“Earth to Madame Speaker . . .” from dailykos

[shraby]

<http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/5/18/155839/487>

Which part of, "Kiss my ass, I’m the Unitary Executive Commander Guy" haven’t you and Harry Reid figured out yet?

How many times are you going to bring a toothpick to a gun fight? How many times are you going to try to "compromise" with that smirking idiot from Crawford? How many times are we supposed to endure these humiliating contortions you call "working with the president?" A blank check for Bush is a blank check for Bush, even if you don’t call it a blank check. He just spit on your latest blank check. Congratulations.

Madame Speaker, ever since you blurted out, "Impeachment is off the table" on 60 Minutes last fall, you’ve stubbornly stayed the course on no Impeachment. You said, "it’s a waste of time." You’ve chosen to "negotiate" with Mr. 28 Percent instead. If you’re trying to prove you’re as delusional as he is, you’re doing a heckuva job.

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<http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/5/18/155839/487>

[KingFlorez]

1. There isn't much that can be done

Some people act like Democrats have the votes for impeachment, when it's obvious that they don't.

[WinkyDink]

2. We might, once the EVIDENCE is presented.

[magellan]

7. Indeed. How far down the toilet are Cheney's poll numbers now?

I don't think I've seen an update since they were 18% a year or ago. Maybe they don't report NEGATIVE poll numbers.

Dick goes first.

And it's not like most Americans would need a push regarding Mr. 28%er either.

[frylock]

4. they can threaten to issue subpoenas..

and then when issued subpoenas go ignored, they can threaten to issue some more. The repubs are quaking in their boots.

[FedUp_Queer]

28. Ok...Let' Go Over This Again

Number one: there are enough votes to impeach.
Number two: there may not be enough to convict

Here is why the "we don't have the votes" arguments is an awful one.

In the Judiciary Committee, articles of impeachment are introduced. Hearings are held, witnesses are called. I, for one, would love to have hearings plastered all over the news wherein an investigation would be done regarding whether to vote on articles of impeachment in committee. I do not think it is impossible, though highly improbable, that as things came out popular support would increase for impeachment and conviction. The facts would begin to speak for themselves. Let the Republicans spew their garbage in the hearings. Let the Republicans spew their garbage in the floor debate. Watch them cower as the war crimes, the lying, the treasonous behavior about these filthy vermin comes out.

Then, assuming the House, which only requires a majority to impeach, impeaches these thugs, watch the trial in the Senate as the facts come out all over again. Watch the GOP defend the war crimes, watch the entire GOP go down as they defend the crimes as more and more information comes out.

In any event, NONE of this will happen if the Democrats don't at least start impeachment hearings.

[ixion]

3. the last 'graph is a corker... excellent read...

Democrats need to quit hiding behind lame excuses. America needs Impeachment hearings. They must begin now. If Democrats do not Impeach, the misery and suffering and blood of all the victims of Bush and Cheney’s brutal seven-year rampage will be on their hands as well.


Yep, that sums it up, IMO.

[cassiepriam]

11. Yes, I agree 100%

[MzNov]

5. Pelosi still thinks Bush will change and become a human being.

The whole scenario is starting to be, here we are again Mr. President. Kick us again please.

Democrats actually went back and removed all of the spending from the bill that was not Iraq-related !!! Frivolous and pork barrel stuff liking helping farmers and aiding Katrina victims and rebuilding.

This is absolutely incredible. And the rat bastard won't budge an inch.

When is Speaker Pelosi going to realize what a monster this guy is???

[immoderate]

20. Thank you Mr. President. May I have another?

:spank:

--IMM

[tblue]

6. She should signal an interest in co-sponsoring Kucinich's HR333. See if Idiot will negotiate then.

[blues90]

8. The thing the Dems won't know

if they don;t try , they assume impeachment will be a waste of time . How do they define what all the lives lost everyday in this insane occupation are .

What appears now to be a waste of time is putting any trust in the new democratic senate seats outside of a few .

I wonder who else in the dem side went along with the impeachment off the table deal .

At least if it were on the table then it may spark a reaction that won;t as they have their hearings that go back 6 years .

I feel like my vote was a waste in a way because all it was is a vote of hope that now seems lost .

They have the constitution to defend not hearings or 6 for 06 bullshit . So far it's 6 for zero . The war rages on and bush and cheney still sit in power laughing .

[CrispyQ]

19. My mother always said, "You don't have to succeed, but you have to try like hell!" --nt

[ninkasi]

9. I strongly agree

Whether we have the votes or not, we should begin impeachment proceedings because it's the right thing to do. If we are blocked by the Republics, at least we will have shown that we were willing to try, rather than curling up in a corner and sucking our thumbs.

Just the investigations going on as part of the process will expose Bush, Cheney, and this whole corrupt, arrogant, criminal bunch for what they really are. I believe that we should try like hell, and fight them all the way. It's better to lose an honorable fight, than to cravenly do nothing.

[pinto]

10. As much as an impeachment proceeding, that will fail, may please *us*, it isn't

the sole means to perform Congressional duties under the Constitution - especially it's role to maintain oversight, and act as a check 'n balance on the Executive. Sometimes progress isn't all fire and brimstone; just dogged legislation, investigation, political pressure and public consensus building for a different agenda.

[Rydz777]

12. The House can impeach with a simple majority which the

Democrats have. To convict in the Senate would require a two-thirds vote which would not happen. However, impeachment by the House would be a strong symbolic move. My preference is that both the Democratic House and Senate spend their time in using the appropriations process to stop this miserable war NOW. Five more of our troops died yesterday - stopping the slaughter is priority one.

[Beam Me Up]

13. How's that "stopping the war" thing goin' for you?

[Bitwit1234]

14. OK..at first I said impeachment could not be done

because we did not have the votes. But stop and think. Even if we don't have the votes. The house will start the investigation. They will bring up every single solitary illegal, unconstitution, crooked thing this pretended to the presidency has done. THERE IS NO WAY THE MSM CAN IGNORE IT...then if the republicans don't vote to impeach, even if he is not removed from office, the democrats can repeat over and over.

" See all the evidence we have against this pretender, the one who calls himself the decider, the commander guy. And the republicans won't impeach. Is this what you elected them for support the crooked, constitution shredder bush? If not vote them out of office".

They need to repeat that over and over. Sock it to the republicans maybe we can get them all kicked out.

[lyonn]

16. Get the evidence out there where the media can't ignore it.

Good point. We were all glued to the tv while they hammered Clinton. After digging in every corner they finally hit pay dirt, Clinton lied about a sexual affair, short lived one at that. The House was thrilled and proud that the got the votes. The crimes of george and dick are Real crimes against the people. That includes those that die every day in Iraq for a war that was planned before george raised his hand and promised to defend the Constitution. McNeil's and Clarke's books set it out quite plainly. Now that the repub party is crumbling the loyal ones may feel a bit used and abused and start talking. Would that be fun or what!

[calimary]

17. Agreed. Plus, it would be a surefire way to overcome the image Dems

suffer with: Not Having Any Balls.

It would be a VERY ballsy move. What a trumpet blast that would be.

[KharmaTrain]

15. Today's Toothpick Wasn't Even Wood Pulp A Year Ago

Bottom line, the votes aren't there and not even DeLay strong arm tactics are gonna get the votes to convict in the Senate.

Well I guess the investigations in to GonzoGate, War Profiteering, fraudlent intel that led to the Iraq fiasco and other on-going investigation mean zero. Or, how about the raising of the minimum wage or many of the items passed in the first 100 hours? That means nothing to people? That all Pelosi and Reid are good for is this one thing? And to do it without the votes to pass, and at this point even a real crime to use as charges.

Someone recently wrote "if you're gonna shoot the king...aim to kill"...without a conviction in the Senate...the 67 votes to convict, this is an empty gesture. Clinton was able to launch the air war in Kosovo in the wake of his "impeachment"...and did little to curb his powers...it sure won't with a regime that not only would feel its still above the law but now "bullet proof" from any further investigation or prosecution.

For those on their moral high horse...by sitting up there, you're letting all the rats run away with the real crimes and profits. Time and history will determine the fate of this regime and we're just starting to peel away the onion. Until now all we've had are bits and pieces and not the real proof. Let's get that first...make the case not just iron clad to convict in an Impeachment, but in the real court where this regime belongs...the World Court in the Hague!

[mike_c]

21. in fact they do mean zero as long as congress continues aiding and abetting...

...crimes against humanity. Stopping the illegal war against Iraq and changing American foreign policy is job number one for Congress, by orders of magnitude. As long as Congress shirks that responsibility, Gonzo and the like are sideshow diversions.

[pat_k]

18. Hear! Hear!

[StarryNite]

22. Sometimes you just have to do

the right thing. In this case it's going after impeachment. She needs to grow a set. Even if it fails she would at least earn some respect for trying. When everybody is so afraid of failing that they don't even try then we all might as well give up and cave into the neocons and their scare tactics.

[WillyT]

23. K & R !!!

:kick:

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

24. Title should read...

"From some retard's journal on dailykos."

[CrownPrinceBandar]

25. It would cost the Dems nothing to bring up impeachment...........

Bush's numbers are so toilet-low that an anti-Dem backlash in 2008 would be unlikely, or at the extreme, negligible. The media pundits like to say that the Dems don't have the numbers in Congress for impeachment right now and to bring it up would be dangerous. More dangerous that a nation at war and with the cost of living here at home skyrocketing? I think not.

However, the tide is changing day by day and its only a matter of time until the popular groundswell to get rid of this guy will be so strong that the pubs in Washington can't resist any more. The upshot is, we might as well take chance and get the I-train rolling, even if its only among our ranks. The moment we truly believe we can get this guy out of office and start to act upon it with confidence, the rest of the country will feel safe enough to follow.

Some folks here think there are more important things to deal with right now than impeachment and it'll only distract us from the larger issues, I vehemently disagree and I attest just the opposite. We have no other option than boot this guy from the WH and send him back to Crawford, our country is at stake and we have nothing to lose anymore. Get rid of the bull, and the china shop will tidy up nicely.

edit: spelling.

[cooolandrew]

26. Wooooo, that is one powerful article Olberman has gotta read that.

[bluestateboomer]

27. The time for compromise is long past..

Impeachment is the only way to restore our constitution.:grr: