Our Dem reps claim that Impeachment is a waste of time. Well, what has actually been passed

[JAYJDF]

into law since Nov 2006?

Subpoenas are being ignored.
Repuks are blocking anything of any subsequence.
Things that are passed have been vetoed or just sitting on the prez's desk.

Impeachment process needs to start.
Real hearings must start.
It IS the only things that the Dem Congress can get rolling.

[ClassWarrior]

1. You're right. Now tell them. Toll-free numbers below...

And welcome to DU.

NGU.

[JAYJDF]

4. Thanks. And I do. DU has given me the motivation. I lurked here for a long time.

I am becoming more proactive as time goes on.

[sinkingfeeling]

2. Here's what's happened.

But the reality — at least in the House — is that federal lawmakers have held more votes on legislation and other matters in the first six months of this year than they did during the entire 2006 session of the Republican-controlled 109th Congress. That was when GOP leaders decided to defer action to the 110th Congress, now controlled by Democrats, on most of the 2006 spending measures.

The House has held 600 roll call votes and six quorum calls so far this year, which puts the chamber well on its way to surpassing the 867 votes and 18 quorum calls Republicans held in 1995 after they assumed control of the House for the first time in 40 years.

Drew Hammill, spokesman for Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said the reason for the high vote totals is simple: Democrats “are delivering on our promises” to be in session more this year.

But there’s another reason: Republicans are trying to slow things down by offering more amendments that require votes.

The Senate, meanwhile, has held about 240 votes this year. That number, combined with the House figure, puts Congress on track to break the all-time record for combined voting — 1,480 — set in 1995 when Republicans controlled both chambers.
http://www.cqpolitics.com/2007/07/who_says_the_house_isnt_doing.html

We need to be shouting 'Obstructionists' at the GOP daily.

[groovedaddy]

3. AMEN!!!

Of course, the repukes will block impeachment just like they block anything else they don't like.

[Robson]

5. Been saying the same thing.

Any legislation of substance that will benefit the USA will be blocked or vetoed.

The Democratic leadership would serve this country far better by putting Bush and Cheney under the microscope of impeachment and turning the office of the unitary executive into one that has accountability to the people and Congress.

[pat_k]

6. Failure to impeach has Congressional approval in a nose dive. . .

Congressional approval is in the dumper for ONE reason: their refusal to go after Bush with the ONLY "lethal" weapon they have in the Congressional arsenal.

It was not the Anti-War left that gave them control of Congress. It was the ANTI-BUSH majority. They were elected to do ONE THING: Get Us the Heck Outta Bush World!

ONLY impeachment is capable of stopping Bush and Cheney. ONLY impeachment says "We unequivocally reject the crimes committed in our names."

All else is empty gesture. All else gives Bush and Cheney cover for their crimes ("Pelosi certainly wouldn't have taken impeachment off the table if she thought we were pissing on the Constitution.")

Our so-called "leaders" have been pretending that something short of impeachment is capable of ending our national nightmare. They've been pretending that there is some other magic solution to "rule by signing statement." They fooled themselves into believing Bush was "toast," even though they refused to "toast" him.

And many Americans bought their pretense. They are getting angrier and angrier at the Congressional leadership's failure to "Do Something." They may not recognize the impeachment is the ONLY thing that will satisfy, but they know they've had it with empty complaint and bluster.

As long as impeachment is "off the table" the "leadership" is doomed to proving their impotence over, and over, and over, and over again. (Not exactly formula for "victory.")

[onenote]

9. prove it.

[pat_k]

10. Dems are proving it -- proving that anything except impeachment is impotent

. . .gesture.

And with every impotent gesture their approval falls. Can't "prove" causality, but the correlation is consistent and the evidence from other polls makes the case a powerful one.

When they finally impeach and Congressional approval jumps back up again, the case will be a "slam dunk." (Although, even then it won't be "proven" beyond all doubt.)

[creeksneakers2]

11. Impeachment without conviction would be an impotent measure

Harry Reid kept Republicans up all night last night. The two parties argued a lot but we aren't much closer to ending the war from the all nighter itself.

The media almost all covered it from the angle that Harry Reid was pulling a stunt to get publicity and appease his base. Imagine if Harry Reid were to offer impeachment without the votes to convict. How would that look? Wouldn't the media report it all as a stunt? That's really all it would be.

I agree that an impeachment attempt would rally back the frustrated base and the low approval numbers Congress has could go nowhere but up. But, what would it do to the people outside the base?

[pat_k]

12. Wrong. Failure to accuse is a devastating endorsement. . .

. . .of fascist rule.

The pre-emptive surrender of "off the table" is a reprehensible violation of their oath. That oath is not an oath to win, it is an oath to fight -- to "support and defend."

Impeachment, by itself, is a victory in the fight for the treasured dictates of our Constitution. It doesn't matter if too many of Bush and Cheney's minions in the Senate refuse to declare them guilty. Forcing Senators to take sides -- to declare themselves for American principle or Fascist principle -- exposes them. The American people will stand in judgment of them in the next election.

The Constitution -- amended and entrusted to us to protect and perfect as we strive to "form a more perfect union" -- calls on us to put our trust in our fellow Americans (you know, "We the People"). If we aren't willing to do that, how can we claim to stand for true American values?

(And BTW, contrary to the "conventional wisdom" on the Hill (almost always the opposite of reality), victory (resignation or removal) is not only possible, http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=1169359&mesg_id=1170206 ">it is likely).

The 58% who want GWB's presidency over now (January Newsweek poll) are very likely to be VERY happy to see them impeached. Despite relentless propaganda from the Democratic caucus aimed at suppressing the will to impeach, they've been unable to drive the numbers below 40% (and most polls indicate that they haven't been able to drive it below 50%).

When our leaders get out there and start making the case, support for impeachment will jump at least 10 points overnight. (And is more likely to go up more than that. Polls provide evidence that more than 15% are resisting impeachment ONLY because they are following in the footsteps of the leadership. The leadership gets behind it and those folks are on the impeachment bus like a shot.)

What is so heartbreaking is that impeachment is not just the Right thing to do, it is the Winning thing to do. It is an unprecendented opportunity to engage and inspire Americans across the political spectrum. http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=2774207&mesg_id=2776731">This post describes a few of the opportunities they miss by refusing to impeach.

[HootieMcBoob]

7. Good Point

The Republicans are going to obstruct everything that comes down the pike and the things they don't obstruct are going to be vetoed by Bush.

[here_is_to_hope]

8. I have a question then....

If the 'puke minority party has been able to shelve most of what the 110th is trying to do, why werent the Dems, as the minority party, able to do the same?
Seems like everything those rotten bastards wanted, they got, we, on the other hand have not accomplished much and the blame is laid upon the 'pukes....:shrug: