Note to Randi Rhodes (regarding Impeachment) by David Swanson

Note to Randi Rhodes
Tell A Friend

by David Swanson

http://www.opednews.com

Dear Randi Rhodes,

You were talking today about our poll on impeachment, so Bob Fertik called in to speak with you. But you spent the whole conversation attacking the idea of impeachment, claiming that it couldn't succeed and would therefore make any Democrats who tried it look stupid.

Randi, Randi. Such fatalism! From YOU! Such misguided "pragmatism" and "strategic thinking." Don't you realize that people won't vote the Dems a majority BEFORE the Dems stand for something?

This whole chorus of "We'll try it once we have the majority," is
self-contradictory. You can't GET the majority that way.

It's also inconsistent, because Dems are introducing and fighting for some bills, just not others. Have any of the bills and resolutions demanding investigations of the war lies or the Plame outing been more likely to pass than impeachment? Do you think Conyers and Lee and Holt and company all look stupid now?

And this way of thinking is also at odds with the record. When you
elect Democrats with this line of thinking, you get the sort of
Democrats who still don't do anything. You see things from New York,
Randi. I see them from D.C., where people HAVE NO REPRESENTATION IN
CONGRESS. And for how many years did a Democratic majority fail to do anything about that?

To be fair, Randi, you did offer another strategy: "praying to god" that the Dems win some elections. But do you think that'll actually
work?

Have you looked at the example of how the Republicans moved into the majority? Was it through self-censorship and fear or through aggressive futile attacks and getting a message to THEIR base, not OURS?

<snip>

In Solidarity,

David Swanson

http://www.davidswanson.org

DAVID SWANSON is a co-founder of After Downing Street, a writer and activist, and the Washington Director of Democrats.com. He is a board member of Progressive Democrats of America, and serves on the Executive Council of the Washington-Baltimore Newspaper Guild, TNG-CWA. He has worked as a newspaper reporter and as a communications director, with jobs including Press Secretary for Dennis Kucinich's 2004 presidential campaign, Media Coordinator for the International Labor Communications Association, and three years as Communications Coordinator for ACORN, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now. Swanson obtained a Master's degree in philosophy from the University of Virginia in 1997.

that Articles of Impeachment must be initiated in the House Of Representatives. How do we get over that hurdle? Please explain.

It's a matter of fighting for what is right and what is just. It's about standing on principle. It's about challenging each and every member of our government to make a choice. It's all about PARTY or it's all about COUNTRY. Make sure that they know each and every one of them will be held accountable for their choice. They can't have it both ways...NOT ANYMORE. Period.

peace.

and be counted for what is right. They may not succeed in impeaching the criminals but the seeds of exposure will be planted nonetheless.

Delay under indictments..... Check!
Bush undermined by failed policies..... Check!
Conservative fundy SCOTUS nominee in big poo-poo with fundies.... Check!
Iraq war going to Hell in a handbasket.... Check!
Bush position to stay the course in Iraq.... Check!
Bush to veto torture bill.... Check!
Ron Paul (R-TX) writes scathing criticism of Bush.... Check!
Repub House members worried about losing their seats.... Check!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas....

Time to start turning some moderates. Impeachment is looking like a possibility.

Oh, and one more....

Much of West Wing may be indicted by Fitzgerald, possibly including Crashcart.

pork train is at stake, they'll be willing to throw Dubya overboard. After all, without Rove he is a total liability.

with the Republican controlled Congress, impeachment is a fight that can't be won at this time. The only time to pick a fight is when the odds are in your favor.

I like Fertik but my money is on Randi Rhodes on this one guys.

You shouldn't not start impeachment proceedings simply because you "think" they are doomed to fail. That's a self fulfilling prophecy.

However, you do have to choose your battles carefully. Impeachment proceedings may not be worth the effort. With still over 3 years to go in Bush's presidency and the 2006 elections coming up, allowing these Republican bafoons to remain in office can only aid in the success of the Democrats. Look at the sorry state the Repugs are in now. It will only get worse for them as time moves closer to the elections.

We will win back the majority in 2006, and win the Presidency in 2008. No need to go through all the wasted energy of impeachment.

why can't we win back the house and then start impeachment hearings? the idea that we have to wait until 2008 to win back the White House without forcing this administration to account for its criminality is absurd. There MUST be accountability!

will change the facts that in the end, when it comes down to voting on impeachment the 2 sides would vote their partisan ways and the Dem's would fail in their attempts because they are outnumbered by the Repubes.

then I say the Dems scream impeachment at the top of their lungs regardless of who holds the house.

If they wait until after '06, then lay down an impeachment hearing soon thereafter, it'll look like petty revenge, not a principled stand.