Dear Congress...
Dear Congress, Madam Speaker:
Once upon a time, America was a shining beacon of justice, freedom and the rule of law. All of that has now been squandered by this administration, and repeatedly, solely for their own selfish interests.
The list of offenses is rather remarkable, if only that this has been allowed to continue, with so little opposition (from within government) for so long. The people have been watching and we have been tearing our collective hair.
We cannot get anyone in Washington to listen to us. I suppose our voices have been drowned out by the deafing choruses of lobbyists. But we love our country, and no, we are not going away, we will not shut up, and we will not stop demanding justice and a return to decency and the rule of law.
The impeachment proceedings against Clinton were partisan in every sense of the word, and no doubt intended to make a mockery of the very impeachment process. But your obvious fear that you will be seen to be conducting a 'partisan reprisal' isn't going to fly with us out here. Democrats and Republicans alike are screaming for justice. This time, it is not one group of partisans trolling for impeachment -- this is the collective voice of the people.
We want our government back.
In case it (somehow) isn't clear by now what grounds could be claimed for filing impeachment papers against Dick Cheney and George W. Bush, I will list for you the following:
1. Violating the United Nations Charter by launching an illegal "War of Aggression" against Iraq without cause, using fraud to sell the war to Congress and the public, misusing government funds to begin bombing without Congressional authorization, and subjecting our military personnel to unnecessary harm, debilitating injuries, and deaths.
2. Violating U.S. and international law by authorizing the torture of thousands of captives, resulting in dozens of deaths, and keeping prisoners hidden from the International Committee of the Red Cross.
3. Violating the Constitution by arbitrarily detaining Americans, legal residents, and non-Americans, without due process, without charge, and without access to counsel.
4. Violating the Geneva Conventions by targeting civilians, journalists, hospitals, and ambulances, and using illegal weapons, including white phosphorous, depleted uranium, and a new type of napalm.
5. Violating U.S. law and the Constitution through widespread wiretapping of the phone calls and emails of Americans without a warrant.
6. Violating the Constitution by using "signing statements" to defy hundreds of laws passed by Congress.
7. Violating U.S. and state law by obstructing honest elections in 2000, 2002, 2004, and 2006.
8. Violating U.S. law by using paid propaganda and disinformation, selectively and misleadingly leaking classified information, and exposing the identity of a covert CIA operative working on sensitive WMD proliferation for political retribution.
9. Subverting the Constitution and abusing Presidential power by asserting a "Unitary Executive Theory" giving unlimited powers to the President, by obstructing efforts by Congress and the Courts to review and restrict Presidential actions, and by promoting and signing legislation negating the Bill of Rights and the Writ of Habeas Corpus.
10. Gross negligence in failing to assist New Orleans residents after Hurricane Katrina, in ignoring urgent warnings of an Al Qaeda attack prior to Sept. 11, 2001, and in increasing air pollution causing global warming.
You can add that Bush and Cheney have started nuclear escalations (something their purported hero Ronald Reagan worked hard to end.) They have made the world much more dangerous than it was when they took power; have ruined our reputation across the globe and actually fostered the growth of al Qaeda terrorism in Iraq.
They completely dropped the ball when it came to catching Bin Laden... and of course, there are Cheney's continued ties to war profiteer company Halliburton, his preferential treatment in giving them no-bid contracts (and the millions they have made from the war in Iraq - millions that he will share when he leaves office.)
You should also consider their promotion of the countless and lawless activities of other war profiteers they have unleashed on Iraq. And of course... they have squandered billions of dollars of our money, without our consent. An argument could be made that Blackwater is building a 'standing army' on our own soil; one that is not accountable to the government 'of the people.'
Our EPA is now infested with Bushie insiders that won't prosecute environmental law breakers; our FDA can't seem to keep our food safe, our DoJ is a lawless, lying travesty.
This is a disaster. You cannot fail to act, or we the people will hold all of you in contempt; and history will perhaps be an even harsher judge... assuming we live through these dangerous times.
Yes, I think its just a little past time that you took all of this seriously... don't you?
Once upon a time, America was a shining beacon of justice, freedom and the rule of law. All of that has now been squandered by this administration, and repeatedly, solely for their own selfish interests.
The list of offenses is rather remarkable, if only that this has been allowed to continue, with so little opposition (from within government) for so long. The people have been watching and we have been tearing our collective hair.
We cannot get anyone in Washington to listen to us. I suppose our voices have been drowned out by the deafing choruses of lobbyists. But we love our country, and no, we are not going away, we will not shut up, and we will not stop demanding justice and a return to decency and the rule of law.
The impeachment proceedings against Clinton were partisan in every sense of the word, and no doubt intended to make a mockery of the very impeachment process. But your obvious fear that you will be seen to be conducting a 'partisan reprisal' isn't going to fly with us out here. Democrats and Republicans alike are screaming for justice. This time, it is not one group of partisans trolling for impeachment -- this is the collective voice of the people.
We want our government back.
In case it (somehow) isn't clear by now what grounds could be claimed for filing impeachment papers against Dick Cheney and George W. Bush, I will list for you the following:
1. Violating the United Nations Charter by launching an illegal "War of Aggression" against Iraq without cause, using fraud to sell the war to Congress and the public, misusing government funds to begin bombing without Congressional authorization, and subjecting our military personnel to unnecessary harm, debilitating injuries, and deaths.
2. Violating U.S. and international law by authorizing the torture of thousands of captives, resulting in dozens of deaths, and keeping prisoners hidden from the International Committee of the Red Cross.
3. Violating the Constitution by arbitrarily detaining Americans, legal residents, and non-Americans, without due process, without charge, and without access to counsel.
4. Violating the Geneva Conventions by targeting civilians, journalists, hospitals, and ambulances, and using illegal weapons, including white phosphorous, depleted uranium, and a new type of napalm.
5. Violating U.S. law and the Constitution through widespread wiretapping of the phone calls and emails of Americans without a warrant.
6. Violating the Constitution by using "signing statements" to defy hundreds of laws passed by Congress.
7. Violating U.S. and state law by obstructing honest elections in 2000, 2002, 2004, and 2006.
8. Violating U.S. law by using paid propaganda and disinformation, selectively and misleadingly leaking classified information, and exposing the identity of a covert CIA operative working on sensitive WMD proliferation for political retribution.
9. Subverting the Constitution and abusing Presidential power by asserting a "Unitary Executive Theory" giving unlimited powers to the President, by obstructing efforts by Congress and the Courts to review and restrict Presidential actions, and by promoting and signing legislation negating the Bill of Rights and the Writ of Habeas Corpus.
10. Gross negligence in failing to assist New Orleans residents after Hurricane Katrina, in ignoring urgent warnings of an Al Qaeda attack prior to Sept. 11, 2001, and in increasing air pollution causing global warming.
You can add that Bush and Cheney have started nuclear escalations (something their purported hero Ronald Reagan worked hard to end.) They have made the world much more dangerous than it was when they took power; have ruined our reputation across the globe and actually fostered the growth of al Qaeda terrorism in Iraq.
They completely dropped the ball when it came to catching Bin Laden... and of course, there are Cheney's continued ties to war profiteer company Halliburton, his preferential treatment in giving them no-bid contracts (and the millions they have made from the war in Iraq - millions that he will share when he leaves office.)
You should also consider their promotion of the countless and lawless activities of other war profiteers they have unleashed on Iraq. And of course... they have squandered billions of dollars of our money, without our consent. An argument could be made that Blackwater is building a 'standing army' on our own soil; one that is not accountable to the government 'of the people.'
Our EPA is now infested with Bushie insiders that won't prosecute environmental law breakers; our FDA can't seem to keep our food safe, our DoJ is a lawless, lying travesty.
This is a disaster. You cannot fail to act, or we the people will hold all of you in contempt; and history will perhaps be an even harsher judge... assuming we live through these dangerous times.
Yes, I think its just a little past time that you took all of this seriously... don't you?
Labels: Bill of Rights, Congress, Constitution, Impeachment
posted by Maire | 7/03/2007 04:02:00 PM
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