Repudiation, Not Impeachment-Scott Ritter

[IChing]

I have snipped out some points that I thought were important
due to copy-write but please read the 3 page article
because what I gave you
does not do it justice.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By: Scott Ritter

was a Marine Corps intelligence officer from 1984 to 1991 and a United Nations weapons inspector in Iraq from 1991 to 1998. He is the author of numerous books. His latest is “Waging Peace: The Art of War for the Antiwar Movement” (Nation Books, April 2007).


Repudiation is a strong term, defined as “rejecting as having no authority or binding force,” to “cast off or disown,” or to “reject with disapproval or condemnation.” In my opinion, the complete repudiation of the presidency of George W. Bush is the only recourse we have collectively as a people to not only seek redress for the wrongs committed by the Bush administration, but also to purge society of this cancer that threatens to consume and destroy us as a whole, and which would continue to manifest itself in our system of governance even after any impeachment proceedings.

This is the main reason why I am not a proponent of the “impeach now” mentality so prevalent in political circles that oppose George W. Bush. The expediency of impeachment simply replaces one source of tyranny (President Bush) with another (whoever replaces him). It is not the failures of an individual that have gotten us to where we are today, but rather the failure of the collective. So before we speak of impeachment and the notion of executive accountability, I would like to address the issue of repudiation and the necessity of civic responsibility.


Today one need only observe the corruption of our rulers and the carelessness of our people to understand the significance of the Constitution when it comes to preserving these United States of America. The nefarious nature of the Bush cancer is that, in its infection of the American system, it seeks to draw legitimacy for its tyrannical actions by citing the very same Constitution it seeks to destroy. The promoters of this point of view cite the academic term “Unitary Executive Theory” when defining their philosophy. To me, it is nothing less than treason. The Founding Fathers, in discussing the concept of a “unitary executive,” made use of the term in a manner reflective of their desire to restrain executive power, versus the extreme interpretation embraced by counsels to President Bush and Vice President Cheney, who seek to expand executive power and authority to near dictatorial levels, especially during a time of war.


Impeach President Bush? Maybe, if due process dictates. Repudiate President Bush? Absolutely, especially if one aspires for an America that truly matches the visions and ideals set forth by the Founding Fathers.

Repudiate the notion of a “unitary executive.”

Repudiate presidential signing statements.

Repudiate executive violation of Article 6 of the Constitution, which binds municipal law in America with binding treaty obligations incurred when the Senate ratifies a treaty or agreement by a two-thirds majority or better.

Repudiate “faith-based initiatives” pushed by any branch of government.

Repudiate a weak Congress.

Repudiate weak senators or representatives, especially those with a track record of abrogating their constitutional mandate.

Repudiate ignorance, especially that of the American citizen who knows little or nothing about the Constitution which empowers him or her.

Repudiate consumerism, especially the virulent form it takes in the selfish framework of American-centric capitalism.

Repudiate pre-emptive wars of aggression.

Repudiate American Empire.

http://www.truthdig.com/report/page3/20070531_repudiation_not_impeachment/

[JDPriestly]

1. Repudiate is a nice word, but the Constitution does not provide

a process through which citizens can repudiate a president. The Constitution provides for impeachment and conviction. Repudiation without impeachment and conviction would not change anything. As for education, how do we educate people who are addicted to the entertainment on TV and video games?

[Fridays Child]

2. What you said, JDP!

And we educate them by beginning the investigation and impeachment phases. The media will have to report the proceedings, and people will pay attention, even if no blow jobs are involved. I think, too, that Bush might do a public meltdown, and people would see him in all his pathological glory.

[IChing]

3. Did you read the article?

The corruption of the system is almost intolerable for impeachment.

[orleans]

4. gee, i don't know. i reject bush , i disaprove, i condemn, how is this going to change shit?

Repudiate

1. to reject as having no authority or binding force: to repudiate a claim.
2. to cast off or disown: to repudiate a son.
3. to reject with disapproval or condemnation: to repudiate a new doctrine.
4. to reject with denial: to repudiate a charge as untrue.
5. to refuse to acknowledge and pay (a debt), as a state, municipality, etc.
Origin: 1535–45; < L repudiātus (ptp. of repudiāre to reject, refuse), equiv. to repudi(um) a casting off, divorce (re- re- + pud(ere) to make ashamed, feel shame
—Synonyms 1. disavow, renounce, discard, disclaim. 3. condemn, disapprove.
verb
1. cast off; "She renounced her husband"; "The parents repudiated their son"
2. refuse to acknowledge, ratify, or recognize as valid; "The woman repudiated the divorce settlement"
3. refuse to recognize or pay; "repudiate a debt"
4. reject as untrue, unfounded, or unjust; "She repudiated the accusations"
: to disavow or reject an obligation (as a debt) or duty (as performance under a contract); specifically : to indicate an inability or unwillingness to perform as promised under (a contract)
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Repudiate

so how is repudiating bush gonna do anything? or a weak congress? or signing statements? (seems to me we already repudiate these things--and we're still fucked, and so now what?)

[mmonk]

5. Impeachment is repudiation.

Letting them walk with no discussion is acceptance that this way of governing or at least the ideas have some sort of legitimacy. The great hearings going on are largely ignored. Many people don't know what there is to repudiate.