Article: Strategy for meeting with Congresspeople on impeachment

Congresspeople have two offices, a congressional office, which handles their current business, and a campaign office, which handles their upcoming election, which occurs every two years. Staying in Congress is a prime goal, as committee assignments and power depend on seniority,- the number of times the person is re-elected. Therefore, the campaign office is ongoing. Often the same staff covers both offices locally.

Wearing their member-of-Congress hat, Representatives (Reps) are careful what they say, since anything can be taken as a commitment, a pledge to vote a certain way on a given bill. As campaigners, they are much freer to talk about goals and beliefs. Therefore, we want to talk to the campaign staff whenever possible.

Our goal is to build a powerful grassroots impeachment movement that will culminate in November, sweeping a reform- probably Democratic- Congress into office. Impeachment is the ideal issue to rally the Democratic rank-and-file, which will pressure the Democratic leadership.

We want the movement to build slowly enough that the election will take place, and the Republicans won't panic and force Bush and Cheney out beforehand, to be replaced by the Republican Speaker of the House. The White House would remain in the hands of the most corrupt, power hungry cabal that this country has ever seen. We also don't want them to impose martial law as a way to stay in power.

If, however, Bush and Cheney manage to ride it out until November, and count on dirty tricks to keep control of Congress, the impeachment movement can build explosively just beforehand, giving us a Democratic, impeachment oriented Congress. If we play it right, it will be like a firestorm, overpowering anything they can pull. Then the Republicans will be forced out, and be replaced by a reform Democrat in the White House, who could start to clean up the mess and head us in the right direction.

Therefore, our goal in meeting with Congressional staff at this time is to ask them to make impeachment a campaign issue. Because of the repressive atmosphere in Washington, we can only ask the Rep. to move a little on this right now. Ask that they mention the possibility of impeachment in campaign literature and speeches. Ask that they work with our citizens' group behind-the-scenes: steer us to mailing lists and money, place our group link on their website, help us to organize events, arrange for the candidate/incumbent to speak at our events.

If your Congressperson is basically for impeachment, press him/her to be more public. If he/she is a Bush supporter, point out that impeachment is a judicial, not a political process, and that there is enough prime facie evidence for high crimes and misdemeanors to warrant an investigation. Put the Rep on notice that many of the constituents want impeachment. If he/she is a fence-sitter, the Rep will be impressed with our organization and commitment to impeachment.

Make the contact ongoing; meet with staff every month or two.

Let's build this movement!

Isaiah 43: 19See, I am doing something new!
Now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
In the desert I make a way,
in the wasteland, rivers.
http://www.usccb.org/nab/021906.shtml

Impeachment is peaceful, legal and democratic.

In the name of the Prince of Peace, Carol Wolman