Liberal Talking Points
One thing you can count on, one thing that is almost as inevitable as the rising sun (or the setting sun - depending on your point of view) are the right wing talking points that the half-wits in the conservative main stream media espouse on a daily basis. All the Republican National Committee has to do is issue the sheets containing points of emphasis and - Voila! - the neanderthals on Hate Radio and FOX Noise spread the word. The problem with the Progressives is that they tend to play it by ear. As the legendary Will Rogers once observed: "I don't belong to any organized political party. I'm a Democrat." What we need to do is issue our own set of talking points. We're at a great advantage: WE HAVE THE TRUTH ON OUR SIDE! (By the way, when I say, "What we need to do....", I'm speaking as a Progressive - not as a Democrat. I wised up and left that worthless party years ago).
Last week, Tula Tsalis, one of the Founding members of Citizens For Impeachment in Orange County New York (about an hour north of Manhattan) organized a gathering at the Wisner Barn on Wisner Road in Warwick, NY. The purpose of the meeting was to conduct a series of workshops to instruct average citizens on how to lobby our Representatives, to convince them that impeaching this awful president is the best thing for the country. One of the pieces of literature that was distributed at the event was a page called, "Impeachment Talking Points" which contained ten specific reasons why this administration needs to be removed from office:
**********
10 Impeachable offences committed by Bush and Cheney:
1. Launching an illegal war of aggression against Iraq which violated the U.N. Charter, using fraud to justify the war to the U.S. Congress and the public, and misusing government funds to begin bombing without Congressional authorization.
2. Violating U.S. and international law by authorizing the torture of thousands of captives, which resulted in the deaths of dozens, while hiding prisoners from the International Committee of the Red Cross.
3. Violating the the Constitution by detaining Americans, legal residents, and non-Americans without due process, charges, or access to council.
4. Violating the Geneva Conventions by targeting civilians, journalists, hospitals, and ambulances, and using illegal weapons, including white phosphorous, depleted uranium, and a new type of napalm [Leave it to these murderous assholes to bring back napalm!]
5. Violating U.S. law and the Constitution by the warrantless wiretapping of the phone calls and e-mail of American citizens.
6. Violating U.S. and state law by obstructing elections [in at least three states] in 2000,2002, 2004, and 2006.
7. Violating the Constitution by using signing statements to defy laws passed by Congress.
8. Violating U.S. law by paying [so-called "journalists"] to disseminate propaganda and misinformation, leaking classified information, and exposing the identity of a covert CIA operative for political gain and retribution.
9. Subverting the Constitution and abusing presidential power by asserting a "Unitary Executive Theory" giving unlimited powers to the President, by obstructing Congress and the Courts review of presidential actions, and by promoting and signing legislation negating the Bill of Rights and the Writ of Habeas Corpus.
10. Gross negligence in failing to assist New Orleans residents after Hurricane Katrina, in ignoring warnings of an Al Qaeda attack prior Sept. 11, 2001, and in increasing air pollution and [failing to recognize and deal with the threat of global warming].
Last week, Tula Tsalis, one of the Founding members of Citizens For Impeachment in Orange County New York (about an hour north of Manhattan) organized a gathering at the Wisner Barn on Wisner Road in Warwick, NY. The purpose of the meeting was to conduct a series of workshops to instruct average citizens on how to lobby our Representatives, to convince them that impeaching this awful president is the best thing for the country. One of the pieces of literature that was distributed at the event was a page called, "Impeachment Talking Points" which contained ten specific reasons why this administration needs to be removed from office:
**********
10 Impeachable offences committed by Bush and Cheney:
1. Launching an illegal war of aggression against Iraq which violated the U.N. Charter, using fraud to justify the war to the U.S. Congress and the public, and misusing government funds to begin bombing without Congressional authorization.
2. Violating U.S. and international law by authorizing the torture of thousands of captives, which resulted in the deaths of dozens, while hiding prisoners from the International Committee of the Red Cross.
3. Violating the the Constitution by detaining Americans, legal residents, and non-Americans without due process, charges, or access to council.
4. Violating the Geneva Conventions by targeting civilians, journalists, hospitals, and ambulances, and using illegal weapons, including white phosphorous, depleted uranium, and a new type of napalm [Leave it to these murderous assholes to bring back napalm!]
5. Violating U.S. law and the Constitution by the warrantless wiretapping of the phone calls and e-mail of American citizens.
6. Violating U.S. and state law by obstructing elections [in at least three states] in 2000,2002, 2004, and 2006.
7. Violating the Constitution by using signing statements to defy laws passed by Congress.
8. Violating U.S. law by paying [so-called "journalists"] to disseminate propaganda and misinformation, leaking classified information, and exposing the identity of a covert CIA operative for political gain and retribution.
9. Subverting the Constitution and abusing presidential power by asserting a "Unitary Executive Theory" giving unlimited powers to the President, by obstructing Congress and the Courts review of presidential actions, and by promoting and signing legislation negating the Bill of Rights and the Writ of Habeas Corpus.
10. Gross negligence in failing to assist New Orleans residents after Hurricane Katrina, in ignoring warnings of an Al Qaeda attack prior Sept. 11, 2001, and in increasing air pollution and [failing to recognize and deal with the threat of global warming].
Sourse URL: http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/
**********
So there you have it, kiddies! Short and to the point. The next time you're arguing the pros (a whole lot of them) and cons (none at all) of impeachment with one of your crazy, right wing buddies, and you get a little tongue-tied, just refer to our list here. It might be of great help to you.
Happy debating!
Tom Degan
Goshen, NY
tomdegan@frontiernet.net
**********
So there you have it, kiddies! Short and to the point. The next time you're arguing the pros (a whole lot of them) and cons (none at all) of impeachment with one of your crazy, right wing buddies, and you get a little tongue-tied, just refer to our list here. It might be of great help to you.
Happy debating!
Tom Degan
Goshen, NY
tomdegan@frontiernet.net
Photograph of Tom Degan taken on the morning of August 16, 2007
posted by Tom Degan @ 7:21 AM
11 comments
11 Comments:
Tom,
It seems our leaders just don't get it. They don't realize just how enraged "we the people" are over these offenses. They don't feel responsible to defend the Constitution, although they swore to do that once upon a time. They think "we the people" just want to see everybody getting along nicely and working things out without getting nasty.
I wish they could stand next to me in my store when I ask customers if they would care to sign the petition for impeachment I have lying next to the cash register. I wish they could see how people lunge for the paper, how they sign up the names of their spouses and children and then ask if they can sign for their dog and cat! Lately people come in off the street just to sign that petition because they heard about it from a friend.
Maybe our leaders think that if enough time goes by, "we the people" will give up this crazy idea and stop nagging about it. I think we have to drive home to them that they have failed to do what they swore to do when they took office. And then ask them, what about the mess created by this rogue president that they refused to reign in? By refusing to impeach, they are making themselves responsible for it. Impeachment will provide the leverage to begin to undo some of the damage.
The grassroots movement for impeachment is starting to take off and it is exciting to see young and old activists working together. People are literally coming out of the woodwork, ready to do something. Even if impeachment fails, we will accomplish the political education of a new generation of activists who will keep things stirred up against those who would not do their duty at this critical time in history.
Thank you for printing these talking points...these are the bullets, symbolically speaking, that can slay the dragon of resistance to impeachment. And thank you for The Rant.
Excellent talking points about impeachment. I've written to one of my representatives a couple of times asking him (Ike Skelton) to start impeachment proceedings. He always writes back that he doesn't think Bush has done anything to warrant it. *sigh*
Do you think the “I voted for it before I voted against it” people can unite with “if I knew then what I know now” people and impeach Bush? The majority of congress has supported Bush at every step along this bizarre journey and the journey is not going to end when you do not have Bush to kick around any more. I think a major economic crash is necessary to dissolve our individual delusions of grandeur, then we may be able to redefine who “we” are in our quest for survival. We have created a house of cards and nothing is what it appears to be. The next time will build the house out of bricks because we still have the foundation.
Before impeaching Bush, Cheney should be impeached. Otherwise, we would be left with Himmler as President. The first thing Cheney would do is put the country under Martial Law and invade Iran. Bush is horrible. Cheney is worse. Plus, the Dems don't have enough votes in the Senate to push through impeachment. BUT, the movement to impeach is great. Why? It shows how much the American people are weary of Bush and his lies, his greed, his narcissism. It shows how angry we are. It may scare a few of the egomaniacs in Congress, and make them face reality. That would be a major step in itself. Thus, I am behind the impeachment movement 100%. Go for it!
As for the idiots out there who still support the Republican Party, their Armageddon may be coming. The financial meltdown will continue, no matter how much money the world banks pump into our sinking ship. The Fed can lower rates, but that is only a bandaid. The wound will continue to fester and the infection will spread. THERE IS TOO MUCH DEBT!!! Too much federal debt. Too much mortagage loan debt. Too much credit card personal debt. Too many bankrupticis. Too many home foreclosures. Too little savings. Too great a trade deficit.Hinky Hedge Funds. No regulation. Tax loopholes out the wazoo. Offshore accounts avoiding taxes. It is one hell of a mess. And the steaming pot of poison is reaching a boiling point. The major economic crash is coming.
I agree with Larkrise that the Democrats do not have enough votes to push through impeachment, yet if enough people really get behind this thing, even the Republicans will have to come around and see that the American people want these bastards out of office.
Frankly, I have been puzzled and angered that the Democrats seem to think that impeachment is "off the table" but my take on all of the recent defections from the White House, Rove and Snow being the latest shows that Bush increasingly has no one left to support him. Let's face it, he doesn't have the brainpower of a preschooler, but I think the rest of them see that things are coming down and they want to haul ass out before they have their asses hauled to jail. My gut feeling (in Bush Speak) is that Bush and Cheney are now extremely vulnerable.
Unfortunately, a great deal of the paper trail linking the Cheney/Bush administration to their egregious crimes and felonies (misdemeanors is just too mild a word) has been torched, shredded or declared classified.
Off topic for a moment - I just read Al Gore's "The Assault on Reason." Imagine, just imagine, if the past 6 years had belonged to the legally elected president...
Rambleman I probably don't have to tell you that Ike Skelton is one of the most conservative Democrats in the US Congress. I am a native Missourian living in Kansas but keep a close eye on Missouri politics.
The list of Bush-Cheney impeachable offenses would reach from sea to shining sea were every one of them spelled out in full.
Isn't it amazing; the Republicans care not a whit for their families while they are riding high but let them get caught with their hand in the till or on some luscious young thing and all at once they have an overwhelming urge to spend time with their families.
We have to be realistic, the Democrats do not have the votes to impeach, especially with Holy Joe kissing up to the GOP. The Republicans are running scared but I doubt any are that scared; they would find themselves hanging from a lamppost if they dared vote to impeach
Fearless flower- our leaders do "get it". They just don't care and/or are too afraid to do anything- the latter is bad- reminiscent of Hitler and Stalin.
Worst case scenario is they are all in on it and making public feel good statements like all the good they are going to do to get this crap out and get the country back on track- yet nothing happens.
A news headline here or there giving the public a feeling that there is hope- yet nothing gets done- except small moments that add up to window dressing.
Get ready to take up arms or bail.
PS everybody-
I would love nothing more than to be the paranoid crack-pot conspiracy theorist!
I wish I was making all this shit up!
At least I would have the good grace to admit it at some point.
The reason no one is defending the constitution is because it doesn't exist anymore...That what they are not telling you- but they are certainly showing us!
Don't listen to a word they say. Just watch what they do!
Tom and all,
Thanks for the talking points, though I doubt I can use these on any Conservatives I know. I would be better off talking to the wall - they are so brain dead that I feel like it is a waste of breath! Americans don't discuss politics anymore - we argue and yell and point fingers and make it personal - really, it is quite ugly.
The scary part of these talking points is the fact that they show we are setting a precedent for all subsequent leaders to follow. Perhaps the Dems don't want to stop Bu$h and Co because they hope to someday have the same powers that this regime has grabbed.
Quite frankly, I don'twant any American President, Republican, Democrat, Independent or otherwise to shred the Constitution for their own enrichment and power.
If we DON'T impeach these people, then we the people are saying, "Go ahead, tread on me". We the people need to put our collective foot down and say keep your dirty hands off our Constitution!
If we DON'T, then we will reap all they have sown.
Keep up the dialogue, Tom. It is always a delight to read your rants.
Obama has bowed down before aipac.
I suggest you to read John Chukman. In his article "Pardon my laughter". He wrote what follow:
"No candidate can deliver great change to America, and if one were even to behave in office as though he or she could do that, one strongly suspects that he or she would meet the fate of the Kennedy brothers in fairly short order."
Post a Comment
<< Home