It's been a week
Well, ya'll, it's been a week since we took over the Senate. I suppose it's a little too soon to tell any effect, although this past week has seen the resignation of Donald Rumsfeld and the closing of the infamous Jesus Camp.
Congress will be going back into session soon, then the winter break, than the NEW Congress will convene in January.
What are your predictions? Nancy Pelosi and other Democratic leaders have said the very first thing they will do will be to introduce a minimum wage increase. What will they do after that? What do youthink they should do after that?
And to anyone who wants to join this KAL, I will be out of town until Friday and likely won't be able to add you until I get home. So be patient, and post comments in the meantime. We love new members, and I will add you as quickly as I can!
posted by Emma @ 6:51 PM
8 comments
8 Comments:
I think they should start investigations on George W and all his buddies, VP of course included, talk about all the many cans of worms.
oooh - I second those investigations. Rarely am I bloodthirsty, but it seems that politics sure get me hoppin!
They should go ahead and start the investigations and finally have some oversight of the executive branch. And when (not if, but when) there is enough evidence, draw up articles of impeachment. The idea of "taking impeachment off the table" goes against the Constitution. If we're a nation of laws Congress has to uphold their responsibilities as outlined in the Constitution, and that's by impeaching a President who has clearly violated the law. This isn't a matter of vengeance, but one of justice.
I agree that some investigations to shed some light on the many criminal activities of this administration would be wonderful.
As for the idea of impeachment, I am torn. It seems pretty clear that Bush has committed some impeachable offenses, but politically it is probably not the most expeditious thing to do. I guess it comes down to ideals vs. reality. Hmmm....
You know, as much as I abhor the more-than-borderline-criminal activity of the Bush administration and the outgoing Republican Congress, I don't want to see the Democrats waste this opportunity for change on investigations and hearings. It just seems spiteful. I want them to raise the minimum wage, craft a plan for solving this Iraq mess, craft a plan for ending the genocide in Sudan, and a solution for our health care woes in the US. I don't have any appetite for impeachment - I want real change!
But...can we stand two more years? I agree, impeachment is an issue with justice, and I also agree with Ms. Pea about getting those issues she points out dealt with....I'd like to see lots of real change.
I think that if we ignore the criminal activity coming from the White House for six years, not only does that make us complicit in that crime, but the Democrats will lose whatever international credibility they have left. The Republicans have done such a great job of making us the whole world's punching bag...the Democrats have got to be able to provide an alternative to the world, or I think we're in deep, deep you-know-what. We probably already are, but THIS is the moment to turn it around if that's still possible at all. We can't ignore it.
I don't think it has to be a choice between impeaching this regime and getting things done domestically. It all depends on how you do it. I think the best and the only moral thing for the Democrats to do is to SPEAK THE TRUTH and say it LOUD AND PROUD, over and over. They've got to take back the vocabulary the GOP has stolen and re-defined since Reagan (i.e., all this crap about liberal=bad, GOP=fiscal responsibility and family values, etc). These are simply lies, and the under-educated, over-worked voters have been buying it for decades because of the lack of any meaningful alternative. There is no moving forward if we're still couching everything in THEIR terms. No more talking on the defensive, no more apologizing for being RIGHT - please! The Bush administration is a criminal administration, and we can't tolerate that and still call ourselves a democracy. Everything else we might do would be a farce.
That said, the only way to pull off impeachment is to be raising the minimum wage, agreeing on a plan for Iraq (*and* - remember? - Afghanistan), and quickly passing every last bit of centrist legislation that has been sitting around gathering dust for six years. This is a totally unique opportunity - we've got a Congress controlled by Dems who know they were elected mainly by swing voters, and Republicans who are, in many cases, disgruntled with their own party leadership. It *should* be a piece of cake to get the best, most rational (and popular) legislation passed quickly and easily. Bush would look even dumber than he does now (watch the jaws drop...) if he tried to veto any of it in this climate.
I don't think either agenda -- impeachment or policy change -- can possibly be pulled off without the other. We shouldn't be debating *which* to do first. We have to recognize that the two are inseparable if we're to retain credibility here and abroad.
Do I trust the Dems to pull this off?....Sigh. I don't know. I hope they're listening.
PS - the infamous investigations of the Clinton presidency took forever and were endlessly bogged down because THERE WAS NO REAL EVIDENCE and NO REAL CRIME. This is not the case now. The one thing that has astonished me about this presidency is how little they have bothered to hide it when they break laws and defy the Constitution left and and right. Lots of people in both parties and everywhere else have been personally screwed and/or morally offended, and are itching for justice. The ruling cabal made their little circle very small to maximize their profits out of this war, and that's going to hurt them in the end, I think. At least, so I hope!
Kate, I agree with everything you've written (oh, to be so articulate) (which is what I meant...as in lots of changes)...that all issues, impeachment and social reform should start moving forward...and yes, I'm really hoping the newly elected Democrats will take appropriate action soon.
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