Dennis Kucinich Makes History with HR-333 Impeach Cheney!

Representative Dennis Kucinich has succeeded in keeping alive his "privileged resolution" calling for the House Judiciary Committee to begin impeachment proceedings against Vice President Dick Cheney. The House Democratic leadership, listening to Beltway consultants who are experts at "triangulating" against the party's base, tried all manner of parliamentary tricks to table or kill HR-333. But these underhanded tactics failed after John Boehner and the Republicans' Beltway consultants told them they could milk political gain from helping Kucinich keep impeachment alive.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer were afraid of the political risks in bringing impeachment to the House floor; the GOP leaders thought they could rally their base to defend Cheney (who has an 11 percent approval rating) and score political points with full-throated denunciations of those mean, over-reaching Democrats in Congress. In both cases, the Beltway political wizards were dead wrong.

Impeachment should have never been taken "off the table." Impeachment is the only corrective that Congress holds to check runaway Executive power. With signing statements and Bush-Cheney cronies inside the Justice Department and with no Independent Counsel statute, the checks and balances of our system of government have been undermined.

John Yoo and David Addington's "legal opinions," (if one bothers to look at them), amount to Enabling Acts for the Executive in "time of war." They believe there are no limits on presidential power as Commander-in-Chief in wartime. The Bush legal geniuses, with Alberto Gonzales leading the way, claim the President has "inherent powers" to order torture, suspend habeas corpus, spy on Americans without warrants, and pick and choose which laws he will follow and which ones he won't. This kind of interpretation of presidential powers might be suitable grist for abstract discussions in a seminar at Pepperdine University, but all of these hair-brained notions are hogwash, and dangerous hogwash at that. And they run counter to the U.S. Constitution. Even the most cursory reading of anything James Madison wrote on the subject of executive power clearly shows that Dick Cheney's expansive views of the powers of the Executive Branch are totally un-American.

During the Civil War, when Abraham Lincoln expanded presidential power, or during World War Two when Franklin D. Roosevelt did the same, neither president claimed they had "inherent" powers to do so. They made it clear the expanded Executive was a temporary emergency measure and the Constitution would be set back to its pre-war normalcy after the crisis abated.

Bush and Cheney claim the opposite. They say we are now in a war that is never-ending (like a George Orwell novel), and that even without the "War on Terror," the president can do anything he wants, effectively nullify acts of Congress, bring the nation to war on false pretenses, squander our national treasure with lucrative contracts to cronies, and so on.

What does a president or vice president have to do nowadays to get impeached?

The smart, Enlightenment-era white guys, with their powdered wigs and silver snuff boxes, who invented the United States of America in the summer of 1787 in Philadelphia went to great lengths to prevent the possibility of an imperial King George III-type presidency. The founders tried to equip the new nation with the safeguards that would prevent exactly what we have seen happen the last six years. They even recognized that it would be during war when the Executive would make its power grab. They made sure the war powers were in the Congress. More importantly, they gave the Congress the power to impeach a wayward president or vice president if they violated the Constitution.

It is time to remind Bush and Cheney that they live in a republic and not a monarchy. Dennis Kucinich has done the nation a favor. History will be kind to him for doing so. The Executive Branch must be held accountable now and the corrective of impeachment cannot be postponed to wait around for the 2008 elections.

Those Democratic leaders who are hell bent on playing it safe so they can get Hillary Clinton in office in January 2009 so she can abuse all of the powers that Bush and Cheney have horded for the Executive Branch is the wrong path to take. The system is out of balance and it will not bode well for the future to have these imbalances continue no matter what party happens to be in power.

Meanwhile, Senators Chuck Schumer and Dianne Feinstein capitulated to all of the worst aspects of the abuse of power of the Bush White House by breaking ranks with the Senate Judiciary Committee and voting to confirm Michael "let's waterboard 'em" Mukasey as the new Attorney General. Their actions in giving Bush another victory demoralizes the Democratic Party's base and makes people want to give up on the Democrats. Ron Paul, who opposed the Iraq war all along, is raising huge amounts of money and I hope Dennis Kucinich does too. It should show Democratic leaders that they are out of touch with the electorate, especially the base of the Democratic Party. I don't care about the 2008 elections as much as I care about the U.S. Constitution.

The Democrats were handed the Congress in 2006 to put the brakes on the Bush-Cheney juggernaut. They have thus far failed to do so, and therefore do not deserve to be re-elected in 2008.

Dick Cheney was a principal actor in the lies and fabrications that brought the United States to war in Iraq on false pretenses. That war has now cost the nation nearly 4,000 American dead, 18,000 wounded, and will cost over $1 trillion. It has swelled the profits of Cheney's old company, Halliburton, while destabilizing a large swathe of the Middle East. The Iraqi people have suffered the brunt of this illegal aggression. Cheney deserves to be impeached, removed from office, and then tried for war crimes and crimes against humanity when he becomes a private citizen again.

Here is a list of the 86 Democrats who voted against impeaching Dick Cheney, time to give them a call:

NY-5 Ackerman, Gary [D]
PA-4 Altmire, Jason [D]
NJ-1 Andrews, Robert [D]
NY-24 Arcuri, Michael [D]
WA-3 Baird, Brian [D]
GA-12 Barrow, John [D]
IL-8 Bean, Melissa [D]
CA-31 Becerra, Xavier [D]
NV-1 Berkley, Shelley [D]
CA-28 Berman, Howard [D]
AR-1 Berry, Robert [D]
GA-2 Bishop, Sanford [D]
NY-1 Bishop, Timothy [D]
OR-3 Blumenauer, Earl [D]
OK-2 Boren, Dan [D]
IA-3 Boswell, Leonard [D]
VA-9 Boucher, Frederick [D]
FL-2 Boyd, F. [D]
KS-2 Boyda, Nancy [D]
FL-3 Brown, Corrine [D]
CA-18 Cardoza, Dennis [D]
MO-3 Carnahan, Russ [D]
PA-10 Carney, Christopher [D]
FL-11 Castor, Kathy [D]
SC-6 Clyburn, James [D]
TN-5 Cooper, Jim [D]
CA-20 Costa, Jim [D]
IL-12 Costello, Jerry [D]
CT-2 Courtney, Joe [D]
AL-5 Cramer, Robert [D]
TX-28 Cuellar, Henry [D]
AL-7 Davis, Artur [D]
TN-4 Davis, Lincoln [D]
CA-53 Davis, Susan [D]
CO-1 DeGette, Diana [D]
MA-10 Delahunt, William [D]
CT-3 DeLauro, Rosa [D]
MI-15 Dingell, John [D]
IN-2 Donnelly, Joe [D]
TX-17 Edwards, Thomas [D]
IN-8 Ellsworth, Brad [D]
IL-5 Emanuel, Rahm [D]
NY-17 Engel, Eliot [D]
CA-14 Eshoo, Anna [D]
NC-2 Etheridge, Bob [D]
PA-2 Fattah, Chaka [D]
MA-4 Frank, Barney [D]
AZ-8 Giffords, Gabrielle [D]
TX-20 Gonzalez, Charles [D]
TN-6 Gordon, Barton [D]
NY-19 Hall, John [D]
CA-36 Harman, Jane [D]
FL-23 Hastings, Alcee [D]
SD-0 Herseth Sandlin, Stephanie [D]
NY-27 Higgins, Brian [D]
IN-9 Hill, Baron [D]
TX-15 Hinojosa, Rubén [D]
PA-17 Holden, Tim [D]
MD-5 Hoyer, Steny [D]
NY-2 Israel, Steve [D]
LA-2 Jefferson, William [D]
TX-30 Johnson, Eddie [D]
WI-8 Kagen, Steve [D]
RI-1 Kennedy, Patrick [D]
MI-5 Kildee, Dale [D]
WI-3 Kind, Ronald [D]
FL-22 Klein, Ron [D]
TX-22 Lampson, Nicholas [D]
RI-2 Langevin, James [D]
CA-12 Lantos, Tom [D]
WA-2 Larsen, Rick [D]
CT-1 Larson, John [D]
MI-12 Levin, Sander [D]
IL-3 Lipinski, Daniel [D]
CA-16 Lofgren, Zoe [D]
NY-18 Lowey, Nita [D]
MA-9 Lynch, Stephen [D]
FL-16 Mahoney, Tim [D]
MA-7 Markey, Edward [D]
GA-8 Marshall, James [D]
UT-2 Matheson, Jim [D]
CA-5 Matsui, Doris [D]
NY-4 McCarthy, Carolyn [D]
NC-7 McIntyre, Mike [D]
CA-11 McNerney, Jerry [D]
FL-17 Meek, Kendrick [D]
LA-3 Melancon, Charles [D]
CA-7 Miller, George [D]
AZ-5 Mitchell, Harry [D]
WV-1 Mollohan, Alan [D]
KS-3 Moore, Dennis [D]
CT-5 Murphy, Christopher [D]
PA-8 Murphy, Patrick [D]
PA-12 Murtha, John [D]
NY-8 Nadler, Jerrold [D]
MA-2 Neal, Richard [D]
WI-7 Obey, David [D]
MA-1 Olver, John [D]
MN-7 Peterson, Collin [D]
ND-0 Pomeroy, Earl [D]
WV-3 Rahall, Nick [D]
TX-16 Reyes, Silvestre [D]
TX-23 Rodriguez, Ciro [D]
AR-4 Ross, Mike [D]
NJ-9 Rothman, Steven [D]
MD-2 Ruppersberger, C.A. [D]
OH-17 Ryan, Timothy [D]
CO-3 Salazar, John [D]
CA-39 Sanchez, Linda [D]
CA-47 Sanchez, Loretta [D]
MD-3 Sarbanes, John [D]
CA-29 Schiff, Adam [D]
PA-13 Schwartz, Allyson [D]
GA-13 Scott, David [D]
PA-7 Sestak, Joe [D]
NC-11 Shuler, Heath [D]
NJ-13 Sires, Albio [D]
MO-4 Skelton, Ike [D] WA-9 Smith, Adam [D]
AR-2 Snyder, Victor [D]
OH-18 Space, Zackary [D]
SC-5 Spratt, John [D]
TN-8 Tanner, John [D]
CA-10 Tauscher, Ellen [D]
MS-4 Taylor, Gene [D]
MS-2 Thompson, Bennie [D]
MA-5 Tsongas, Niki [D]
CO-2 Udall, Mark [D]
NM-3 Udall, Tom [D]
MD-8 Van Hollen, Christopher [D]
IN-1 Visclosky, Peter [D]
MN-1 Walz, Timothy [D]
FL-20 Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [D]
CA-30 Waxman, Henry [D]
OH-6 Wilson, Charles [D].

Comments

[horhay]

Thank you Joseph Palermo for writing a great blog and for letting (We)the People know about Kucinich's resolution to impeach Cheney. Kudos for informing us about the Democrats that voted against, unfortunately one of them represents my district. I phoned the House Judiciary Committee to let them know I support the resolution and left a message to let Rep. Miller know that he should support it also.

House Judiciary Committee, for Cheney
impeachment hearings: [phone]

Help Dennis Kucinich and 22 other house member impeach Cheney: http://www.usalone.com/hres333.php

[linkunlovr]

Russerts question was an ambush. Kucinich had called, twice,for the impeachment of Bush & Cheney and Russert and the other lackies ignored his plea and went on with more blather for hillary, edwards and obama or should I say curly shemp and moe.
Courage such as Kucinich disolayed, again and again, is so rare in politics that they don't know how to deal with him. So they ridicule and ignore him. But the people are listening in spite of Chris Matthews, Russert and the other whores of the corpoarte masters. The more he speaks the more he gains. Kucinich is the last best hope of our country.

[aepelbaum]

It would be nice, of course, if this joined dynastyof Bush-Clinton is going down. It, actually, should have happened the previous election, but didn't. Where is the ground to expect that it would finally happen this time? According to marxism, such things happen when the bottom and middle layers do not want to continue status quo, and the top can't keep this status quo any more. According to American constitution, it could happen in this country peacefully. Has this named above time already come?

[aepelbaum]

It would be really nice, if he could go through with this impeachment. but, unfortunately, Pelosi, Hoyer, emmanuel do not want to go through with it. Maybe, such crushing force, as Hillary Clinton, who wants now to declare, " I am the most advanced socialist since Woodrow Wilson!" would be able to help with this impeachment. Though it doesn't deem to be to her direct advantace, even visibly vice versa. But, if she is serious about this declaration of own socialist intentions, she might become interested. Why are Pelosi and Hoyer so aggressively opposing this impeachment, I really can't understand? Cheney looks like a symbol of absolute power, of advanced imperialism. They should be officially and, I believe even in hearts, 'pro', not 'contra', this impeachment. It really looks strange.

[JonasGail]

Joseph Palermo,
I think you mean 135 Democrats voted against impeaching Cheney, not 86.

I counted the ones you listed, and there were 135.

86 Democrats (including Kucinich) voted against tabling the motion, meaning they wanted the vote to occur on the House floor. AfterDowni­ngStreet.o­rg described these 86 as "brave Democrats" who wanted to force a debate on impeachment.
Thanks,
Gail Jonas
http://gailjonas.blogspot.com

[rldipaolo]

I agree that what is most important is not the 2008 election, but the preservation of the Constitution of this great nation. Dennis Kucinich has shown great courage and leadership in bringing forth articles of impeachment against Dick Cheney. He is not doing it for PR or political gain - as the brain-dead opponents of saving our Constitution would have us believe - he is doing it to save the United States of America. Dennis Kucinich is a true American hero of the kind we haven't seen in many years. I vow to support Dennis with my time, money, and as much effort as I can afford to give - not for the sake of seeing Dennis Kucinich as president, but for the sake of all of my fellow American citizens. It's what I feel I can best do to help save the my country and its constitution.

[Jeff1958]

In the future, Dennis Kucinich will be admired for what he did yesterday. Bush and Cheney will be viewed as despotic rulers who deserve nothing less than a trip to The Hague.

[MNinWI]

Thank you for writing an intelligent and thoughtful piece on Dennis and the state of our country in peril of losing it's democracy. After viewing HuffPo's one piece on Dennis and UFO's, I thought we had some kool-aid drinkers creating this site. Not that I think Dennis is crazy because he says he saw one, I have too, it's just that a very important event happened yesterday and they are mum. Now what do we do about those Democraps? I sure do wish that the Green party was ready for prime time, but it is not.

[Chrisallalone]

Oh, hell, our new Congresswoman is on that list. We just sent her there a month ago in a special election in which she promised to be a voice for the change our district so wants to see. Four weeks into the job, though, and she's fitting right in with the rest of the goddamn cowards.

I am totally livid.

[realitytrumpsbull]

I think party aside, there's one fundamentalisterer truth: These guys want their
buttered bread, and if they put their names
down in support of impeachment, that might
jeopardize it...there's always recall elections!
LOLOL Can't waffle on major decisions and play
with you're food if you're not in that job
anymore...well, you can, but no one will care...

[Macready]

I am so happy about this . . .thank you Dennis . . . thank you . . . cheney has to be impeached! I am so proud of my two reps . . . they voted with Dennis . . .

Joseph . . . I have wondered this myself . . .so happy you have stated it: "Those Democratic leaders who are hell bent on playing it safe so they can get Hillary Clinton in office in January 2009 so she can abuse all of the powers that Bush and Cheney have horded for the Executive Branch is the wrong path to take." It definitely is the wrong path to take" . . . they are guilty of subverting the Constitution for political gain . . . and I can tell them mz hillary won't get the nomination . . . no matter what they try to do . . . triangulation and the clintons are going down like the bushies and cheneys

[stsparky]

I'll be calling Howard Berman to remind him that he should be doing the RIGHT thing and not the expedient thing.

IMPEACH CHENEY FIRST, THEN BUSH!

[WBum]

I see Ike Skelton failed to uphold the U.S. Constitution. Unfortunately I wasn't surprised. I just hope he won't illegally use domestic spying data to thwart his adversaries within the party.

[Desiderata]

And with the sucessful sabotage by Democrap Stenny Hoyar__with the pile-on help of many other Congressional Democraps__the efforts of Dennis Kucinich to launch a way overdue impeachment of Dick Cheney dies in an empty committee.

And Conyers__so intent on investigations when he was in the minority__now goes on Fox to plead that Democraps have no intention of pursuing the very scrutiny he used to call for.

Conyers was a real hero back in the day when he had little power. I guess power does corrupt.

After all of this at the end of the day, is there no shame.

And those reading this, take the time to go to the "Countdown" MSNBC site and listen to Keith's commentary of monday night. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21644133/