Thread: Chelston's Country-Western Impeach Song, Ellsberg, CALL!

"Impeach" mp3by Tom Chelston, Brick album

I recommend Oklahoma's Tom Chelston's "Impeach" for play at your favorite c-w radio station. Call in to listener lines everywhere on May 1, when it looks like every activist organization in the country will be out for their agenda, but it all boils down to one thing, no matter what direction you are coming from: George Bush and Dick Cheney must be impeached. To recap a recent post, I apologize for reiterating but I'll keep it short, it's not just every day that you find yourself talking to Dr. Daniel Ellsberg. I was at a pub iin New Hampshire and in walks Ellsberg with his crew on the occasion of the NH state house's attempt to direct Congress to start impeachment hearings ("Jefferson's Manual" Rules.)

When Ellsberg leaked the Pentagon Papers back in the 70s, he was showing America that the generals were fighting a war they believed could not be won, but throwing peoples' kids into the meat grinder anyway. He was ready to go to jail for it. Talk about a man of conviction.

Ellsberg gave the most concise reasons yet for not letting go of this impeachment business. He said the NSA now has the authority to listen to anyone, anytime, without a warrant, in the name of the war on terror. This includes journalists, ALIPAC activists, plumbers, lawyers, and congressmen. Ellsberg said congressmen and journalists are for sure being listened to, then the rest of us depending on who we are or what we do. As part of the Executive Branch, NSA information is a new form of power available to that Branch, not just to the president.

Ellsberg said that if this power stands, then whatever we will be living under, it will not be democracy.

Ellsberg also said that impeachment hearings before Bush-Cheney leave office may be our only chance to roll this power back. That's because it will be hard for Bush to claim "executive privilege" during impeachment hearings. That would just make things worse for him, with shades of Watergate. In other words, without finding out what the NSA has actually been doing, who among Americans it has been listening to and who is getting the information, it will be impossible to stop it, because you can't stop what you don't know. Once Bush-Cheney leave office, the strong "discovery" process of impeachment will not be available. That's because we can't impeach a new president who didn't give the original order.

Ellsberg said new presidents, no matter what party they are, will not throw their hands over their ears and say, no, I don't want to hear this about my enemy, when they are being told something obtained through the NSA. That's just not in a president's nature.

The NSA has technology the Stasi or the KGB could only dream of. I personally believe it is possible that Bush has something on almost every one of these congressmen right now, and that's why they won't impeach despite their clear duty and enormous pressure. This May 1st, as you are calling your own congressmen, call these Republicans on Judiciary too, where the impeachment bill against Dick Cheney is bottled up. The Republicans on the committee are the key. Most Democratic congressmen have shown that they believe in nothing except the kind of rich campaign contributors who are behind NAFTA, China imports for Wal-Mart, and continuing the war in Iraq with our kids, not theirs. Perhaps among Republicans another conservative of conscience, like Barry Goldwater, will step forward.

(want to do more? Here is a list of the top campaign contributors for these reps. Give them an ear full too, demand "not one more penny to these guys until imepachment, or face boycott!" - or whatever you want to say.)

A letter to Republican Members of Judiciary, where the main impeachment bill is bottled up, and Impeachment Articles.

REPUBLICAN MEMBERS:
Last, first name, state, PHONE (first #) / FAX (second #)

Conyers, Jr., John D-MI 202-225-5126 / FAX 202-225-0072 (Chairman)

Smith, Lamar, R-TX 202-225-4236 / FAX 202-225-8628

Franks, Trent, R-AL 202-225-4576 / FAX 202-225-6328

Gallegly, Elton, R-CA 202-225-3065 / FAX 202-225-1100

Lungren, Daniel, R-CA 202-225-571 / FAX 202-226-1298

Issa, Darrell, R-CA 202-225-3906 / FAX 202-225-3303

Feeney, Tom, R- FL 202-225-2706 / FAX 202.226.6299

Keller, Ric, R-FL 202-225-2176 / FAX 202-225-0999

Pence, Mike, R-IN 202-225-3021 / FAX 202-225-3382

King, Steve, R-IA 202-225-4426 / FAX 202.225.3193

Coble, Howard, R-NC 202-225-3065 / FAX 202-225-8611

Chabot, Steve, R-OH 202-225-2216 / FAX 202-225-3012

Jordan, Jim, R-OH 202-225-2676 / FAX 202-226-0577

Gohmert, Louie R-TX 202-225-3035 / FAX 202-226-1230

Cannon, Chris, R-UT 202-225-7751 / FAX 202-225-5629

Forbes, J. Randy, R-VA 202-225-6365 / FAX 202-226-1170

Goodlatte, Bob, R-VA 202-225-5431 / FAX 202-225-9681

Sensenbrenner Jr., James, R-WI 202-225-5101 / FAX 202-225-3190

Unfortunately you've forced me to repeat myself because this post is very similar to the last one you posted on the subject of impeachment:

IMHO, we need to stay on message. I recommend we not stray from our priority.

Impeachment is not an issue the Democrat leadership in the U.S. Congress is going to tackle this close to the elections. Furthermore, the Republicans definitely wouldn't consider touching the issue. They aren't going to cut their own throats.

...not only have refused to touch the issue, they are running away from it as fast as they can. Which is why this focuses on Republicans. Many Republicans are looking for ways to put distance between themselves and Bush, as he is viewed as an albatross around their necks. This would be one way to do it. More importantly, of course, since the Dems care nothing about the Constitution or their oath to uphold it, even though I previously thought they did, our hopes for restoring the rule of law now rest with Republicans of honor. I really don't think they'd be cutting their own throats, I think they'd be helping themselves by standing up for what's right. I know people who tomorrow would switch to the Republican Party and start reading about limited government and so forth. That's how hungry they are for someone to stand up to Bush. But your main point is to stay on-message in calls to congressmen. There is something to that, and you may be right. But as long as you have taken the trouble to make the call and have someone on the line, It seems easy, if you're of a mind to, to add "and last of all impeach the b&%^#rds" as a kind of sign-off. It's just a thought.