Entries Tagged with Impeach
April 24th, 2006
In Illinois:
SPRINGFIELD — Leave it to the Democratic-controlled state Legislature to find an obscure way to attempt to oust President Bush.
State Rep. Karen Yarbrough (D-Maywood) has sponsored a resolution calling on the General Assembly to submit charges to the U.S. House so its lawmakers could begin impeachment proceedings.
It would be the first state legislature to pass such a resolution, though the measure faces a dim future in a Republican-controlled Congress.
[…]
To support her legislation, Yarbrough is relying on a provision from Jefferson’s Manual, a procedural handbook written by Thomas Jefferson as a supplement to U.S. House rules.
[…]
Jefferson wrote that there are various methods of setting an impeachment in motion, including “charges transmitted from the legislature of a State.”
If Yarbrough’s resolution passes the General Assembly, it would go to the U.S. House, where it likely would be referred to the Judiciary Committee, said a spokesman for the Committee on U.S. House Administration.
“It’s up to that committee to decide what action it will take, if any,” committee spokesman Jon Brandt said. “[The resolution] does not, in and of itself, start a process.”
Nevertheless, a handful of cities and state Democratic committees have adopted impeachment resolutions similar to Yarbrough’s. Vermont Democrats agreed earlier this month to urge lawmakers to approve it at the state level.
These groups hope the measures generate dialogue that will eventually lead to impeachment. [“Resolution to push Bush impeachment bill” (Chicago Sun-Times)]
And from California:
California Assemblyman Paul Koretz of Los Angeles (where the LA Times has now called for Cheney’s resignation) has submitted amendments to Assembly Joint Resolution No. 39, calling for the impeachment of President George W. Bush and Vice President Richard Cheney. The amendments reference Section 603 of Jefferson’s Manual of the Rules of the United States House of Representatives, which allows federal impeachment proceedings to be initiated by joint resolution of a state legislature.
The resolution, in the words of Koretz’s press release, “bases the call for impeachment upon the Bush Administration intentionally misleading the Congress and the American people regarding the threat from Iraq in order to justify an unnecessary war that has cost billions of dollars and thousands of lives and casualties; exceeding constitutional authority to wage war by invading Iraq; exceeding constitutional authority by Federalizing the National Guard; conspiring to torture prisoners in violation of the ‘Federal Torture Act’ and indicating intent to continue such actions; spying on American citizens in violation of the 1978 Foreign Agency Surveillance Act; leaking and covering up the leak of the identity of Valerie Plame Wilson, and holding American citizens without charge or trial.”
Koretz submitted amendments gutting AJR No. 39, a resolution unrelated to impeachment, to the Assembly Rules Committee. The Rules Committee may take up the bill this week for referral, allowing him to formally introduce the amended resolution.
AJR 39 is a bill introduced in January by Koretz calling for a moratorium on depleted uranium:
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/bill/asm/ab_0001-0050/ajr_39_bill_20060104_introduced.html
“At both the state and national levels,” Koretz said, “we will be paying for the Bush Administration’s illegal actions and terrible lack of judgment and competence for decades—not only in the billions of dollars wasted on the war and welfare for the rich, but in the worldwide loss of respect for America and Americans. Bush and Cheney must be impeached and removed from office before they undertake even deadlier misdeeds, such as the use of nuclear weapons. There are no bounds to their willingness to ignore the Constitution and world opinion—we can’t afford to wait for the next disaster and hope that we can survive it.”
For more information and to thank this American hero, contact Paul Michael Neuman in Koretz’s District Office: (310) 285-5490 paul.neuman@asm.ca.gov or go here:
http://democrats.assembly.ca.gov/members/a42/Contact.htm [“California Becomes Second State to Introduce Bush Impeachment” (ImpeachPac)]
Tags: George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Illinois, California, Impeachment, ImpeachPac, AJR 39, HJR0125
March 24th, 2006
This Week the Republicans released a new radio ad in Wisconsin:
RNC AD: “Censure”
Announcer: September 11th changed our country. And it changed how America responds to terrorists. President Bush is working to keep American families safe. Passing the PATRIOT Act which has disrupted over one hundred and fifty terrorist threats and cells making sure the US is monitoring terrorist communications. But some Democrats are working against these efforts to secure our country, opposing the PATRIOT Act and terrorist surveillance program. Their leader is Russ Feingold. Now Feingold and other Democrats want to censure the President. Publicly reprimanding President Bush for pursuing suspected members of al Qaeda. Some Democrats are even calling for President Bush’s impeachment.
Is this how Democrats plan to win the War on Terror? Call Russ Feingold and ask him why he’s more interested in censuring the President than protecting our freedom. Paid for by the Republican National Committee not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee www.gop.com. The Republican National Committee is responsible for the content of this advertising.
FactCheck.org does a nice analysis of the inaccuracies and mischaracterizations of Feingold’s Censure Resolution in the Repulican’s ad. I’d like to review some of that here, but I want to be fair and point out that these kinds of commercials are a personal pet peeve of mine as they come from both sides. They were particularly aggrevating during the 2004 election and after awhile they sound less like spin and more like lies and after awhile I’m just offended by both sides.
Now Feingold and other Democrats want to censure the President. Publicly reprimanding President Bush for pursuing suspected members of al Qaeda.
This must be more of that “if they aren’t with us, then they’re against us” mentality. Feingold nor any Democrat has ever reprimanded President Bush or anyone for pursuing suspected terrorists. In fact, Feingold has repeatedly, publically said that we should be wiretapping terrorists and suspected terrorists; that isn’t the issue — the issue is the wiretapping of Americans on American soil without obtaining court orders as well as a failure to disclose what he was doing to the appropriate Congressional committees.
Some Democrats are even calling for President Bush’s impeachment.
But not Russ Feingold. John Conyers in the House, yes, but he isn’t even calling really for an impeachment so much as an investigation that could lead to an impeachment. The implication is that the Democratic agenda is to impeach President Bush, which I find hilarious because if they were paying attention, they’d know that the Democrats are too scared to do any such thing.
It’s really all about the spin. Scare Americans into thinking that only Republicans can keep them safe. God knows that the terrorists are going to attack Wisconsin any day now. You aren’t a patriot if you vote Democrat.
Tags: Terrorists, Patriot Act, Russ Feingold, Republicans, Democrats, George W. Bush, factcheck.org, Censure, 2004 election, Impeach
March 15th, 2006
This is a great post by The (liberal) Girl Next Door:
Someone recently told me that it’s not quite time to panic, that things in this country may be bad, but we haven’t yet reached the point of no return. So I’d just like to toss out the question. When is it time to panic? When does mere concern turn urgent, and will we all recognize the signs in time?
[…]
Or is it time to panic when, as Patricia Goldsmith suggests, there is no opposition left? It has long been the case that our two party system is nothing more than political theater. We have two political parties feeding from the same corporate troughs and serving the same corporate interests. If we continue to buy into the lies of either side and continue to separate from one another reducing public discourse to screaming at one another from opposite sides of the wedges driven between us, we give the only power we have left away to leaders who will only abuse it. If we willfully divide ourselves, we will be easily conquered.
I don’t want to panic before it is warranted, but I sometimes wonder if we will recognize the last straw. Don’t we remember that in Germany, the Nazis took control of government, not in a violent coup, but by passing laws that gave them increasing power and control over the people and the news they received? We keep hearing that it’s not time to panic just yet, but if history has a lesson for us right now, it’s that panicking too late won’t do a damn bit of good. Do we really, as a country, want to sit idly by watching evil become a way of life? Most of us judge the German people not as victims, but rather as willing accomplices. Will we judge ourselves the same?
I have been wary of using the Nazi comparison, but since Sandra Day O’Connor, the voice of reason on our high court for decades, feels comfortable warning of a dictatorship, I guess I feel justified. We are being fed propaganda, our government is becoming increasingly secretive, dissenting voices are routinely being silenced, and this administration appears to be accountable to no one. If it isn’t quite yet time to panic, I fear the time is fast approaching.
Read the whole well-thought-out post! I don’t know about you, but I’ve been feeling panicky for a while, but then I come by it naturally. I thought it was just me being paranoid. Apparently, I’m not alone. That’s somewhat comforting. I think.
Tags: politics, George W. Bush, Impeach, Freedoms, liberals, Sandra Day O'Connor, voice of reason, dictatorship, Nazi Germany, propaganda
March 14th, 2006
I am taking steps against the Bush Administration’s handling of the Iraq War and its warrantless wiretapping. I am going to need you to stand with me in fighting for accountability.
Join me to demand the creation of a Special Committee to investigate impeaching the Bush Administration for its widespread abuses of power.
I have sought answers from the administration to questions arising from the Downing Street Minutes, the Valerie Plame leak, and scores of other abominable abuses of power that pervade the activities of this White House. 121 Members of Congress and many citizens like you have joined me in asking these questions of the President.
I recently completed a thorough review of this administration’s misconduct and have produced a 250-page report that provides evidence suggesting further steps to be taken. [A copy of the report may be found at Raw Story.com and also at CensureBush.org where additional action items may be found.]
It is time to take bolder measures in our pursuit of justice. This White House has responded to questions about its conduct with misleading statements, obfuscation, and vicious attacks against their critics. We must take the next step towards restoring accountability in our federal government. To this end I have:
- I am calling upon Congress to create a select committee similar to the Ervin Committee, which investigated President Nixon’s Watergate crimes. This select committee should investigate those offenses which appear to rise to the level of impeachment, and;
- Introduced a resolution of censure for both President Bush and Vice-President Cheney.
This administration must be held accountable for its misdeeds. We have considerable work to do and I am going to need your help to make this effort successful. Join me in sending a message to the President, the media, and the American people that we are not going to stand for an imperial presidency any longer.
Sincerely,
John Conyers
Do take the time to click the above links and show your support for John Conyers resolution. You can check on how it’s doing by visiting it’s home in the Library of Congress or checking out the blog at Six Three Five Dot Com.
Websites of Interest:
Tags: politics, John Conyers, HR635, George W. Bush, Impeach, Iraq, warrantless wiretapping, Censure
March 13th, 2006
Susie @ Suburban Guerrilla has a link today to firedoglake where they’re organizing support for Senator Russ Feingold’s censure yesterday. They want everyone to call their senators, Republican or Democrat, and ask them where they stand on the matter. The idea is two fold: First of all, it lets the Senate know just how many people care and support this resolution even if their representative is a line-stepping Republican (like here in Maine) and it gives those of us out here in America an idea of what the intial reaction in the Senate looks like.
This really isn’t a lot to ask. Russ Feingold is putting a lot on the line for us and we need to back him up now. We need to show our support and we need to show Washington that we are tired of the complacency and the incompetency and the line-stepping. We want answers.
You can contact the US Senate via the switchboard at (202) 224-3121, and they will connect you with any Senator’s office. Or you can find your particular Senator’s direct dial here.
I’ve already contacted Senators Snowe and Collins; how about you?
Tags: Russ Feingold, Censure, George W. Bush, Impeach, Senate, Republicans, Democrats, politics
March 10th, 2006
In Vermont, Dummerston, Marlboro and Putney joined Newfane’s Tuesday vote with endorsements for resolutions to impeach President Bush. [“Four Vermont Towns Back Bush Impeachment” (CBS News)]
Tags: politics, Impeach, George W. Bush, Vermont
March 8th, 2006
The rumblings of a disgruntled America are starting…
February 28, 2006
San Francisco,CA
The City and County of San Francisco became the first large municipality to call for the impeachment of George Bush and Dick Cheney, by a 7-3 vote.
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Tags: politics, George W. Bush, San Francisco, Impeach, Dick Cheney, Vermont, Iraq, spying on Americans
March 8th, 2006
Feeling hopeless? Feeling like nothing is getting done? Feeling like the whole world is going to crap and no one’s doing anything about it?
There was a thread last night on yesterday’s Conyers hearing re: Impeachment over on that Orange site. It had lots and lots of people saying hopeless things like “We need action NOW” and “People just don’t know the truth” and “How do we get around the fact that the media won’t cover [x]?” and “We’ll never get public support if…”
Well there is a way. It IS possible for You to do something, right now. You can be the change, all it will take is a little work…
If you really, really want it: “Do It Yourself Impeachement - A Guide“
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Tags: politics, Impeach, George W. Bush, John Conyers
March 7th, 2006
Found this bit of chalked speech tucked up under an overhang and couldn’t resist snapping a shot of it.
(This is going to be a new feature at Naked Truth and I promise to be fair. I’m keeping my eye out for any kind of creative form of expression of free speech to snap with my camera as long as it’s not racist, sexist, or gay-bashing. My friend asked if I was accepting submissions, which I hadn’t thought about, but I guess if I get one that fits into my somewhat clumsly explained vision.)
Tags: Impeach, George W. Bush, graffiti, photo, Freedom of Speech
October 20th, 2005
“WOULD SOMEONE PLEASE GIVE HIM A BLOWJOB SO WE CAN HAVE HIM IMPEACHED?!”
- Hand-printed protest sign recently seen in Washington DC.
Tags: Quote of the Day, Impeach, George W. Bush
