It's Time to Hold Democratic House Leaders in Contempt-Naomi Wolf

[kpete]

It's Time to Hold Democratic House Leaders in Contempt
Posted January 25, 2008
Naomi Wolf
........

So let me get this straight. The Democrats in Congress cannot even get their own members together to defend the Constitution against a supremely unpopular executive who has essentially spit in their faces, eaten their lunch and the nation's, and publicly called them out as powerless. Not to mention the fact that they are setting a precedent for the future that any executive can emasculate any Congress and defy any subpoena after having committed possibly any crime. Still they are trembling under the barstools -- summoning up, perhaps, the courage to crawl out fully prone and toss their untouched guns humbly at the feet of the posse.

Remember this: each and every member of Congress took an oath -- and the oath was not to some abstract government, it was an oath TO YOU -- to "support and defend the Constitution of the United States." Unlike many good people across the political spectrum who are appalled at this dismantling of the three-part system the founders put in place and the besmirching of the rule of law, Congressional Republicans have clearly decided to place their allegiance to the president and their party over their allegiance to the Constitution. This is bad enough; this is, in fact, treason. But the Democrats do not even have that party allegiance as an excuse for their treachery. They would be standing up for their party, the institution of Congress, and the Constitution by passing the contempt resolutions. What more will it take to get them to act?

Those who think -- as Pelosi apparently does -- that they may rock the boat through a contempt citation in a way that endangers a possible Democratic victory in September are badly misreading the public mood -- as well as severely misreading the historical record. If you don't punish those who break the law at this stage of a crackdown on liberty -- through contempt citations, through the use of Congress's jail cell for those who are found guilty of contempt, and/or through the investigations of a truly independent prosecutor -- you are not going to have a transparent, accountable election in November. You will have set a benchmark for impunity and you will get greater and greater crimes committed in the certainty of impunity.

........................

Tell your representative to move forward with contempt. And if your representatives fail to act, the punishment should not just be removal from office in the next election; they should also be subject to investigations themselves -- for abetting crimes against the Constitution.

Contempt is at issue, indeed.

more at:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/naomi-wolf/its-time-to-hold-democra_b_83322.html

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. My conman is a repuke

who has told me, "Now honey, don't you worry your pretty little head about things like this. We must honor and obey the Man in the White House, the Second Coming of Christ, doncha know". (Exaggerating a little bit, but just a little. His aide audibly groans when I call his office. He does me the courtesy of answering letters, and basically tells me that my ideas are full of it and that he will ignore them. That's why I always support the Democratic challenger to his very safe seat.)

[calimary]

5. Mine isn't. Mine is Henry Waxman. You'd think I'd be in pretty good shape.

Yeah, he's done some good things. Certainly. But evidently he doesn't really give a damn if a Congressional subpoena has any teeth, or should be taken gravely seriously. He had one issued against contradicta and allowed her to ignore it, even issuing in-yer-face statements about not seeing any reason to do so or "we've already answered this" or "we've already given you some papers." He issued that subpoena. Then he took a nap. He has yet to sign on with Kucinich's IMPEACHMENT resolution, OR with Robert Wexler's efforts to get a measly frickin' HEARING on the issue. Hello? Henry? Where are you?

He always seems willing to stop at third base and avoid pushing ahead to nail home. Further, I do not see him holding news conferences and demanding attention, or sending at least a spokesman or surrogate to carry the message onto the airwaves so it actually gets out on the airwaves and SOMEBODY hears it. We have to go on offense here! Doing so, in his case, would attract public attention to whatever investigation his House Oversight and Government Reform Committee conducts or recommends. More people would be motivated to weigh in, and get involved. Attracting attention to some of his committee's investigations or hearings would draw attention to more of the crimes bush/cheney has perpetrated since 2001. More public awareness of this stuff is a GOOD thing! Not a bad thing! It's GOOD for the public to know this. Keith Olbermann pays a goodly amount of attention to it, but he's one tiny fraction of cable TV - whose ratings never match the major networks merely because the major networks outstrip cable in penetration. ANY attention that's drawn to his activities would be welcome!

[NuttyFluffers]

11. then start with your neighbors and local school board.

destroy his base from the bottom up. make your evil neighbors' lives miserable. get them out of the area through education, love, and community support.

it's always hard to start big. so sometimes the best way is to start small. and any remotely successful chipping away at support by any means possible is always a victory. ignore the windmill and tilt at the local carpenter who repairs it...

[Cleita]

2. Naomi is a very brave lady in calling it what it is, treason.

It's time that every citizen in this country who cares about our democracy backs her in this, calling it what it is, treason.

[calimary]

3. Hear, hear!

And of course Pelosi won't be listening. Maybe she knows better. "If we could see what they've seen" and all that.

:sarcasm:

[Wizard777]

8. Reagan officially declared war on Americans that use drugs. Congress didn't even blink.

That is a constitutionally defined act of treason. So this isn't the first treason they've tollerated.

[onenote]

13. of course, its not really "treason" as defined in the constitution

impeachable offenses by chimpy and cheney? Sure. Treason by congress? nope. Not as defined by the constitution.

[kentuck]

4. I'm with you Naomi.

I am holding them in contempt.

[creeksneakers2]

6. She's right and its frustrating

There are so few willing to stand up for the constitution and rule of law.

[MzNov]

7. This is excellent, also read it in Raw Story.

Go Naomi Wolf.

We should print out the article, FAX it to all reps, then cross out House and put Senate, then FAX to all Senate members.

We have no leadership--no oversight, no hearings, no investigations, no upholding of the rule of law... just Bush enablers. And he will continue to get what he wants until the day he leaves office.

[kentuck]

9. kick

this...:kick: can

[Swamp Rat]

10. Geaux Naomi!!

:kick:

[Triana]

12. Naomi Wolf Roxx!! (n/t)