages they were delivering at the hearing.   As well several of those giving testimony are military veterans.  I think it may have been somewhat disgraceful for the Senator to use strong language of calling the action of the hearing a disgrace when it was veterans who were giving voice to their own passionate message and assuredly earned and deserve the opportunity to do so having put their own lives in harms way in past military service.  

For myself, I passionately support the actions of the group who were representative of WA legislators, citizens and military veterans in giving voice to the principle of calling for hearing to explore impeachment investigation.

My understanding from my history being raised ub military family and being a young military wife during Vietnam when my own young husband was deployed into war is the triangular model of accountability that flows between all three points.

The Commander-in-Chief is accountable to the U.S. military and to the American people; the U.S. military is accountable to the American people and the Commander-in-Chief; and the American people are accountable to the U.S. military and Commander-in-Chief. This Commander-in-Chief and Administration has betrayed and violated that  contractual understanding and agreement as provided by the Constitution.  

This Administration and Congress are accountable for their decision to initiate war and deploy the U.S. troops into war.  It is encumbant upon the American people (citizens) to examine and re-examine that decision with an expectation of their Constitutional right to hold the Commander-in-Chief accountable.  I believe the context of the impeachment hearing held in Olympia in the 2008 Legislative sesion served that function --- passionately.  

I respect all who participated as exercising exactly what it is purported that our people in uniform are sent to war to fight for - the democracy of this Republic and the Constitution to which their military oaths require they give oath to firstmost.  Similar to the oath of office, identifying first the Constiturion of which  Senators and Legislators are required to take upon taking office.  

It seems to me that while Sen. Pam Roach has an obligation of stewardship of WA state resources, she as well has an obligation to exercise her oath  of office to the Constitution and support the actions of the citizens who do call into question the decision of the Commander-in-Chief and initiate the Constitutionally provided for recourse actions required of citizens in requiring accountability of the Administration - the President/Commander-in-Chief and in this instance, the Vice President.  

I well know how passionate one can be as a military family with loved ones deployed to war.  Assuredly Sen. Pam Roach demonstrates her passion as a military family, as mother of a son who will deploy into war.  I speak out as a military family, and that breaks with the long tradition of the culture of military families to keep their stoic silence. I speak out to state that the actions that initated this war and deployed our U.S. military (my loved ones) into war was a questionable decision and action at best.

I need for U.S. citizens to challenge and question the action of any President/Commander-in-Chief/Administration who initates war and deploys U.S. military into harms way.  For citizens to do less is to abdicate their own responsibility and accountability.  I suggest for Sen. Pam Roach, she as well, as a military family, and as a Senator needs U.S. citizens to take their responsibilities seriously and exercise what the Constitution has provided for - what our people in uniform have fought for as worthy of their very lives.  That this impeachment hearing in WA state was hardly a disgrace, rather it was honorable, courageous.  

Citizens acting on the principles of duty, honor, courage, and respect, are not unlike the principles instilled in our people in uniform.  It is a three way partnership and an interaction that needs to be exercised lest it be lost completely.  For the interaction and interplay to be lost or unavailable to exercise would hardly then reflect the values and principles of this country as it continues to find definitions in what it means to be a democratic republic.  I would wish for my son-in-law who has been deployed to Iraq and is there now, to hold dear those principles since it is his life he will lose in so defending the principles of the United States of America as defined by it's citizens.

I believe my son-in-law, doing the work of what is called a 'good soldier' would endorse the actions of people who brought forth this impeachment hearing in WA state as part of the principles for which he believes he is a soldier. And as a 'good soldier', he would withhold his own opinion and offer that indeed the right to request a hearing to investigate impeachment is a part of the values and principles he has been taught is what the U.S. military defends.  If that is not the case, then there needs to be accountability, and it is the citizens who must demand it.  

On the Surge in Iraq "--we have set the bar so low it's buried in the sand at this point." - Barack Obama

by Lietta Ruger on Sat Jan 19, 2008 at 12:32:42 PM PST

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