Booman Tribune

Watergate Representative calls for Impeachment NOW

by Intellectually Curious
Thu Jan 12th, 2006 at 01:10:40 PM EST

Courtesy The Nation Magazine, former Representative Elizabeth Holtzman has an article entitled The Impeachment of George W. Bush.  In it she recalls the sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach during the Watergate proceedings, and is having the same feelings now.

Her opening paragraph sets the table nicely:

Finally, it has started. People have begun to speak of impeaching President George W. Bush--not in hushed whispers but openly, in newspapers, on the Internet, in ordinary conversations and even in Congress. As a former member of Congress who sat on the House Judiciary Committee during the impeachment proceedings against President Richard Nixon, I believe they are right to do so.

She writes of being troubled by the lack of Bush living up to our treaty obligations (torture), and the misleading of our country into the war in Iraq.  But it was the illegal wiretapping by NSA that returned that pit in the stomach feeling for this former representative:

As a matter of constitutional law, these and other misdeeds constitute grounds for the impeachment of President Bush. A President, any President, who maintains that he is above the law--and repeatedly violates the law--thereby commits high crimes and misdemeanors, the constitutional standard for impeachment and removal from office. A high crime or misdemeanor is an archaic term that means a serious abuse of power, whether or not it is also a crime, that endangers our constitutional system of government.

<snip>

But impeachment and removal from office will not happen unless the American people are convinced of its necessity after a full and fair inquiry into the facts and law is conducted. That inquiry must commence now.

Former Representative Holztman proceeds to tear apart the rationale provided thus far by the Bush Administration of the "Commander-in-Chief"-idea whereby he can do anything (also used by Bush to ignore the McCain anti-torture amendment) and any defense of ignoring the FISA court, put into place because of the Nixon abuses of wiretapping Americans in the name of National Security.

Holtzman writes that Bush is "Subverting Our Democracy", and failing to faithfully follow the oath of office.  This is what really gets my undies in a bunch -- since Bush boasts of his obvious Constitutional violations, and provides no indication of stopping them -- I really don't even see the need for hearings, impeachment proceedings can start just based on the record.  But I do understand it is a Republican Congress.

Holtzman concludes with actions we are already doing, such as letter writing and contacting our Senators and Representatives to demand hearings, along with supporting organizations (AfterDowningStreet.org and ImpeachPac.org) that are actively working towards this end.

Her final paragraphs:

Finally, if this pressure fails to produce results, attention must be focused on changing the political composition of the House and Senate in the upcoming 2006 elections. If a Republican Congress is unwilling to investigate and take appropriate action against a Republican President, then a Democratic Congress should replace it.

As awful as Watergate was, after the vote on impeachment and the resignation of President Nixon, the nation felt a huge sense of relief. Impeachment is a tortuous process, but now that President Bush has thrown down the gauntlet and virtually dared Congress to stop him from violating the law, nothing less is necessary to protect our constitutional system and preserve our democracy.

Here's hoping that this bubbles to the surface, with James Risen's book and the true whistleblowers come out to provide a truth and a healing bright light upon the secrecy that started in earnest the minute Dick Cheney was selected by the Rehnquist Court, a decision re-affirmed in the 2004 Blackwell v. Voting Public case.



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"First, they ignore you. Then they laugh at you. Then they fight you. Then you win." Mahatma Gandhi
by Street Kid on Thu Jan 12th, 2006 at 01:33:13 PM EST
We can make it happen with the help of the good folks who have started a grassroots impeach project:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/1/9/13511/90064

Fun for the whole family!

by judybrowni (judybrowni@usa.net) on Thu Jan 12th, 2006 at 03:24:36 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Thanks!  Didn't even know about this one!  Wasn't online for a long time due to illness and other reasons...It's something like my third day back, so I'm kinda taking it easy.  (No all-nighters for a few weeks!)

"First, they ignore you. Then they laugh at you. Then they fight you. Then you win." Mahatma Gandhi
by Street Kid on Thu Jan 12th, 2006 at 03:46:00 PM EST
[ Parent ]
From little bitty stickers to home-made freeway signs, you can make this impeach craft project your new hobby:

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2005/12/20/151140/22

by judybrowni (judybrowni@usa.net) on Thu Jan 12th, 2006 at 03:52:36 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Thanks.  Need a bit of time to recouperate, before I start doing too much and relapse.  Will keep that in mind for the future!

"First, they ignore you. Then they laugh at you. Then they fight you. Then you win." Mahatma Gandhi
by Street Kid on Thu Jan 12th, 2006 at 04:17:32 PM EST
[ Parent ]
front-porch blogging!

Numquam ponenda est pluralitas sine necessitate - William of Ockham
by Cedwyn (cedwynn at gmail dot com) on Thu Jan 12th, 2006 at 08:45:18 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Not during a MI winter!

"First, they ignore you. Then they laugh at you. Then they fight you. Then you win." Mahatma Gandhi
by Street Kid on Thu Jan 12th, 2006 at 11:09:03 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Great diary, Recommended to high heavens.

Holtzman concludes with actions we are already doing, such as letter writing and contacting our Senators and Representatives to demand hearings, along with supporting organizations (AfterDowningStreet.org and ImpeachPac.org) that are actively working towards this end.

I hope he is right, unfortunately today I am feeling disgusted with our so-called "representatives" in Congress.

Latino Político | "We are condemned to kill time, thus we die bit by bit." - Octavio Paz

by Man Eegee (man.eegee at gmail.com) on Thu Jan 12th, 2006 at 01:59:41 PM EST
Disgusted is right.  I just our reps would give some sign that they've ever heard our demands or read our letters.
by CabinGirl on Thu Jan 12th, 2006 at 02:02:48 PM EST
[ Parent ]
that we really need some serious campaign finance reform, to allow more middle class people to have a chance of winning.  The key to successfully implementing progressive politics lies in getting outside the beltway, where the representatives, their staff, and the reporters all mix at the cocktail parties -- never having struggled as a single mom, pulled over because of their race, interview for 12 jobs and settle for the one yes that is graveyard, choose between meds and food, etc. etc. etc.

How many of our currently elected representatives have had to struggle with these or any of the many struggles that MILLIONS do every day?  Maybe the "Fighting Dems" will bring a dose of outside-the-beltway attitude and success, along with the little noticed (but what I think our long term success depends on) actions by Howard Dean in building a 50-state party.

Bill Clinton may have had sex with Monica Lewinsky, but he didn't make her Secretary of State!

by Intellectually Curious (intellectually_curious at hotmail dot com) on Thu Jan 12th, 2006 at 02:23:27 PM EST
[ Parent ]
I agree...we elect these people who have no clue what life is like for people in the bottom 80% income bracket.  What it means to have lousy health insurance (or have to pay for your won).  How it feels to come home after work and still have to jump through 13 more hoops before the day is over.

And we wonder why they don't support legislation that would help regular people...

by CabinGirl on Thu Jan 12th, 2006 at 02:36:40 PM EST
[ Parent ]
I completely agree with that.

Help me raise money for Jay Nixon, the next Democratic governor of Missouri
by maryb2004 on Thu Jan 12th, 2006 at 03:16:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Some states have tried to introduce measures to help this. I believe Arizona had one for state funding of campaigns. Republicans and Democrats both tend to try to strike them from the books as soon as convenient.



Kill because somebody was killed. Get killed because he killed. Do you think peace will ever come like that?
by Egarwaen on Fri Jan 13th, 2006 at 12:49:38 AM EST
[ Parent ]
it is human nature for those in power not to change the system after they are reaping the benefits, and (much of) our apathetic populace is so focused on tax cuts and doesn't understand that public financing of campaigns is a pretty darn good way to better government.

Bill Clinton may have had sex with Monica Lewinsky, but he didn't make her Secretary of State!
by Intellectually Curious (intellectually_curious at hotmail dot com) on Fri Jan 13th, 2006 at 10:53:52 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Erm, that should be "I just wish..."
by CabinGirl on Thu Jan 12th, 2006 at 02:03:35 PM EST
[ Parent ]
I forgot the "s" in she, Elizabeth Holtzman is, of course, a woman.

Latino Político | "We are condemned to kill time, thus we die bit by bit." - Octavio Paz
by Man Eegee (man.eegee at gmail.com) on Thu Jan 12th, 2006 at 02:01:02 PM EST
[ Parent ]
I carry bumper sticker size pieces of paper in my purse that say IMPEACH and put them on the shelves at the grocery store or where ever I may be shopping. I don't know that this does any good but I leave the store with a grin on my face.

Frodo failed...Bush has got the ring.
by alohaleezy on Fri Jan 13th, 2006 at 08:19:04 AM EST


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