Letter to Speaker Pelosi, July 20, 2007

[Jack Rabbit]

A similar letter has been sent to the Honorable Mike Thompson of California's first congressional district.

Madame Speaker:

In light of yesterday's declaration that the Justice Department will be prohibited from pursuing contempt citations filed by Congress against subpoenaed witnesses who either refuse to answer questions or fail to appear altogether based on a claim of executive privilege, I write to urge you to put the impeachment of both Mr. Bush and Mr. Cheney on the table.

It seems that the new stance by the White House narrows your options. Mr. Bush and his aides are blocking legitimate oversight of the executive branch by Congress, even into matters that are related to possible criminal activity by members of the White House and Justice Department.

In other words, if we want the law enforced, we will have to remove the current law enforcer and replace him with one willing to uphold the law.

When I was in eighth grade, forty years ago, I had an old fashioned English and history teacher who made the class memorize the Constitution with all its archaic spelling and punctuation. At the end of the semester, five exams were given and I was the only one in the afternoon class to get A's on all five. I know the Constitution. Nevertheless, it was several year later, in 1973, that I first heard of executive privilege. There is no constitutional basis for executive privilege. Any claim of executive privilege should be regarded on its face as suspect. The recent claims made by Mr. Fielding on behalf of Mr. Bush are clearly bogus.

We voters put Democrats in power of Congress last November to hold the Bush Administration accountable for its many misdeeds, whether brought about by incompetence or criminal intent. It should be clear now that Mr. Bush and his underlings will go to absurd lengths to avoid accountability and defy Congress.

Impeachment is no longer an option. It is a necessity.

Thank you for your time.

[Norquist Nemesis]

1. Also send your local editor a copy as an 'open letter to Speaker Pelosi'

and get it published! :thumbsup:

[EFerrari]

4. Most Letters Editors don't publish open letters. But, if you frame

it as an opinion piece (which it is) instead of a letter, that could work. :)

[rodeodance]

5. great idea

[Jack Rabbit]

10. Instead of my local paper, I sent it to the San Francisco Chronicle

I sent a slightly altered version addressed to other readers rather than to the Speaker.

I'm sure Ms. Pelosi reads the Chronicle.

[Elidor]

2. Nicely stated

Very good letter.

[BuyingThyme]

3. kcik

[bdamomma]

6. good letter

Pelosi needs to hear from us.

[sazemisery]

7. Well written and to the point

[SoonerPride]

8. You were more tactful than I would have been.

Not that it will make any difference to her.

[Jack Rabbit]

9. There's no reason not to be tactful

Of course, it won't be a single letter that will change her mind. It will be a specific outrage that will be the straw that finally breaks her back, accompanied by letters expressing sentiment similar to this one.

I really think impeachment is all Bush or Cheney will respect, and even then I half visualize having to send in a platoon of Marines to escort them out of the White House.

[Jack Rabbit]

11. !!

:bounce:

[bridgit]

12. k&r'd, JR & thanks for it...

:hi:

[Jack Rabbit]

13. The 2:30 pm PDT kick

Just came back from watching the US Women's Chess Championship in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Irina Krush is the new US women's champion with 7 points in nine rounds.

Congratulations, Irina.

[Jack Rabbit]

14. For those eating dinning in New York and just getting home in Chicago

:bounce:

[Jack Rabbit]

15. And for those eating dinner in Denver and just coming home in San Francisco

[Swamp Rat]

16. Amen!

[Jack Rabbit]

17. One more time around the block, driver

:bounce:

[Jack Rabbit]

18. And again for those having a late supper on the West Coast