The Religious Consultation
on Population, Reproductive Health  and Ethics
 


 revisiting the world's sacred traditions


Dan Maguire speaks out for impeachment

(Remarks delivered by Professor Dan Maguire, November 27, Milwaukee City Hall Rotunda at a "Defend the Constitution: Impeach Bush & Cheney Citywide Town Hall Meeting")

I am standing here in front of a group of true conservatives....The Administration of George Bush is not conservative. It is a radical and subversive rewrite of American Constitutional law..

However, ----I hope you do not mind----I am not talking to you but to the members of the House of Representatives who are engaged in a coverup of presidential and vice presidential violations of the Constitution.

Impeachment is not a trial: it is not a conviction. Impeachment starts an investigation because there is misconduct that smacks of high crimes and misdemeanors.

Members of the House of Representatives, you have two choices: Investigate through impeachment OR sit on your hands as part of the coverup.

Representatives Pelosi, Obey, Conyers, Moore....are you so blind ....or so compromised ...that you see no hint of high crimes and misdemeanors in the deeds of the worst president and vice president in the history of the United States????

And even Republicans... Surely Republicans must have a conscience and a love of the Constitution and laws of this land. Or maybe you don't...

Members of the house of representatives, open your eyes to at least the following 15 ugly facts that reek to the high heavens of "high crimes and misdemeanors."

(1) The administration went to war without a declaration of war as required by ART I Sect 8 of the Constitution. During the week of shame, October 3 to 10 after 9/11, the congress violated the Constitution by handing over war declaring-power to George Bush.

I am old enough to remember the last time we obeyed the Constitution in going to war in 1941.

(2) By going to war, the administration also violated the UN Charter to which we are committed by treaty.....Not since Adolph Hitler has a country felt it can go around the world invading other countries vigilante style.........Why not take a lesson from Israel. They live in the neighborhood of Iraq and they felt no need to join the so called coalition of the willing??

(3) The Administration chased out the UN inspectors in Iraq to make way for our ruthless invasion..

(4) This Administration is now fighting and losing two undeclared wars in Iraq and Afghanistan simultaneously for the first time in American history...and they are itching for a third war.

(5) The Administration has been trashing the Geneva conventions on the conduct of war

(6) The president got advanced warning of an Osama Bin Laden attack, did nothing, and went to a school to read fairy tails to kids....and afterwards the White House resisted investigation of 9/11.

(7) This administration has established a private mercenary army, a heavily armed fifth column of Blackwater type firms that operate outside the law at the whim of the despotic president....

(8) This Administration has looted the treasury, putting the burden of this undeclared war on the poor while the war profiteers get richer....

(9) This Administration has sent soldiers out to fight these pseudo wars without proper equipment

(10) This Administration has locked up suspects without trial--- or charges--- or a right to a lawyer.............. all in the name of spreading democracy

(11) This administration has sneakily used Rendition: Sending prisoners to foreign countries to be tortured...

(12) This Administration has created a culture of lies and coverups....so that the last thing we can believe is what the government says.

(13) This Administration has trashed laws made by congress..., using signing statements that place the president above the law

(14) This Administration has tortured prisoners: We have two attorneys general and a president and vice president who think water boarding is not torture. They should try it some time.

(15) Finally, this Administration has worked to convert the United States from a democracy to a corrupt lobbyocracy... making me.... and all of us..... ashamed of our country.

Representatives Pelosi, Obey, Conyers, Moore and all the rest of you, how dare you sit on your hands and not start an impeachment investigation into any or all of this.

Your inaction in the face of all that I have mentioned is not just bad----and here I turn to theological language....your inaction in the face of all that I have just listed is not just bad,.....it is Goddamnably bad and we in this assembly condemn you for it.

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