Liberal Press spews TRUTH

This opinion piece came from the Seattle PI, a newspaper that has suddenly impacted my vow to never spend money on another newspaper. I will definitely pick up a copy each day for a couple weeks, and if there is real news in there, I might go for a subscription.

There are 283 comments at the end of this piece that make very interesting reading. Go Read

Impeachment: If not now, when?
Lawmakers need to stand up for the Constitution and support impeachment

By LINDA BOYD
GUEST COLUMNIST

The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors. -- Article II, Section 4

On Nov. 6, Rep. Dennis Kucinich introduced articles of impeachment against Vice President Dick Cheney on the floor of the House of Representatives. For one shining moment the will of the majority of Americans and the promise of this nation's founders were truly represented.

The detailed charges were solemnly read from the House podium and televised on C-Span. House Democratic Leader Steny Hoyer made a motion to table the bill. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi lobbied hard for votes to table.

In a stunning turnaround, House Republicans changed strategy and voted decisively to prevent tabling the impeachment resolution.

Pelosi was defied by 85 Democratic members who voted against tabling the impeachment resolution. This includes John Conyers, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, and six committee members. The resolution was quickly voted back to the Judiciary Committee, where it is not resting quietly.

Judiciary Committee member Bob Wexler wrote, "The American people are served well with a legitimate and thorough impeachment inquiry. I will urge the Judiciary Committee to schedule impeachment hearings immediately and not let this issue languish as it has over the last six months. Only through hearings can we begin to correct the abuses of Dick Cheney and the Bush administration."

Impeachment is squarely on the table, and momentum is building. A year ago, almost no elected official breathed the word impeachment. Now impeachment has hit the House floor, and our electeds have gone on record. Millions of Americans are demanding an end to executive abuse of power.

After six years of state of emergency, the Patriot Act, the Military Commissions Act, continual war and occupations, our Constitution is deeply in crisis. Americans are in danger of losing our system of government and civil rights if they do not roll back the Bush administration's assault on the rule of law.

Allowing Cheney and George W. Bush to finish their terms without being impeached means future presidents are free to copy their lawless behavior. Of course many important issues deserve the attention of Congress. But the Constitution is the foundation of our democracy, not just an issue. Without the Constitution, we have nothing.

Polls show that 74 percent of Democrats and the majority of American adults support impeaching Cheney. "Never in our history have the high crimes and misdemeanors been so flagrant, and the people of our country know it," writes local author Richard Behan.

Kucinich has targeted Cheney first, but investigations will implicate the president as well. For the first time in the history of the Gallup Poll, 50 percent of respondents say they "strongly disapprove" of the president. Richard Nixon had reached the previous high, 48 percent, just before an impeachment inquiry was launched in 1974. With these numbers, why aren't Bush and Cheney gone already?

The vice president is accused of:

· purposely manipulating intelligence to fabricate a threat of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction in order to justify an attack on Iraq;

· deceiving Congress about an alleged relationship between Iraq and al-Qaida;

· threatening aggression against the Republic of Iran, absent any real threat to the United States.

These violations of the Constitution and international treaty are just the tip of the iceberg. More articles of impeachment can be added at any time, and ample evidence to convict is on the public record. Representatives need to introduce articles regarding:

· illegal war, in violation of both international treaty and the Constitution;

· widespread domestic wiretapping in violation of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, a felony. Bush already has admitted to this;

· condoning torture in violation of federal laws and international treaties;

· rescinding habeas corpus, the cornerstone of Western law since the Magna Carta;

· obstruction of justice regarding U.S. attorney firings;

· subversion of the Constitution, abuse of signing statements and rescinding habeas corpus.

It's astounding that our representatives to Congress carry on with business as usual knowing that Americans lack habeas corpus and a working code of law. I want my representative, Dave Reichert, to block the doors of the House until habeas is restored as a basic human right in this nation!

In light of Bush's steady drumbeat for war with Iran, Kucinich said he will consider an impeachment resolution against him.

"Impeachment may well be the only remedy which remains to stop a war of aggression against Iran," he says.

"The most conservative principle of the Founding Fathers was distrust of unchecked power. Centuries of experience substantiated that absolute power corrupts absolutely. The Constitution embraced a separation of powers to keep the legislative, executive and judicial branches in equilibrium," Bruce Fein, a constitutional lawyer and associate deputy attorney general in the Reagan administration, said in the October 2006 edition of Washington Monthly.

If Congress were serious about oversight, there already would be dozens of bills and resolutions calling for impeachment of Bush and Cheney. The "Unitary Executive Theory" violates the principle of balance of power in the Constitution. The president cites this "unitary" power in hundreds of signing statements that say he can ignore laws passed by Congress.

The First, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments are all now subject to the caprice of government officials. The Military Commissions Act allows U.S. citizens to be detained without due process if they are declared enemy combatants. Without our permission, this country has become an exporter of torture.

Congress has failed to provide oversight and exercise its authority to rein in a criminal administration. Only swift action on impeachment can redeem it now. The people have done the heavy work of bringing impeachment forward. Representatives need only ask if the allegations are serious enough to warrant investigations.

George Bush and Dick Cheney promote an imperial presidency. They assert that the executive is the most powerful branch of government, undermining the judiciary and Congress in violation of the Constitution's bedrock principle of shared power among three co-equal branches. This subverts the very nature of our system of government.

"This is an attempt by the president to have the final word on his own constitutional powers, which eliminates the checks and balances that keep the country a democracy. ... That's a big problem because that's essentially a dictatorship," Fein said.

Washington For Impeachment and Citizens to Impeach Bush and Cheney are working to inform the public, collect signatures to petitions, provide forums, and lobby representatives. Washington was the second state to sponsor a bill for impeachment in the state Legislature.

Washington State Democratic organizations have passed resolutions in 11 Democratic legislative districts, five counties and the Washington State Democratic Central Committee. Jay Inslee, D-Bainbridge Island, has received impeachment resolutions from almost every legislative district within his congressional district. When will he represent the will of his constituents and honor his oath to protect the Constitution?

The national movement to impeach is a non-partisan effort to restore the Constitution and the rule of law. People across the political spectrum can unite to preserve the Constitution and civil liberties given to us by the founders. Impeachment is the peaceful, orderly, constitutionally prescribed way to rid ourselves of a lawless administration.

The issue is not about removing Bush and Cheney as much as it is about preserving the Constitution and redeeming the office of the executive. The Constitution is the contract of governance between the people and the government. What happens when major portions of the contract are violated?

Congress has failed to call the president and vice president to account, so citizens must turn up the heat. Members of Congress who fail to demand investigations are covering for criminals. Every elected official has sworn an oath to "support and protect the Constitution from all enemies foreign and domestic." Anything less than impeachment and a full repudiation of the Bush administration's crimes and violations of the law is a dereliction of duty and a betrayal of the public trust.

If we want our democracy back, we need to roll up our sleeves and get to work to clean out the House.

Linda Boyd is director of Washington For Impeachment,
www.washingtonforimpeachment.org. Citizens to Impeach Bush and Cheney, in Olympia: www.citizensimpeach.org

Part one of three

This documentary is titled "Earthlings", and it addresses the treatment of animals in modern day American society. It also speaks loudly to the issues surrounding our ability to treat others (individuals, races, and countries) as if they are seperate from us, and our treatment of them will have no lasting consequences.
These three segments are time consuming to watch, but I hope you do, and I hope you find them lifechanging at the very least.

Part two of three

Part three of three

An Offering

My way of apologizing for not being around in a long while (I do cruise through to the links on the sidebar, but my political disgust has overwhelmed my ability to give a good damn. That, of course, will change).

A critical issue

For those of you unable to find the petition I mentioned a couple posts back, the link is on the next line. If you are not ashamed of Jesus, sign the petition and then vote anything but Republican.


Let's REALLY Thank Our Brave Soldiers...

Restore Bush's Cuts to Veterans Benefits!

"Jessica Lynch was near death and severely injured, when rescued, suffering from an injured back, a broken arm, two broken legs, a head laceration, and fractures in both her right ankle, and foot. It is beyond doubt that Jessica will need medical care for a very long time. But what kind of medical care will this hero get from the country she gave so very much for? At the same time Jessica, and thousands, upon thousands, of America's finest were being sent in harms way, Congress was cutting the budget of the VA's Medical Programs for Veterans by $844 million for the next year. To pay for Bush's massive tax cuts for the super rich. Yes, as America's Finest were carrying rifles into combat, our very own government was betraying them, and stabbing them in the back with ink pens, stealing their future Veterans Benefits. To provide Tax Cuts for Corporate America and the super rich." - VetsforJustice.com

More on this page

Democratic Agenda for 10/1/07

I support the Democrats.com Weekly Agenda for 10/1/07:
http://democrats.com/agenda

Join the 85 Members who have signed the Progressive Caucus "Peace Pledge" to oppose any more Iraq funding except to bring our troops safely home before Bush leaves office

Ban Iraq war profiteering and contractor crimes with harsh penalties and strict enforcement; repeal the 2002 Authorization of Use of Military Force in Iraq;
oppose the meaningless Abercrombie-Tanner reporting bill

Oppose Dick Cheney's insane plan to bomb Iran and hold Congressional hearings on Cheney's secret Iran warmongering

Oppose amnesty and immunity for telephone companies that illegally spied on American citizens without a warrant

Oppose Michael Mukasey for Attorney General because he (a) wants to keep Guantanamo open despite the strong objections of the world (b) allow "enhanced interrogation techniques" which is just Bushspeak for torture, an international war crime, and (c) abused material-witness laws to lock up Muslims without charges

Oppose Hans von Spakovsky for FEC Commissioner because of his key role in illegal voter suppression, disciminatory and illegal voter ID laws, the illegal TX redistricting engineered by Tom DeLay, and the stolen election in Florida

Investigate murder of Iraqi civilians by Blackwater by holding Secretary of State Condi Rice and Blackwater CEO Eric Prince in contempt if they refuse to testify before Congress. Demand prosecution of Blackwater employees under the Uniform Code of Military Justice as required by the Graham Amendment

Pass the resolution to condemn Rush Limbaugh for calling troops who are critical of the Iraq Occupation "phony soldiers" and hold Limbaugh accountable by removing his show from Armed Forces Radio. Also condemn Fox News analyst Col. David Hunt for accusing our Generals of "betraying our soldiers ... again"

Override Bush's planned veto of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)

Hold White House officials in contempt of Congress for defying subpoenas requiring their sworn testimony and documents. Since Bush's Justice Department refuses to enforce Congressional subpoenas, Congress must use its "inherent contempt" authority to put White House officials in a DC jail until they comply

Investigate major news exposes:* Newsweek report that Dick Cheney is trying to provoke a war with Iran* Rep. Jane Harman's report that the White House terrorized Congress into legalizing warrantless wiretapping with a bogus threat of an attack on Congress itself* El Pais report that George Bush rejected a plan to let Saddam Hussein go into exile one month before he invaded Iraq, which would have made an invasion unnecessary

Join the 20 co-sponsors of H.Res. 333 to Impeach Dick Cheney for lying about Iraq

How do we really feel?

Take a moment to "speak out"

There is also a petition for restoring Veteran's Benefits at this site that I encourage you to read and sign. Those who serve us deserve no less than a lifetime of care, so step up and let your Representative know where your heart is.


Democratic Agenda for September 24, 2007

I follow the news carefully and I am outraged at the innumerable crimes of the Bush Administration - and the failure of Congress to stop those crimes.

As my Representative in Congress, these are the actions I want you to take this week.

1. Join the 81 Members who have signed the Progressive Caucus "Peace Pledge" to oppose any more Iraq funding except to bring our troops safely home before Bush leaves office. http://afterdowningstreet.org/peacepledge

2. Oppose amnesty and immunity for telephone companies that illegally spied on American citizens without a warrant. http://www.democrats.com/peoplesemailnetwork/114

3. Oppose Michael Mukasey for Attorney General because he (a) wants to keep Guantanamo open despite the strong objections of the world (b) allow "enhanced interrogation techniques" which is just Bushspeak for torture, an international war crime, and (c) abused material-witness laws to lock up Muslims without charges. http://thinkprogress.org/2007/09/24/mukasey-signals-support-for-torture

4. Oppose the Lieberman-Kyl-Graham-Coleman Declaration of War on Iran http://www.democrats.com/stop-the-lieberman-kyl-graham-coleman-declaration-of-war-on-iran

5. Support the Feinstein-Harkin bill to close Guantanamo.

6. Oppose Hans von Spakovsky for FEC Commissioner because of his key role in illegal voter suppression, disciminatory and illegal voter ID laws, the illegal TX redistricting engineered by Tom DeLay, and the stolen election in Florida, all documented here: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/9/21/122027/759

7. Support the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)http://www.firedoglake.com/2007/09/24/morning-cuppa-misplaced-health-priorities

8. Investigate Newsweek's report that Dick Cheney is trying to provoke a war with Iranhttp://www.firedoglake.com/2007/09/24/morning-cuppa-cheneys-war-provocations/

9. Co-sponsor H.Res. 333 to Impeach Dick Cheney for lying about Iraq http://www.democrats.com/peoplesemailnetwork/73

10. Introduce Articles of Impeachment for George Bush for at least 10 egregiously impeachable offenses:http://www.democrats.com/peoplesemailnetwork/88

Stop the junk calls and junk mail

Helpful hints can keep pesky marketers at bay
MARSHALL LOEB; MarketWatch
Published: September 23rd, 2007 01:00 AM


Is your trash can overflowing with catalogues and credit card offers? Don’t just sit there and simmer. Here are some steps for keeping the marketers at bay from Money magazine reporter Ismat Sarah Mangla:

Make your intentions known. Cut back sales calls to your home by signing up for the National Do Not Call Registry (www.donotcall.gov). Stanch the inflow of junk mail by registering your name at the Direct Marketing Association. (www.dmaconsumers.org)

Beware of “privacy policies.” Any time you buy a product that includes a so-called “privacy policy,” watch out: If you ignore it, you may be clearing the way for the company to sell your name and address to other vendors. When you spot one, take the time return it with a note denying permission to share your name.

Stop the cascade of catalogues. Most companies that peddle their products via catalogue get consumers’ names from a database called Abacus, says Mangla. To get your name off their lists, just e-mail optout@abacus.us.com.

Block credit card offers. Save yourself the trouble of shredding prescreened credit card offers by visiting Optoutprescreen.com, a joint venture of the credit-reporting agencies Equifax, TransUnion and Experian.

This article was borrowed from the Tacoma News Tribune

Let’s Impeach The pResident

Support the Troops

DLC speed bump for progressive agenda

After watching Rahm Emanuel and the DLC Democrats take credit for the Howard Dean strategy leading up to the 2006 elections, I have been curious about the true colors of the DLC. A lot of this information is pre-2006 election, but the underlying concept comes out loud and clear. Getting corporate money out of our election process is going to be more of a challenge than I realized.

Some of these Senators and Representatives are too deep in the mire to be extracted and cleaned off, so the only option is to support and elect true progressives. If your politician is on the DLC membership list, take a long hard look at their voting tendencies and decide if you are willing to put them back into office. Remember, some of this info is outdated…

http://illinois062006.mydd.com/story/2006/5/27/55951/1586

Brian Baird, U.S. Representative,WA
Max Baucus, U.S. Senator, MT
Evan Bayh, U.S. Senator, IN
Melissa Bean, United States Representative, IL
Shelley Berkley, U.S. Representative, NV
Maria Cantwell, U.S. Senator, WA
Lois Capps, U.S. Representative, CA
Russ Carnahan, U.S. Representative, MO
Tom Carper, U.S. Senator, DE
Ed Case, U.S. Representative, HI
Ben Chandler, U.S. Representative, KY
Hillary Clinton, U.S. Senator, NY
Kent Conrad, U.S. Senator, ND
Joseph Crowley, U.S. Representative, NY
Jim Davis, U.S. Representative, FL
Artur Davis, U.S. Representative, AL
Susan Davis, U.S. Representative, CA
Christopher Dodd, U.S. Senator, CT
Byron Dorgan, U.S. Senator, ND
Rahm Emanuel, U.S. Representative, IL
Eliot Engel, U.S. Representative, NY
Bob Etheridge, U.S. Representative, NC
Dianne Feinstein, U.S. Senator, CA
Harold Ford, Jr. , U.S. Representative, TN
Charlie Gonzalez, United States Representative, TX
Jane Harman, U.S. Representative, CA
Stephanie Herseth, U.S. Representative, SD
Rush Holt, U.S. Representative, NJ
Darlene Hooley, U.S. Representative, OR
Jay Inslee, U.S. Representative, WA
Steve Israel, U.S. Representative, NY
Tim Johnson, U.S. Senator, SD
John Kerry, U.S. Senator, MA
Ron Kind, U.S. Representative, WI
Herb Kohl, U.S. Senator, WI
Mary Landrieu, U.S. Senator, LA
Rick Larsen, U.S. Representative, WA
John Larson, U.S. Representative, CT
Joe Lieberman, U.S. Senator, CT
Blanche Lincoln, U.S. Senator, AR
Carolyn McCarthy, U.S. Representative, NY
Mike McIntyre, U.S. Representative, NC
Gregory Meeks, U.S. Representative, NY
Charlie Melancon, United States Representative, LA
Juanita Millender-McDonald, U.S. Representative, CA
Jim Moran, U.S. Representative, VA
Bill Nelson, U.S. Senator, FL
Ben Nelson, U.S. Senator, NE
David Price, U.S. Representative, NC
Mark Pryor, U.S. Senator, AR
Loretta Sanchez, U.S. Representative, CA
Adam B. Schiff, U.S. Representative, CA
Allyson Schwartz, U.S. Representative, PA
David Scott, U.S. Representative, GA
Adam Smith, U.S. Representative, WA
Vic Snyder, United States Representative, AR
Debbie Stabenow, U.S. Senator, MI
Ellen Tauscher, U.S. Representative, CA
Tom Udall, U.S. Representative, NM
David Wu, U.S. Representative, OR

This is must read stuff:

http://rightweb.irc-online.org/profile/1463

http://spacetimecurves.blogspot.com/2004/12/unsurprising-bedfellows.html

http://www.davidsirota.com/2004/12/attack-of-dlc.html

http://www.blogforamerica.com/view/22047

Ron Paul packs Hannity's fudge

I am not advocating for Ron Paul, but it does my heart good to see anyone make Hannity whine. In this exchange following Ron Paul's run-away debate win, Hannity gets the final points needed for his "Stupidest Blusterfuck on Earth" merit badge.

We are so in the dark (and it promises to get darker)

A nugget from Booman Tribune

by Larry Johnson

Wed Sep 5th, 2007 at 05:11:26 PM EST


Why the hubbub over a B-52 taking off from a B-52 base in Minot, North Dakota and subsequently landing at a B-52 base in Barksdale, Louisiana? That’s like getting excited if you see postal worker in uniform walking out of a post office. And how does someone watching a B-52 land identify the cruise missiles as nukes? It just does not make sense.

So I called a old friend and retired B-52 pilot and asked him. What he told me offers one compelling case of circumstantial evidence. My buddy, let’s call him Jack D. Ripper, reminded me that the only times you put weapons on a plane is when they are on alert or if you are tasked to move the weapons to a specific site.

Then he told me something I had not heard before.

Barksdale Air Force Base is being used as a jumping off point for Middle East operations. Gee, why would we want cruise missile nukes at Barksdale Air Force Base. Can’t imagine we would need to use them in Iraq. Why would we want to preposition nuclear weapons at a base conducting Middle East operations?

His final point was to observe that someone on the inside obviously leaked the info that the planes were carrying nukes. A B-52 landing at Barksdale is a non-event. A B-52 landing with nukes. That is something else.

Now maybe there is an innocent explanation for this? I can’t think of one. What is certain is that the pilots of this plane did not just make a last minute decision to strap on some nukes and take them for a joy ride. We need some tough questions and clear answers. What the hell is going on? Did someone at Barksdale try to indirectly warn the American people that the Bush Administration is staging nukes for Iran? I don’t know, but it is a question worth asking.

Discovered at Left Edge North

If you can't do something, do nothing

I don't really know what works and what doesn't, but I do know that there is a way to feel like you are contributing.

Fill up on gas and groceries prior to the 11th, and get your sign put together the night before. This date falls on a Tuesday, so it will be evident that the people are having a say...especially if there is little to no vehicle traffic out there, and lots of foot traffic.

If you want to prep a little, go watch Zeitgeist The Movie

Election Memories 1 of 3

These three videos are merely reminders of what has been and what will continue to be unless we go back to hand counted paper ballots for future elections. Video 3 of 3 is about 28 minutes long, but the conversation is the point.

We are a vast number of people being herded by the power brokers of the world. Until George W. Bush slithered into the White House, we were generally content to live our lives without the thought of raising too much hell...but he is overly greedy and ambitious, which has made going along with the flow much more painful than ever before. Point made.

Now, pay attention

Election Memories 2 of 3

I would have liked to post the original "Dan Rather Reports" segment, but this is all I could find on Youtube

Election Memories 3 of 3

Had enough yet?

http://whenthesaints.org/press.php

On the eve of the second anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, Director Robert Greenwald and Brave New Foundation join together with a coalition of social justice groups from across the country to launch When The Saints Go Marching In. The three minute YouTube video reveals the devastating reality of hurricane survivors still struggling to rebuild their lives and the amazing hope they maintain about the future.

When The Saints Go Marching In launched today and can be seen at WhenTheSaints.org. The video is spreading rapidly across the internet with the help of partner groups like Plenty, ColorOfChange.org, and Think New Orleans. When The Saints Go Marching In includes footage of NOLA residents working to make the city home again, and ends with a call to action for viewers to urge the Senate to pass Senator Chris Dodd’s (D-CT) Gulf Coast Recovery Bill (S. 1668).
Please sign the petition here.

This entire post was copied from Crooks and Liars