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Sunday, March 12, 2006
Feingold to Introduce Censure of Bush
UPDATE: Here's a PDF of Sen. Feingold's censure resolution as introduced in the Senate on 3/13/06.
The courageous and patriotic Senator Russ Feingold announced this morning on ABC's This Week that he will be introducing a resolution Monday to censure President Bush for his illegal conduct in authorizing a domestic NSA surveillance program. Is there a Democrat with more backbone than Feingold these days? The Senator said President Bush’s actions were “right in the strike zone of the concept of high crimes and misdemeanors.” Click for video and a transcript of Feingold's appearance, courtesy of Think Progress. Excerpt:
FEINGOLD: You know, we’ve had a chance here for three months to look at whether there’s any legal basis for this, and they’re using shifting legal justifications. First they try to argue that somehow, under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, they can do this. It’s pretty clear that they can’t. Then there’s the argument that somehow the military authorization for Afghanistan allowed this. This has basically been laughed out of the room in the Congress. So the last resort is to somehow say that the President has inherent authority to ignore the law of the United States of America, and that has the consequence that the President could even order the assassination of American citizens if that’s the law. So there is no sort of independent inherent authority that allows the president to override the laws passed by the Congress of the United States.
STEPHANOPOULOS: So if you’re so convinced that the President has broken the law, why not file an article of impeachment?
FEINGOLD: Well, you know, that’s an option we could look at, if somebody thought that was a really good idea. There are other options out there. In fact, this conduct is right in the strike zone — even though the Founding Fathers didn’t have strike zones, they didn’t have baseball — but it is right in the strike zone of the concept of high crimes and misdemeanors. We have to consider, is it best for the country to start impeachment proceedings? Is it best for the country to consider removing the President? We’re not mandated to impeach a president who has broken the law, but I think we are required to do our job, to live up to our oath of office, and say, wait a minute, there has to be — at least as a first step — some accountability. Proper accountability is a censuring of the President, to say, “Mr. President, acknowledge you broke the law, return to the law, return to our system of government.” That’s what I think we should do.
Senator Feingold lays out his reasoning for censuring Bush at his Senate website. And here's an ABC News story about it.
Now we need to start contacting our Senators to go on the record in support of Feingold's resolution. Are you ready, activists? Contact info here.
So will the 2008 Dem ticket be Gore-Feingold or Feingold-Gore?
March 12, 2006 at 09:55 AM in Current Affairs, Film | Permalink
Comments
It will be very revealing to see if Sen. Feingold's proposal even finds support within his own party, much less from the other side of the aisle. I will, of course, fire off the obligatory e-mails, but I have little confidence that the Dems will be able to herd their cats all together.
Posted by: John McAndrew | Mar 12, 2006 4:25:41 PM
Attention Progressive Democrats:
Support Feingold and his censure resolution by calling Senator Bingaman's office immediately and strongly encouraging him to sign on. Remember that, unfortunately, our Senator Bingaman lacks both huevos and a spine, so he must be prodded and cajoled and harrassed until he will serve our best interests.
As most aware New Mexicans know, Bingaman is quietly, even stealthily, a Fox News Democrat, a Corporate Whore Democrat. Like Leiberman, he voted to put Alito on the Supreme Court, he voted to make it harder for the middle-class to declare bankruptcy, he voted for the war in Iraq. He is by no means a progressive, he is not courageous, and he is not used to doing the right thing, even when the constitution is at stake. He must be pressured by his constituents to act on the behalf of our Republic, to prevent what Sandra Day O'Connor just recently called a "slide toward dictatorship".
Call his office, write him an email or letter, and let him know with strength and conviction that we, his constituents, demand George Bush be censured for breaking the law and subverting the constitution by illegally spying on innocent citizens.
Posted by: alberto | Mar 12, 2006 4:54:13 PM
Some of what alberto says may be true but his post also has some serious misinformation. Sen. Bingaman voted against the Iraq War. He voted against Alito as well. However he didn't vote to support a filibuster against Alito. Moreover he voted for continuing debate (a filibuster) on the Patriot Act and voted against the Patriot Act itself. If we are to criticize Democrats, it helps to have your facts right.
Posted by: Old Dem | Mar 12, 2006 5:13:26 PM
Bingaman voted to kill the fillibuster against Alito, which allowed the nomination to proceed to its successful conclusion, i.e., he voted for Alito.
Bingaman also voted to give Bush carte blanche authority to wage the war in Iraq.
Additionally, Bingaman did indeed support the Patriot Act when it was first adopted.
I agree that it helps to have your facts right.
Posted by: alberto | Mar 12, 2006 5:43:33 PM
While I applaud your passion, Alberto, I agree with Old Dem that it is important to state your facts accurately, without misleading innuendos. While I am not a fan of Senator Bingaman, he did not vote "to put Alito on the Supreme Court". Your first post was inaccurate or misleading, your second one more accurate. Old Dem is right to insist on a higher standard of accuracy within our ranks. I do not want to risk writing a letter based on misinformation provided here, when the more detailed account will make the same point with more credibility. What you may think is hair-splitting is what separates credibility from mere partisan pandering. The Deaniacs I know have taken pride in being not only passionate but well-spoken. Senator Bingaman's record is unimpressive, to say the least, but he deserves credit for the votes which better represent us, like his more recent - I may dare to say principled - stand against the renewal of the Patriot Act. He will need to give me more than that before I vote for him again, but I want to make that decision based on the most precise version of the facts about his record. And whenever we call anyone's office, we should do it with a presupposition that they and their staff are to be addressed with respect, not as caricatures of an enemy or turncoat. Old Dem's approach may not get him/her the wild applause of a crowd, but it's an approach I trust.
Posted by: John McAndrew | Mar 12, 2006 6:25:32 PM
Senator Finegold is on the money... Bush must be censored and/or impeached for breaking the Law in regards to Evedropping on Americans. Senator Jeff Bingamans No Vote against Alito was a Yes Vote for Alito. Senator Bingaman is not a leader he is a follower. New Mexicans need a Progressive Person in the Senate that will speak out for the Majority of New Mexicans.
Posted by: Eli Chavez | Mar 13, 2006 8:38:41 AM
"Senator Jeff Bingamans No Vote against Alito was a Yes Vote for Alito." And "War is Peace. Freedom is Slavery. Ignorance is Strength." (Orwell. 1984) Sorry, guys. I know what you mean. I'm even sympathetic with what you mean. But what you say, as opposed to what you mean, is misleading and inaccurate. Why not say what you mean and mean what you say? Is there a problem with that?
Posted by: John McAndrew | Mar 13, 2006 8:59:44 AM
alberto: Bingaman voted against the Iraq War resolution. Check out the roll call of votes on
H.J.RES.114
Title: To authorize the use of United States Armed Forces against Iraq:
Vote tally for H.J.Res. 114,
Posted by: barb | Mar 13, 2006 9:09:12 AM
I should of added this to my last comments. Senator Bingaman had the opportunity to join the Filibuster and/or even lead the Filibuster against Neo Conservative Alitos nomination, but Bingaman failed to do so. Now we have the South Dakota Challenge on a Womens Right of Choice and Alito is sitting there just waiting for the opportunity to change the Law Roe vs. Wade. New Mexicans need strong leadership in the Senate, someone in the Likes of Senator Finegold who has stoodup to the Neo Conservatives and Bush. Not to late for an Independent to Run against pushover Bingaman.
Posted by: Eli Chavez, Albuquerque, New Mexico | Mar 13, 2006 9:43:15 AM
Right Wing owned DISH NETWORK satallite TV chooses to run This Week with Georgie at 1:30am! This on Monday morning when people have to get up on Monday and go to work.
Before this censorous move, Dish scheduled This Week at 4:00pm Sunday but overlapped it with a sports program like golf. So most of the show was not viewable if at all.
Dish Network is doing it's part to keep the people of NM ignorant and concerned with irrelavancies.
I don't know what to do about this. Is this just Dish Network? When do the rest of you watch it and where?
Posted by: qofdisks | Mar 13, 2006 1:46:32 PM
BTW, Jeff Bingaman has my vote. Jeff may be a Democrat but he retains alot of power in the senate even in these troubled times for the sane left.
Pete Dominici has my vote as well. How can a liberal support a guy like Domenici? He seems to put NM first and brings home the bacon. He is one of the most powerful members of the senate and NM needs that position at the table. Machiavellian of me? True, true.
OUR NM guys love this state and we have done well by them.
Posted by: qofdisks | Mar 13, 2006 2:02:24 PM
"gofdisks", did Domenici have New Mexico, a poor state in mind when last week he voted against the LIHEAP, that's the heating assistance program for low income, elderly and disabled. Do you think he had the many,many Veterans we have in New Mexico when he voted against and helped defeat Senator Akaka (D-HI) bill to increase funding for Veterans health care??? Those are only two examples Domenici demonstrating his love for our state.
Posted by: VP | Mar 18, 2006 5:22:16 PM
