Web Letters: Waterboarding Democracy

Last night I was watching Sheldon Whitehouse talking to an MSNBC personality about the usage of the Justice Department as nothing more than an enforcer of Bush dogma. It's been clear for a long time that nobody is minding the store, and that has lead us to a very strange, dangerous place. What recourse is there for the American people, or anybody with a conscience, to put Bush and Cheney in prison where they belong? Congress is failing in its constitutional duties. The media is inconsistent, distractable and sometimes corrupt. Although I am not explicitly condoning it, it seems that an ethical argument could be made for assassination or other use of force against this Administration, in order to re-establish the sovereignity of the people.

Dan Farnkoff

Hyde Park, MA

What we are looking at here is the use of security classifications to cover federal crimes. Federal law trumps security classifications, which are executive decisions. Therefore, Congress and the legal authorities are obligated to investigate these crimes, and anyone, Democrat or Republican, who refuses to answer questions regarding these crimes risks obstruction of justice charges.

Pervis J. Casey

Riverside, CA

Perhaps this is why the cry for impeachment against Bush and Cheney has died down on the left? Perhaps Nancy P., Rockefeller and others on the left have known for a long time what's been going on and have been complicit by their silence--therefore, guilty of impeachable acts as well.

Where is the courage to do what is right? I risked my career, my home and the ability to care for my wife and then 6-year-old son by testifying in federal court just twenty months ago against my employer. I did so to protect a young child. One voiceless child! Twenty months later, I am still at risk of losing my job because the Republican commissioners in my county hate me for my blowing the whistle on the madness that exists within my agency.

I did't get any offers to write a book or to sell my story to the tabloids. I didn't make any friends at my agency and in fact even lost a few former supporters. My union, SEIU PSSU, stood by helplessly as I was persecuted by my employer. I received a few congrats from foster parents, colleagues and friends and even some money was raised after I was suspended, but overall, I took a brutal beating (metaphor) for what I did and gained little outside the knowledge that I did the right thing. And I'd do it again.

I don't care if the law says they can't speak about what was said in these meetings because if what was said was criminal, each member of Congress took an oath to uphold the Constitution not some law that protects the evil.

Do the right thing, Congress! Do the right thing, Democrats, or get out of the way so someone with some courage can.

Lucem Ferre

Thorndale, PA