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If it's more than 30 minutes old, it's not news. It's a blog.

Friday, November 17, 2006

Fitness For Duty

When Is A President Member of Congress Unfit to Remain President A Member of Congress?

DNC Refuses To Keep Impeachment On Table: Why does the DNC care if the President is or isn't lying? See this thread.

[ Check back more for comments and other responses to the posted comments.]

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Washington Post Editorial

Read the editorial. The point is that the RNC is shocked with reality. Ref The Congressman appears to be pointing to the issue that the media was shocked that the President was lying. Indeed, as more evidence surfaces, will the RNC voters swing, and support impeachment? You bet.

The appropriate strategy is to work with your friends in the GOP, work across the aisle, and remain receptive to others in the DNC who are pushing for impeachment. The issue isn't whether the President is or isn't removed; the question is:

A. Do we understand what happened;

B. Can we make an informed decision about whether there has been a crime;

C. Can the President be trusted to change and stay within the law;

D. Must the law be enforced by someone else;

E. If we fail to review the facts, what are the risks of the abuse of power being repeated;

F. Is there a risk that the DNC will lose power if it fails to do what it should;

G. Is the voting and non-voting public likely to support an investigation once the truth surfaces with additional investigations?

H. At what point will the GOP voters and GOP Membership, seeing the overwhelming evidence, demand a fully investigation

I. How long will the GOP suffer loss of support as more criminal activity surfaces

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Is lying not a lie? The issue is how many lies really make something else; and what happens when it's not a lie, but a crime, and the misconduct continues, despite a President being in a weakened position.

The danger is when the President, despite being in a vulnerable position, gets caught committing more crimes, and sends a clear message: He is not interested in doing what he should: Protect the Constitution.

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When is a President not a President?

When is a promise not a promise?

When is an oath not an oath?

When is accountability not accountability?

When is an investigation not an investigation?

When is an option not an option?

When is a table not a table?

When is a leader not a leader?

When is a Constitution not a Constitution?

When is responsibility not responsibility?

When is a Chairman not a Chairman?

When is a subpoena power not a power?

When is unity not unity?

When is a threat to revoke a Chairmanship not worth the price to give upon on accountability?


How many other threats has the President's poodle, Pelosi made to do the President's bidding?

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DNC Decisions

One Congressman seems concerned that someone else may or may not have made a credible remark. Whether the media does or doesn't call attention to something is meaningless. The objective of the media is twofold: To inform the public; and to put pressure on the Government.

The public is informed; the government has been pressured; and the decision, despite the information about the President's misconduct: "Impeachment is off the table." Why does the respectable, and distinguished Congressman from Michigan lower himself to be concerned whether the media is or isn't doing its job; or is or isn't calling attention to an issue.

Whether the President does or doesn't lie is irrelevant; the President remains President. Whether there is or is not a misrepresentation related to the election, in the words of one Congressman, it's time to move on, and look forward.

It does not make sense to argue that accountability for that lying, and its illegal consequences, is off the table; but keeping on the table the far inferior concern whether someone may or may not skipped over an inconvenient questions.

It doesn't matter if the media is or isn't doing its job; or that the public does or doesn't comprehend reality. This Congress knows it has an oath, and that impeachment is a lawful option, but has taken it off the table.

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It Will Take Time

The country will slowly come to grips with what has happened. The issue is at what point, with the subsequent revelations, will the voting public see that the GOP cannot be trusted with the White House.

The only way the GOP candidates can promise, "We'll do better," or "You can trust me," is if we know what went wrong; and they can remove themselves from what went wrong. No GOP candidate can do that: The information is still buried.

Accelerate the timelines. Encourage the GOP leadership to take firm positions and stands early, frequently, and often. Once the information of wrongdoing surfaces after the GOP leadership has committed, they will be discredited.

___ What does the GOP leadership expect

___ What is the prospective GOP Presidential candidate’s position

___ How does the hopeful GOP President credibly make a claim they have a plan for American when they have no connection with their own party, or the principles in the Constitution [There is no basis to claim they have a plan when they have no insight into the problem]

___ What is the basis for the GOP Candidate assertion that their positions are sound, despite no fact finding on the matter [ Their confidence is false; the questions they have answers to are not linked with facts, or any serious inquiry ]

___ How can they make this assertion given the misconduct has not been disclosed; and the scope of the misconduct has not been examined [Where there is no examination, the GOP leadership is not in a credible position to forecast a future plan for American; they have no plan to review history; the GOP cannot credibly build upon what is not known]


___ Has the GOP candidate made a fair case that their parties values are connected to the Constitution [Their values, however defined, cannot be examined as long as the facts are ignored; the merit of their value system cannot be examined or debated so long as they ignore the past; the longer the GOP ignores reality of their failures, the longer they will stay stuck with values that are contrary to their sustainable interests and objectives]

___ Is there a reason that the GOP candidate, despite believing that they are fit for President, can make any claim that they have a firm position on something that has not been adequately reviewed [When reality is not examined, there is no basis to assert one’s position is valid. They are asserting a false premise, unchecked by facts to support a flawed vision, disconnected from a reality not understood. The GOP is doomed to wander aimlessly and flounder the longer it avoids its history and the facts. The longer the GOP avoids facts and refuses to investigate, the more losses they will suffer. The non-voters can be encouraged to vote for those who are willing to face reality, and make a clear plan connected to what is wrong, and create a solution to create what is a real improvement over what is wrong.]


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Diplomatic lies are meaningless to get ruffled about when the larger pattern of conduct faces no prospect of sanctions by the US Government. Fortunately, the State Attorney Generals have the power to prosecute a sitting President; and the States have the ability to require Congress to refuse to consider investigating the President.

Proceed on the assumption impeachment will not occur; and that the loss to American prestige needs to be felt within Corporate American, the legal community, and the GOP financial backers. The way forward, to bring about real damage to the GOP is to make it clear that the world is not longer willing to have confidence in the American corporations who are silent; the American legal community that has been complicit; and the GOP leadership who remains loyal to what cannot be supported.

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What You Can Do

Reach out to the non-voters and GOP. Show them what is at stake. Encourage them to digest what has happened. Start small. Use your opposition to the "decision not to keep impeachment on the table" as a means to find common cause with the disaffected GOP Membership. They are just as infuriated at the GOP leadership as the DNC members are toward them.

Consider the powerless position of the GOP. They are in no position to make threats. Yet, this is what they do: Promise something which is meaningless, in exchange for the DNC promising not to use their lawful power. The GOP has not changed. They plan to return in 2008, get more power, and continue their abuse. They have not had the time to remain accountable for their wrongdoing, much less be given the luxury of contemplating their unlawful action, far from making any amends for what they have failed to do: Their jobs.

Recall your sense of outrage after hearing that your future plans had been stifled. Yes, the betrayal you feel is what the GOP feels. But if you fail to form an alliance with the GOP, and get them to see what is not working, then the GOP will find another excuse to blame those who have been given a mandate.

You have personal experience with what disappointment means. This is your common history with the GOP. Reach out to them, listen, and be with them as they learn more. They will be enraged, not at you, but for themselves. Stand by them. Remain confident. There is a way: To confront reality. Then Americans can join forces to create something better.