Montana Partners for Impeachment Newsletter No. 13
Special Edition to Forward to a Friend
Congress needs to listen to the people more, and Bush and Cheney less.
Middle America Stands Up to Executive Extremism
John Conyers, chair of the House Judiciary Committee, spoke on the D.C. mall to hundreds of thousands of protesters the last weekend of January 2007, "George Bush has a habit of firing military leaders who tell him the Iraq war is failing," he said, looking out at the masses. "He can't fire you." Referring to Congress, the Michigan Democrat added: "He can't fire us." And in his congressional letter: "There was more truth spoken at the rally on Saturday in three hours than we have received from the Administration in three years. Nearly 3,000 deaths after the start of this war, and the Administration still can't get their facts straight."
The Mercury News: January 29, 2007 "The rally on the Mall unfolded peacefully, although about 300 protesters tried to rush the Capitol, running up the grassy lawn to the front of the building. Police on motorcycles tried to stop them, scuffling with some and barricading entrances. Protesters chanted "Our Congress" as their numbers grew and police faced off against them. Demonstrators later joined the masses marching from the Mall, around Capitol Hill and back... Protest organizers said the crowd included people who came on 300 buses from 40 states."
MPFI (January 27th) The sympathy rally here in Missoula was held at the same interchange as the rally 24 hours after Mr. Bush's escalation of the war, Reserve and South Ave. Much warmer and mid-day rather than dusk, the fifty who assembled with signs, and drums, and noisemakers seemed almost to be celebrating their cohorts in D.C., Los Angeles, Sacramento, and San Francisco who pressed the message to bring home our soldiers and impeach for peace. Horns honked, people waved or gave the peace sign--or in the odd case 'the finger'--and smiles of relief or excitement were common on driver's faces. A one-man counter-demonstrator scrawled a message on a white lid of some sort and walked the demonstration from end to end holding it up. It said, "Kill the terrorists." A young woman of similar age held up one of her two signs, "Thou shalt not kill," and followed him the length of the crowd. People at the extremes, then, were present and expressed themselves, but the demonstration was Middle America showing its resolve.
MT Legislation: The new phrase for the MT Impeach Resolution, "3 Had his Attorney General Alberto Gonzales fraudulently claim before congress, under oath, that for five years the President's sign-off on this warrantless spying was lawful, and" is scratched. Once before, a change to the printed Resolution was considered and it turned out to be a mistake: The reference to Cheney guilt for outing Plame as a CIA agent was removed, because a State Dept. official had also leaked her name, but the Libby trial here in January is making clear that Cheney shared with Libby and President Bush the responsibility for 'outing' a CIA agent, using as its source--you guessed it--the CIA whose agents' identity is protected by law.
The primary arguments for not adding the new phrase are: 1) MPFI has explained to legislative 'principals' why Article 1 remains intact i.e. Bush makes a fraudulent claim to a 'unitary executive' power which trumps American law. 2) Including a non-elected proper name in the Resolution weakens it, since the grass roots Resolution through the MT Legislature expresses the inherent sovereignty of The People to remove from elective office whom they have elected, using the Constitutional provision created for that purpose. 3) All the appointed department heads involved in the war fraud will fall with Bush and Cheney without special mention.
The Nation: Feb 12, 2007 Elizabeth Holtzman says, after noting that there were 75 pro-impeachment rallies in December 2006: "There is no remedy short of impeachment to protect us from this President, whose ability to cause damage in the next two years is enormous. If we do not act against Bush, we send a terrible message of impunity to him and to future Presidents and mark a clear path to despotism and tyranny. Succeeding generations of Americans will never forgive us for lacking the nerve to protect our democracy."
Our local television station MCAT (Bresnan 7) has been airing local protests of the Bush Administration, as well as Democracy Now feeds at 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. This month they will air once again the Center for Constitutional Rights DVD on "How to Impeach a President." Mark your schedule for Feb 20 (Tue) at 5:30 p.m. and Feb 21st at 8:30 p.m.
Incompetence in Peace and War--Righting the Balance
Clinton: Bush must remove troops Before Leaving.
Senator Biden sees Senate as against Bush War Policies.
Shell Oil rejects Bush 'axis of evil' view of Iran and makes a big Iranian oil deal upstaging British Petroleum because, "They are clearly willing to ignore Bush because he is coming to the end of his presidency..."
Watch Conyers' and Feingold hearings at 10 EST, Tuesday and Wednesday this week.
Worse than Downing Street Memos! Remember Bush quoting the Brits? WMD Fraud 'From the Top' Now Clear.
MoveOn.org is organizing a 'virtual' demonstration to send 1Million messages by Feb.1st to Stop the Escalation.
Democrats.com puts up an online petition to impeach Bush/Cheney in 2007 Sign Up.
The time has come for the site manager of this newsletter to pose a question and ask you to make a considered response: What lawful step would you take to stop fanatics from igniting a conflagration in the Middle East and a pan-Arab response which would last a generation or more?
Bush and Cheney Refuse to Listen
Congress struggles with ending Iraq War in D.C. as Bush sidesteps protests. To cut off funds or not.
War in Iraq widens when old Shiite dispute near Najaf draws in Americans-who lose a helicopter-and Muslim snipers killing pilgrims. Many dead.
America's dilemma in downtown Baghdad Who's shooting at us now?
Promoting Gunboat Diplomacy Bush chose in his escalation, Cheney 'Hypes' 2nd Carrier.
As before the Iraq invasion, Bush has refused advice of UN nuclear inspectors of Iran.
Bush arms deals violated own rules on Cluster Bombs.
Lebanon dividing into Tense Factions.
Insecurity returns to Somalia after Bush-supported invasion by Ethopia Four Hit-and-Run Attacks.
Gaza tipping towards civil war in wake of Bush and Olmert sponsorship of Fatah, not those Elected
'War Secretary' Gates may have found more soldiers for Bush's escalation More Involuntary Call-ups
See what you make of this... While you were sleeping (Bush took over the Government)
Action Being Taken
MPFI asks that recipients of our newsletter who support the Resolution now send a check for $5 or more as a binder of support. It will be used for office supplies to assist progress on the bill. Send it to 1345 S. 2nd W. Apt. #1, Missoula, MT 59801.
The Missoula Independent carried an article based on an MPFI interview, Here.
A Citizen's Perspective: MPFI feature Here being expanded to permit members to post their deepest thoughts about abuses of power online. Send with subject line, "Submission" to Here.
MPFI Opinion: Relying on 'hearings alone' to solve the Bush/Cheney Constitutional Crisis is like re-fitting the latch of an open barn that caught fire and burned down.
Download the MT Resolution for impeaching Bush/Cheney in 2007 (now at the MT Legislature developing support). Here. Request a Center for Constitutional Rights book for arguing each Article on the floor of the Montana Legislature. Here
Montana Veterans for Peace has endorsed MPFI's Resolution to Impeach, and published their support nationally online "Impeachment is Rumbling in the Mountains of Montana"
UM Students for Peace and Justice have endorsed the MT Resolution to Impeach Bush/Cheney.
Stop the war is the peace part. Impeach is the justice part.
