Democracy for Vancouver

Impeachment charges against Cheney are “politically incorrect”

The question should have been last night at the first Dems debacle (it wasn’t a debate), “Does anyone on this stage think Cheney has committed impeachable acts and should be impeached?”, and not, “Does anyone want to join with Kucinich’s impeachment effort?” (I paraphrase). The latter question lets them weasel out of their silent complicity later, if necessary. And at least one of them could have made that distinction and tried to appear like more than the morally bereft people that we have come to expect from our leaders.

Since impeachment seemed to have only slightly weakened Gore’s presidential election bid (i.e. it didn’t hurt Bill) and it sure seems to be the Dems turn to put one of theirs in the White House (you don’t really think it is decided by voting do you?) next year, the candidates in Congress have no incentive to risk the obvious. Besides, whoever wins gets to commit all the crimes they want now that this administration has set the precedent. Ethics? Uphold the constitution? Restore our good standing in the world? Protect our civil rights? That’s just lip service.

Bob Moser over at the Nation adds:

One of the striking things you notice, covering a debate like this, is the vast gulf between what the reporters and pundits see and what the people see. I spent most of the debate in the stifling habitat of a media room with the likes of CNN’s Jeff Greenberg and Candy Crowley. As the first big question about Iraq was lobbed at the Big Three–Clinton, Obama and Edwards–the mediocracy collectively pounded away at their laptops, taking down every word in a veritable symphony of typing. When the same question then went to Kucinich, the man who intrepidly preached against the war in 2004 when the others would not, all hands rested. All typing ceased. The music stopped. Attention wandered. Who cares that this man was–and is–dead-right on the issue, and that he says it stronger, and in a way far more in tune with the bulk of the people, than any of the others? He is not “viable.” He is not big money. He is not worth transcribing.

Note, “He is not big money”. And I just finished watching PBS Newshour’s Brooks and Shields debate the debate. Not a mention of Kucinich, like he wasn’t even there.

Thank you Kucinich for standing for something besides your own self interest. Maybe some day money and me-ness will not carry the day.