Debbie Wasserman-Schultz: Out of Touch

Rep. Debbie Waserman-Schultz (FL) is Deputy Whip of Democrats in the US House. Her job is to enforce party discipline, and in the Democratic Party that is not an easy job, especially when the leadership takes a position that is wrong. Opposing impeachment of either or both the President and Vice President is wrong legally, morally and politically. A substantial majority of Democratic voters support impeaching the Vice President, and polls show that a majority of Americans in general support bringing charges against him. The public supports the process because it is now clear, five years into the war in Iraq, that Cheney and his aides mounted a sophisticated, covert, and irregular propaganda campaign to push Congress into giving his boss the authority to wage aggressive war on Iraq. The campaign included, as Rep Kucinich stated so well in his reading of the Articles, concerted efforts to bypass or undermine the established intelligence gathering operations of the Defense Department and the CIA. Such extraordinary efforts were needed to insure that the threat posed by Saddam Hussein was depicted as perilous as possible. The campaign also featured the Vice President's willfully false statements to the public concerning the need to invade Iraq. It required the official endorsement of dubious sources of intelligence like the discredited informer code-named "Curveball" and the forged "Niger yellowcake" documents. It required the Vice President to ignore all evidence to the contrary of the foregone conclusion to wage war against Iraq.

Precious little cooperation has been obtained from Republicans members by the Democratic House leadership for refraining from considering impeachment. In fact the Republicans seem to be playing a game of "chicken" when it comes to the question. Impeachment is not a political game even though the Republicans debased the process when they tried to oust Bill Clinton for adulterous sexual relations and then lying about it under oath. Cheney's lies and machinations have resulted in the destruction of a soverign country and the deaths of thousands of people. These are high crimes indeed. Impeachment is the process the Founders provided for removing a national executive that has abused the powers of it's office. That is exactly what Cheney and Bush are doing in a manner unprecedented in the history of our country. Yet their war grinds on, consuming more lives and more treasure. House Democrats appear unwilling to stop it by refusing to finance the disaster any longer.

So when the Deputy Whip says on the radio that impeachment proceedings would be a distraction she shows she does not have the discernment of our polity or the understanding of our government necessary to be in a leadership position. When she says another member advocating consideration of the articles introduced into the House by Rep. Kucinich is "off base" she shows that she is merely good at parroting the cliches uttered by her boss, Speaker Nancy Pelosi. A few dollars increase in the minimum wage and some pork barrel water projects is all the Democrats have to show for their collaboration with Republicans. The poor children's health insurance bill was vetoed without an override by Congress. By consent of the Senate, the Regime has a new Attorney General who refuses to call torture what it is for fear of legal action against the perpetrators. Illegal spying on citizens is conducted unabated. Our country gives aid to and supports dictatorships. The planet becomes warmer and storms get more intense, but there is no legislative action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Rep. Schultz is the one "off base" and out of touch. It is time for Democratic Representatives to act like adults, face the sickness in our government, and take the strong medicine the Founders so wisely provided.

To The Bitter End (and a Better Begining)

[first post 9/27/07]
Update: NRDC announced that it has finally reached an out of court settlement with Texaco after nineteen years of litigation over the pollution of the Delaware River. The settlement came at the last moment as NRDC prepared to go to federal court once again to get compliance with court orders against the giant multinational. The company paid a $1.68 million fine for 3,360 days of violating the Clean Water Act, and as part of the settlement, agreed to pay an additional $2.25 million to local environmental groups working to restore the river ecosystem. The money will be used for such projects as wetland restoration, tree planting, meadow management and establishing osprey nesting sites. For Texaco, the money is a drop in the river of profit flowing its way now that oil is nearing $100 a barrel on the commodities exchanges.

Le Zen: Rotten Kerik

The only development that tops the news that Giuliani gumbadi, Bernie Kerik, is indicted for federal tax evasion is the endorsement of the thrice married, cross dressing, radio ranting, adulterous former mayor and Democrat by evangelical political movement founder and right wingnut, Pat Robinson. Thanks to Mother Jones for the cartoon of 'Ker-egg'.

Yeah, Its the Network Alright

[first post 10/18/07]
Update: The Judiciary Committee delayed marking up the FISA reform bill at the request of Republicans. The delay sets up a confrontation just before the Thanksgiving recess between conservatives supporting protection for telecommunication companies cooperating with the Regime's massive domestic spying program and those backing citizens' privacy rights. Chairman Leahy, Chris Dodd, Ted Kennedy and other Democrats on the Judiciary committee oppose retroactive immunity for the telecoms and will attempt to strike the language next week. But two Democrats on the panel — Dianne Feinstein (CA) and Sheldon Whitehouse (RI) — voted for the Intelligence Committee bill with the immunity provisions. It is Democrats like these who prevent the Party from mounting an effective resistance to the dangerous policies of the most unpopular President in our history. Feinstein is distinguishing herself by repeatedly helping the neocons erode the founders' principle of co-equal branches. She cast a pivotal vote to forward the nomination of Judge Michael Mukasey to the full Senate where it's consent to appointing him Attorney General is expected. Mukasey refused to say the Regime's "enhanced interrogation" techniques--including waterboarding--constituted torture. Without her vote, the nomination would have gone to the floor without a committee endorsement. These so-called "Democratic" Senators need to hear from their constituents who still believe in the Bill of Rights.

Le Shorter: Charlatan Wins, Less Popular than Nixon

Gallup has recorded the highest strongly disapprove rating ever for a sitting President. Nixon 48%, Bush 50%. [Picture courtesy of Tom Englehardt.]

Le Shorter: Simply Pathetic

There is no other word to describe it. Too many Democrats continue to run from the bogeyman and give the frat boy smirker in the bunker--and a lame duck at that-- everything he wants. Senators and Judiciary Committee members Schumer and Finestein will vote for another enabler, this time the chief law enforcement official of the United States, who cannot muster enough moral independence to say what the country wants to hear: torture is illegal and unAmerican. Private assurances from Mukasey may be enough for fellow New Yorker Schumer, but its no way to run a republic.
Update: Charles 'Chuck' Schumer is feeling the heat from his colleagues for enabling the appointment of Judge Mukasey to the office of Attorney General. And he should be. His reasons for voting against his party and supporting a man who cannot call torture, "torture" ring very hollow. The Justice Department has been drifting for years under the sycophant Gonzales, so a few more months under a caretaker will not really matter. Besides, any real house cleaning will take more time than the remaining term in office of the Bushco Regime. Private assurances to Senator Schumer on the torture issue will not buy a cup of coffee on Capitol Hill. Any legislation outlawing waterboarding by name, assuming it got passed out of Congress, would no doubt be vetoed by the lame duck. Schumer's defense of his betrayal misses the point entirely. At this point in history no issue other than the President's extra-constitutional exercise of power is important. It is a defining moment for Congress. If the Senate does not stand up to the Executive on this issue of decency and national honor, it will never recover from it's diminution. The real reason for Chuck's defection can be summed up in one word, patronage. He is apparently willing to sacrifice our democracy to preserve the system of political spoils. Democratic Senators should correct Schumer's craven expediency by filibustering the nomination.

The Wedge Issue that Doesn't Split

Republicans, trying to deal with the political nightmare of the Bush Presidency, thought they had a wedge issue the size of Texas going into the 2008 campaigns: illegal immigration. But election returns from a red state, Virginia, show that the issue may not have the effect Republicans hoped. Governor Timothy Kaine (D) declared victory on Tuesday night in legislative races. Vote counts from crucial Fairfax County indicated that the Democrats had seized control of the state Senate and made historic gains--five seats--in the House of Delegates. The state Senate had been under Republican control since 1997. Republican candidates attempted to focus the debate on immigration fears, but apparently their scare tactics did not work this time. Fairfax County, a heavily populated and wealthy exurb of Washington DC, has many Latino workers in low paying jobs. While immigration is a concern to white conservative voters, their concern did not outweigh their dissatisfaction with Republicans of all stripes or their need for inexpensive labor. Take that, Carl Rove!