Conyers: "We No Longer Give License To Bush WH To Ignore Constitution & Govern In Secret"

[kpete]

Congress Is No Longer Silent
by Congressman John Conyers
Wed Jan 31, 2007

Today marks the first hearing I will conduct in the Judiciary Committee since taking over as Chairman and this feels like a momentous occasion.

Our country has been run, far too long, by an Administration that seeks to rule in secrecy. The Bush White House has ignored our founding fathers’ separation of powers, claiming an ever increasing scope of authority in direct conflict with the constitution.

For the past six years Congress has been silent, watching idly as its powers are usurped.

No longer.

Today we embark on a vigorous defense of our nation, reclaiming our constitution and reasserting the authority of Congress in our tripartite system of government.

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

Our hearing this morning will ask these questions and convey forcefully the message from Congress that we no longer give license to the Bush White House to ignore the constitution and govern in secret.

Starting at 10:15 this morning, we will be webcasting today’s hearing. Please feel free to join us here

more at:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/1/31/10535/2713

[Parisle]

1. Well, I'll say this for Conyers,...

--- He is starting out with the right tone and tenor in his characterization of what's been happening.

[CrazyOrangeCat]

2. Yes!

Finally, a defender of the Constitution gets to run the show.

[jwirr]

3. Go, Conyers

[Bitwit1234]

4. When are they going to take on the Media

That's one thing they should do...immediately. I am sick of the republican slurp being spewed all day long.

[helderheid]

10. Kucinich is doing that - taking on the FCC

[porphyrian]

5. Get 'em, Congressman. - n/t

[AndyA]

6. Conyers said impeachment was off the table. I was shocked.

But after today, he may find he has to eat those words.

And I'm pretty sure he'll be happy to do it, too! :thumbsup:

Go John!

[omega minimo]

7. The table is set

[samq79]

12. Impeachment as leverage.

Maybe they'll just dangle impeachment as a threat, so he actually starts listening to someone other than the propaganda machine.

[robinlynne]

8. They are just coming back from the recess now. see conyers thread#1 for link

to the live hearings.

[Mandate My Ass]

9. Wow

A momentous occasion indeed.

Our country has been run, far too long, by an Administration that seeks to rule in secrecy. The Bush White House has ignored our founding fathers’ separation of powers, claiming an ever increasing scope of authority in direct conflict with the constitution.

For the past six years Congress has been silent, watching idly as its powers are usurped.

No longer.

Today we embark on a vigorous defense of our nation, reclaiming our constitution and reasserting the authority of Congress in our tripartite system of government.

[Janice325]

11. I first became aware of this wonderful man when I first watched Fahrenheit 9/11.

This moment in particular really stood out to me:
"to Michael Moore, explaining how Congress could pass the Patriot Act without reading it]"
John Conyers: "Sit down, my son. We don't read most of the bills."
Please don't think this is in any way a criticism of this true American, because it certainly isn't intended to be. I just didn't know he even existed until that moment, which was due to my own ignorance and naivety. The sound of his voice and that statement just remains in my head.
He is one of the greatest Americans in this, as well as the last century, perhaps in this country's (hopefully long and soon better/greater) history, if Dimson and company don't fuck us all up and....(I don't want to contemplate the end of the sentence).
God Bless John Conyers.
k&r

[tom_paine]

13. Nice words, Mr. Conyers. No disresepect but when has a tyrant EVER

required license to perform their nefarious and criminal deeds?

Hitler, Stalin, Pinochet, Marcos, Bush...ALL THE SAME. No matter the extremity or relative e 'kindness and genlteness' of their foul deeds (and to say Bush's foul deeds, murderous and criminal as they are, are anywhere near as bad - yet- as Hitler or Syalin is wrong) they are all the same kind of people...megalmaniacal tyrants.

I have said this before, but will reterate. Bush operates on the "Hitler-caser-Bush" principle which says that tyrants who care nothing for ANY rules or laws can almost never be stopped by those who remain and try to follow said rules and laws, even partially.

Hitler and Bush are IDENTICAL in their use oif this. BOTH Hitler and Bush were ALWAYS going to do what they were going to do. ALWAYS. You can talk talk talk about it, write nonbinding resolutions, condemn them, cry, whatever. THEY ARE GOING TO DO WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO DO. If you do not stop them, and I mean physically stop them by having them arrested and clapping them in irons, then what they have done is now 'legal'.

Rinse. Repeat. Rinse. Repeat. On to the next "showdown" which always ends the same way because any mruderous dictator could tell you that is it LIBERATING to be strong enough to ignore every rule and civilized tenet since the fucking Magna Carta while the other dopes are still struggling to stop you by using the "Marquis de Queensbury Rules".

It would be funny if it wasn't so tragic.

Conyers et al better wise up pretty damned quick as to what they are up against or our grandchildren will be enslaved to the Bush/Cheney monsters even now sharpening claws at prep school and murdering their nannies (as the children of Marvin Bush likely did to their Nanny by running her over with the car in 2003).

DRAG THOSE FUCKERS IN AND PUT THEM UNDER OATH! NOW!

[Pooka Fey]

17. Ding ding ding ! We have a winner ! (kicking this post ) n/t

[blues90]

18. That pretty much sums it up , impeachment won't be fast enough

I look back when JFK was gunned down and how far back we have gone since then .

These sort of freaks are still in office and control and they continue to get away with this horror .

9/11 was not what we were told it was , this was exactly what they needed to get the plan going and I fear they won;t be stopped as simple as we hope .

[wildbilln864]

23. Damn right blues...

911 was Bush's Reichstag Fire! Good link here about PNAC!

[Mind_your_head]

25. You're exactly right in this assessment. Let's stop deluding ourselves

these people care "nothing for ANY rules or laws and can almost never be stopped by those who remain and try to follow said rules and laws, even partially'"

HOWEVER, one must remember that we 'understand' what it might mean if we totally ignore rules and laws. That's why we, en masse, don't want to ~ can't become what 'they' do.....we can't be "lawless". Somehow we must condemn them w/in the confines of the law (which *co has given us so many opportunitiesI).....Let's DO IT!!! It MUST be done. Indict. Impeach. Convict. Punish. Hang up for 'example'.

[tom_paine]

30. I am not saying become like them. I am just pointing out

that the "German Social Democratic" way of stopping Hitler DIDN'T WORK.

Nor did the Roman Republicans stop the Caesar-Busheviks from their strategy to destroy a Great Republic and turn it into their own. Cicero wound up with his head on a pike outside the Roman White House, and the streets of Roman DC dripped with the blood of Liberals who stood against Der Bushler, I mean Caesar.

I don't KNOW what the answer is...like most civilized people I dread a full-blown showdown, a civil war, because it means the end of the good lives most of us enjoy.

And it is EXACTLY THAT which a Hitler, a Bush, preys upon when he stars these Constitiutional showdowns where the person who believes the LEAST in the Constitution wins. And that has been, hands down, the Republic Party for the last 30 years.

I don't know what to do, but I do know the Democrats cannot stop Hitler or Bush with "non-binding resolutions" and other nonsense.

There is only ONE way to stop a Hitler or a Bush (and mind you, Bushler isn't the disease, just the festeriung boil that has broken out as a result of the disease), and that is to clap th sonovibitch in irons and drag him to JAIL.

If we do not do that, then it is a high probablility that America will never be a Nation of laws again.

[calimary]

29. Seconded!

Besides, bush/cheney figures these folks will blink first - "they won't DARE!"

Well, I'd ask - "WHY NOT???"

[Marnieworld]

14. Chairman Conyers

Are there any more beautiful words today? :patriot: The day is here. Let Justice prevail!

[spanone]

15. Yes Sir!!!!

~snip~ Today we embark on a vigorous defense of our nation, reclaiming our constitution and reasserting the authority of Congress in our tripartite system of government. ~snip~

[BlueStorm]

16. That's my Congressman!!!

God I think I am in love now, lol!!!

Blue

[133724]

19. here is a link to judiciary... Anyone have a link to the webcasts????

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

[Pastiche423]

20. On June 21 2005

I received an email from Rep. Conyers re: Update on Downing Street Minutes. At that time, I felt he was going to very important in turning our country around.

I printed out that email, framed it and put it on my wall.

He has begun the turning now.

[faithnotgreed]

21. kicking for a righteous representative of the people

[texpatriot2004]

22. Thank you Congressman Conyers. Finally, hopefully Congress

will put an end to this Administrations contempt for the United States Constitution and for our "tripartite system of government."

[Octafish]

24. Now THERE's a Congressman.

Rep. John Conyers lives by his oath to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States from all enemies, foreign and domestic.

[Senator]

26. Uh, Sorry ... But They Don't Need No Stinking License

Only Impeachment... can pull their ticket.

Move on it or move out of the way.

--

[Swamp Rat]

28. IMPEACH BUSHLER NOW!!!

[Swamp Rat]

27. John Conyers: Man of the People

He'd make a GREAT president!!! :patriot:

[pat_k]

31. Did you introduce articles? If not, you're giving him license. (nt)

Sorry Conyers.

We're WAY past "investigations" and "oversight."

You have our gratitude for all you've stood for in the past. Hope you wake up and accuse/impeach soon.