Me: Mr. Murtha... the Constitution doesn't say to avoid impeachment because it's a laborious process. The Constitution doesn't say don't impeach because a committee must look into it. The Constitution says it's Congress' responsibility to conduct proper oversight of the Executive Branch and to take action upon suspicion of an impeachable offense. Not pursuing impeachment because the process is troublesome should constitute a dereliction of duty.
MURTHA: "The country can't stand another impeachment."
Me: Really, sir? Is it better that the entire world believes we approve of the actions of Mr. Bush by allowing him to remain in office when our highly touted Constitution, the globe's pre-eminent foundation for Democracy, provides the where-with-all with which to remove him? Do you truly believe our country is better served by permitting the lies, deceits and unConstitutional acts of the Bush administration to continue than it would be if you launched the investigations necessary to determine if they had committed impeachable acts?
MURTHA: "They [Americans] were mislead. I think there was a mis-characterization. I think they [the Bush Administration] continue to mis-characterize this war and that's the biggest mistake they could make. When you lose the confidence of the public you have a real problem here."
Me: A real problem. A lying administration that has sacrificed its own military. A lying administration that has depleted the financial resources of the nation. A lying administration that report after report (the latest National Intelligence Estimate, the latest bipartisan Congressional Report on Iraq), and book after book (Bob Woodward's "State of Denial," Thomas E. Ricks' "Fiasco" among others) recall despicable, likely impeachable act after despicable, likely impeachable act.
MURTHA: "Let's measure the incidents, all those kind of things. That's the way you measure it [the performance of the administration]. They keep saying it's a rosy scenario. They're doing the same thing in Afghanistan now. The President's speech on Afghanistan is another scenario where eventually it's not going to go that way and we're going to have a real problem in Afghanistan, I think."
Me: Tell me, Mr. Murtha. As a highly respected member of Congress, a war hero, the trusted voice of the military, when is it time to honor your Constitutional duties and proceed with impeachment? Before our 3,000th hero has died? Before we attack Iran? Before we attack North Korea or Venezuela? Or before an angry world attacks us???
End of imaginary conversation...
It is understandable during this contentious lead-up to the 2006 elections that politicians, both Democrat and Republican, temper what they say. That is what politicians do.
As a progressive democrat, my hope is to redeem this nation I love. My hope is that this November our nation is rescued from the criminals who control it and returned to the hands of a newly elected Democratic majority.
As an American, party aside, my even greater hope is that somehow those in power, regardless of party affiliation, become simply American. That they do all that is necessary to put this nation back on track to regain national and international respect and honor. That they recognize the worth of other nations. That they become part of the full world order and sign on to global initiatives to save the environment and the planet. That they join the International Criminal Court. That they commit to saving the continent of Africa. That they do all that is necessary to stop the genocide in Darfur and take preventive measures to discourage future genocides. That they protect the rights and honor of women worldwide. That they create an equal and balanced policy to solve the problems of the middle east. That war is not the answer. That they abandon the ideology that the ways of America must dictate the ways of the world. That they abandon their crusade for religious domination. That American exceptionalism fades away. That they become humble... and human.
But first and foremost, that they impeach and imprison George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Condoleeza Rice, Donald Rumsfeld, Karl Rove, Paul Wolfewitz, and every other sociopath who has committed unConstitutional acts that diminish this nation and disfigure and endanger the world.
MURTHA: "The country can't stand another impeachment."
Me: Really, sir? Is it better that the entire world believes we approve of the actions of Mr. Bush by allowing him to remain in office when our highly touted Constitution, the globe's pre-eminent foundation for Democracy, provides the where-with-all with which to remove him? Do you truly believe our country is better served by permitting the lies, deceits and unConstitutional acts of the Bush administration to continue than it would be if you launched the investigations necessary to determine if they had committed impeachable acts?
MURTHA: "They [Americans] were mislead. I think there was a mis-characterization. I think they [the Bush Administration] continue to mis-characterize this war and that's the biggest mistake they could make. When you lose the confidence of the public you have a real problem here."
MURTHA: "Let's measure the incidents, all those kind of things. That's the way you measure it [the performance of the administration]. They keep saying it's a rosy scenario. They're doing the same thing in Afghanistan now. The President's speech on Afghanistan is another scenario where eventually it's not going to go that way and we're going to have a real problem in Afghanistan, I think."
Me: Tell me, Mr. Murtha. As a highly respected member of Congress, a war hero, the trusted voice of the military, when is it time to honor your Constitutional duties and proceed with impeachment? Before our 3,000th hero has died? Before we attack Iran? Before we attack North Korea or Venezuela? Or before an angry world attacks us???
End of imaginary conversation...
It is understandable during this contentious lead-up to the 2006 elections that politicians, both Democrat and Republican, temper what they say. That is what politicians do.
As a progressive democrat, my hope is to redeem this nation I love. My hope is that this November our nation is rescued from the criminals who control it and returned to the hands of a newly elected Democratic majority.
As an American, party aside, my even greater hope is that somehow those in power, regardless of party affiliation, become simply American. That they do all that is necessary to put this nation back on track to regain national and international respect and honor. That they recognize the worth of other nations. That they become part of the full world order and sign on to global initiatives to save the environment and the planet. That they join the International Criminal Court. That they commit to saving the continent of Africa. That they do all that is necessary to stop the genocide in Darfur and take preventive measures to discourage future genocides. That they protect the rights and honor of women worldwide. That they create an equal and balanced policy to solve the problems of the middle east. That war is not the answer. That they abandon the ideology that the ways of America must dictate the ways of the world. That they abandon their crusade for religious domination. That American exceptionalism fades away. That they become humble... and human.
But first and foremost, that they impeach and imprison George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Condoleeza Rice, Donald Rumsfeld, Karl Rove, Paul Wolfewitz, and every other sociopath who has committed unConstitutional acts that diminish this nation and disfigure and endanger the world.
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