State Parties Say: "Impeach!"

The decision of the Democratic Party in rural Walworth County to call for the impeachment of President Bush, which Katrina vanden Heuvel recounts on this blog, is an encouraging one, indeed. If there is talk of impeachment in Walworth County, a bastion of Badger State conservatism where the president personally campaigned last fall and won almost 60 percent of the vote, then this movement is spreading much further than most national Democratic leaders have dared imagine.

Indeed, in Wisconsin, it has spread far beyond Walworth County. The Democratic Party of Wisconsin overwhelmingly endorsed impeachment of Bush, Vice President Cheney and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld at its state convention last June.

Wisconsin Democrats aren't alone on this front. Last month, after the warrantless wiretapping scandal blew up, the executive committee of the North Carolina Democratic Party backed a resolution urging the state's representatives in Washington to support efforts to impeach Bush, Cheney and Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.

The Wisconsin Democratic Party resolution of last June was primarily focused on concerns about the actions taken by Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld to promote the invasion and occupation of Iraq. It was advanced by rural and smalltown activists with groups such as the Stoughton Area Democrats -- Stoughton, population 12,354, has been a hotbed of anti-war sentiment going back to World War I, when voters there were big backers of U.S. Senator Robert M. La Follette.

Here's the text of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin (DPW) resolution

CALLING ON THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS TO INITIATE IMPEACHMENT PROCEEDINGS AGAINST PRESIDENT BUSH, VICE PRESIDENT CHENEY AND DEFENSE SECRETARY RUMSFELD FOR HIGH CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS

WHEREAS, the Downing Street Memo shows that Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld began planning and executing the war on Iraq before seeking Congressional and UN approval;

WHEREAS, UN weapons inspectors showed prior to the invasion that there were no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq; and

WHEREAS, there is further mounting evidence that the Administration lied or misled about "mushroom clouds," "connections to 9/11," and "war as a last resort" as they sought UN, Congressional, and public approvals;

THEREFORE, RESOLVED, the DPW asks Congress to immediately begin impeachment proceedings against President Bush, Vice President Cheney and Defense Secretary Rumsfeld.

Comments (10)

1. MASK:

   Here is where you are supposed to make a joke about Conyers in the basement.

   Posted by Hman23 at 02/27/2006 @ 5:57pm

2. hope: this movement is spreading much further than democratic leaders have dared imagine.

   not too much to know: downing street memo, un inspectors, connection to 911, mushroom clouds and war as a last resort.

   some of the parts left out: torture, spying, war profiteering...

   Posted by loveloki at 02/27/2006 @ 6:08pm

3. Hman23,

   Conyers was shoring up the impeachment 'foundation' while he was in the 'basement'.

   Evidently, Mask missed the critical 'construction' work, in the 'basement', that Conyers was doing.

   Posted by oraibi1952 at 02/27/2006 @ 6:13pm

4. It is not surprising this resolution comes from Wisconsin, a state with a distinguished history of progressive politics in both parties. Does anyone remember the Ripon Society?

   Posted by seattlescribe at 02/27/2006 @ 6:50pm

5. This resolution is a joke and will hurt democrats in election years.

   It shows the far left kooks have taken over the party.

   This is only taken seriously here. Watch the no effect nationally .....

   Posted by john maasch at 02/27/2006 @ 8:55pm

6. "What Will It take?

   The news media can write articles and voice opinions about how President George W. Bush has lied about this and that. (In fact, what took them so long to realize that.) But, this still means nothing. Such revelations of Truth have become the back and forth cackle of gossiping spin masters signifying nothing, as nothing has changed.

   Although give credit to Democrats in Wisconsin for finally taking action.

   But no, the real deal is when one reporter, that first one, upon being chosen by President Bush to ask a question at one of his press opportunities, stands up and summons the Strength and Courage to ask, " Mr. President, when you lied about...!"

   That's what it will take --- before the rest of them will do the same. It's time for someone to say that the Emperor has no clothes.

   That's also when the evidence for impeachment will be brought forth before the American Public, and that's when it will mean something.

   Just as Republicans constantly accused Clinton of lying, together with Clinton's defense of his "private life" lie brought the Public into play, so can the Press bring out the Truth. And let's put Bush and Cheney under oath as well.

   Only then, will the Wisdom of Truth find its place in our great land. Until then, lying continues to be our government's national pastime. We expect it. We take it for granted. We kill and die for it. And the shadows of sadness remain our constant companions..

   the end

   Posted by bohda yuri at 02/27/2006 @ 9:01pm

7. Uhhh, since when is lying an impeachable offense? If that were the case, every single president could have been impeached.

   Does no one read the Constitution before holding forth on matters constitutional?

   Here's as good a place to start as any:

   The Federalist [federalistten.blogspot.com]

   Posted by leftbehinds at 02/27/2006 @ 9:11pm

8. the daily dose of John Nichols humor

   Posted by lvliberty at 02/27/2006 @ 10:40pm

9. HMAN

   Already did....mentioned that aside from 30 guys from the Black & Progressive Caucus...the only thing that TERRIFIES Bush and Cheney is....

   30 guys from the Walworth County Wisconsin Democratic Party!

   Posted by Mask at 02/28/2006 @ 06:35am

10. MASK:

    Or maybe his tanking poll numbers in every category?

    Posted by Hman23 at 02/28/2006 @ 10:02am