Follow Through, or Don't Even Bother Investigating
by clammyc
Tue Aug 21st, 2007 at 12:43:07 PM EST

I’m pretty pissed off right now. And frankly, I’m not nearly alone here, as Congress’ approval is at an all time low, according to a new Gallup Poll. And even though there is more approval for Democrats than republicans, and even though there is a preference for Democrats than republicans, there is one thing that republicans are very very good at – understanding that if the public doesn’t like the other side more than they don’t like you, then you can win. Not that this is going to happen, but it could happen.

I know that we all would love to see Bush, Cheney, Rove, Gonzales and whoever else frog marched, impeached and locked up for many years. I am also aware of the precedent that would be set if these actions don’t go punished, or even investigated. But with the country in such bad shape by nearly every metric that even the slumbered masses have taken their heads our of their asses the sand long enough to start realizing just how dire the situation could be.

...............

Investigations are nice. Investigations are warranted. Threats are also good, especially when there has been no indication of compliance or cooperation for years. But, toothless investigations and threats of the “just wait until your father gets home” variety aren’t going to do much other than waste time, energy and resources.

............

To put it more bluntly, either shit or get off the pot. There is enough evidence to charge more than a few people and hold them in inherent contempt. Either do it or don’t even bother investigating anymore.

more at:
http://www.boomantribune.com/story/2007/8/21/12361/1113

These investigations for show only have become a complete turn-off. It surely has to be back-firing on the Dems.

That to Patrick Leahy or Nancy Pelosi.

...ou know, real problems that touch on them. Problems that they want Congress to tackle - no matter how big or how tough they may be. And here is a news flash – Americans would rather have the Democrats TRY to implement a healthcare plan, or deal with infrastructure issues, or hold their ground on Iraq and actually have a timetable set – even if it results in a veto than to have nothing but hand wringing.

and they're shitting on us.

K & R :kick:

While their reluctance to impeach, ruffle feathers, and hold people accountable makes their corporate masters and ivory tower consultants happy.

It's their version of triangulation, and they think it's going to help Hillary win the White House. They don't have a clue how complicit it makes them look---they take our votes for granted.

n/t

NOBODY wants to believe that we are being played like a cheap guitar. No one wants to believe that we are being lied to. No one wants to believe that we are being used. And that's what they count on. If you don't want to believe it, you'll ignore the obvious signs. You'll convince yourself that it's just not happening. And there will be plenty to help convince you all is well and help you ignore what you are seeing. Ignore what you are hearing, and ignore what you are feeling. But step back for one moment, and listen to your gut. Listen to that voice inside of you, and really hear what it is saying. No matter now unpleasant. No matter how terrifying. Don't try to shut it down, even though you have been conditioned to ignore its warnings. And know that your voice inside speaks truer than the lies offered at every turn. And then you will become angry. And you will see the big lie for what it is, lies upon lies within lies. And then you will demand change.

Wake up America!:kick:

Actually, a study of DU archives back to 2001 will show that I saw this coming way before alomst anyone.

As early as mid-2001, the systemic assaults were becoming clear. 2006, was hope, after wandering in the desrt of Nazi/Bushie evil for 6 years.

My worst nightmare was that we would win, and nothing significant would change. Which is what has happened, although I will give the Dems the rest of the year to show me I am wrong.

So you are preaching to the choir. But thanks, anyway. We need to be saying this to as many people as we can, because word of mouth is the only way the truth about a Bush or Hitler can spread among the people.

was rubber stamped I started to get pissed, and now that the FISA bill has passed I have pretty much concluded that the dems are either in on it and we are totally screwed, or they are spineless and we are totally screwed. Oh shit. We're totally screwed.

there really are only a few conclusions you can come to. Cowards or collaborators. Perhaps both.

Your powers of forward-thinking, as with mine, may have revealed the truth to us years in advance before the "actual boots on the ground" confirm this.

But the fact of the matter is that the future is unwritten for now. And it really could turn out either way, even if one is much more likely an outcome than the other.

I understand that frustration.

But, our government is designed to be slow.
When it moves fast, there's really something wrong (ie Patriot Act).

Combine this with the fact that you really need 60 votes to get anything through in the Senate, and you can see why we're having problems getting some things done.

I don't believe we're being placated here.

It's easy, I know, to start feeling fatalistic about the state of things.
But -- I feel things getting better -- and we will get out of Iraq.

Let's keep pushing -- and let's keep working within the Democratic Party to get things done.
We can't secede. We must keep on moving ... even if it isn't at a preferred pace.

Good post. Thanks.

Regrettably, the changes the Democrats have already wrought aren't totally obvious to many of us, though they are quite visible:

* The political climate, if measured purely in terms of monetary donations to political parties and candidates, is now heavily in favor of the Democrats.

* Even though this is an off-election year, the oil companies apparently don't feel welcome to secure their usual Bush-era windfall summer profits.

* Harry Reid kept his promise to keep the Senate in pro forma session through this recess, so Alberto Gonzales and others can't be replaced with other criminals.

* The propaganda wing of the GOP has lost all credibility and its voice is virtually ignored instead of making daily headline news.

* There have been markedly fewer bullshit terrorism warnings designed to distract from the crimes of the Bush Administration.

Those last two points are particularly important, because I think that's why our patience is running thin. Using the slow-grinding machinery of Congressional inquiry, the Bush Administration has been forced to abandon its usual, dishonest and probably illegal methods of deceiving the public and controlling the debate, to the point where the Joseph Goebbels of this administration has abandoned his post to catcalls.

We're getting pissed because all the filters and bypasses created by the Republican slime machine have broken down. Instead, the American public is now mainlining Bush Administration crime, corruption, and prevarication, and we are quickly losing all tolerance for it.

Good. Be pissed. Stay pissed. Make sure everyone you know is pissed. But don't say that the Democrats haven't done anything, because they've provided us with the opportunity to pay attention for once.

(This is a general statement and obviously cannot be directly applied to you, kpete. I and everyone else here knows and appreciates your tireless diligence and willingness to document the actions of this most malicious political era, and I for one thank you for it.)

ditto that..."shit or get off the pot!"

use it because of the repercussions for the American people. The Democrats are in the position of a police force facing someone who holds a victim hostage. The Republicans are holding America hostage. A certain percentage of Americans have Stockholm syndrome, and the Democrats are loathe to even censure the Republicans because they are afraid of harming the hostage which is the American people.

The Democrats in Congress need to get some unity. We need to pressure people like Feinstein to get their votes right. We have a lot of Democrats who either lack courage or do not understand what is happening to America, Americans and American interests here and overseas. They just don't appreciate the importance of civil rights. I don't know what they are thinking.

so let's see em!

Investigations need to proceed to the end -- no cutting them short or leading them astray to take the heat off someone or something.

A course of penicillin that is abandoned halfway through treatment leaves the patient feeling better initially but sets the patient up for a reenergized bug that powers back on with ferocity.

Likewise, investigations that are abandoned halfway through may make some people satisfied that we're "taking a hard look," but if no one is held accountable at the end, the criminals will be back to continue their rampage. And they'll have the political cover of being able to point at the "investigation" and say, "They looked into it, but they didn't find anything." That's a precedent that does no one any good -- immunized, mutated, empowered criminals.

Just watching this fiasco has made me into the irate and horrified pain-in-the-ass I am today!

TC