A BRIEF OPEN LETTER TO NANCY PELOSI
Nancy,
Please reconsider. To wit:
1. The situation in Iraq is a mess: Civil War, anarchy, death squads.
2. The Baker-Hamilton Commission's Report recommends a "gradual pullback" of troops in Iraq. But Bush says:
Because National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley called him a no-good bum in a "leaked" report. Because Bush pretty much wants to kill al-Sadr, the only man who can keep Maliki in power at this point. Because Maliki is a no-good bum.
(Incidentally, in addition to plans for "augmenting," "improving," and "growing" Maliki's "capacity," Bush now says that Maliki "doesn't have the capacity to respond. So we want to accelerate that capacity.")
5. The American people told George Bush earlier this month that they think he's a no-good bum. That's how you got your latest job, remember? The American people want "this business" about a graceful exit.
Nancy, this is a disaster. Americans dying by the hundreds and thousands. Iraqis dying by the hundred-thousands. Our reputation falling so fast that the tin-pot noboby that runs the country we're ostensibly defending snubs us at an internationally-acknowledged summit. A Civil War that threatens to become a regional, religious war, even though the President of the United States says it's not a Civil War. He contradicts his own security advisors, a bi-partisan commission, the governement of the nation we're trying to prop up, and the will & mandate of his own citizens. As he is clearly uninterested in listening to anyone else (or has gone mad), he's unfit to hold office.
Re-con-sid-er.
Please reconsider. To wit:
1. The situation in Iraq is a mess: Civil War, anarchy, death squads.
2. The Baker-Hamilton Commission's Report recommends a "gradual pullback" of troops in Iraq. But Bush says:
"I know there's a lot of speculation that these reports in Washington mean there's going to be some kind of graceful exit out of Iraq. This business about a graceful exit just simply has no realism to it at all."3. The Commission also suggests "direct diplomacy" with Iran and Syria. Iraqi President Maliki, himself, says:
"We are ready to cooperate with everybody who believe that they need to communicate with the national unity government, especially our neighbors. Our doors are open."But Bush says:
"I appreciate the prime minister's views that the Iraqis are plenty capable of running their own business and they don't need foreign interference from neighbors that will be destabilizing the country."4. Although he eventually met with the the U.S. President in a "hastily arranged summit," Maliki earlier snubbed Bush by cancelling the planned summit in Jordan at the last minute. Why?
Because National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley called him a no-good bum in a "leaked" report. Because Bush pretty much wants to kill al-Sadr, the only man who can keep Maliki in power at this point. Because Maliki is a no-good bum.
(Incidentally, in addition to plans for "augmenting," "improving," and "growing" Maliki's "capacity," Bush now says that Maliki "doesn't have the capacity to respond. So we want to accelerate that capacity.")
5. The American people told George Bush earlier this month that they think he's a no-good bum. That's how you got your latest job, remember? The American people want "this business" about a graceful exit.
Nancy, this is a disaster. Americans dying by the hundreds and thousands. Iraqis dying by the hundred-thousands. Our reputation falling so fast that the tin-pot noboby that runs the country we're ostensibly defending snubs us at an internationally-acknowledged summit. A Civil War that threatens to become a regional, religious war, even though the President of the United States says it's not a Civil War. He contradicts his own security advisors, a bi-partisan commission, the governement of the nation we're trying to prop up, and the will & mandate of his own citizens. As he is clearly uninterested in listening to anyone else (or has gone mad), he's unfit to hold office.
Re-con-sid-er.
posted by Mike at 6:40 AM
25 Comments:
All excellent points but... Reconsider what? Did I miss something? Did Pelosi say she was standing by Bush's idiotic non-plan?
She said before and after the election that she would not push for impeachment.
I (honestly) believe she and the House Dems should explore the option, dramatic and radical though it is.
Oh, *that*. OK. Thank FSM she isn't embracing that Lame-Duck asshole's Stay the Course Until Infinity And Beyond stance.
Yeah, I wish she'd knock it off with the "We Won't Impeach" bit too, but frankly I don't put much stock in those disclaimers anyhow. There will be investigations. And when those investigations turn up evidence of high crimes and misdemeanors -- which they certainly will if they're conducted competently -- I trust Pelosi will have the common sense to pursue the obvious Constitutional remedy.
True enough.
But we know that Impeach/Convict is a political, or as you say, Constitutional, measure. Congress need not "prove" any demonstrable "high crimes or misdemeanors."
You get the votes, it's a done deal. So part of me wishes they'd avoid the rigamorol (sp?) of hearings and other public hand-wringing and get moving after the new year.
On the other hand, it's nice (for stability, the view of posterity, etc.) to lay out a nice case. But it ain't required.
By the way: Thank FSM? Not familiar with that one.
On the other hand, it's nice (for stability, the view of posterity, etc.) to lay out a nice case.
It's the ethical thing to do. And it's the best way to demonstrate to the public that it's not just political payback.
Thank FSM?
Flying Spaghetti Monster. You know, the deity?
But the only good reason to try to impeach a President is if he got caught lying to his wife about getting a BJ from an intern.
So unless there is another happy intern who likes to keep samples, there is no cause for proceedings. I mean, why waste time when all he has done is led the country into a morass and led another country into Civil War. There is no case.
"What's so Civil about war anyway?" - Axl Rose
My God, Mike. Come on. Impeachment? It's not like the man got a blow job from an intern, in the Oval Office. This is only a war. And we're fighting it over there so that we don't have to fight the terrorists over here.
Call me when Condi gets nabbed giving Dubya a hummer while Dubya's talking to his poodle in Britain. Then we can talk impeachment. Until then, get your priorities straight.
Flying Spaghetti Monster. You know, the deity?
Of course. I suspect we have quite a few Pastafarians in the Neighborhood.
Ed & John-
My my, we have more than Pastafarians, apparently. The long-thought-to-be-extinct Snarkosaurs are apparently walking the earth again.
And, by the way, I'd like to remind both of you of a couple of the Blog Rules you seem to have forgotten:
No Axl Rose quotations.
No mention of poodles and Condi in the same sentence.
We should go through Ted Haggard's office and see if there's a smoking dress in there.
"Other maps are such shapes, with their islands and capes!
But we've got our brave Captain to thank:
(So the crew would protest) "that he's bought us the best--
A perfect and absolute blank!"
This was charming, no doubt; but they shortly found out
That the Captain they trusted so well
Had only one notion for crossing the ocean,
And that was to tingle his bell.
We should go through Ted Haggard's office and see if there's a smoking dress in there
Smoking dress, perhaps.
We might also find a pair of men's jogging shorts and a couple ziplocs with meth residue (warning: associative reference to old blog post!), but the only blue dress in Ted's life was probably the one he wore before the massage that never happened, as he loaded the pipe with the crank he never smoked.
Justice is always appealing when you can see it applied to such an insufferable ass as this president. But Mike, you’re in the legal business. Just how much actual justice do you see in a given year?
The United States Congress has indulged in presidential impeachment on two occasions and both were ugly. I believe our allies and adversaries alike would see at political tit-for-tat and not as a righteous adherence to the constitution. I think we gave our allies and adversaries a pretty good demonstration of democracy in action on November 7th (though not quite as good as had all 100 senate seats been up for renewal.)
No, Dubya is chastened. He just hasn’t yet learned how the chastened are supposed to behave.
No question—Iraq, in fact the whole of the Middle East, is a very serious mess. Bush and company have permitted the world to become a much more dangerous place than should have been. It is going to require real, unified diplomacy (both eating crow and beating brow) on the part of the U.S. to let the pressure off this cooker without things getting a lot worse. I desperately hope that Madam Speaker and Mr. Majority Leader understand this.
Frankly, I’m growing optimistic. I think the doctrine of preemptive war is mostly discredited. In terms of Middle East policy, maybe this is like the addict’s finally hitting bottom. We have not been a remotely honest broker between the Israelis and Palestinians since Carter was president. I don’t necessarily like all the members of the Iraq Study Group, but for the most part they are men of the world and, I think, fully aware of how dangerous things have become. It would be good to see more people with some intellect and people skills—Clinton, Carter, Powell, Prince Bandar (Any chance of Labor retaking parliament in Israel?) get involved. What I’m saying is just because we’ve come to the edge of the abyss, we are not necessarily obligated to jump in.
Excuse me. The soapbox got on to autopilot!
Excuse me. The soapbox got on to autopilot!
No way. Preach on, brother!
Your arguments against impeachment are good ones. You summarize the legit reasons not to go down that path.
My only concern relates to your statement that "He just hasn’t yet learned how the chastened are supposed to behave."
What if (a) he does know how, but doesn't choose to, or (b) he doesn't know how?
Then what? How, other than the threat of removal from office, can we get the message into his thick, stubborn skull that We The People are done with his excellent adventure?
* * *
By the way, I'm a Commercial Litigator with 95% of my work in the Civil (as oppsoed to Criminal) field. What's this "justice" thing you mentioned before?
i believe that multiples cases of treason against Bush would have solid legal standing, but we won't see it, because too many folks in the House and Senate are also guilty.
And the new folks have to be honest enough not to accept the war profiteering booty, to keep their own hands clean.
Much as I wish that justice will prevail, I don't believe it will happen.
The only way our leaders that have committed treason will be brought to justice is if we're defetead in war and a coaltion of foreign powers, brings the Bush band of thieves before a military tribunal for war crimes.
The United States leadership and its people don't have the moral integrity to do this.
I don't think that I want to be a part of any world where I can't quote Axl.
I don't think that I want to be a part of any world where I can't quote Axl.
Oh, ok. But we can we agree, no "November Rain"?
I got your back, Axl.
"And when your fears subside
And shadows still remain
I know that you can love me
When there's no one left to blame
So never mind the darkness
We still can find a way
'Cause nothin' lasts forever
Even cold November rain
"Don't ya think that you
Need somebody
Don't ya think that you
Need someone
Everybody needs somebody
You're not the only one
You're not the only one
"Don't ya think that you
Need somebody
Don't ya think that you
Need someone
Everybody needs somebody
You're not the only one
You're not the only one
"Don't ya think that you
Need somebody
Don't ya think that you
Need someone
Everybody needs somebody
You're not the only one
You're not the only one
"Don't ya think that you
Need somebody
Don't ya think that you
Need someone
Everybody needs somebody"
I got your back, Axl.
Axl thanks you by leaping from the stage and attacking. Lucky you don't have a camera.
Were I the "delete offensive comments" type, your post would be in the trash with the half-eaten lunch, used condoms, snot-filled tissues, and rotting vegetable, John.
But . . . I am not that type, so all who follow can see how you've taken my impassioned plea to The Speaker-elect of the UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES to do her part to save the nation, and turned it into a repository for the lyrics to a bloated & pompous Guns & Roses song.
John, why do hate America?
Hey, I'm just pro-"Chinese Democracy."
But you're right. I've devalued your post. I've distracted the crowd from the important thing, and focused the attention on the trivial.
Sort of like an impeachment for lying about a blow job from an intern while giving the President a free pass to invade whatever country he so desires.
There, are we back on point?
Very neatly done, sir.
For your next assignment, bring the thread to the impeachment of Andrew Johnson in 11 words or less.
Andrew Johnson is to Abe Lincoln as Buckethead is to Slash.
Nicely done.
I'd never heard of this Buckethead guy til I looked him up just now.
I will say this: a dude playing guitar with a KFC bucket on his head is funny shit.
Mike, why are you such a boring fucktard?
Mike, why are you such a boring fucktard?
What can I tell you, man? We all have our own unique talents.
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