it's going to happen sooner rather than later. There is a great article at Truthout.org on our broad organizational needs in facing this crisis--how to support Congress in restoring the Constitutional "balance of powers." But it is premised on a subpoena confrontation, down the line, as Congressional investigations of Bush Junta crimes get going. I think the crisis is going to come much sooner, over funding for the escalation of the war. Pelosi and Reid are going to bifurcate funding--providing financial support for existing troop levels, but denying funding for escalation. And that could trigger the crisis, like, this week? Soon, anyway.
Here's the article:
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/010707C.shtmlHere's their action plan (premised on a confrontation over subpoenas):
"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 ongoing 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. Representative John Conyers's 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 improbable allies as Al Gore and Bob Barr to articulate concern about the Bush administration's abuse of presidential power.
"The power and willingness of Congress to affect Bush's Iraq policies depends on using the vulnerability of the administration and its Republican supporters to severe loss of effective power, criminal investigation, and/or impeachment. That vulnerability is likely to be greatest, in turn, where the administration can be shown to engage in Nixonian abuse of government power to suppress information in its own interest.
"A defeat of the Bush administration on the right of Congress and the public to know what the government is doing can be the starting point of a broader effort to establish institutional and cultural vehicles for controlling executive power - in short, for a transition to democracy."
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Obviously, we don't need (or likely won't need) that much "interpretation" of the legislative battle over bifurcated funding. But items 2, 3 and 4, are certainly relevant--and they are where DUers can plug in, with action alerts, calling/letter campaigns, alerts on speeches and legislative moves, and working with various groups, etc. I'm not saying we won't need "interpretation." We might. It would be good to have a legislative expert posting at DU, just in case it gets complicated. Speed of understanding could be important, in guiding letter writers, for instance.
Get ready! I think it's coming. One thing I know we all need is an updated list/contact info for the new Congress. (I don't have one.) And a new media contact list. Anybody who has either of these, would you please post them at DU? Also, a list of groups working on the Constitutional crisis would be good (reffed in #4, above).
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