Cheney, Iraq and Another Day In Bushland

   I haven't had a chance to pick on the press briefings that Tony Snow does since he has been back to work, so today I make up for some of it.

Press Gaggle by Tony Snow

May 9,2007

Aboard Air Force One
En Route Wichita, Kansas

Q A quick question on Iraq. It seems like the House Democrats' plan is taking shape to fund the war in the short-term for a few months and then require a progress report before releasing more money. What's the administration's position on that?

MR. SNOW: The bill that was at least being whipped yesterday contains elements of the bill the President vetoed already, and if it were to come to his desk, it would be vetoed.

We continue to have conversations with members of the House and Senate, trying to put together something that's acceptable. But again, you take a look, there are a number of spending items, there are also some of the restrictions. Again, this is what we saw yesterday at the end of the day, at any rate. And certainly conditions that were a part of a veto message the first time are still going to be vetoed if they were to come back.

Q Make sure I'm clear on that. As you understand the bill as it's working through the process, the President would veto it?

MR. SNOW: Yes.

Q And what are the specific criteria that he finds objectionable?

MR. SNOW: Well, again, if you take a look, there are restrictions on funding, there are a series of -- there are restrictions on funding, and there are also some of the spending items that were mentioned in the first veto message that are still on the bill.

   Always with the grip about the restrictions on funding! This bill being worked on is what I would consider more tasteful to the Bush regime and it would be in their better interest to sign this thing. But NOoooo, Bush and his crime lords would have to be accountable for the progress or lack of it in Iraq, so this bill is headed to the wastebasket if it stays in its current state.

Q Cheney's visit to Baghdad today, what's the purpose of it?

MR. SNOW: Well -- what's the purpose of it? He's there -- he's meeting with General Petraeus, he's meeting with the Prime Minister, he's meeting with key officials in Baghdad. And one of the things he's doing is not only reiterating support, but also saying something that I think a lot of Americans realize, which is it really is time for action; we're here to help, let's get going.

Q Is there going to be kind of warnings about the political situation in the United States, how political support over here is waning?

MR. SNOW: You know, I think what you -- you've got to be careful what you try -- because you're dealing with a sovereign government that has it's own political concerns, but on the other hand, I'm sure the Vice President -- look, when the President talks to the Prime Minister, they're candid with each other. They're also practical. The point here is not to engage in stagecraft, it's to engage in statesmanship. It is to find ways to work with this government so they can do things that are going to build confidence with the Iraqi people in terms of developing national unity and national capability, and certainly also developing confidence with the American people, as well.

   So Cheney is in Iraq and elsewhere to twist a few arms in order to get the Bush oil law passed by the Iraqi parliament. I see this as Cheney doing a " do this for us or else " kind of meeting. The major oil companies must be threatening to withhold funds from Cheney and company if they can't get a bill to keep all of that future Iraqi oil profit to themselves.

   If the bill is approved by the Parliament, then Bush will no doubt claim that we have seen some progress in Iraq, which is bullshit.

                       IMPEACH! INDICT! IMPRISON!

 

Tags: Dick Cheney George Bush Iraq Congress

Impeachment of Bush From This Congress? Not Until You Make Some Noise

   I get a lot of emails from various groups and organizations dealing with politics in some form or another.

  One of those groups happens to be A28.org, which bills itself as the " peoples impeachment movement," and they do have quite a few members.

   One of their favorite things, it would seem, is to have their members send in candidates to be nominated for their Congressional Hall of Shame.

  These would be Congressman who state that Bush is running an illegal war, lied to get us into this war, and the unconstitutional and illegal use of unauthorized spying on American citizens, among many other issues.

   Yet, they do not wish to pursue the impeachment of this crook and his minions for various reasons.

  Below is the latest email from A28 and I think that it is worth the read because if all of our Democratic Congressman feel this way, then Bush/Cheney and the others will just continue to rob us and to rip the few remaining rights that we have left right out of our hands.

 

The Congressional Hall of Shame

Congressman Sam Farr (D-CA) gets it. Almost.

In a recent letter explaining his position on impeachment, Farr condemns the lying, spying, and torture carried out by the Bush administration in no uncertain terms, calling these actions a travesty of justice that cannot be tolerated:

This Administration's actions with regard to the war in Iraq and lying about weapons of mass destruction, with regard to the torture of prisoners and foreign nationals, and with regard to the unconstitutional and illegal use of unauthorized spying on American citizens, are a travesty to the principles and integrity of a just society and impugn the honor of this country. These actions are in direct contradiction to the laws of this land and cannot be tolerated.

Unconstitutional. Illegal. Cannot be tolerated. Those are strong words. So it comes as a bit of shock when Farr goes on to say that actually, on second thought, he can tolerate these things:

However, even as the Congress changes to a Democratic majority in the 110th Congress, it is doubtful impeachment will be pursued... An impeachment effort would divert Congress' attention from restoring order to our government at a time when it needs it so badly...Though there has been renewed interest in impeachment due to Rep. Kucinich's bill to charge Vice President Cheney (H.Res. 333), an impeachment effort is not viable right now.

Having slipped into the passive voice to absolve himself of any and all responsibility to support and defend the Constitution, Farr then closes with some stirring and entirely empty rhetoric:

I agree that President Bush has failed in many ways to fulfill the duties of his office. The President has appeared to assume the power of the Presidency but not the responsibility, and that power has led to the deaths of American troops, Iraqi troops and Iraqi civilians. I can only hope, however, that the American public begins to understand - as you do - that the White House must be held accountable for its failures.

So help him God, Congressman Farr seems a bit shaky on the content of the sacred oath of office he just solemnly swore:

I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God.

As far as I can see, there's nothing in this oath about supporting and defending the Constitution only when it's politically expedient. If you'd like to review the oath with Congressman Farr, I'm sure he'd love to hear from you at 202-225-2861.

Please submit your own candidates for the Congressional Hall of Shame to info@a28.org.

Peace,

Jacob Park
A28 National Coordinator

Tags: George Bush impeachment Congress Congressman Sam Farr