Vermont's Impeachment Insurrection

Yesterday the citizens of Vermont launched an impeachment insurrection. 40 Vermont towns have now called on Congress to impeach the President and Vice-President. Another 20 or so have passed resolutions calling for our troops to come home now and be taken care of when they get here.

On March 2,3, and 4, Three Vermont Iraq Veterans Against the War, Cindy Sheehan, John Nichols and I toured a dozen Vermont towns rallying Vermonters to support impeachment and to go to town meeting. The packed crowds who greeted us made it clear that they are sick of waiting and are ready to act. Folks had already organized impeachment forums and debates in mid February. They'd been out distributing literature about the war and impeachment. And those who just came to learn what it was about went away determined to turn that knowledge into action.

And at town meetings, on Tuesday March 6, we got the first taste of their labors.

Ellen McKay, a Middlebury College student, heard our words, wrote a beautiful impeachment resolution, took it to town meeting and, over the objections of the moderator, Republican Governor Jim Douglas, got it passed by unanimous voice vote.

Liza Earle listened to our arguments and used them to turn her first Richmond town meeting into another triumph for impeachment.

Many towns voiced near unanimous assent in their impeachment votes.

In Bennington, an impeachment resolution was introduced by a Democrat, and seconded by a Republican.

Not everyone had success. Moderators at several meetings managed to prevent debate by ruling the resolutions out of order, citing Robert's Rules or declaring the subject out of bounds.

In the Vermont State House, an impeachment resolution, with 22 co-sponsors, is languishing in the Judiciary committee because the Speaker, Gaye Symington, does not want to act on it.

Vermonters are taking their frustration and anger at these tactics, and channeling them into a multipronged campaign to force impeachment onto the table in Montpelier and in Washington D.C.

We are starting a "lunch with a representative" citizens' lobbying effort, coming directly to the statehouse and buttonholing representatives to advocate for impeachment.

We are launching a newspaper and radio ad campaign, explaining the situation and targeting Symington and the Judiciary Committee, as well as the rest of the state legislature and Congressman Peter Welch, who should be taking yesterday's town meeting impeachment resolutions to the floor of the U.S. Congress tomorrow!

Many Vermonters have pledged with the Occupation Project, vowing civil disobedience directed towards our politicians who refuse to cut war funding. We are going to steadily turn up the heat.

As the criminality and unconstitutional actions of this administration went unchecked by the Republican Congress, we despaired thinking that resistance was fruitless. When the Democrats took control on the strength of our overwhelming antiwar vote, our hopes were raised that perhaps there would be accountability. Now, as Congress fails us, we've looked to each other, discovered that we are many, and we're mad as hell.

The most exciting part of this amazing movement is that it is uncontrolled and uncontrollable. I may have acted as an instigator, but people have now taken it into their own hands; every day actions and ideas surface from different groups and individuals. At the same time, everyone is willing to help other people when asked. Ask a stranger to help you in a common cause, and you will become friends.

Towns across the border in NH and MA are warning impeachment resolutions for upcoming town meetings. On March 10, 11, Cindy Sheehan, John Boniface and I will be in MA, urging others to join our burgeoning movement.

There is no need to wait for us to come to your door. Look around and you will discover Americans of all viewpoints who know that this administration must be checked. Take a visible stand of any sort, and you will be recognized and joined by many. Help us reclaim the constitution. Take your own action and join the People's Impeachment Insurrection.