tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19580203.post114747323860709598..comments2024-03-25T16:03:36.810-07:00Comments on The Existentialist Cowboy: Has Bush crossed the Rubicon?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04598093941551759917noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19580203.post-55576969242233575992010-05-17T23:29:03.182-07:002010-05-17T23:29:03.182-07:00yeaa... Wonderful comments. I wait to see what evo...yeaa... Wonderful comments. I wait to see what evolves. Let the impeachment proceeding begin. Go, Feingold! Maybe the Dems will actuallt support him this time....hardiansyahhttp://lepma.gunadarma.ac.idnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19580203.post-1147794989399250742006-05-16T08:56:00.000-07:002006-05-16T08:56:00.000-07:00Russell Tice had this to say about the current NSA...Russell Tice had this to say about the current NSA intelligence scandal:<BR/><BR/>“What [the American people] know about is Hiroshima,” he says. “What I’m going to tell you about is Nagasaki. I’m going to tell you about three Nagasakis.” He is gagged, however, by the non-disclosure agreement he signed before becoming privy to top-secret government activities.<BR/><BR/>Let's hope he gets the Congressional Committee hearing that he is pressing for.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19580203.post-1147746766233938742006-05-15T19:32:00.000-07:002006-05-15T19:32:00.000-07:00Thank you Stephen for your helpful views. Anything...Thank you Stephen for your helpful views. Anything less than full criminal sanctions for the Bush cabal will be a tragedy for your nation.<BR/><BR/>We have a parliamentary democracy here in Australia and it is not well understood that in our own system parliament's legislative powers are so supreme that they can even function as a court overturning judicial decisions or making new ones. It's all a bit of a hangover from Cromwell, Charles 2 etc. But at least those rarely used powers are vested in an elected parliament not a presidency which in the US looks more and more like an elected royalty. You've got a bad deal happening there and I wish you well.<BR/><BR/>On the matter of crime and shame I have my own outrage where my country has produced modern day sepoys for Bush to use in Afghanistan and Iraq. Our PM John Howard is right now receiving fulsome welcome in the US by Bush and Cheney for his unflinching support. To this day he sees himself as an honourable man, but he is an uncritical and supine fool. He ate the falsehood of Iraq WMDs completely even though our own weapons inspectors were telling him otherwise. And don't get me started on his support for the murderous Iraq economic sanctions. (What is it with these tin pot, parochial leaders? They win a few votes and go on to prance like Napoleon, invest themselves with a wisdom they never possessed and find comfortable reasons for the murder of innocents. Too stupid and vicious for words.)<BR/><BR/>Keep up your good work, and my best wishes for your struggle. Readers may enjoy some more of your good ideas <A HREF="http://www.populistamerica.com/the_courts_will_judge_bush__not_even_close" REL="nofollow">here</A>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19580203.post-1147729572222257982006-05-15T14:46:00.000-07:002006-05-15T14:46:00.000-07:00damien --I've done quite a lot of thinking about a...damien --<BR/><BR/>I've done quite a lot of thinking about a renewal of our Constitution. I think Len might be working up one of my pieces on renewal objectives and how we might get there, so I'll beg off the details for now. However, my basic plan is to get into the 2nd NCC (nat'l constitutional convention) with tools for interaction between delegates and their statwide constituencies, committees and their regional or national constituencies, and the convention-as-a-whole and the national constituency.<BR/><BR/>Out of this interaction, it is reasonable to expect that our many citizen experts groups will have positive effects in the re-writing of the 1780s super-vague provisions and the writing of new specifics that will handle a number of problem areas.<BR/><BR/>Problem areas of particular concern to me are Executive Orders and Presidential PArdons. These are both 18th Century devices to elevate the class-race elites above the law piecemeal and to protect them from the wrath of the contemptible rabble. We need to eliminate or severely restrict both of those devices. Nothing short of a Constitutional renewal will do the job. <BR/><BR/>Nixon's pardon by quarter-brained Ford left a large, livid scar -- on me and on most other Americans alive and politically aware at the time.<BR/><BR/>For now, there is no way to defeat a presidential pardon. If we get whipped, we get whipped. Doesn't mean that we have to give up looking for ways to punish the criminal (unfortunately, we gave up looking for ways to punish Nixon). It just means that we got whipped in that particular case.<BR/>We're much less likely now, I think, to give the benefit of the doubt to constitutional criminals and those who commit felony and treason against the nation. The Bush-Cheney Illegitimacy's moral, financial, and legal bankrupting of our nation has hardened the hearts of those of us who are outside their servile base.<BR/><BR/>Many of us here are deeply concerned about international community thinking. I don't know that any personal sense of guilt is attached to Bush's war of aggression in Iraq. Perhaps there is among some of our combat veterans. But there is definitely a wide sense of national guilt. Speaking for those of us who are boomers and beyond, the national guilt is very difficult to live with. Personally, I am ashamed of my nation. We've had a hundred years of warnings that the Constitution's political dynamic of pure rep govt maximizes corruption and unconstitutionalities. Collectively, we've known for at least a hundred years that co-equal branches of rep govt cannot check and balance themselves against predator elitism's collusions.<BR/><BR/>With even a cursory look into political philosophy, we would have noticed that Aristotle warned us over 2300 years ago that the people must not be overreached, that only the people can check elitist govt, that the encroachments of the rich are more destructive to the constitution than the encroachments of the people.<BR/><BR/>I'm trying to sell the notion that citizen action groups should be organizing nationwide to handle the dual-party, three branch, Bush-Cheney proto-despotism. If I have my druthers, there will be no displeasure in little bitty baby half-steps -- as concerns you and your associates.<BR/><BR/>If I have my druthers, there will be mass impeachments, and mass criminal prosecutions, both arguing for the strongest possible conclusions. Leaders and powerful individuals in all three branches of national government, ditto in many state governments, are plainly guilty of felony and treason.<BR/><BR/>I argue that the rule of law and our Constitutional law and statutes are all we need for the legal handling of felons and traitors. I also argue that the punishment should fit the crime as is the American jurisprudence tradition.<BR/><BR/>My sentiments do not have much traction right now. But as the Bush-Cheney crimes worsen, and they will, voices like mine and Len's might easily be taken up by many more American patriots.<BR/><BR/>Good luck to us all.Stephen Neitzkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04550305162152884802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19580203.post-1147713416171056982006-05-15T10:16:00.000-07:002006-05-15T10:16:00.000-07:00Thank you Stephen and Len. I'd very much like to s...Thank you Stephen and Len. I'd very much like to see more analysis from both of you as events proceed on the aspect of criminal sanctions. I am particularly concerned about Bush Presidential pardons for Libby, Rove, Cunningham, Abrahamoff (and the rest). Any ideas on how to legally defeat a presidential pardon?<BR/><BR/>I am also a bit uncertain about the popular response to attempts by Bush (eg pardons) to brazen things out. The concern here is that the nation as a whole may wish to register their displeasure at the Bush admin by removing them - or at least putting in Dems in 2006 - but may lack the will or the outrage for multiple impeachments and more serious criminal sanctions. <BR/><BR/>Much as I applaud and support your efforts in this regard Len, I am also concerned about the US public mindset against charges in relation to war crimes or crimes against humanity. As you know, the GOP base has never been a big fan of international criticism and certainly not the international courts.<BR/><BR/>Cheers.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19580203.post-1147710368068908382006-05-15T09:26:00.000-07:002006-05-15T09:26:00.000-07:00Re: Stephen: The short answer is, yes, he could ge...Re: Stephen: <I>The short answer is, yes, he could get away with it. Maybe even just declare his absolute despotism.</I><BR/><BR/>And that's scares me. Nixon might have tried it but was restrained by his own party. I suspect that young Rumsfeld, Cheney, et al remember the fateful evening that the GOP told Nixon it was time for him to go. But those then young GOPPERS learned all the wrong lessons from Watergate. <BR/><BR/><I>[Bush v Gore]It lead, not to a lawful presidency, but to an unconstitutional anti-law regime that is still with us today.</I><BR/><BR/>An untenable situation. <BR/><BR/><I>Felony conviction is a legal realm thing. We turn the Special Prosecutor loose on a number of Bush-Cheney, 18 USC 241 felony conspiracies against rights. ...Congress' votes led to the very wide felony conspiracy to violate our soldiers' rights to be sent to war only on the expressed order of Congress. Convicted co-conspirators here face stiffer penalties under 18 USC 241</I><BR/><BR/>That's why impeachment alone is not enough. When this gang is removed, prosecutions on a variety of charges should proceed. I am not in a forgiving mood. Ford let Nixon off.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04598093941551759917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19580203.post-1147705912405680582006-05-15T08:11:00.000-07:002006-05-15T08:11:00.000-07:00Len --The problem you pose, Bush-Cheney refusing t...Len --<BR/><BR/>The problem you pose, Bush-Cheney refusing to vacate after impeachment and removal, seems to me to be a "political realm" problem. The short answer is, yes, he could get away with it. Maybe even just declare his absolute despotism.<BR/><BR/>Point is, we've collectively treated his unconstitutionalities, felonies, and treasons as politics-as-usual for so long, that we've utterly lost track of how things will change when we toss his fascist self into the legal realm.<BR/><BR/>Impeach and removal are political realm things. Felony conviction is a legal realm thing.<BR/><BR/>There is no politics-as-usual for a convicted felon sentenced to prison time or the death penalty. Can't happen, you say? Of course it can.<BR/><BR/>We need an impeachment and removal Congress out of Election 2006, with enough Independents and Democrats to quickly overturn vetoes. Horrendous hurdles, but it's logically possible.<BR/><BR/>We make clear during the campaign that one of the first jobs of that Congress is to give us a Special Prosecutor who can cut through the DOJ's obstruction of justice like a great big razor. Bush will veto the legislation. No problem, if we've done our jobs.<BR/><BR/>We turn the Special Prosecutor loose on a number of Bush-Cheney, 18 USC 241 felony conspiracies against rights.<BR/><BR/>Bush v. Gore led to a wide conspiracy to deny the American people the right to a president elected in accord with the Constitution. It lead, not to a lawful presidency, but to an unconstitutional anti-law regime that is still with us today. Everything done by Bush-Cheney under color of law has been unconstitutional, felonious, and treasonous (per the findings for treason in the case of the 1860s seccessionist state legislators). Convicted co-conspirators in this 18 USC 241 felony conspiracy against rights can be sentenced to fines and up to 10 years in federal prison.<BR/><BR/>Congress' October 2002 votes to give Bush the war powers to invade Iraq were unconstitutional, felonious, and treasonous. Only Congress has war powers in the Constitution. Nothing in the Constitution says that any branch can give away any specifically assigned power.<BR/><BR/>Congress' votes led to the very wide felony conspiracy to violate our soldiers' rights to be sent to war only on the expressed order of Congress. Convicted co-conspirators here face stiffer penalties under 18 USC 241, because the rights violation resulted in deaths and maiming. Convicted co-conspirators can get fines, life imprisonment, or the death penalty. Bush, Cheney, and Rumsfeld are my candidates for the death penalty.<BR/><BR/>Let's see him refuse that sentence. The full force of the national machinery would turn on him and crush him.<BR/><BR/>Needless to say, Bush-Cheney and minions are up to their eyeballs in many other 18 USC 241 felony conspiracies. Torture-murder of POWs. Sitting on the Enron tapes for a couple years while the Republican party arranged for the California governor to be recalled and replaced with a Ken Lay, Republifascist buddy. Invasion of personal privacy with warrantless wiretaps and the massive NSA snoopers database. Just to name a few. <BR/><BR/>We need impeachment and removal actions. But we also need felony prosecutions and convictions.<BR/><BR/>If nothing works, if Bush-Cheney pull power-plays despite politica and law -- we'll fight.<BR/><BR/>Not too complicated.Stephen Neitzkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04550305162152884802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19580203.post-1147704262316269902006-05-15T07:44:00.000-07:002006-05-15T07:44:00.000-07:00I wonder how the NSA would handle it if Americans ...I wonder how the NSA would handle it if Americans started making frivolous phone calls as a protest of their illegal spying efforts? Let's see, if just half of the country's 295 million people made 5 extra phone calls a day, that would be an extra 487 million entries in their database everyday. A small effort for quite a bold statement, perhaps.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19580203.post-1147610786849913532006-05-14T05:46:00.000-07:002006-05-14T05:46:00.000-07:00I asked Rumsfeld to figure out a problem for me: ...I asked Rumsfeld to figure out a problem for me: who kills more life on earth, the Bush Administration or avian flu?<BR/><BR/>His conclusion: "I believe what I said yesterday. I don't know what I said. But I know what I think. And, well, I assume it's what I said."Shimmyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04134984926357545516noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19580203.post-1147606192827275182006-05-14T04:29:00.000-07:002006-05-14T04:29:00.000-07:00The military has a lot more friends in congress - ...The military has a lot more friends in congress - where the money comes from - than it does in Rumsfeld's office. Generals are, for the most part, very smart and decent individuals who took a pledge when they enlisted to uphold the constitution.<BR/><BR/>If Murtha is right, and I think he is, then most of Army command wants those clowns in the Executive branch to stand down. Any tanks around the White House will be pointed in, not out.Will Dividehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17877416158115540051noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19580203.post-1147590201401073132006-05-14T00:03:00.000-07:002006-05-14T00:03:00.000-07:00Or maybe California or Illinois will succeed where...Or maybe California or Illinois will succeed where the K-street tools in Washington "fail".daveawayfromhomehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06237313399294302353noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19580203.post-1147549679799288752006-05-13T12:47:00.000-07:002006-05-13T12:47:00.000-07:00"simply ignore""<I>s</I>imply ignore"daveawayfromhomehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06237313399294302353noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19580203.post-1147549543834891332006-05-13T12:45:00.000-07:002006-05-13T12:45:00.000-07:00While Rumsfeld can certainly ring the White House ...While Rumsfeld can certainly ring the White House with tanks, then what. After a few more years of lowered admission standards (and driving out of principled officers) we <I>might</I> have a Mexican-style military to go with the Mexican-style social system that BushCo would apparently love to see instituted here, but for now I dont see the majority of the Military going along with any coup that Lord Bush might attempt to pull. <BR/>And if he wants to barricade himself in the White House? Let him. Neither the building nor the people in it are absolutely necessary to run the country, and maybe if we cut off (or imply ignore) the head, the rest of the body will discover that they know what to do anyway. <BR/>Use 9/11 and the responses of ordinary Americans as a guide to know that Dubya going over the edge might be the best (and possibly only) way to wake up the American People. After all, the failure at NOLA during Katrina was <I>not</I> that of ordinary citizens or volunteers, it was a failure (or deliberate sabotage) of <I>administration</I> at the highest levels.<BR/><BR/>One thing for sure, Dubya wont go quietly. His crimes are greater than Nixon's, and he's got the recent example of Silvio Berlusconi to guide him. <BR/>Plus, he's an arrogant, self-satisfied prick, surrounded by more of the same. <BR/>At the <I>very</I> least, those stories BushCo staffers told of the departing Clintonites trashing the White House really will be true this time.<BR/><BR/>Two things that do nag at me a bit. 1) What is the percentage of blue state Nat'l Guard units overseas vs. red state? and 2) How much military equipment do the various Nat'l Guard units in the states have left here vs. how much equipment the Regulars have left? <BR/>Or are those questions a little too tin-hat?daveawayfromhomehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06237313399294302353noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19580203.post-1147540822842358072006-05-13T10:20:00.000-07:002006-05-13T10:20:00.000-07:00fuzzflash, I don't remember who said it but someon...fuzzflash, I don't remember who said it but someone, somewhere said that if nothing is worth dying for then nothing is worth living for. <BR/><BR/>Unfortunately, American society is living off the sacrifices of previous generations but with no appreciation of them, no sense of obligation or duty. <BR/><BR/>You would think that an asshole like Michael Hayden would — AT THE VERY LEAST —read that "....goddamned piece of paper" before shooting off his stupid mouth! <BR/><BR/>With his ignorant comments, I lost all respect for the American military. What the hell do they teach at West Point?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04598093941551759917noreply@blogger.com