Impeachment By The People - By Howard Zinn

This needs wider publication.

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...

The Declaration of Independence, revered as a document but ignored as a guide to action, needs to be read from pulpits and podiums, on street corners and community radio stations throughout the nation. Its words, forgotten for over two centuries, need to become a call to action for the first time since it was read aloud to crowds in the early excited days of the American Revolution: “Whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it and institute new government.”

The “ends” referred to in the Declaration are the equal right of all to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” True, no government in the history of the nation has been faithful to those ends. Favors for the rich, neglect of the poor, massive violence in the interest of continental and world expansion—that is the persistent record of our government.

Still, there seems to be a special viciousness that accompanies the current assault on human rights, in this country and in the world. We have had repressive governments before, but none has legislated the end of habeas corpus, nor openly supported torture, nor declared the possibility of war without end. No government has so casually ignored the will of the people, affirmed the right of the President to ignore the Constitution, even to set aside laws passed by Congress.

The time is right, then, for a national campaign calling for the impeachment of President Bush and Vice President Cheney. Representative John Conyers, who held extensive hearings and introduced an impeachment resolution when the Republicans controlled Congress, is now head of the House Judiciary Committee and in a position to fight for such a resolution. He has apparently been silenced by his Democratic colleagues who throw out as nuggets of wisdom the usual political palaver about “realism” (while ignoring the realities staring them in the face) and politics being “the art of the possible” (while setting limits on what is possible).

I know I’m not the first to talk about impeachment. Indeed, judging by the public opinion polls, there are millions of Americans, indeed a majority of those polled, who declare themselves in favor if it is shown that the President lied us into war (a fact that is not debatable). There are at least a half-dozen books out on impeachment, and it’s been argued for eloquently by some of our finest journalists, John Nichols and Lewis Lapham among them. Indeed, an actual “indictment” has been drawn up by a former federal prosecutor, Elizabeth de la Vega, in a new book called United States v. George W. Bush et al, making a case, in devastating detail, to a fictional grand jury.

There is a logical next step in this development of an impeachment movement: the convening of “people’s impeachment hearings” all over the country. This is especially important given the timidity of the Democratic Party. Such hearings would bypass Congress, which is not representing the will of the people, and would constitute an inspiring example of grassroots democracy.

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More: http://www.progressive.org/node/4473

Please send this to everyone you know. Before it's too late.

onedit: spulling, lol!

Throughout the nation’s history, the failure of government to deliver justice has led to the establishment of grassroots organizations, often ad hoc, dissolving after their purpose was fulfilled. For instance, after passage of the Fugitive Slave Act, knowing that the national government could not be counted on to repeal the act, black and white anti-slavery groups organized to nullify the law by acts of civil disobedience. They held meetings, made plans, and set about rescuing escaped slaves who were in danger of being returned to their masters.

:hi:

ONLY the will of our politicians to be reelected to the same or higher office matters. TERM LIMITS and ABOLISH LOBBYISTS and their BRIBERY. The PEOPLE must take back their country from the corporatist corrupt politicians.

What he is pointing out is that this organization that calls itself the GOP are a covert consortium of corporate, globalists that are anti-American and treasonous in their use of the power of our government and disregard for our Constitution that they are attempting to destroy along with our military and our democracy.

He is asking us to go back to an earlier document to back our actions of removing this corporate anti-American and treasonous organization from our government.

It's called the Ruling Class, the Elite. And those who don't understand that people from BOTH parties are members are deluding themselves.

sw

real Democrats. I think it's one of the reasons I'm rather cool towards Hillary these days.

I haven't read the whole piece at the link yet, but what first crossed my mind is that it would appear to be at least a partial answer to the question of HOW to "stop them" that's been raised in this other thread:

Exactly WHAT is stopping us from stopping them?

Off to read now -- thanks for posting this!

sw

:bounce:;):bounce:

I'm looking for like minded individuals in the DFW area of the country.

Peace

:bounce::hi::bounce:

Glad ta have ya aboard!!!

Wouldn't it be nice to have an actual intellectual for a president?

WWII vet to boot!

:shrug:

I want an intellectual populist for president. Just dreaming, but I can, can't I?

Peace.

:hi: I love Zinn

:bounce::hi::bounce:

:hug: Zinn on cspan 2 right now ..:woohoo:

Does the will still exist in this country? In view of our reaction to the crimes of the last 30 years, I have serious doubts. Literally nothing would make me happier than to be proved wrong.

But they're at least capable of returning to rationality.

So, we do what we can and hope for the best.

--

:kick:

!!

:kick:

Thanks!!

The Bush crime family has so smeared the international reputation of the US, it may take decades for our reputation to recover. The US Congress has suspended Habeas Corpas, the US authorities torture prisoners and jail people based on suspicion, the CIA exercises extraordinary rendition, the list just goes on and on and on. Can the rest of the world ever trust the US again?

or stole the presidencey the second time.

:kick:

:kick: