Comments on: Devil’s Advocate http://www.mahablog.com/2007/05/29/devils-advocate/ Exposing the ugly truths about the Bush Administration. Mon, 06 Oct 2008 14:55:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5.1.3 by: Bonnie http://www.mahablog.com/2007/05/29/devils-advocate/#comment-221198 Tue, 29 May 2007 23:50:10 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2007/05/29/devils-advocate/#comment-221198 Earlier today, I read an article that goes along with some of these theme and, perhaps, provides even more insight in why there will be no impeachment. It can be found at the following website: http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/05/29/1500/ It was called: The Republican Plan For 2008 Begins Today by Thom Hartmann The final three paragraphs: "Meanwhile, the Bush plan is imminently clear to the Republicans in Congress. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, about the same time Reid was speaking, was telling reporters that “the handwriting is on the wall that we are going in a different direction in the fall, and I expect the president to lead it.” Republican Senator Jeff Sessions openly said that same day that the “war” in Iraq is no longer a “war,” but an occupation, setting the stage for a withdrawal that won’t be perceived as a defeat. The plan is simple. By November of 2008, the “victories” of the Democrats’ first hundred days in office will be long forgotten, the “war” will be remembered as “difficult, but at least we won it,” and those “anti-war” Democrats will be portrayed as wimps or cravenly anti-American. The only question now is how placidly the Democrats will continue to play their assigned role in this little drama. And how many more people will die between now and the time Republicans cynically (and finally) execute their strategy in time for the 2008 elections." It really is enough to make me sick. Earlier today, I read an article that goes along with some of these theme and, perhaps, provides even more insight in why there will be no impeachment. It can be found at the following website:

http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/05/29/1500/

It was called:
The Republican Plan For 2008 Begins Today
by Thom Hartmann

The final three paragraphs:

“Meanwhile, the Bush plan is imminently clear to the Republicans in Congress. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, about the same time Reid was speaking, was telling reporters that “the handwriting is on the wall that we are going in a different direction in the fall, and I expect the president to lead it.” Republican Senator Jeff Sessions openly said that same day that the “war” in Iraq is no longer a “war,” but an occupation, setting the stage for a withdrawal that won’t be perceived as a defeat.

The plan is simple. By November of 2008, the “victories” of the Democrats’ first hundred days in office will be long forgotten, the “war” will be remembered as “difficult, but at least we won it,” and those “anti-war” Democrats will be portrayed as wimps or cravenly anti-American.

The only question now is how placidly the Democrats will continue to play their assigned role in this little drama. And how many more people will die between now and the time Republicans cynically (and finally) execute their strategy in time for the 2008 elections.”

It really is enough to make me sick.

]]> by: Swami http://www.mahablog.com/2007/05/29/devils-advocate/#comment-221197 Tue, 29 May 2007 23:43:17 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2007/05/29/devils-advocate/#comment-221197 Nothing ventured, nothing gained?... Isn't half a chance at requiring accountibilty better then none?..If they sit around counting costs and the probabilities of sucesss they'll never get off the ground.. I'm in the Rumsfeld school of thought..You impeach with the congress and information you have,not with the Congress and information you wish you had. Just do it!...Step out in faith. Nothing ventured, nothing gained?… Isn’t half a chance at requiring accountibilty better then none?..If they sit around counting costs and the probabilities of sucesss they’ll never get off the ground.. I’m in the Rumsfeld school of thought..You impeach with the congress and information you have,not with the Congress and information you wish you had.

Just do it!…Step out in faith.

]]> by: PW http://www.mahablog.com/2007/05/29/devils-advocate/#comment-221191 Tue, 29 May 2007 22:53:23 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2007/05/29/devils-advocate/#comment-221191 It'd be really hard to nail these guys, given the care with which they cover their tracks. Take a look at this piece on Cheney's visitor list: http://www.philly.com/philly/wires/ap/news/nation/washington/7733242.html It’d be really hard to nail these guys, given the care with which they cover their tracks. Take a look at this piece on Cheney’s visitor list:

http://www.philly.com/philly/wires/ap/news/nation/washington/7733242.html

]]> by: The Mahablog » The Underlying Criminal http://www.mahablog.com/2007/05/29/devils-advocate/#comment-221170 Tue, 29 May 2007 20:35:18 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2007/05/29/devils-advocate/#comment-221170 [...] Speaking of impeachment — last Friday Patrick Fitzgerald filed a sentencing memorandum for Scooter Libby. Today Dan Froomkin discusses it. Special counsel Patrick J. Fitzgerald has made it clearer than ever that he was hot on the trail of a coordinated campaign to out CIA agent Valerie Plame until that line of investigation was cut off by the repeated lies from Vice President Cheney’s former chief of staff, I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby. … [...] […] Speaking of impeachment — last Friday Patrick Fitzgerald filed a sentencing memorandum for Scooter Libby. Today Dan Froomkin discusses it. Special counsel Patrick J. Fitzgerald has made it clearer than ever that he was hot on the trail of a coordinated campaign to out CIA agent Valerie Plame until that line of investigation was cut off by the repeated lies from Vice President Cheney’s former chief of staff, I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby. … […]

]]> by: felicity http://www.mahablog.com/2007/05/29/devils-advocate/#comment-221152 Tue, 29 May 2007 19:43:23 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2007/05/29/devils-advocate/#comment-221152 "To protect our country and our Constitution from leadership that has become a danger to the country." A law professor's reading of 'high crimes and misdemeanors.' According to a recent article in 'Harpers' "Undoing Bush - How to repair eight years of sabotage, bungling, and neglect," "...He (Bush) ...has left behind him a legacy of damage so profound that repairing it will likely be the work of generations." It may be that leaving him in office until '09 will leave us a legacy of damage so profound that repairing it will be impossible. “To protect our country and our Constitution from leadership that has become a danger to the country.” A law professor’s reading of ‘high crimes and misdemeanors.’

According to a recent article in ‘Harpers’ “Undoing Bush - How to repair eight years of sabotage, bungling, and neglect,” “…He (Bush) …has left behind him a legacy of damage so profound that repairing it will likely be the work of generations.”

It may be that leaving him in office until ‘09 will leave us a legacy of damage so profound that repairing it will be impossible.

]]> by: maha http://www.mahablog.com/2007/05/29/devils-advocate/#comment-221147 Tue, 29 May 2007 19:28:42 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2007/05/29/devils-advocate/#comment-221147 <i>Looks like a republican will win the White House…and based on how this Congress has been handling its charge. Rightfully so.</i> I'd still put money on a Dem winning the White House in 2008. Peoples' memories aren't that short. Looks like a republican will win the White House…and based on how this Congress has been handling its charge. Rightfully so.

I’d still put money on a Dem winning the White House in 2008. Peoples’ memories aren’t that short.

]]> by: temperance http://www.mahablog.com/2007/05/29/devils-advocate/#comment-221143 Tue, 29 May 2007 19:11:38 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2007/05/29/devils-advocate/#comment-221143 Looks like a republican will win the White House...and based on how this Congress has been handling its charge. Rightfully so. Looks like a republican will win the White House…and based on how this Congress has been handling its charge. Rightfully so.

]]> by: Jack K. the Grumpy Forester http://www.mahablog.com/2007/05/29/devils-advocate/#comment-221103 Tue, 29 May 2007 15:41:46 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2007/05/29/devils-advocate/#comment-221103 ...'intransigence on exiting Iraq' isn't impeachable, even if polls suggest a majority of American think we ought to get out. There is, however, a long list of actions that could lead to articles of impeachment: playing fast and loose with pre-invasion intelligence; illegal domestic surveillance; firing US Attorneys in order to turn the Justice Dept into a political machine; any one or two or ten of the 750+ signing statements that Bush has used to subvert his Constitutional obligation to enforce the laws passed by Congress. Impeachment, unfortunately, is a game of numbers and tallies. In the adult lifetime of many Republican members of Congress, they have seen the President of their party chased from office and a failed effort to even the score (which was part of the foundation for efforts to find some...<b>any</b>...reason to impeach Clinton). Until a series of measured, solemn hearings have sufficiently provided evidence to Republican Senators that they cannot withstand the pressure of supporting Bush and Cheney in office, they will pull out all the stops to resist any efforts to impeach another of their Presidents (see: Reagan, Ronald, and Bush, George H. W., <i>vis a vis</i> the Iran-Contra Affair)... …’intransigence on exiting Iraq’ isn’t impeachable, even if polls suggest a majority of American think we ought to get out. There is, however, a long list of actions that could lead to articles of impeachment: playing fast and loose with pre-invasion intelligence; illegal domestic surveillance; firing US Attorneys in order to turn the Justice Dept into a political machine; any one or two or ten of the 750+ signing statements that Bush has used to subvert his Constitutional obligation to enforce the laws passed by Congress.

Impeachment, unfortunately, is a game of numbers and tallies. In the adult lifetime of many Republican members of Congress, they have seen the President of their party chased from office and a failed effort to even the score (which was part of the foundation for efforts to find some…any…reason to impeach Clinton). Until a series of measured, solemn hearings have sufficiently provided evidence to Republican Senators that they cannot withstand the pressure of supporting Bush and Cheney in office, they will pull out all the stops to resist any efforts to impeach another of their Presidents (see: Reagan, Ronald, and Bush, George H. W., vis a vis the Iran-Contra Affair)…

]]> by: joanr16 http://www.mahablog.com/2007/05/29/devils-advocate/#comment-221078 Tue, 29 May 2007 14:45:25 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2007/05/29/devils-advocate/#comment-221078 I would have thought that Bush's intransigence on the question of exiting Iraq leaves Congress (including one or two Repugs, such as our Chuck) with no option <i>but</i> impeachment. I agree with you, maha, that the case needs to be laid out so that the bastard(s) are convicted. It seems to me that Bush &#38; Cheney are so entwined in their illegality, they ought to be tried together. I would have thought that Bush’s intransigence on the question of exiting Iraq leaves Congress (including one or two Repugs, such as our Chuck) with no option but impeachment.

I agree with you, maha, that the case needs to be laid out so that the bastard(s) are convicted. It seems to me that Bush & Cheney are so entwined in their illegality, they ought to be tried together.

]]> by: PW http://www.mahablog.com/2007/05/29/devils-advocate/#comment-221068 Tue, 29 May 2007 13:44:02 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2007/05/29/devils-advocate/#comment-221068 I agree with you wholeheartedly. The job, if it's to be done, has to be done in the most professional way. Although it's a political move, the process of impeachment has to be cool and thorough if it's to be respected. Republicans, no less than Dems, saw through the Clinton impeachment, saw the prurience with which Congressional Republicans went after Clinton, and it disgusted them no less than the rest of us. To be honest, I have less than total confidence in the leading Dems at this point. They seem scattered. It's extraordinary that they have been handed a huge buffet of administration (and Congressional) malfeasance and they manage to walk away on Memorial Day weekend looking starved and lost. I agree with you wholeheartedly. The job, if it’s to be done, has to be done in the most professional way. Although it’s a political move, the process of impeachment has to be cool and thorough if it’s to be respected. Republicans, no less than Dems, saw through the Clinton impeachment, saw the prurience with which Congressional Republicans went after Clinton, and it disgusted them no less than the rest of us. To be honest, I have less than total confidence in the leading Dems at this point. They seem scattered. It’s extraordinary that they have been handed a huge buffet of administration (and Congressional) malfeasance and they manage to walk away on Memorial Day weekend looking starved and lost.

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