The Impeachment Of Dick Cheney

Public perception can beat the shit out of political nuance. The Bush Republicans know this and they have abused it for their own nefarious ends. The Democrats, on the other hand, have somehow overlooked this very basic rule of 21st Century American politics, which is a shame since they would more often than not use it for the betterment of the nation.

After all, one year ago yesterday, we elected the Democrats in overwhelming numbers to amplify our screaming voices to a decibel loud enough to penetrate the unchecked corridors of power in Washington -- we hired this party to speak for us and to use this expressed authority to end the war and to hold this historically unpopular executive regime accountable.

To date and with the exception of some admirable investigations by a few standout lawmakers, the Democrats have done nothing to make good on their mandate from you and me.

It was yesterday, on the one year anniversary of the collapse of Karl Rove's thousand-year Reich, when the Democrats subjected themselves to both public embarrassment and public disgrace, and each within a few hours of the other.

The public disgrace was naturally Senator Schumer's and Senator Feinstein's votes to endorse the Bush administration's pro-torture policy. Make no mistake, despite their wet-bread excuses, that's what they did, say nothing of their endorsement of the regime's unitary executive theory. The reality of the committee vote -- the Democrats' failure to hold their voter-mandated high ground -- is what history will remember. Not the excuses.

As for the public embarrassment, I'm referring of course to the floor vote on whether to bury a resolution calling for the impeachment of Vice President Cheney. It was a one act tragic-comedy about how fucked up and bizarre our nation has become this decade -- all of it concentrated into a single hour of legislative insanity on C-SPAN.

Vice President Dick Cheney: the most subversive political villain of our time was let off the hook yesterday and the Democrats did all of the heavy lifting to make it happen. Dick Cheney: a man who has proudly committed innumerable high crimes, among them a trillion dollar fraud perpetrated upon the American people and the world -- a fraud which has resulted in nearly 30,000 American casualties and hundreds of thousands of Iraqi casualties. And now he's trying it again with Iran.

Yet there was Steny Hoyer desperately trying to bury this thing; the Republicans, meantime, overwhelmingly voting in favor of the resolution -- daring the Democrats to make it real.

Sure, you and I understand the backwards strategy behind the political theater. The Republicans thought that a debate on the impeachment of Dick Cheney would embarrass the Democrats. Run away! Run away! They said it'll embarrass us, so I guess it will! Run away!

But this begs the question, what made them believe they'd be embarrassed by the clown-car party of Brownie, Mark Foley, Larry Craig and Alberto Gonzales? Easy. Congressman Boehner made them believe it when he strategically rallied enough GOP votes to force a debate. They literally and brazenly dared the Democrats to allow an impeachment debate on the House floor. See, the Republicans still hold a collection of Democratic balls inside a cryogenic flask hidden somewhere on the Mall.

If only the Democrats were attentive enough to the people to realize that a majority of Americans, including a majority of independent voters, support the impeachment of Dick Cheney, they would've treated the resolution with a little more respect. If they acknowledged their mandate and discarded their predictably impotent political habits, they would have had the mettle to at least debate the resolution and entered into the record their collective objections to the vice president's malfeasance, as well as forced into the record the Republican Party's inexplicable support for the man's attempt to undermine their authority. History demands this.

Instead, by engaging in such an awkwardly amateurish fire drill on the floor of the House, Hoyer managed to inject his misguided capitulation into the national debate. He might not know this, but there exists cable news and internet blogs, both thirsting for material. Now, millions of people know that the House Democrats dropped their short pants and stumbled away from the task of holding the vice president accountable -- their trousers bunched around their ankles restricting normal locomotion -- simply because the Republicans dared them to act.

And so in trying to avoid a so-called public embarrassment, they publicly embarrassed themselves anyway.

The average voter doesn't have the time or the patience to analyze the bullshit parliamentary chess match -- the twisted Möbius Loop Beltway routine of asinus asinum fricat. What people know is that Congressman Kucinich introduced a resolution, symbolic or not, to impeach Dick Cheney, and the Democratic leadership crumbled under the weight of a Republican dare -- the House majority leader barely mustering the hand-eye coordination to kill it.

This is what you get when you acquiesce to the Bush Republicans. Under the new rules of American politics, Bush Republicans don't compromise. They don't meet anyone halfway on the important issues. They push back even harder. Popularity doesn't matter. Polls don't matter. To the neocons and Bush Republicans, logic, compassion, reason and rationality are the stuff of the "faggy" left wing.

When the Democrats acquiesce on torture or impeachment or anything that might reunite them with their balls, they're only succeeding in begging the right's aggression. There won't be any favors returned from the Bush/Cheney right wing. I don't think the Democrats fully understand who they're dealing with. And if they do, well then, how dare they play along. How dare they patronize us with I'm against this but I'm voting for it because I'm smart and important and you wouldn't understand anyway.

You stand up and vote NO on torture, Senator Schumer. You allow a debate about impeaching the vice president, Congressman Hoyer. And you sure as shit don't vote to support the administration's Iran policy, Senator Clinton.

In other words, compromising with the White House won't make the president go all limp and soupy -- it will in fact make him louder and more petulant next time around (more from Kos and AmericaBlog here). So please -- by the power of Grayskull -- stop him! We're begging now. I will be satisfied if I never hear his little-man voice and crackly fake twang ever again -- unless, of course, he's saying, "I will resign the presidency effective at noon tomorrow."

Beyond that, and in the awesome words of Han Solo, "Shut him up or shut him down!"

That's what the American people are expecting. Any failure on that score leaves the Democrats in this pathetic ass-up submissive posture. When it comes down to choice of nuance versus aggression, the answer has to be aggression. Take on those bastards with the fury and tenacity these historically imperative issues demand.

We don't expect hand-holding and mutual masturbation between the Bush Republican White House and the Democratic Congress. No-one has ever assumed the president would compromise on anything anyway. But we assumed -- perhaps wrongly -- that the Democrats would stick him. We expected a fight, and that's why we voted for Democrats a year ago yesterday. And if they should ever decide to collectively stand up and fight, we will gladly elect more of them a year from now.

Comments

[calibpatriot]

The only real solution is for the Democratic Party to get back to the basics. The Democrats must learn to play the Repugnants at their own game.

First of all, they must develope backbone which appears to have atrophied over the past 13 years of being the minority party. The Democrats will be no better than their leadership which, at the present, is nonexistant. The failed so-called leadership, such as Pelosi, Reid, Hoyer, Emanuel, Schumer and Feinstein must be removed from leadership positions and replaced by real leaders who work for the Democratic base, not BushCo.

[ihavenobias]

Exactly. If only the democrats fighting impeachment would fight that hard against Iraq.

Cenk and Wes Clark Jr agree as well:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3O_kdmtJBI

[Chinampas]

Has it occurred to anyone that the elected Democrats knew all along that the US's current direction is the correct one? Maybe that is why they are voting the way they are. Whether people agree or disagree with the war, the US's only option is to continue supporting Iraq's government with our military. We are in this for the long haul, and everyone needs to accept that and support all efforts required to stabalize Irag. What's next? Let Iran aquire a nuclear bomb.

[Deidroni]

Go to capitalnews.org for a video of Kucinich stating his resolution 333 for impeachment.

On that page it is located on "most watched videos". Click on event on Kucinich.

Kucinich has more courage than the rest of the congress put together.

[EyeballKid]

That's a hell of a piece, Bob. You're reading the minds of millions.

As a singular poster, I've been howling this very same tune for way too long, as have many others. It's great that your column got the headline it deserves. The more it's read, the better.

[scooperss]

Hopefully this guy is on the good guys side. Have a look at what he said to the judiciary committee.

http://www.wexler.house.gov/

[bolderdash]

Cesca's article on Impeachment of Dick Cheney, which the Democratic party has failed to capitalize on after the majority of the American people have been waiting for its fight, is all too real.

Sad, but true, the 'progressives' in the Demo party are out-numbered by the moderate-c­onservativ­e 'blue-dogs' in the Congress and the US Senate. The average American on Main Street is more 'progressive' in ideology then our representatives in Congress. Thus, this is where the problem lies.

The Washington D.C. culture is a world within a world, and their business is based on the lobbyist's way of thinking, and where the 'greasing of the palms takes place'...c­aution is in the wind, and promises are made, and moderation is the rule of thumb.

the revolving doors of politician turned lobbyist, and vice versa, is prevalent in Washington D.C., so much to the point, that there is a blur/transparency between who's a Demo or who's a Repub. Who ever holds power, holds the cards, and the Demo leadership want their turn in power so badly to be elected in '08, they are willing to do anything to get it. Even if it means selling out to the highest bidder!

That's the cynical approach that i take...i'v­e come to the realization that the difference between most of the Republicans in Congress to most of the Democrats in Congress today, boils down to either your a Bush/Cheney Republican, or a 'Bush-lite' Democrat..­.all the rest of the few independent politicians from either party are just out-spoken mouth-pieces of "the counter-culture, flower-child, bohemian 60's", harmlessly barking-out their 'declaration of Independence' freedom of speech.

[HearNoWeasel]

Unless you regularly call Congress, you can't complain about not getting heard. Elections don't come around often enough to be a useful tool when failures stack up as rapidly as they do now. TELL them ON THE PHONE what you want. We can't afford to blow our powder by posting here and then just go on with the day.

Numbers to write down and stick on your monitor:

- House Judiciary Committee, for Cheney impeachment hearings: [phone]
- Speaker of the House, Pelosi: [phone]
- Representative and Senators offices: www.congress.org, enter your zip code.

Call. Just do it, it only takes 2 minutes. Repeat a few days later. Repeat for every topic worth standing up for.

Also email [e-mail]. He'll deliver copies of all comments to big-wig Democrats.

NOW you're doing your job as one of "the people" in this imperiled Republic. We must cover Kucinich's back and show the rest, like Conyors, that we reward courage. Otherwise the last few brave politicians will have to fold, too.

[MSB]

Bob,

Thank you so much for stating what I have been ranting about for 7 years. People WANT the fight. Why are we trying to get along with these people? They have accused us of being traitors for defending our Constitution. We should be all voicing and demonstrating disdain for THIS administration. I especially loathe the Republicans whom defend this group of criminals. These people are not Republicans at all. They are the most activist types of Fascists. If you defend them, you are against our country. It is as simple as that.

For Democratic leadership (and any other type of Dem) to run from confronting this band of thieves is the most cynical, self-serving and monied kind of move that could be made. Supporting this president is, for me, a deal-breaker for the 2008 Presidency.

We should start a petition here to the effect of: If you vote in support of this administration, we will vote against you in the following primary. The blogosphere needs to really flex its collective political muscle.

[elmysterio]

Ah, there is NO Candidate for change... you can't put your faith in the Democrats any more than you can put it in the Republicans. Don't you see... they're one and the same... they're both bought and paid for by the Zionists and the Elite. They don't serve our interests, they serve their masters.

Look for example at Bush's speeches about Iran, then look at Hillary's speeches about Iran... besides the fact that Hillary is a better speaker than Bush, there's no difference in what they're saying. Why do you think that is?

Isn't it obvious to everyone now that the Democrats are not trustworth­y... that your faith in them is misguided.­.. it's all part of the big lie... that you have 2 parties... really, they're just different branches of the same party. The party of MONEY.

[BBackSoon]

Since this post is so hot, do you think it is important to a large cross section of the country?

[BooHooHooMan]

I've noticed a lot of conjecture about Dems as "Scardeycr­ats"..Scar­ed of who? The Online bloggers of Orange? THOSE Fall in Line/Faux "Activists"? LOL. This 30 Year record of collapse is bought and paid for. Forget the "cave in" talk too. With such staying power, the Leaders are clearly World Class Spelunkers. Let's ask: "Why"?

The Democrats depend on the CW that they "fear reprisal", otherwise the naked truth emerges that they BENEFIT from taking these rightward dives. Look up some of the old pols who "lost" their bid. Start with K Street, the better connected Law Firms before you look on Skid Row. Hell, Gephardt represents Turkey while stuffing his firms pockets with cash. All to put sprinkles on Turkish atrocities towards the Armenians. Yeh- real "scared". After Gephardt's "fight" for Unions where are they now? Except for perhaps the SEIU, the Bosses are Presiding over dwindling membership while skimming the Old Pension Funds. I'll tell ya where the Union "Champions" are- IN CHURCH, Praying their old pensioners die off, leaving the bulk of the loot intact. Most "Unionism" now involves Government Jobs. Funny how the all but dead Union Movement is alive in the Public Sector. Scared my @ss.

The Party isn't scared and hardly worried about "caves". They're IN on the lucrative reversal of middle class wealth to Elites like ~themselves~`. This is evident in their dismissal of protests on the Hill, or the college kid tazed before Kerry's eyes without a hand lifted to stop it. Until people get their PTSD minds wrapped around this betrayal and recognize the false dichotomy as it is, the country will wither. Good Luck with the "All is Well" Stiff Upper Lip expected of the struggling working classes. Perhaps Dollar's collapse and the evaporation of Pension Fund market gains will convince the Boomers to tune out Sold-Out-But-Loaded Dennis Hopper and get it:

It's beyond time to ruthlessly root out incumbents of BOTH Parties by NOT VOTING FOR THEM. Vote for Independent Challengers instead. And I don't mean the astroturfed, Anti Roe, Ron Paul illusion either....

[gappytoofcondi]

Agreed that the house session was someting out of the twilight zone. However, as a privileged resolution, DK can bring it up again and again. Additionally, now that it is in committee, Conyers will face a lot of pressure-not from his house members, but from the public. The other Dems are just as worried about their politcal careers, and therefore, will not be able to hide if no action is taken on this resolution.
I urge my fellow Americans to call Mr. Conyers @ [phone] and tell him you support HR333.

[OTR6686]

You are entirely correct, as to the Democrats. It has been a year, and the will of the people has not been even listened to. Dianne Feinstein is a disgrace to her party. Her party is a disgrace. I used to say that I would vote for the worst Democrat before I would vote for the best Republican. I do not see how I could ever vote for Feinstein again. When George Moscone was assasinated in San Francisco, and she took over for him as mayor, she asked the gays to support her in her re-election. After being re-elected, she betrayed the gays, as she has betraying all Democrats who have voted for her since.
Now, instead of debating the issues, Edwards and Obama are just gunning for the front runner in a very dirty manner. I have been asked to donate to the Democratic Party. I see no contradiction in what Hillary said during the debates on drivers licenses for anyone who passes the test. What's the big deal? A drivers license is not a citizenship card. It forces people to be safer drivers. Don't we all want that? Even if someone is undocumented, if they try to learn how to be good, safe drivers, doesn't this benefit us all on the road? How can Americans be so stupid as to mix apples and oranges? After the debates, loudmouth Chris Matthews set the tone on Hillary, and the lemmings jumped!

[SimonOne]

Pelosi and Hoyer need to wake up! Diane Feinstein and Chuck Shumer need to go next election! Democratic leadership worry about being EMBARRASSED? What about the thousands of American and Iraqi lives that have been ruined or prematurely (and horrifically) cut short by the warmongering (and profiteering) of this, the most corrupt administration of all time.

This administration is setting precedents for future corrupt leaders of America (imagine Guliani getting his hands on this kind of unfettered power!). It is now essential that first Cheney, then Bush and Rice, is impeached for taking the country to war under false pretenses. Can anyone doubt that the framers of the Constitution would expect exactly these circumstances to be acted upon by their successors?