[GJM] Fw: Land of Enchantment and Impeachment

[marguerite hampton]

As the movement gathers momentum let's give it more impetus. 

Thanks Stephanie for this one.  
 
-------Original Message-------
 
From: Stephanie Sutton
Date: 01/15/07 13:10:54
To: Stephanie Sutton
Subject: Land of Enchantment and Impeachment
 
Dear Friends,
 
I copied the email address of Senator Gerald Ortiz y Pino, (see below) and
thanked him and asked him what I can do to help.  I hope you will do the
same.
We all need to start the labor pains and push the Bush OUT!
Steph
 



From: Ecological Options Network [mailto:eonnewsnet at eon3.net] 
Sent: Sunday, January 14, 2007 10:51 AM
Subject: Land of Enchantment and Impeachment
 
Please spread the word and see the bottom for action to take.
Land of Enchantment and Impeachment
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/node/17230
By David Swanson
There is a decent chance that within the next month or two the New Mexico
State Legislature will ask the U.S. House of Representatives to begin
impeachment proceedings against President Bush and Vice President Cheney.
And there is the definite possibility that a Congress Member from New Mexico
will take up the matter when it gets to Washington. The Jefferson Manual,
rules used by the U.S. House, allows for impeachment to be begun in this
manner. It only takes one state legislature. No governor is needed. One
Congress Member, from the same state or any other, is needed to essentially
acknowledge receipt of the state's petition. Then impeachment begins.
Last year the state legislatures of California, Minnesota, Illinois, and
Vermont introduced but did not pass resolutions to send impeachment to the U
S. House. The State Senator who introduced the bill in Minnesota is now a
member of Congress, Keith Ellison. He is one of many Congress Members
waiting for the right moment to impeach Bush and Cheney. The state of New
Jersey has a strong activist movement working to introduce and pass
impeachment this year. There's a race now to see which state can do it first
 which state can redeem these United States in the eyes of the world. New
Mexico is jumping into the contest in a big way, with a terrific leading
sponsor of the bill, strong Democatic majorities in both houses, and a
citizens' movement ready to hold its government to account. 
Of course, it is cities, not states, that have really taken the lead on
impeachment, as on ending the war. Dozens of cities have already passed
resolutions for impeachment. Dozens more have introduced them, and they are
pending. [ http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/resourcecenter ] A handful have
introduced them and voted them down. On March 6th about 100 towns in Vermont
will vote at public meetings for impeachment. But by March 6th, impeachment
may already be underway. 
There is a conflict brewing between Congress and the White House over the
war and over the division of powers created by the U.S. Constitution and
eliminated by this administration. If Bush attacks Iran and/or Syria without
approval from Congress, or escalates the war in Iraq without approval from
Congress, we may finally see Congress fight back. This President has
rendered Congress almost meaningless. He reverses laws with "signing
statements." He disregards laws at his whim, openly bragging about doing so.
And he makes many operations secret, hidden even from Congress, refusing
requests for information, including those filed under the Freedom of
Information Act. When this President does communicate with Congress, he
often provides false or misleading information, most notably in making the
case for the current war. 
Vice President Cheney has already said that he will likely refuse to appear
before Congress if subpoenaed. The White House will likely refuse subpoenas
of any sort, and openly professes to believe the President is a "unitary
executive." White House spokesperson Tony Snow said on January 8th:
"The President has the ability to exercise his own authority if he thinks
Congress has voted the wrong way."
Americans voted in November for Congress to stand up to this assault on our
democracy. We voted against the war, but we even voted out Republicans who
were opposing the war. We threw out candidates who allowed Bush to campaign
for them, and left in office those who refused. 
While it is public knowledge that Bush launched the opening stages of the
Iraq War in secret, without Congress's approval or awareness, illegally
using funds appropriated for Afghanistan and elsewhere, it has not always
been as clear as it is at this moment that Bush will not end the war even if
required by Congress to do so. Growing awareness of this fact is leading the
peace movement to join the impeachment movement. 
Daniel Ellsberg, who released the Pentagon Papers so many years ago,
recently argued that it was only the pressure of the peace movement that
allowed the impeachment of President Nixon to proceed, and that it was only
the exposures and threat of impeachment that persuaded Nixon not to veto the
bill that finally cut off the funding for the Vietnam War. As Congress
exposes the crimes of Bush and Cheney to public view, it will move us closer
to impeachment. As Congress Members begin to object to their powerless role
of court jesters, they will move us closer to impeachment and also to
bringing our troops home. 
We should be encouraging our Congress Members to proceed immediately with
key investigations [ http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/investigations ] and
to not be afraid to use subpoenas. We should also be encouraging state
legislators in our own and other states who take up the cause of democracy.
We need them to do so from their positions as elected officials closer to
the people and further from the big dollars. 
In New Mexico, a leading light of that state's politics, State Senator
Gerald Ortiz y Pino of Albuquerque, will be leading the way on impeachment.
He deserves the support of all the world, and you can thank him at
jortizyp at aol.com or 505-986-4380. Let's help him make New Mexico the land of
enchantment and impeachment.
 
======================
EON
the Ecological Options Network
"What's Working Where, Worldwide"
www.eon3.net



 
 
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