Seeing the Forest: Impeachment Archives

April 19, 2008

Post A Sign

"If you just had one person in every city doing what I do you wouldn't be able to drive anywhere without seeing a protest against the war."

Posted by Dave Johnson at 10:13 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack | Link Cosmos

January 22, 2008

Here is something that blog readers know, but people outside the blogosphere have only had the smallest inkling of. We've been over many of the lies told countless times. We take it for granted, but the regular person on the street has not been exposed to this information at all. Has the TV ever once said Bush lied? No wonder there hasn't been serious support for impeachment - politicians go ask regular people and they don't know of Bush's crimes.

Maybe they will now. Read the following, and follow the link to read more.

Study: False statements preceded war,

A study by two nonprofit journalism organizations found that President Bush and top administration officials issued hundreds of false statements about the national security threat from Iraq in the two years following the 2001 terrorist attacks.

The study concluded that the statements "were part of an orchestrated campaign that effectively galvanized public opinion and, in the process, led the nation to war under decidedly false pretenses."

The study was posted Tuesday on the Web site of the Center for Public Integrity, which worked with the Fund for Independence in Journalism.

How much lying?

The study counted 935 false statements in the two-year period. It found that in speeches, briefings, interviews and other venues, Bush and administration officials stated unequivocally on at least 532 occasions that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction or was trying to produce or obtain them or had links to al-Qaida or both.

Posted by Dave Johnson at 7:50 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack | Link Cosmos

January 6, 2008

Impeach!

Every American should read Why I Believe Bush Must Go byGeorge McGovern in today's Washington Post.

Posted by Dave Johnson at 1:23 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack | Link Cosmos

November 8, 2007

The Boy Who Cried Terror

Jon Swift readers - I didn't see that I wrote this with James Boyce when I submitted it. Go see Seeing the Forest's Best of 2007...

Message to Congress: No one believes Bush and this is dangerous to the country!

There is an urgent warning today from the FBI, that Al-Qaeda might attack shopping malls over the holiday season. See Exclusive: FBI: Al Qaeda May Strike U.S. Shopping Malls in LA, Chicago,

The FBI is warning that al Qaeda may be preparing a series of holiday attacks on U.S. shopping malls in Los Angeles and Chicago, according to an intelligence bulletin distributed to law enforcement authorities across the country this morning.

Is there a single person in this country who doesn't wonder if this is another Bush trick? Be honest, it crossed your mind, didn't it?

But what if it's true?

Meanwhile, hardly a day goes by without another dramatic statement from Bush or Cheney claiming that Iran poses a grave threat to the world. But few bother to listen anymore. People just roll their eyes. Bush cried wolf over Iraq. Bush raised the terror threat level and announced arrests or warnings for political purposes. Bush pumped fear into the country to win elections.

And now another warning.

But what if it's true?

Listen up, people! The FBI is warning about an al Queda attack on shopping malls this Christmas and almost no one will pay attention because no one believes this government anymore. Everyone has seen them manipulate terror threats, pump the fear for elections -- or just to get another capital gains tax cut passed.

Bush has lost credibility, but the world remains dangerous. Congress must act! Congress must remove Bush and Cheney for lying to the country to start a war. Congress must restore the public's trust in our country's leadership. The current situation is dangerous. If the government says we are about to be attacked we need to be able to believe them and act on it, instead of rolling our eyes and wondering how these clowns think they can get away with more of this fear-pumping. Because there just might BE a time when we ARE about to be attacked.

One more time: Congress, stop posturing. Stop worrying about the political fallout. Start doing what is right for the country. Bush and Cheney have to be removed from office because they lied to us to get us to support war in Iraq, and now no one believes the government, and this is dangerous.

Posted by Dave and James at 12:42 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack | Link Cosmos

November 6, 2007

If Offense Ever Entered Their Heads

Kucinich's Resolution Survives Tabling Attempt, Is Referred to Committee | AfterDowningStreet.org,

You'd think if offense (rather than defense) ever entered Pelosi and Hoyer's heads, they'd want to put an hour of Cheney-bashing debate on TV. But they want at all costs to avoid impeachment, and you can't debate the substance of the charges against Cheney without making an obvious case for impeachment.

You know what? Let me repeat it, bolded this time: You don't mind if I do that, do you?

You'd think if offense (rather than defense) ever entered Pelosi and Hoyer's heads, they'd want to put an hour of Cheney-bashing debate on TV. But they want at all costs to avoid impeachment, and you can't debate the substance of the charges against Cheney without making an obvious case for impeachment.

Posted by Dave Johnson at 10:11 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack | Link Cosmos

August 6, 2007

Senator Chris Dodd

I am on vacation, so posting will be light. (We have found our way to Saugatuck/Douglas on Lake Michigan so far... heading toward Ann Arbor.) I'll try to catch up on some YearlyKos posts, too.

But I want to break into vacation to talk about Senator Chris Dodd a bit. A few bloggers had a meeting with Senator Dodd on Saturday. This is a serious candidate for President who should be receiving much more attention. We had a great, honest and open conversation. Unlike some of the conversations I have had with candidates he listens and hears and responds. This is a thinking man, with a great deal of experience and a lot to offer this country. (Note this on his website: "Support the Netroots")

One subject we talked extensively about was impeachment. He said something that will shape my views and helped me understand how a politician at his level has to think about serving the public. I'll characterize it here. He said that when he considers how he should be spending his time a key question that he has to ask is how is the average person understanding this. The average person might not be paying very much attention to the news, might not consider him or herself to be "on the" left or right. That person is trying to get by and deal with life's problems, like paying the mortgage, getting health care, etc. So when THAT person looks at what the Congress and Senate are doing, the question is, "How does this help ME?"

And if the Democrats spend time on impeachment they are open to the Republican lie and spin machine telling the public they are not serving THEM.

So Dodd says that unless the average person understands what HE OR SHE GETS out of Congress spending time on impeachment instead of all the other important things, he doesn't think we should aim for that. (Yes, I know that the other important things can't happen with Bush in office but the public does not)

If we want to do something about the crimes of Bush and the Republicans YOU HAVE TO LET THE PUBLIC KNOW HOW IT WILL HELP THEM DIRECTLY. This is directly in line with my own writings about how we need to start to reach out to the general public with our message, to help them understand the benefits of progressive values and a progressive approach to issues.

I'm not endorsing anyone for a while. But now my top four are now Hillary, Edwards, Onama and Dodd.

Posted by Dave Johnson at 7:06 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack | Link Cosmos

July 31, 2007

Impeachment Question

I think on principle impeachment is important. We have never seen lawlessness and defiance of the Constitution like this. It is important to make the statement that leaders cannot do this,

But a question: What happens if the House impeaches and enough Republicans in the Senate block conviction. Wouldn't that mean that Bush is excused and is free to continue on as he pleases? Does it set a very dangerous precedent?

Posted by Dave Johnson at 9:01 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack | Link Cosmos