Start Preparing For The Mother of All Constitutional Crises

[Paranoid Pessimist]

http://www.commondreams.org/views07/0106-24.htm

"When it comes to deploying its Executive power, which is dear to Bush's understanding of the presidency, the President's team has been planning for what one strategist described as 'a cataclysmic fight to the death' over the balance between Congress and White House if confronted with congressional subpoenas it deems inappropriate. The strategist says the Bush team is 'going to assert that power, and they're going to fight it all the way to the Supreme Court on every issue, every time, no compromise, no discussion, no negotiation."

"As a result, the U.S. is headed toward what Tom Engelhardt has called "the mother of all Constitutional crises."


And since they pretty much own the Supreme Court, our side can look for little support there.

[orpupilofnature57]

1. This is why calling for Impeachment in a couple of weeks is just....

...what the doctor ordered.

[Maryland Liberal]

3. Free John Conyers!!!

Seems like he is the only one with the guts for IMPEACHMENT!

[orpupilofnature57]

4. I know Nancy let me down.

[Tellurian]

6. No it isn't- Not at all!

Nancy is right...It is off the table for now.

Our Constitution is BROKEN...

Bush is holding all the Trump cards, just the way he planned it, for this time...

[pnwmom]

16. Not in a couple weeks. AFTER investigations or AFTER Bush refuses to

participate in investigations.

But not now, when we aren't even close to having the 67 votes needed to convict him in the Senate.

[man4allcats]

18. I couldn't agree more.

Personally, I hope Bushco does try to push its luck. That will make justification for impeachment (as if any more were needed) all the easier.

Throw the Bums Out!

[Tellurian]

27. ...

[babylonsister]

2. More from the article:

Constitutionalists and progressives need to start planning proactively to prepare the public to respond appropriately and effectively to this impending confrontation.

First, that requires an on-going interpretation to people of what is happening and what it means.

Second, it involves defining venues for action in which large numbers of people can participate. Rep. John Conyers' mobilization of popular support for demanding information about the Downing Street memos represents on a small scale what will need to be done on a larger scale.

Third, it requires creating some kind of infrastructure or rapid-response network with the capacity to support such a mobilization.

Fourth, it calls for a broad coalition that reaches far beyond progressives to include conservatives committed to the rule of law and a broad public concerned about the abuse of presidential power and the preservation of democracy. Such a coalition already exists in nascent form, for example in the Constitution Project, which has brought together such improbably allies as Al Gore and Bob Barr to articulate concern about Bush administration abuse of presidential power.
_ _ _ _ _


Basically, we all need to be able to honestly understand what's going on while it's happening. I'm sure there will be enough talking heads to decipher it all for us.

[luckyleftyme2]

7. HE'S A MAN NOT A KING

There is no way "dubya" can win.

[babylonsister]

9. I sincerely hope you're right, and know lots of people have our

vested interest in seeing that he doesn't win. But looking back on what he's gotten away with so far, it's troubling.

[Tellurian]

10. We always play the game on paper first...before going forward..

On paper Bush Wins... Impeachment would not be the appropriate remedy at this time.

Bush has stripped the Constitution of OUR Rights and given himself dictatorial powers
IF the country take to the streets in protest.

[sam sarrha]

14. he is a wet brain alcoholic drug addict psychopathic narcissist spoiled brat rich kid

[al bupp]

25. But tell us how you really feel ;-)

IMHO, technically he may be more sociopathic than psychopathic.

[sam sarrha]

26. as a child he put frie crackers up frogs butts an blew them up, first sign of pathalogical behavion

[EVDebs]

21. According the ReligiousRight he's the anointed of God

and unaccountable.

[orpupilofnature57]

29. According to the religious Left, he's a sacrilegious asshole!

And is on the opposite side of kindness,charity or forgiveness.

[orpupilofnature57]

24. We have to help those trained to play ' Emperors Clothing ' the

rest I'll blame on Barb , because She married Poppy. http://tomflocco.com/Docs/63/BushJfkBookDepo.htm

[Sherman A1]

11. Agreed

This has to be a step by step process, that informs and involves the public. It cannot and should not be hurried, but taken a serious and thoughtful manner. There will be some issue upon which Mr. Bush will lose the executive privilege argument to Congress and when that happens, I believe the whole house of cards will come unglued. Patience and through work are in order.

[badgerpup]

22. You are right...we MUST follow procedure

...if only to cover our own asses.

Think about it...how many threads here are started because a precedent or 'rule' the repubs instigated while they were on top is suddenly coming back to bite them in the ass HARD now that they are no longer in power?

And aren't they just screaming?
And is there ONE DAMN THING they can really do about it, except just shut up and deal?
(Hint: "You made your bed, now you lie in it.")

Precedent is a very very dangerous door to open, because you never know what's gonna come through it next.

That said...if I had my druthers...Bush, Cheney, Rove, Rummy, Gonzo, Rice, et al would all not only have huge bootmarks on their collective asses, but be wearing those fetching orange jumpsuits and matching chain wrist and ankle bracelets already.

[Morgana LaFey]

28. That's excellent advice. Now, who can do it?

Probably can't be any ONE organization or person anyway.

[no_hypocrisy]

5. I believe this would be most interesting:

1. Congress forms a myriad of investigations, getting some cooperation, getting some stonewalling.

2. Congress starts serving subpoenas to White House staff, advisors, the vice president, and the big kahuna. The last two decidedly refuse.

3. Congress goes to the Supreme Court -- and believe it or not the Supremes tell * & Cheney they must answer (otherwise they have an inconsistency with making Clinton answer to a private civil suit and Nixon turning over the tapes).

4. * and Cheney remain adamantly stubborn with the attitude of "You and what army is going to make me do it?"

Now what?

[Tellurian]

8. The First thing Congress has to do..

Is review the changes Bush made to the Constitution giving himself dictatorial powers
in a subversive, fraudulent and deceptive way.

Bush has made changes to the Constitution unbeknown to most people including members in Congress.

Here is the way it happened:

http://www.tpmcafe.com/blog/coffeehouse/2006/sep/29/the_star_chamber

[Sherman A1]

13. At that point

I suspect the public will demand impeachment.

[MannyGoldstein]

12. Actually, SCOTUS is Squarely On Our Side

They've ruled several times recently that Bush has wildly overstepped his bounds.

The real question is what will Congress do about it? Since they neede to change their diapers when Feingold proposed censure, I'm thinking that the correct thing (impeachment) ain't coming from the Democratic side of the aisle.

[Tellurian]

15. Bush's attack on the Constitution has to be revealed for all the world to see..

and be understood totally by every living being on the planet.

He has systematically subverted the Constitution to his own ends and undermined
our system of a democratically ruled country for his own fraudulent, secretive ends.

Please read this lengthy, carefully researched post... from a highly respected individual.

http://www.tpmcafe.com/blog/coffeehouse/2006/sep/29/the_star_chamber

[Gregorian]

19. Thank you for that reminder.

This post had me in a slight panic. There's no point in panic. Although, I sense reality all of a sudden. This is a far more serious problem than I have been willing to let myself believe.

There are many mature adults in America, yet. And we control Congress.

Now, deep breaths. Gore v. Bush is one thing. The Supreme Court isn't a total sham, even if Scalia is a fascist.

[jedr]

17. the impeachment of Bush and Cheney give you Pelosi as Pres';

Not a likely scenario. However ,impeachment proceedings will make Bushco even less of a lame duck administration. Nixon was removed when his own party realized that that he was more trouble than they could deal with. I agree with Bernie Sanders , make this a grassroots issue and put the pressure on those holding office ( both dems and repubs) that if they value their jobs they will need to do the peoples work.

[William769]

20. It will make a Democrat a shoo in in the Next Pesidential election.

[jazzjunkysue]

23. It's already gonna be a dem in '08: That's why they don't bother naming

a GOP candidate other than McCain: They don't have anyone who can pass the smell test at this point.

It's already gonna be a dem in '08. That's why all the talk is about the Dem candidates.