Speaker Nancy Pelosi has continued her search for book sales and it seems her search for a plausible rationale for personally blocking any impeachment investigation of President Bush. The latest explanation can in an interview with Time Magazine. It seems that she would not allow an investigation because Bush would never have supplied incriminating evidence against himself. It seems that House investigators rely on the accused to build an impeachment case.
Before moving to the obvious problems with the latest rationale for blocking any impeachment effort for years, it is worth noting that it took the Speaker’s book tour to finally prompt her to answer questions about her decision.
Only last week, Pelosi used the august body of the hosts of The View to reveal her view on impeachment: there is simply no evidence of crimes committed by President Bush, click here.
My understanding is that her office was inundated with copies of the various documented crimes alleged against Bush. Now, Pelosi is claiming a different rationale: they could not rely on the White House and GOP supplying the evidence needed to convict:
Nancy Shipes of Woodstown, NJ: Why have you taken impeachment off the table as an option for President George W. Bush?
Pelosi: I took it off the table a long time ago. You can’t talk about impeachment unless you have the facts, and you can’t have the facts unless you have cooperation from the Administration. I think the Republicans would like nothing better than for us to focus on impeachment and take our eye off the ball of a progressive economic agenda.
I guess Nixon worked tirelessly for his own impeachment and resigned only out of a sense of self-loathing. What is particularly striking about this latest rationale is that it is so circular — as was Pelosi’s first explanation. First, we could not start an investigation for impeachment without clear evidence of crimes, but we can only confirm evidence of crimes by investigating.
Now, it appears the House cannot start impeachment proceedings unless a president and his party would agree to turn over incriminating evidence. Of course, the use of a president’s authority to conceal or destroy evidence in such an investigation is itself a potentially impeachable offense. Pelosi prevented a John Dean from coming forward by barring the hearing. In past hearings, we have seen former Bush officials implicate the Administration in investigations such a the firing of the US Attorneys. Indeed, if this is Pelosi’s rationale for barring impeachment, why is the House pursuing contempt on these other investigations? It appears that a lack of cooperation does not end matters that the House wants to address.
The biggest problem, however, is that the crimes are hiding in plain view. A federal court has already found the domestic surveillance program was unlawful and there is no question as to the torture question — as found by the International Red Cross when it informed Bush that war crimes charges could be brought.
Moreover, Pelosi made this promise years ago and worked to prevent every effort to investigate or have courts review these programs. I do not know what lessons the Speaker has laid out for our daughters, but this is one lesson that I think I will pass on for my daughter.
For the latest interview, click here
It would be more than a little ironic, if the Islamic country of Pakistan were to impeach Musharif and the United States of America refused to impeach Bush.
There is a 4 letter word that perfectly summarizes why Pelosi continues to block impeachment hearings and that word is RICO.
Pelosi was complicit when she was briefed on the programs during her stint on the Senate Intel Committee. She cant act without putting herself in the same boat.
Just remember her outright lies come election time again. She ran on a platform of reform and transparency in govt, then recants and becomes as obstructionist as King Dubya..
Maybe I should have because both Portman and Leiberman have shown they care more about Israel than America. If I was only talking about Jews, I would have thrown Bloomberg in, but he’s much more of a realist than those other two. Leiberman embraced a man that said Hitler was doing God’s work!
BTW, Israel and Zionism is nearly identical. I know you read the story listed on this site August 4, about Israel restricting the education of Palestinians, to which I replied:
I did some research first because I find most US media suspect when discussing treatment of Palestinians, but the above article was accurate. The fact that only about 1% of Israeli Professors oppose the occupation shows that Israel will NEVER voluntarily make a peace settlement with Palestinians.
I would think that in Israel as in most countries, University Professors are among the most educated, intelligent and rather affluent people and if 99% don’t oppose the occupation, what hope is there for the less educated, average Israeli Jew having a conscience and enough courage to oppose an illegal occupation?
So you see why it is sometimes so difficult to separate Jew from Zionist?
Zakimar,
I think you have a hard time distinguishing between Zionists and Jews.
i.e. ”
Why can’t narrow-minded simpletons distinguish between the evil of Zionism and Jews?”
“Be careful if McCain picks a Jew like Portman or Leiberman for VP.”
Shouldn’t you have substituted Zionist for Jew in that statement if all you’re really talking about is the evils of Zionism? You intermix the terms constantly. I’m loath to call people critical of Israel anti-Jewish because I am aware of nuance in the general Israel/Arab
debate. I’m also loath to equate Islam with Terrorism and/or extremism because I’m well aware that it would be a false analogy.
In your tautology, at least expressed by your posts, there is no room for nuance. Israel/Zionism represents oppression of Arabs/Muslims. Ergo if you support Israel’s existence you are on the side of oppression. You have many intelligent viewpoints, some of which I’ve
openly agreed with. However, I’ve little doubt that since I do support the existence of the State of Israel and I am a Jew, you see
me as an agent of oppression and intolerance. By the same token I as
someone horrified by the intolerance and sexism of most Islamic States don’t equate those evils to Islam, merely its’ misuse by corrupt leaders. I think my view is less influenced by propaganda and intolerance, than is yours. You see my understanding of ME history sees the shades of gray that color all sides, which I feel yours does not.
Gyges,
You are on to something! The masons like to “think outside the box”.
Jill,
I think Zakimar is just a plant trying to draw attention away from those really in power, the Freemasons. Who by the way killed Mozart for revealing to many of their secret rituals in “The Magic Flute.”
zakimar,
My comment about being “bad-ass” was irony. You’re giving a lot of power, almost super-human power, to a group that, like any other group has bad-asses and not so bad-asses.
Why can’t narrow-minded simpletons distinguish between the evil of Zionism and Jews? Sorry, the answer was in the question.
And you’ve got to be an elderly, white woman if you think “bad-ass” isn’t a compliment.
Thanks Gyges!
zakimar,
I had no idea Jews were such bad-asses!! I’m going to watch out for them from now on in the same way Bush recommends everyone watch out for those bad-ass muslims.
Jill,
People who have eczema are considered as having an impaired immune system, like Chemotherapy patients. Since the smallpox vaccine has some live cowpox virus (which is related, but much less dangerous, and better handled by our immune systems) people with an impaired immune system can have serious complications.
Big M; The politicians that fund Israel do it in order to get kickbacks that make Ted Stevens look like a Monk. It’s a vicious cycle; politicians give Israel billions, then Israel funnels some back to AIPAC and the like who finance the campaigns of the politicians who support the most funding for Israel. And since the Jews play both the Democrats and Republicans, they always have the ear of the President. Leiberman even changed allegiances from Dem to Rep when it became obvious that most Dems (with the exception of the likes of Clinton) had no desire to bomb Iran for Israel.
If you think Bush was bad, what do you think would have happened if Gore/Leiberman were in charge of the US Military and Middle East policy? Israel would be getting $6 000 000 000 per year and there would be a war with Iran, Syria and Lebanon.
Be careful if McCain picks a Jew like Portman or Leiberman for VP.
There’s a simple reason why Pelosi, and the rest of the congressional traitors, won’t touch Bush. They all serve the same master (The Terrorist State of Israel), and 99% of them are completely complicit in the crimes of El Fascista Maximo. If they impeached him, all he’d have to do is point at them and say, “Hey, I couldn’t have gotten away with any of this shit if these people hadn’t signed on to every single plank in my police-state agenda, and voted to perpetually fund this genocide in the Middle East.”
The state legislatures in this country need to demand, under Article V of the Constitution, a new constitutional convention, and pass amendments abolishing the federal government and the standing military. If the federal government isn’t killed off, this country WILL be.
Gyges,
What is the connection with smallpox and eczema? On Day to Day (NPR really fluff stuff) they said the Chinese use “Doctor Fish” to treat eczema.
Jill
Jill,
One more thing I thought of. In case you guys haven’t noticed, I’m a bit of a science nerd. I think the scientific process is the best tool for advancing both Mankind’s knowledge and standard of living. Well your comment about getting stuff done ourselves comment has given me a good chance to plug something important to me. I strongly encourage everyone to volunteer to be subjects in scientific studies. You can usually find listings for current studies on University and Research hospitals websites.
If you’re healthy chances are you’d be in a control group, which means that they just use you as an example of what’s normal for what ever it is they’re studying. As a control you’re not having in strange new drugs tested on you, you just show up and have a few test done. If you’ve got whatever affliction they’re studying this can be a good way to receive medical treatment for cheap or free. The studies are pretty heavily regulated, so the risk to you is kept minimal. Depending on the institution and study they sometimes reimburse you for your time.
This is something concrete that you can do to help your fellow man, and it has a very long lasting positive effect. Right now I’m participating in a study that will help develop a vaccine for Smallpox for people with eczema. My wife and son were involved in a study that will hopefully help us to understand more about how the immune system works during pregnancy and what sort of info is passed from mother to child.
I have called and begged. I have done everything, only to be told to run along and let the big boys and girls take care of everything.
I can’t wait till her book tour comes here. I have a question to ask.
I think something we can do is make a committed effort to:
1. attend the book signings and every public appearance of pelosi
2. when someone asks the question about impeachment, and they get carted out, ask the speaker why she will not allow free speech, and back up that person. They can’t arrest an entire room. I mean they can, but do they want that kind of publicity?
Oh, that’s right. They control the publicity. It’s TIME TO TAKE THAT AWAY from them.
Pelsoi, by the way, is one of THEM>
C U Next Tuesday.
Thank you Gyges. That is a great idea. It might suit many places to work locally as this does while others could invest in the big plant.
Jill,
In Ellensberg WA there’s a town owned solar “farm” and the individuals pay a certain amount for the panels, which are tied into the cities grid. They then get a credit in their utility bill equal to what their panel puts into the grid.
It it obvious to more people than just me that Nancy Pelosi is obviously one of the people having her phone illegally tapped in order to intimidate her into becoming the spineless administration enabling failure of a Speaker of the House that she is. That crime is probably right in your face Nancy and you’re too scared to do anything about it besides retroactively making it legal. Frankley I don’t think that’s legal.