The Democratic leadership of our country continues to stifle actions launched by the progressives in its own party. The following article from Common Dreams reports how the Democratic party is treating one of its brightest and bravest progressive leaders.
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Published on Monday, November 12, 2007 by CommonDreams.org
The Courage of Kucinich in Pelosi’s House of Wacks
by Linda Milazzo
Was it retaliation by the the Democratic Leadership that exempted Dennis Kucinich from appearing with fellow Presidential candidates at Friday’s Jefferson Jackson Day fundraiser in Iowa?
Was it Speaker Pelosi’s vindictive payback to Kucinich for his impudent dismissal of her “impeachment is off the table” dictum that kept Kucinich out of the Jefferson Jackson Day party? After all, hadn’t Kucinich introduced HR 333 on the House Floor just that week, calling for the impeachment of Vice President Cheney, in defiance of the prescripted cowardice in Pelosi’s House of Wacks?
Until that moment when Congressman Kucinich introduced impeachment resolution HR 333 on to the House Floor, members of Pelosi’s Democratic majority had fallen spinelessly in line, kowtowing to Pelosi’s disavowal of Article I Section 2 of the Constitution, which grants the House the authority to impeach.
Speaker Pelosi’s wanton subversion of the Constitution, which has subjected this nation and the world to the continued atrocities of George W. Bush and Dick Cheney, will be far more relevant in the annals of history than her singular honor as the nation’s first woman Speaker of the House. Pelosi’s legacy (thus far), as the most powerful woman in the history of this land, has been shamefully tarnished by catastrophic failures in leadership and courage - predicated principally on her refusal to hold President Bush and Vice President Cheney accountable for their crimes.
On the heels of September 11, 2001, George W. Bush squandered his chance to capitalize on the support of the world by not taking the appropriate multilateral actions against the rogues who’d assaulted our nation from without.
On the heels of January 4, 2007, after becoming Speaker, Nancy Pelosi squandered her chance to capitalize on the support of the world by not taking the appropriate multilateral actions against the rogues who’d assaulted our nation from within - namely George Bush and Dick Cheney.
Pelosi’s failure to form the necessary coalitions to pursue Bush and Cheney for their crimes against America is as damaging as George Bush’s failure to form the necessary coalitions to pursue Bin Laden and al-Zawahiri for theirs. As Bin Laden and al-Zawahiri plot further assaults from without against America, Bush and Cheney plot further assaults from within. Some may argue the difference between the two-evil-duos is that Bin Laden and al-Zawahiri knowingly harmed America, while Bush and Cheney’s harm is unwitting. Unwitting or not, Bush and Cheney have done more long-term damage to the safety and stability of America than Bin Laden and al-Zawahiri had ever hoped to achieve.
It’s this failure on the part of Pelosi to use her authority to thwart Bush and Cheney that has incensed Democrats, and growing numbers of Republicans, all across this land. It’s Pelosi’s suppression of the members of her House, and their willingness to be suppressed, that has incensed Americans all across this land. Sadly, to the lawmakers ensconced inside the Washington bubble, the intensity of Americans’ anger is likely not known - which makes the need to intensify the levels of activism, including outreach to their offices, that much more necessary. Constant contact is critical to make them understand.
If only both Houses of Wacks would empty in 2008 - to follow the Great White. If only we could replenish them all with real leaders.
During the dozen years the Republicans held the majorities in the U.S. Senate and House, there was ample sympathy from the frustrated constituents of the long suffering Democratic minority. It was believed, and certainly hoped, that if given control, the Democrats would summon the courage and moral authority to end the war and reinstate America’s Constitutional principles and respectability in the world. Now, a full year has passed since November of 2006 and nothing of the sort has happened. In retrospect, it was sheer whimsy.
Instead, over the past year, Congress members, under the leadership of the well-mannered, genteel Speaker Pelosi, and Senators, under the leadership of the well-mannered, genteel Senator Reid, are fodder for brawling Republicans. Instead of backbone, Democrats govern by courtesy. How does one quantify how many American lives have been lost in Iraq due to courtesy? Or how many limbs have been lost? Or how many Iraqis have been murdered, maimed and displaced? How many Iraqi children have been orphaned? How many emergency rooms in America would still be open? How many Americans would have health care? How many homes would be rebuilt in New Orleans? How many fire-fighting planes would have flown over California? How many? How many? We will never know.
In different times - less urgent times - there is much to be said for courtesy. But these are not those times!!!
Then there is Dennis Kucinich - the diminutive giant in the House of Representatives. The American Congressman from the 10th District of Ohio who refuses to be silenced. The Democratic candidate for President who passionately upholds his oath to protect the people and Constitution of the United States of America from all enemies both foreign and domestic. Not as an oral exercise when sworn into office - but as a moral exercise every day in office.
For Dennis Kucinich, nothing and no one will suppress his allegiance to his country and to his abiding principle of “strength through peace.”
So when Speaker Pelosi tells the cowards in her House that “impeachment is off the table” because the fight to impeach is too hard, Kucinich doesn’t believe her. No one ever told him being a Congressman would be easy. No one ever told him maintaining democracy was a cinch. When the President and Vice President commit acts as egregious as lying the nation into illegal war, illegally surveilling their own citizens, endorsing and allowing torture, and more, the strong don’t stay quiet. It’s the weak, like Pelosi, Hoyer, Emanuel, Clyburne, Boehner, Murtha, Blunt, and over 400 others in Pelosi’s House of Wacks - Democrats and Republicans alike - who do. As do Reid, Durbin, Lott, McConnell, Feinstein and around 93 more in the Senate House of Wacks - absent Boxer and Feingold who have earned our respect.
At the October 31st Democratic candidates’ debate in Philadelphia, NBC’s Tim Russert tried to discredit Dennis Kucinich by questioning him about a UFO. Kucinich, accustomed to being blind-sided by agenda-minded practitioners like Russert, fielded the question with resilience and cool. Working in tandem, the networks and Democratic Leadership were trying to force Kucinich out of the running. It’s amazing how much pressure the honest must endure, while the compliant seem to get a free ride.
At Friday’s Jefferson Jackson Day Democratic fundraiser in De Moines, Dennis Kucinich and Mike Gravel weren’t invited. Gravel, in all likelihood, was persona non grata to the Democratic Leadership for challenging his “fellows” on their lies, deceits and inadequacies. Gravel never seemed to “get” that his “fellows” can’t handle the truth!!
Iowa Democrats, when challenged on Kucinich and Gravel’s absence from the Jefferson Jackson Day event, stated that Kucinich and Gravel were ineligible to attend because they didn’t have an office or staff in Iowa. Point of fact, Kucinich had garnered more than enough popularity amongst Democrats to warrant his inclusion. He’s been polling quite high over the past two months, often running 4th in the field of eight.
For those who understand the politics of Pelosi’s House of Wacks, it’s clear Kucinich’s dismissal of her no impeachment bray, ensured his own dismissal from her Jefferson Jackson Day. Particularly since, Pelosi, herself, was emcee.
As of now, Kucinich’s House Resolution 333 to impeach Vice President Cheney has been sent to the House Judiciary Committee, chaired by former progressive hero, John Conyers. Hopefully, Congressman Conyers will be the fortunate recipient of countless letters, phone calls, faxes and emails asking him to give HR 333 serious consideration when it comes to his committee. He can change the House of Wacks to a House of Facts - and restore his nation to sanity.
Et tu John Conyers? Will you remain silent, as you have, since winning re-election on November 7, 2006? Or will you remember Article I Section 2 of the Constitution and the oath you swore to uphold it?
Support Congressman Dennis Kucinich’s House Resolution 333 to impeach Vice President Dick Cheney.
Contact Congressman Conyers at:
Email: John.Conyers@mail.house.gov
IN WASHINGTON, DC:
2426 Rayburn Building,
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-5126
Fax: (202) 225-0072
IN MICHIGAN:
2615 West Jefferson,
Trenton, MI 48183
Phone: (734) 675-4084
Fax: (734) 675-4218
IN MICHIGAN:
669 Federal Building
231 W. Lafayette,
Detroit, MI 48226
Phone: (313) 961-5670
Fax: (313) 226 2085
Linda Milazzo is a Los Angeles based writer, educator and activist. Her writing has appeared in numerous domestic and international newspapers, magazines and journals. Over the past three decades, Linda has divided her time between the entertainment industry, community development projects and education.
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