Democracy 101: How To Talk To A Congressman
Rusty
My alleged Democratic congressman, Earl Pomeroy, had a letter to the editor published in the Grand Forks Herald today, which demonstrates the challenges we'll face pursuing Impeachment even if Democrats retake the House. He may just be playing it safe until he's safely reelected and then come around if Impeachment momentum builds, but I doubt it. If progressives want to see Impeachment, unrelenting pressure is going to have to be brought to bear on House Democrats after Election Day. I'm not optimistic, but we have to get this done. Two more years of Bush is not an option.
Pomeroy Letter:
"A recent letter to the editor from Barry Miller raises the question about where I stand on a resolution to impeach President Bush ("Where does Pomeroy stand on impeachment?", Page 3C, Oct. 10).
I oppose the resolution and think it is ridiculous.
The Constitution of the United States does not contemplate impeachment because of policy differences with the president or simply because a different political party has a majority in Congress.
The Constitution provides for "impeachment for, and conviction of, treason, bribery or other high crimes and misdemeanors." Whether we agree or disagree with this president, most Americans - including me - do not feel this high threshold has been met.
Earl Pomeroy"
____________________
After carefully pondering for several milliseconds whether this required a response, I concluded that it did indeed require a response. I've also been known to write a letter or two, and that idiot Pomeroy just received one from me:
Earl,
You are a fucking disgrace. Your responses to me have been nothing more than carefully crafted fluff, concocted to cover your ass no matter how you vote.
Your letter in the GF Herald today calling Congressman Conyers' Impeachment resolution "ridiculous" is the most idiotic assertion I've ever seen from a North Dakota politician. I've seen a few, but that one wins the all time prize for idiocy.
Impeachment hearings are NOT being demanded by dozens of Democratic congressmen and women and millions of Americans because they have "policy differences" with Bush, or because they are Democrats.
This freak show of a president is SPYING on Americans in direct violation of FISA law and the Constitution. This isn't using "tools" to protect Americans from terrorism, no terrorist is stupid enough to use telephones or e-mails to plot against us.
Bush is also VIOLATING his oath of office to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution, which renders him unfit to be president. He isn't preserving, protecting, or defending it, he is shredding it. If shredding the Constitution isn't a high crime against our government, the American people, and American democracy itself, there is no such thing as a high crime, and there is no such thing as American democracy.
Motivated by partisan vengeance, his top aides exposed the identity of a CIA operative while we are at war, which destroyed an entire CIA network working on preventing Iran from developing nukes. If that isn't treason, what is? Bush authorized this! His claim he just wanted "to get the facts out" is a glaring lie, just like most of the talking points he spouts.
Bush's torture and detainee "legislation" guts the Bill of Rights and enables Bush to arrest and imprison anyone he chooses to designate as a "supporter" of terrorism. Which part of this don't you understand? Bush recognizes absolutely no limits to his authority! Yet you claim there are no grounds for Impeachment?
I could go on and on listing Impeachable offenses Bush is guilty of, but the ones I've identified already are more than sufficient, as nearly forty members of the House and millions of Americans have justifiably concluded.
I want direct, specific, HONEST answers from you on these issues.
I am a citizen of this state, and as my representative in Congress, YOU work for ME. It's called DEMOCRACY, Earl. If you do not hold Bush accountable, you will be held accountable. Your craven refusal to support Impeachment proves that you are either an incredibly stupid son of a bitch, or a moral coward! Or both! Support Impeachment or kiss your career in Congress goodbye in 2008.
Steve Rustad
Grand Forks, ND
Congressman Pomeroy called me today. He has never called me before, despite at least a dozen requests from me to hold Bush accountable for violating the Constitution and our laws. Consequently, I'm more convinced that ever that being polite is no longer an option when contacting congressmen or senators. Being polite does not get their attention. Ripping them a new asshole does.
I wrote a similar letter to Senator Conrad after he voted to confirm Alito. He called me. He had never called me before either. I also wrote a similar letter to Senator Dorgan at that time. He did not call me, but since that letter he has been a very outspoken critic of Bush and the Republicans. He has held hearings about Halliburton abuses and war profiteering, ridiculed on the floor of the Senate BushCo "cut and run" rhetoric, and has aggressively supported progressive causes.
I'm certainly not taking credit for that. But North Dakota is a small state, which enables average citizens like me to have at least some influence on my elected representatives. But regardless of what state progressives live in, they have to make it very clear to their congressmen and senators that Americans are furious and are no longer going to tolerate this renegade Republican government.
Congressman Pomeroy still claimed that "the high threshold" for Impeaching Bush
has not yet been met, and is now asserting that Impeachment would be "strategically stupid", but I have definitely gotten his attention. Many progressives still insist that being polite is essential and spout this "you attract more flies with honey" cliche to justify this approach.
Well there is nothing polite about a president claiming police state powers, shredding the Constitution, stealing elections, lying us into a war, smearing dissenters as traitors, or destroying a CIA network in a time of war.
We are fighting for the very existence of American democracy. It's time we realized that being polite is not going to win this fight.
Comment # 1 ~ Rusty ~ 09/29/2006 21:46 GMT Democrats would not have lost the Torture bill if all 43 Democratic senators had filibustered and voted against cloture.
Filibustering this obscene bill was the only moral, rational, patriotic recourse.
Torture does not work.
Torture is immoral.
Torture makes us as bad as the terrorists.
Torture violates everything America stands for.
Torture violates the Geneva Conventions.
This torture bill passed because Democrats let it pass.
You're right, Reed, there's nothing positive to say about this. Once again, Democrats displayed glaring moral cowardice in the face of glaring Republican fascism.
Comment # 2 ~ Patriot ~ 09/29/2006 22:21 GMT Reed, your daughter is wise!
Comment # 3 ~ keenekarl ~ 09/30/2006 00:03 GMT I still hope for a DEM victory in November. Bush and his cohorts can play all the legal games they want to right now, but their bogus laws can all be re-written and challenged.
Besides, Bush is not God of the Geneva Convention - the World is God of that baby! Bush can interpret it in any insane way he wants, but he will only become more of a criminal in the eyes of the world!
This latest arrogant, sad and tragic comedy move the Republicans and Bush administration have orchestrated and carried out in a sick attempt to try to protect Bush and his administration from the war crimes they have committed is sadlly laughable!
Think of it! It's only a US law! It only tells the world that Bush and his cronies deserve the punishment all the more!
The rest of the world is not bound by our stupid puny laws! How arroagnt to think that they will ever really get away with this!
Now, all those who have voted to protect these guilty criminals have become directly complicit in those very crimes! Every man or woman, whatever their party, carries the blood and suffering of every innocent person who has been, or will be tortured under the actions of this bizarrely misguided administration!
In the war crimes trials that will surely come about, the world will have every right to take each and every supporter and particpant of this administration into custody to face the music!
We must now ask the world to do that which our spineless immoral leaders have failed to do! We must implore them to come to our aid and to allow true justice to be carried out!
This is a world-wide web! We must now actively try to reach out to the world on this web! We must actively try to get the people of these other nations to massively protest until their leaders demand a world-wide war crimes and aggression tribunal against this administration and its supporters!
I am now more activated, enraged and indignant than I ever have been! I have never been more ashamed of this country's sick leadership! Every fiber of my being seems to be crying out for justice to be served!
The DEVIL is leading right now - an ANTI-CHRIST! We need not wonder any more who the God-damned antichrist is! It IS George W. Bush and the demon horde that support him!
I was encouraged to see the reaction in the UN to these very same charges leveled by Hugo Chavez. The world sadly laughed in almost total agreement!
Some of our "noble" Democratic politicians - and most major newspapers windered how Chavez could dare come to the US and deliver such remarks at the UN! They think we own the UN! Every leader has a right to come to the UN to speak whatever truth needs to be spoken! Just because the UN is in the US does not give Bush immunity to well-deserved criticism!
Chavez did a "Colbert" on Bush in front of the whole world! He spoke truth to power! Chavez earned GREAT respect in the eyes of well over 120 nations (at least) that day! He is eraning the respect of the part of the world that we want to ignore - the ones who sweat in the sweat shops - the ones who labor in the bannana groves - the coffee growers,etc! In the eyes of those who are happy to eat three times a week, let alone 3 times a day! All because the US thinks it has the right to live BIG on the backs of the rest of the world!
Chavez and others are rallying them!
They are our greatest hope!
Comment # 4 ~ Alma ~ 09/30/2006 03:01 GMT I will vote for Stabenow this time around as its too late to field another Dem, but next election for her seat, I will work my tail off for a better alternative.
Comment # 5 ~ keenekarl ~ 09/30/2006 03:06 GMT I invite all visitors here to view my most recent diary entry at Daily Kos, based almost entirely on my comments above, but with some changes. I want to thank Rusty and Reed for a few of the words I took liberty to borrow from their comments here. Please see it, comment, and try to get it noticed over there (tho' I think it just may really strike a powerful chord)!
By the way, my niece Laural who was in a terrible accident yesterday, is being prepared for organ donation, according to her written wishes. Her brain was starved of oxygen for over 20 minutes while she awaited rescue, and it is unable to support her apart from hospital life-support systems. Laural will hopefully be able to live on in the bodies of those who receive her heart, liver, etc. What a wonderful and difficult act on the part of her dear parents! It is people like them, and Maryjane Westra (a family friend and DEM candidate for the Minnesota House 10A seat who cancelled every campaign activity for the past two days to be with us) who really give me hope that we can turn this thing around!
Peace to you all!
Comment # 6 ~ Rusty ~ 09/30/2006 08:20 GMT You and your family have my deepest sympathy, Karl. We tend to forget how fragile life is until a loved one is suddenly taken from us. As you say, your sorrow is assuaged by the assurance that there are decent, compassionate, loving people in this world we can turn to when decency, compassion, and love are needed more than ever. We have much more than hope to sustain us, we have each other and the truth, and together, we WILL turn this thing around.
Comment # 7 ~ keenekarl ~ 09/30/2006 15:26 GMT I love you Rusty! Your heart, like that of so many here, just seems to keep pumping out more and more care and concern and true comPASSSION!
I speak not only about my family's present tragedy, but I speak in regard to our national and global tragedies as well.
Just when you think that it can't be possible for an overburdened heart to pump out any more care and compassion, accompanied by strength and passion... there it comes!
Just when you think that the well of humanity (which we call the human heart) has been crushed and sucked dry by the injustices and burdens of life - out springs an unexplainable torrent of new love and passion!
Hatred and oppression, unfairnesss and injustice - while crushing and pounding us at first - actually seems to prime the wells of our hearts leading to even greater amounts of compassion and fortitude!
The very things that the enemy would use to try to crush our hearts actually strengthens us for even greater battle!
Not only that, burdened hearts are pressed together in the common struggle to survive these asssaults!
Those individual wells become an even greater resevoir, overflowing - joining other overflows - and still more, until what exists becomes a raging torrent against the madness, injustice, unfairness and oppression!
Yes, I have seen this, not only in this week of personal trial, but in the recent months of our battle to pump fairness, justice and compassion back into the fragile heart of this nation!
May our hearts continue to swell, overflow and join together to bring an infusion of hope and life to our nation and our world!
Comment # 8 ~ tahoebasha1 ~ 09/30/2006 17:20 GMT . . . . deep into the heart, beautiful -- eloquent. . . . . more than a tear, Karl.
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