There is at least one Democrat will a full set of balls and a backbone -- Rep. Dennis Kucinich. Yesterday, he introduced and read into the House record three articles of impeachment against Dick Cheney. Kucinich charged Cheney with:
1. Purposely manipulating the intelligence process to deceive the citizens and Congress by fabricating a threat of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction to justify the use of U.S. Armed Forces against the nation of Iraq in a manner damaging to our national security interests.
2. Deceiving the nation about an alleged relationship between Iraq and Al Queda.
3. Openly threatening agression against the Republic of Iran absent any real threat to the United States.
I think any honest person would have to admit that Cheney is obviously guilty of all three charges. But it looks like Kucinich is one of the few Democrats with the afore-mentioned bits of human anatomy. Speaker Pelosi and the other Democrats successfully avoided a vote on the matter, and sent it to the Judiciary Committee.
I think they're hoping the matter will die in that committee, or at least linger there until after the next election. Instead of doing the right thing, they have decided to take the "politically safe" route.
This is very troubling. They weren't elected to protect their own asses, but to do the right thing for the citizens of the United States. If we put them in chage of the White House and both arms of Congress in the next election, will they find the courage to do what is right for America or act to protect their jobs in the next election?
Over 75% of Americans think this country is headed in the wrong direction. We know the Republicans won't change that direction. Do the Democrats have the political courage to do so?
Do the Democrats have the political courage to do so?
ReplyDeleteNot nearly enough do. Here's a list of Kucinich's 21 co-sponsors of the resolution (which was introduced way back on April 24).
When the Republicans called their bluff and it looked like there actually would be debate on the resolution, all but five (Brady of PA; Filner of CA; Payne of NJ; Waters of CA; and Watson of CA) changed their votes in order to table the resolution. It's obvious to this conservative that the other 16 were merely pandering to their pro-impeachment constituents with no real intention of following through.
If I had been waiting for over six months to see this resolution come to a debate, I would be livid, especially if my representative had been a co-sponsor.
There are virtually no issues on which I agree with Dennis Kucinich (including impeachment), but I have to respect him for being consistent and standing on his principles. The same goes for the other five who held their ground. But IMHO other 16 are only political opportunists.