(Tomorrow) Chairman Conyers puts Bush abuse of power `On the table'

[babylonsister]

http://www.freepress.org/departments/display/20/2007/2385

Chairman Conyers puts Bush abuse of power `On the table'
by Dave Lindorff
January 30, 2007

Speaker Nancy Pelosi may have taken impeachment "off the table," but House Judiciary Chair John Conyers (D-MI) is about to put it back on the menu.

Conyers may have been blocked by a timid Pelosi from initiating impeachment hearings immediately into President Bush's crimes against the Constitution, but he's taken the first step anyway, with the anouncement of plans to hold hearings into what is surely the President's gravest abuse of power.

The congressman, a veteran of the Nixon impeachment hearings who recently published a book on Bush's crimes, today announced plans to have his Judiciary Committee hold hearings on Bush's rampant use of so-called "signing statements." These are the documents the president has claimed give him the power, as a commander-in-chief, to ignore laws duly passed by the Congress.

Bush has used this bogus claim to ignore all or parts of some 1200 laws passed by Congress. He has done it willfully, and he has done it deceptively, often adding the signing statement saying he will be ignoring a law after having first hosted a friendly photo-op signing session at which he offer no indication that he had any problem with a measure.

The first Judiciary Committee hearing is set for January 31.

Hopefully this will be followed by more Judiciary hearings into the president's other high crimes and misdemeanors.

Readers should encourage Conyers in his efforts, and urge him to follow through, by sending messages of support to: [e-mail]

[fooj]

1. Yes. I'll be watching...

Thank you, Congressman. Hold the treasonous, rat bastards accountable.

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

2. It is ABOUT FUCKING TIME.

Go, man, go. :yourock:

[marmar]

3. I remember those hearings Conyers was forced to hold in the utility closet of the Capitol...

This time, it's the real deal.....

There's a new sheriff in town, and his name ain't Reggie Hammond, it's John Conyers. :kick:

[EVDebs]

4. Republicans fear power (used to hold them accountable). nt

[stevedeshazer]

5. I can't wait. Man, I knew Conyers would come through.

Here we go. This is gonna be a wild ride.

Git yer popcorn. :popcorn:

[stimbox]

6. YES!!!!!!

Go get 'em Chairman Conyers!

[ninkasi]

7. Good!

I also sent a strong letter of support to Conyers. Too often, he and a few other courageous politicians have been almost alone in standing up to the current administration's abuse of power. Go, Conyers!

[babylonsister]

9. Thank you for writing him; I wish EVERYONE would! nt

[ninkasi]

24. I agree

I think we all should write him, and show our support. He is a true patriot, and has been relentless in trying to preserve our Constitution. If we had more people like him in Congress, we would not be in the mess we are in now.

[calimary]

30. Or, by all means, call his office in the morning.

TOLL FREE Capitol Hill switchboard numbers located here in my sig line for your convenience.

Call his office. Give your staunch support. THEN, call your OWN reps, and demand that they stand with him. Doesn't matter whether they're ours or the bad guys. Doesn't matter. I KNOW people here have republi-CON reps. THOSE reps need to hear this, too. They NEED TO BE MADE AWARE that the "barbarians at the gate" that took out so many of their friends and pushed them out of power - CAN COME FOR THEM, TOO. They NEED to know how powerful a movement this is.

Look what a few (VERY MUCH in the minority) loud, nasty, in-yer-face, squeaky wheels have done for the evangelical extremist movements, for the fanatic bushbots, for the limbots. Numerically, THESE people are NOT in the majority. They're NOT. THE VAST MAJORITY of Americans are moderate-to-liberal. But those on our side are more quiet. We haven't been speaking up enough.

THE MOMENTUM is on OUR side, now. Critical mass has been reached - on OUR side. And the reason why you have smarmy normie coleman and Gordon Smith and a few other wafflers are now hemming and hawing about following their "leader" is that their necks are on the block in two years. They see which way the public is going. The polls do not lie. And they get more lopsided IN OUR FAVOR every week.

Don't think it doesn't make any difference, or have any impact. They're mumbling in the cloak room. They're freaking out behind the scenes. They're running scared now. Every one of those congressional staffers - even those who in the past have been more smug or shown more bravado - are still smarting over the loss of their power and their majority, and they know it COULD be them next. Believe me, they know this, much as they deny it. There has been SERIOUS CLIMATE CHANGE in Washington. DO it. "Make their day." Send them back for another Rolaids. Wear 'em down. Eventually, enough of them will acknowledge the tidal wave about to hit them.

DO IT ANYWAY.

[Bitwit1234]

8. Since any investigation

includes both cheney and bush, I suppose Pelosi did not want the country to think she was trying to steal the presidency. If these investigations bear fruit, both of the crooks will be removed from office and Pelosi would be president.

[jedr]

10. the only way to stop Bush is impeachment;

We are at the brink of true fascism with a man who feels he wants a dictatorship. He will listen to no one but the neocons. Our government has become mercenaries for the oil companies and the only way to stop him is impeachment. Let the re pubs choose who they want to replace Cheney and finish out the next two years and let the proceedings begin.

[CrazyOrangeCat]

11. I wrote him and thanked him.

He's a very real cause for hope.

K&R

[babylonsister]

12. Thank you! I have, too. Just a few sentences would be most encouraging.

:hi:

[harveyc]

13. "Window Dressing" & "Slow Walking" ...

Congress should spend this effort on ending the Iraqi War first.

If the upcoming 2008 Iraq supplemental is approved by the Congress, this is all BS.

[babylonsister]

15. They can do two things at once; hadn't you heard?

Feingold had a hearing today: "Exercising Congress's Constitutional Power to End a War."
The wheels turn slow, but they're turning.

[harveyc]

16. Sure they can ...

even three things at once. I mentioned the upcoming 2008 Iraq supplemental also ... before any hearing reaches a conclusion.

[unlawflcombatnt]

14. Excellent

Hooray for Conyers. It's about time somebody stepped forward.

[Nictuku]

17. Go Johnny Go!!

A Real Man! A True American. Godspeed Congressman Conyers!

[mile18blister]

18. I think Conyers will come through.

Earlier this month I finally received a copy of the book Conyers had promised to send in return for a contribution. (Conyers was the only incumbent who received a contribution from me.) Compiled by his staff, the book is titled "George W. Bush versus the U.S. Constitution : The Downing Street Memos and Deception, Manipulation, Torture, Retribution, and Coverups in the Iraq War and Illegal Domestic Spying". (Whew!)
I can't believe he'll just forget about all *'s crimes.

[Generator]

19. Indeed

He and the Black Congressional Caucus are all that's given me hope many a bleak day and night. I just gave him a $50 for being him. It's nice to have someone that actually works for their money.

[babylonsister]

20. On Saturday, Conyers said, "You and I can't be fired; HE can be fired!"

That was at the rally, and I've taken that sentiment to heart.
And welcome to DU, mile18blister (are you a runner?)!:hi:

[wryter2000]

34. Welcome to DU

:hi:

[Sydnie]

21. Hey Sis

Any heads up on the time and the available coverage for this hearing?

It will be so orgasmic to see him, in the chairman's seat in a real meeting room rather than a basement. I don't want to miss it!

[babylonsister]

23. Nothing, Sydnie. I just checked CSPAN's site, and nothing up yet.

There are going to be lots of more important stuff we can't see unless we go online vs. CSPAN. But right now, CSPAN IS showing an earlier program aired on the judiciary channel about the Foreign Relations Cmte with Hamilton and Baker -

[Sydnie]

25. OOOH - lookee what I found!

http://judiciary.house.gov/schedule.aspx

The watch live link is right there - for tomorrow! :)

[babylonsister]

26. Very cool and thank you.So not on CSPAN, but viewable for those

with a desire and a 'puter. Kind of annoys me, because my dad who doesn't own a computer can't watch it. :(

[salin]

22. This is why Conyers is my avatar!

While not easy to swallow for the public (ala a simple subject to understand in a few sentences) - this is very, very signficant. If the public can come to understand how seriously this administration has been trying to undermine our Constitution, then the public repudiation will be serious and likely would spread to contempt/distrust against the party enabling this anti-constition administration.

The more hearings Conyers holds on this the better - as more media coverage and public awareness will grow exponentially. IMO this is very, very big - sets the ball in motion to bringing to a clash the impending Constitutional Crisis that Bushco has been quietly trying to force into defacto (after the fact) reality.

After I first read about the signing statements - but before anyone except the major Boston paper was writing about it - the alarm bells per the significance went off. At the time I wrote this: http://journals.democraticunderground.com/salin/19

Perhaps Conyers hearings will lead to the needed Constitutional confrontation - because without such a confrontation - we might end up with a transformed (by bushco precedent) govt system that will be very hard to change. We *need* the confrontation.

Representative Conyers - you are one of my heros - and you are doing a great service, not just to the people of your district, but to the all the people of our country. Even those who do not agree with you (reflexive partisans) as they do not want to live under a system that gives the same unchecked powers to a dem president in the future.

[Cobalt-60]

27. Good Hunting, Chairman

[progressoid]

28. ..."back on the menu"...mabe they'll intoduce the roasted vice-president too.

mmmm- delicious!

[bonito]

29. When Conyers stands up he will have the support

Of the people behind him and we can't back down or we loose it all.

[Canuckistanian]

31. Challenge the signing statements in the Supreme Court!

If the SC can rule on the Presidential election winner, they can rule on this.

What would it take to get this before the court? Even the most fervent RW judge can't ignore the clear words of the Constitution.

[Heywood J]

39. I see that you underestimate Scalia and Thomas.

Scalia in particular seems to love to do just that.

[Canuckistanian]

43. Welcome to DU, fellow Canuck

And no, I certainly don't underestimate them, they're dangerous to the extreme.

The SC has backed down on several basic RW "Constitutional issues", like sodomy laws, Terri Schiavo and affirmative action cases.

And, with something as basic as the division of powers, CLEARLY spelled out in the Constitution, they'll rule against or even refuse to hear such cases. AND issue a binding opinion.

[mnhtnbb]

32. Here's the e-mail I just sent to the Congressman

Congressman Conyers:

I am very heartened to read that as Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, you are about to begin hearings on the abuse of power by Mr. Bush in regard to his use of signing statements.

I fully support your investigation and am extremely pleased to see this first step in holding Mr. Bush accountable
for the numerous abuses and betrayals of the office of President.

Thank you for your diligence in shining a light into the dark places of the Bush Administration.

[wryter2000]

33. What time?

It's not on CSPAN right now.

[babylonsister]

36. Now, here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x89929

[ima_sinnic]

35. my e-mail to John Conyers

sent at dawn today:

subject: yes! to hearings on signing statements

Dear Representative Conyers,
Just wanted to voice my very enthusiastic support for your hearings scheduled to begin today into Bush's "signing statements." The tragedy is that this egregious twisting and abuse of power is only ONE of the many ways that he has compromised and weakened our Consitution, trampled on the whole notion of government "of, by, and for The People," and set himself up as a little wannabe but very dangerous, deceitful, and unconscienable dictator.
I also wanted to let you know how very very much I liked your speech at the rally Saturday and that I have shared a link to a video of it with a long e-mail list.
Also, it is excrutiatingly important that Bush the Madman have no money or authorization whatsoever to invade Iran!
Your courage, foresight, commitment, and brilliance in confronting the virus in the White House is SOOO appreciated by those of us who have seen through this sham since even before 2000.
By the way, if you or anyone on your staff needs the services of a professional copy editor at no charge please do not hesitate to contact me.
Thank you again so much,

[babylonsister]

37. Excellent!

:applause: :applause: :applause:

[gratefultobelib]

38. I just e-mailed Mr. Conyers, and it felt GOOD!

[Heywood J]

40. Go get them, Chairman.

Take them to pieces, and then start investigating the oil companies themselves.

[paulk]

41. "blocked by a timid Pelosi"

Pelosi did that because she didn't want "impeachment" to be an issue the Republicans could use to get out their base in the November elections. And it worked. Anybody with half a clue regarding the political process knew that impeachment would go back on the table as soon as the investigations into BushCo started.

Apparently, Lindorff doesn't have half a clue.

[Time for change]

42. YES!!!!!!!!!

Once it's on the menu, it may as well be back on the table.

[ProudDad]

44. One of the very few times

I wish I had cable...

[faithnotgreed]

45. one of the very few who should be in government