I come from a rich heritage of reading about the Bush administration's many sins, treason, bribery, high crimes and misdemeanors. The news stories and editorials have become longer, longer and longer. I'm reading more words and fewer stories. I've written a little, receiving no response or scathing attacks on my character, manners and moral failings. Sinclair Lewis would be proud. I was the first person I saw suggest Bush and Cheney belong on death row, not the White House. I broke precedent again when I used the words "hanging" and "hang them."
When Congressional democrats approved the recent war funding bill, I felt a rare kind of irritation. On a blog I won't name I commented under an article about impeachment that Congress seemed much too far away from it for any realistic expectation, and that if they were serious about firing our White House occupants, they might want to consider assassination--although I couldn't recommend using politicians for target practice. Certainly the site administrator thought that went too far, and immediately removed my comment. The point, however, is that if Plan A is impeachment, it is beyond time to give Plans B, C and D priority.
I don't want them to die. I don't want anyone to die. I just want them to stop. And, as I predicted that day, I've seen others use the Big A Word since, but they weren't first. Those comments got jerked, too. I believe if the ten biggest papers in the country said it in banner headlines, Bush and Pals wouldn't fret at all: while they enjoy inspiring fear and anxiety, and might send their minions out for a visit, they'd be reluctant to carry it further. They are sure of their security, and are certain they're bulletproof.
It occurred to me that if someone had a pushbutton labeled "Fire Bush And Cheney Now," and pushed it, and their employment was terminated, it wouldn't cure what ails us anyway. The rot is too systemic. There is little doubt and growing certainty that it would be a step in the right direction, however. And, I began thinking about opening my own site. It isn't that I am married to the notion that it shouldn't be considered poor conduct to write the incumbent executives must be removed by any effective means, considering the wholesale damage to our systems of laws and justice, the environment, the economy and all the needless killing which bears their bloody fingerprints. For simply threatening the kind of war they've planned with Iran, they should have a bounty on their heads. That won't happen, and such words skate on the thin ice of lawbreaking, especially in today's repressive environment which despises and attempts to end freedom of expression. And, like I said, it won't cure what ails us.
I've been arguing with myself about some simple, practical measures that anyone and everyone can put to work to straighten out not just public servants who have not held their duty duly before them, but repair and heal a world which has gone so sadly and regrettably wrong. And guess what--I think I'm finally starting to get somewhere!
Here is an example by Bernard Weiner of The Crisis Papers. He offers three suggestions, the last of which is that Congressional democrats should receive in their offices writs of mandamus July 16, compelling them to do their constitutionally prescribed duty to uphold the law and commence the procedure to remove Bush, Cheney and others from office for reasons already demonstrated.
That's a practical suggestion, but a better, more appropriate plan would be to file writs of quo warranto on Bush and Cheney themselves, asking them to demonstrate to a court why they believe they have authority to hold office, wage preemptive war and engage in their many egregious violations of law and the Bill of Rights. What a hoot that would be! I'll bet even George Bush doesn't know a lawyer who can lie that much. Such writs aren't used against government officials these days as they had been historically. But, it doesn't mean it couldn't happen--and imagine the happy day you'd have if a judge ruled against Bush and Cheney. It could render null each and every thing they've done, and remove them from office. All we need is an attorney with courage of Biblical proportions.
That's the kind of thing I hope to explore. I'm no longer satisfied to keep reading endless lists of the Bush administration's mischief. We desperately need real life answers. Some of them are very simple things. That's the new ground I hope to turn, and to succeed in the smallest way is the victory I pursue.
