The Disposable Oath
When I joined the army and when I reenlisted five times, I did something that every member of Congress does. I took an oath to defend the Constitution as the core commitment of my service. Then the army sent me to eight different conflict areas to attack, or assist others in attacking, people who were not even remotely the enemies of the Constitution. Oddly enough, that oath said I was obliged to "defend the Constitution from all enemies foreign and domestic."
I'm retired now; and since I got out of the army I've had more opportunities to oppose the domestic enemies of the Constitution, because they are mostly those who were or worked for my former Commanders-in-Chief. I was employed by scofflaws from Nixon through Clinton (Clinton violated the UN Charter when he bombed Yugoslavia... the US is a signatory, therefore the Charter has the force of the Constitution).
Yesterday, Congressmember Dennis Kucinich fulfilled his duty according to that oath by listing articles of impeachment before the House of Representatives that detailed the serial and blatant Constitutional violations by our current President. Kucinich made a prima facie case, but that's not news to anyone with an attention span greater than a goldfish.
What's news is that Congress is obliged by their primary duty -- to which they took a solemn oath before God -- to defend the Constitution; and that means voting to impeach anyone who has blatantly undermined it at every turn. The reason only a handful of Democrats will do so is that the Democratic Party leadership -- which has enabled the Bush administration at every turn by refusing to take action or even investigate most of these crimes and misdemeanors -- is more interested in winning elections than they are doing their sworn duty.
Today, Congress will refuse to even hear these articles of impeachment.
The popular wisdom -- wrong in my opinion, but that's beside the point -- is that making Bush a defendant will vector in sympathy and hurt Democratic chances in November. So... winning elections --not part of their oath -- has priority over doing their Constitutional duty.
While Democrats have played out this cynical strategy, the US government has continued to kidnap and torture people, kill, wound, harass, and displace millions of Iraqis, Afghans, etc... but that human misery and those rivers of blood don't mean jack-shit to the leadership of the Democratic Party, because they have A Strategy. To them, these horrors only represent an opportunity... let Bush run free, give him enough rope... and don't think about whose being water-boarded, or gunned down by some macho lunatic with Blackwater, or being raped then shot, or watching their parents slaughtered in front of them, or of the caskets that keep showing up at Dover, or of the limbless, disoriented legions of twnety-somethings now moving among us.
Kucinich will be portrayed as peculiar, just as John Brown was painted crazy; but history and a just God that watches these Democratic Party operators wipe their cushioned asses with this oath to win an election will see things through a different lens.
They will be seen for the cheap con-artists that they are; and they have blood on their hands.
Moreover, until now there has been no attack on Iran because it makes no sense to do so. Such an attack will cost the US a broad tactical defeat in Iraq and the consolidation of nascent counter-US blocs around the globe... but if the numbers come in by September-October that show McCain to be the dangerous dolt that he is -- the "hero" whose heroic act was being shot down while he rained bombs on Vietnamese -- that McCain doesn't have a snowball's chance, then the absurd fantasy that the Bush administration will attack Iran -- with all its profound consequences for the US's malignant but profitable position and influence on the world stage -- then... the administration could commit the last spiteful act. They could broaden their little, lost war to include Iran, and leave the new Democratic administration and freshly minted, bloody-handed, instrumental, oath-breaking, Democrat-controlled Congress with a swarming hornets nest of unpredictable and inextricable relations.
And some of us will say, you had opportunity after opportunity to stop this; but you enabled George W. Bush. You protected him and his coterie, because your elections were more important to you than either your oaths or the lives of countless human beings.
Shame on you all.
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I believe the only right thing for Pelosi to do is step up to the plate, admit her role in the wrong doing, take down Bush, Cheney, and anyone else involved, and leave her office with the bunch of them.
I agree. Crazy part is, if Bush Sr. would have been tried for treason and convicted for his part with Auschwitz, Thyssen, Standard Oil, and Trading with the Enemy during WWII, he wouldn't have ever been allowed in the CIA, or VP to Reagan, President, and I am guessing there would have been a lot less involvement that has lead us to this War. So what they directly played a part in the slaughter of Jewish Citizens. So what if they kept Hitler going years past what he could have gone without the help. At least troop moral didn't decrease. And we're repeating history. How do the house democrats live with themselves? What a great run for Pelosi, first woman House Speaker ever. And she wants to sweep it under the rug. Forget about actually doing what is right. Hopefully the Judiciary Committee will come to their senses.
Kucinich did what the rest of Congress lacked the nuts or character to do - for political reasons. They ALL must be held accountable - on record so those who write history can't whitewash the criminality of this sad time for Democracy.
I still believe that impeachment is the sucker-play. Appoint your successor who pardon's your crime, walk away scott-free.
The remedy for this organized criminal conspiracy is to appoint an independent counsel AFTER this administration is out of office. The recommendations of that counsel to be forwarded, not to congress for action, but to the Attorney General.
fp
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how 'bout both
.
I believe that one has to be accused of a crime before one can be pardoned. So it is important that no indictments be levied against this administration until after they are no longer in a position to grant themselves immunity.
One Scooter Libby is lesson enough.
fp
There are already articles of impeachment against Cheney, Kucinich raised them months ago, because Yes, many of us already understood that Cheney needs to be impeached too. If both Cheney and Bush are impeached, they don't appoint any successor; Nancy Pelosi is it. Much as I loathe to see her have any more power than she already has and can't wait until she is no longer the Speaker of the House -- PLEASE, PLEASE let Cindy Sheehan beat her in San Francisco in Nov.! -- I don't think a very brief term of her holding down the fort will be anywhere near as bad for the U.S. or the world as the damage that will be done by Bush and Cheney completing their term.
I agree with Stan Goff! The time to stop them is now. They are not going to just exit quietly! How much more obvious could it be that they plan to attack Iran if no-one stops them? Cheney took a tour of the Middle East and after he left Saudi Arabia, they started making preparations for nuclear fallout from an attack on Iran. Bush has been going on an awful lot of trips lately, and everywhere he goes, whether it's Israel or Europe, the only thing he seems to care to talk about is IRAN. And the lies are the same lies as were told about Iraq, that is THE WHOLE POINT why he and Cheney must be prosecuted for that deception NOW.
Just want to add my thanks to Congressman Kucinich.
First, let's take a look at what Dennis has done: he won an election with 5 other contenders and STILL managed to get 50% of the vote. I would say that's pretty damn important. The Dem leadership should realize that Dennis' little district in Ohio represents a lot of what Americans in regular america feel and think.
Second, a simple addition to this article: the congress, while they may want to refuse hearing Mr. Kucinich read his articles,--as stated in the article--they cannot. Kucinich introduced this as a "priviledged resolution
Dennis will have his day, but sadly it won"t last long; it will be squashed in committee. However, Dennis has just committed himself (on a radio show) to reintroduce the resolution again 30 days from now if the committee does not take up this resolution
This is a true patriot!
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God bless Dennis Kucinich
He is an American Hero,
a Patriot of the American Revolution
He has drawn a line in the fagile sand
of democracy
which side are you on ??
you cowardly, traitors of the American Constitution
which side are you on ??
.
Excellent post, Mr. Goff.
Thank you for adding your voice to what should be a collective scream of outrage from patriots of the entire spectrum, and every pay-scale.
There is good reason Bill Clinton is known throughout much of the world as the Butcher of Belgrade.
Never heard that one. LOL. Guess we should let the Serbs should do what they love to do.
LOL
No, Clinton should have played by the rules and worked with the UN jointly solving the prolems in Kosovo. He launched a unilateral attack not unlike BushCo's, and left part of our famed military in the heart of their country. The whole thing was for our strategic advantage. Milosevic was just an excuse, much like Saddam.
Obama, Clinton, Hoyer and Pelosi are as guilty as Bush if they watch the crimes committed and do nothing. Congressional oversight including impeachment is a duty not a political calculation. Obama, Clinton, Hoyer and Pelosi need to get off their butts and "do something". Words mean nothing without real action.
Obama has been trying to help the soldiers and ensure oversight.
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piece of cake
BO should call a press conference
and fully endorse
the action taken by Congressman Dennis Kucinich
(just kiddin')
.
I say that after the elections, no matter the result, the Democrats should start a campaign to oust as many of the current Dems in congress as possible. As much as I want a change in the Presidency, the constitution is more important.
By impeaching teh current resident of 1600 Penn. Ave - it will send a clear message to the next individual to move in, be it Dem or Repub. But of course, that will never happen.
We the people bear a lot of the blame as well. Every election cycle we can make our voices be heard, but even though we may vote, it's almost as if we are on automatic and really don't put any energy into it.
Think about it. Soaps, American Idol, Survivor, and all the reality shows have more sway for people than what goes on in the country and will affect their lives. As long as the populace is so lethargic and blase about the things that truly affect them, then this kind of govt will continue.
So can we blame the Dems for enabling the curreent admin - yes we can.
But, shoul dwe take a look in the mirror first - yes, we should.
Thank you for your post. And thanks to Dennis Kucinich, one of our most undervalued national treasures, for his outstanding example.
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The reason only a handful of Democrats will do so is that the Democratic Party leadership -- which has enabled the Bush administration at every turn by refusing to take action or even investigate most of these crimes and misdemeanors -- is more interested in winning elections than they are doing their sworn duty...The popular wisdom -- wrong in my opinion, but that's beside the point -- is that making Bush a defendant will vector in sympathy and hurt Democratic chances in November. So... winning elections --not part of their oath -- has priority over doing their Constitutional duty.
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That's the cover story. In case anyone is wondering why Nancy Pelosi has taken impeachment off the table, constitutional law professor Jonathan Turley has surmised it's because Nancy was one of the few Democrats informed about the torture and warrantless wiretapping going on when Democrats were in the minority.
If she brings impeachment to the table, her own complicity in the Bush administration's wrongdoing would be revealed. Ironically, by not pursuing impeachment, her own complicity in the Bush administration's wrongdoing is being revealed.
It's all about CYA and not about better election results.
- Tom
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winning elections
as in obeying the Big Money Rulers
who call the shots in Congress
and the NeoCon Elites
who have armies of swift-boaters
under their command
isn't that how the Dems & Repubs
win elections
by consorting with the enemies
of the American Revolution and its Constitution
.
Not anymore.
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The reason only a handful of Democrats will do so is that the Democratic Party leadership -- which has enabled the Bush administration at every turn by refusing to take action or even investigate most of these crimes and misdemeanors -- is more interested in winning%2
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