I can't understand why congress hasn't impeached Bush & Cheney.They have done so much harm to the country! Getting us into a war under false pretenses,spying on Americans without a warrant,tax cuts for the rich,increasing the deficit,ignoring climate change, torture in Gitmo and elsewhere, extraodinary rendition. All these and many more, have lowered the country's status in the eyes of the rest of the free world.

Dear Mr. Moyers,
The writers above are so eloquent in their expressions of patriotism. They believe in our form of government and they want our country to function as prescribed in the Constitution. Where is it written that members Congress can skirt the law with narrow interpretations that cover up graft and overt crimes while in office? How can a president claim 'executive privilege' with no explanation how it affects investigations by the peoples representatives, the Congress? Why can members of the Armed Services be cavalierly given death sentences while those who sentenced them have no responsibility, in this case, for an illegal war?

I am so dispirited for our country. How can we look the world in the eye when we are so corrupt?

Dear Mr. Moyers,
The writers above are so eloquent in their expressions of patriotism. They believe in our form of government and they want our country to function as prescribed in the Constitution. Where is it written that members Congress can skirt the law with narrow interpretations that cover up graft and overt crimes while in office? How can a president claim 'executive privilege' with no explanation how it affects investigations by the peoples representatives, the Congress? Why can members of the Armed Services be cavalierly given death sentences while those who sentenced them have no responsibility, in this case, for an illegal war?

I am so dispirited for our country. How can we look the world in the eye when we are so corrupt?

Mr. Moyers,

You are a true American hero and I hope you understand I use the word in its correct and not over-trivialized manner of late. I thank you for having the depth and courage to present us with such fine programming. PBS owes much of my donation dollars to you.

As much as I was amazed at your July 13th program, I was equally frustrated, as it seems we are shouting in a vacuum created by a new press controlled by big money. I feel impeachment, if not executed at this time, may indeed be the continuation of the end of this great experiment in democracy. I only hope that I am wrong and that we are not already too late.

Your commentary last week, however, made me more of a cynic than ever as young republican students gave their soapbox talk on the importance of fighting terror “over there” presumably so they can continue their carefree existence “over here.” Of course, their plans do not ever include the same sacrifice our troops are asked to make.

In that light, I am amazed at the turn in the polls regarding these wars we’ve initiated. Why is it that the polls have gone south? Is it that we have all begun to realize the unethical behavior of our state in its attack and invasion of two sovereign states, one of which having absolutely nothing to do with 911? Could it be the anger we feel toward an administration that not only used intelligence to instigate a war, but furthermore, cherry picked and misrepresented intelligence to justify these wars? Was it the self-realization that if another state had done the same, we would have abhorred the attacking state’s behavior and condemned their action?

No, I think not. The mantra I hear is primarily with regard to the execution of the war: we didn’t go in with enough force, we didn’t have a plan, we didn’t guard the (non oil-related) ministry buildings, we didn’t guard weapon stockpiles, we had too little body armor, we had too few this, too few that, we didn’t this, we didn’t that, we just didn’t. It is as if a murderer were on trial only for the method employed in perpetrating the crime, rather than the act of murder.

We appear as spoiled children impatient in our parents’ progress during a long drive to a Disneyworld that does not exist. We Americans have lost our way somewhere, wrapped in our materialism purchased with poor credit at an impossible interest rate. I endured my own shock-and-awe when I heard a colleague, excited when the war with Iraq seemed imminent, exclaiming with glee how gas prices were now going to drop. Where is the humanity? Maybe it drowned in New Orleans? Very likely as we don’t seem to give any more of a damn for our own people in Louisiana than we do for the Iraqis.

The selfishness and greed that has become so pervasive in this country is reflected in our Congress. I believe the Democrats will not impeach as they selfishly covet the power they hope to gain in 08 if they ride the wave of this Bush/Cheney disaster. Congress has already abrogated its constitutional duty to the American people by cowardly failing to declare war - and then pointing fingers at the failures of an inept executive. It will also fail the constitution if is does not impeach this president and vice president.

Perhaps if the Democrats understand that though I have always voted Democrat, I will no longer be coerced into voting for the lesser of two evils in 08. If impeachment is not initiated, on principal, I WILL NOT VOTE DEMOCRAT! They will have proven to me that they are as self-serving as the republicans from whom they proclaim to be so different. The objective my dear Democrats is not to win elections, it is to uphold the Constitution - even it you loose the fight. To uphold and defend the Constitution is not only their sworn duty; it is also, what those brave men and women are supposedly fighting for.

Mr. Moyers, please continue the good work. I find your program an oasis in a vast sea of Paris Hilton reporting. Thank you! Besides, your continued presence on the air is an indication to me that we still have a fighting chance.

The articles of impeachment against President Clinton appear evermore trivial when compared to the egregious acts of President Bush and his administration.

My letter to Speaker Pelosi

Dear Speaker Pelosi,

Last spring I had the exhilarating honor to sit in the front row as you spoke to the Union of Reform Judaism's Consultation on Conscience. I listened to your moving description of your trip Syria, proud to be a Democrat and exceptionally proud to be a woman from the Bay Area.

Unfortunately, it is no longer pride I feel as I watch the embarrassing procedural gamesmanship that is being played between the White House and Congress. What must the world think of a nation that allows Attorney General Gonzales to remain in office? Why is Congress reduced to splitting legal hairs while ignoring the heart of the Constitution?

I am mostly frustrated by your insistance that "impeachment is off the table." My messages to Congresswoman Eshoo and Senator Feinstein drew responses that reiterate your position, explaining that Congress has important work to do that would be impeded by time-consuming impeachment hearings. It is disappointing that my own legislators, women whom I respect, have forgotten the lessons taught by another Congresswomen three decades ago.

Barbara Jordan, the remarkable scholar from Texas who served on the Rodino Judiciary Committee during Watergate, gave this eloquent speech exactly 33 years ago today http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/barbarajordanjudiciarystatement.htm. She too acknowledged that Congress had a lot to do -- "Appropriations, Tax Reform, Health Insurance, Campaign Finance Reform, Housing, Environmental Protection, Energy Sufficiency, Mass Transportation" -- sadly, the very same problems we're still trying to solve today. But she argued that Congress' bigger task was to question whether the executive branch was impeachable in that they "behave(d) amiss or betray(ed) their public trust."

I believe Congress and our nation won't be able to solve our day-to-day problems until we finally solve the Constitutional problem that remains unresolved since Watergate: what are the bounds of executive privilege. This administration -- whose actions have so diminished us as a nation -- intends to drag the question through the courts. Only Congress can stop this ludicrous charade.

Former Congresswomen Elizabeth Holtzman outlined a path to impeachment that Congress has begun to take (http://www.thenation.com/doc/20070212/holtzman ). The inquiries she recommended last February are underway, but I fear that they will drag on until the election with nothing having been accomplished, the forest lost for the trees.

I encourage you to take Senator Boxer's lead and say that impeachment needs to be put back on the table. Perhaps impeachment of the Attorney General should be the first step in educating Americans about how the Founders provided the people with the power to correct the tragic course our democracy is taking.

Dear Mr, Moyers,

What can we do ?
Where do we start ?
The time I know is NOW.
How do we, The People,
save our country ?

Thank you
for all that you do,
R.A. Chavarria

Here's a copy of an email I sent to Rep. Pelosi. I hope many others also implore her to do her duty. Her email (as Speaker of the House) is AmericanVoices@mail.house.gov

Dear Rep. Pelosi,

I hope you saw Bill Moyer's interview of Bruce Fein and John Nichols a couple weeks ago on public television. If you didn't, I hope you watch Keith Obermann's interview of Mr. Fein tonight on MSNBC TV.

Mr. Fein, an ardent Republican who drafted the articles of impeachment against Bill Clinton, says Mr. Bush and Cheney make Mr. Clinton's transgression look insignificant. He recognizes something many, many citizens also see, but you seem to be blind to: that we are in a constituional crisis that can't be cured simply by waiting for the next presidential elections; that the essence of our constitution and our country requires the Congress to institute impeachment proceedings against Bush and Chene forthwith.

Our country is in grave danger from within and without. Following our constitution by instituting impeachment proceedings will go a long way to mitigating those dangers. America was strong in the past because we were viewed by the world as standing for law and decency. Now we have been greatly weakened by the opposite view.

Please stop worrying about appearances and any possible backlash against Democrats; rather, put your duty and this country first. Americans are not tired of investigations by Congress, but they are frustrated by toothless and thus ineffective investigations.

Please change your mind on this matter. Don't emulate the stubborness of the arrogant fool in the White House who has weakened this country and ignored our rule of law..

Yours very truly,

And to add to the mix of all the abuses, now there is an Executive order signed July 17, 2007 which blocks property of certain purposes who threaten the stabilization of efforts in Iraq - and it is talking about US citizens. Check it out in detail for another wake up call with this administration. What do you think are the ramifications of this?

To all Congressmen (and Senators),

My questions for Congress are pretty simple: Does Congress want to be relegated to total unimportance by an imperial presidency? Does Congress want to see the great experiment of Democracy fail?

If the answer to those two questions is "no," then Congress had better overcome its revulsion at the idea of impeaching the President and the Vice President.

I, a concerned citizen, call on Congress to begin the impeachment process immediately. The evidence of criminal behavior on the part of the Executive and its officers is clear. There is more than enough evidence to justify that proceedings begin. Don't take my word for it, go ahead and read the story for yourself. Read The Constitution in Crisis: The High Crimes of the Bush Administration and a Blueprint for Impeachment, by one of your own, Rep. John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.). While you're at it, read The Assault on Reason, by Al Gore. You'll find plenty of evidence for the impeachment of Bush-Cheney.

The nation can take it--America won't be "torn apart." We are a strong country. It won't traumatize the country--to the contrary--it will make the country healthy again. It will be the emetic that starts the restorative process. Article II, Section 4, of the Constitution is quite clear: "The President, Vice President and all civil officers of the United States, shall be removed from office on impeachment for, and conviction of, treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors." The Founders put that language in the Constitution to protect the country from the abuses of the aforementioned "President, Vice President and all civil officers of the United States."

Article I, Section 2, Paragraph 5 says "The House of Representatives shall choose their speaker and other officers; and shall have the sole power of impeachment."

Did you see the word "sole" in that sentence? Do you understand that it means "only" and "unique" in this context? Only the House can impeach. Americans are counting on you Representatives to do the right thing. ONLY you can do it. If you let us down, your names will live in infamy down the years as cowards.

Congress, I call on you to protect us from a totalitarianism potentially far worse than the Fascist and Communist dictatorships the United States defeated in the 20th century. If Congress doesn't engage, and engage soon, the moment of opportunity to do so will have passed and the country will begin to slide into just such a totalitarian state. It will be a continuance of what is certainly going on right now: the death by a thousand cuts of freedom in the United States of America.

Respectfully and insistently,
Eric Adair Whitney (That's my real name.)

As a couple of people here have wondered, I ask why wasn't Kucinich mentioned? He HAS been pushing for impeachment. Are these intelligent people just skimming through MSM headlines? Kucinich voted against Iraq war to begin with, and he has consistently voted against funding the war (another point that was mentioned in the program) so why didn't he get a mention? Otherwise, this was a great discussion.

You three have obviously confused Dennis Kucinich with chopped liver. What other reason could there be for only the briefest mention of him during your discussion? I'm not surprised the MSM is stonewalling him, but you gentlemen? You do your viewers a disservice.

Mr. Moyers,

Wow.

Thank you, sir. You are so very appreciated by so many of us. I finally got around to watching this one. A podcast would be a great idea.

Yes, the news media have failed us all. We now live in a country where we must dig mighty deep to find real dialogue taking place. I don't watch much TV anymore. But the kids do. Think about what the media are doing to the kids.

It's all so very Orwellian, isn't it?

All I can think of after watching Bill Moyers interviews every week, is the lyrics of a song. "In this world of ordinary people, extraordinary people, I am glad there is you." Thank you, Bill Moyers and staff and PBS for bringing up the issues that all other American journalists are too scared to address. I can't think of anyone else who covers today's news who can be compared to Edward R. Murrow except for you, Bill.

Thank you!

Dear Bill Moyers,

(Getting close to cataract surgery and vision very poor. Please excuse any typos)

Regarding Bush and Cheney (Doofus and Dead-eye Dick), I agree with your guests that impeachment is warranted and that over-reaching executive power should be reined in. I'm a life-long registered Democrat and I don't think it would be wise to leave too much power on the table for Hillary Clinton, should she become President. She is not, I think, a kinder, gentler human being.

So yes, we should throw the rascals out. But do you really think a populace which can't even say no to Big Pharma and the Agra-business conglomerates has the guts or smarts to do so?

Everyone seems to have their heads down trying to keep their jobs and homes and still live a care free suburban 1950's lifestyle.

Heck, we haven't even figured out yet that SUV's burn gas. If we had the fortitude to box congresses ears we wouldn't be in a lot of the messes we're slipping further and further into as it is. I think it must be an American thing to callously and contemptuously reject any kind of gratificatus interuptus.

We pay celebrities and sports figures enough to provide every child in this country a good education and decent living conditions and still help others across the globe, and yet we don't see to it that this happens. Again I ask if you really think such a lazy, greedy citizenry is going to insist on real honesty, competence and integrity in its public officials?

I think if that were going to happen we might not have had to have this conversation. Thanks for your concern and your program.

Bill Barrows

Vancouver, Washington

Shame on you Mr. Moyers for not being aware of HR 333, drafted by Dennis Kucinich calling for the impeachment of Cheney.

After several emails to my representative about impeachment, with vague responses about 'this topic not currently being up for discussion', I visited his office yesterday to ask what it would take to *make* this action 'up for discussion'.

There was no satisfactory response given. I am deeply disappointed with my Congressman Elijah Cummings from Maryland for lacking the courage to consider this action at this critical time.

Are there others out there who are not getting a satisfactory response from their Congressmen about *why* this issue is not important enough to be discussed?

I have forwarded my letter of July 20 (posted below) calling for impeachment to Sen. Feingold.

Dear Mr. Moyers,

I've been a fan of yours for decades and would like to add this to the discussion about impeachment. The human brain contains a specific area where behaviors associated with political power are concentrated. Ironically, it's in the reptilian cortex, or as I like to refer to it, the lizard brain, the least evolved of the brain's four cortexes. All leaders, whether they are political, business, religious or social, draw on qualities invested in the reptilian cortex to promote their agenda. The lizard brain is the penultimate power broker. What we humans are supposed to do with our lizard brain is integrate it with the agenda of the frontal lobe, the only human part of the brain. Think of the frontal lobe as Jesus. When he kicked the money lenders out of the synagogue he was using his lizard brain, not to bully, but to protect those where were being bullied. When we don't integrate the lizard brain's agenda with our human agenda, what we get is George Bush and Dick Cheney, men who use the lizard brain to become bullies and to defend bullies. That's what we're talking about with impeachment, stopping the president when he becomes a bully to his own people. I hope someone in Congress steps up to the plate, and with their lizard brain fully integrated into a frontal lobe agenda, calls for impeachment to stop the president's and the vice president's bullying of our American, constitutional and legal rights. Lizard brains are not who we want in power.

Sincerely, Glynda-Lee Hoffmann

Today there was an announcement that Sen. Feingold will "censure" the Administration: http://feingold.senate.gov/~feingold/releases/07/07/20070722.html
I have no doubt that this is in response to the outcry that followed the Moyers Journal show on impeachment. Even Feingold admits that censure is "a relatively modest response..." Yet it seems TOO modest after he claims that it is in response to "some of the worst misconduct and the worst abuses of the law in American history." Although Feingold has been a fighter all along, it seems that he is trying to run the gauntlet between Pelosi and party discipline on the one hand, and the American public on the other hand. He provides his email address at this link. Those who feel so strongly about impeachment should repost their comments for his benefit.

The discussion was one of the most important few tens of minutes in recent decades. The people seem to understand what is at stake but reading the form letter responses from senators and congress members tell another story, they speak loudly that they just do not care or know what the constitution means. Short term political gain(not wishing to "divide the country") or party advantage is more important doing either their sworn duty or listening the their constituents. The people are united in this, they get it. Who are the congressmen afraid of offending, surely not their voters who are demanding them to do their job?
Each mentioned not wanting to divert attention from other important legislation.
What could be more important than assuring the country's survival? All other tasks depend on this , no bill can pass that is not more beneficial to corporate donors than the citizens. Until this administration is reined in, congress might as well just go home for the duration.
These responses show us one thing very clear, we have already lost any influence on the process of self governess. All the elected office holders have to know they will be removed, dems, republicans or independent, if they refuse to do their job. I've always voted for Fienstein but never again after this display of arrogance. A good house cleaning is in order, not just the white house but congress as well.
Forget party, think and vote constitution, it is the only thing that unites us.

I'm a little late, but have been thinking about this broadcast for a couple of weeks now. So, I have to say what I think. I was thinking it wouldn't be worth impeaching Bush and Chenney as we only have 1 1/2 years to go - but after listening to this broadcast, I feel it is extremely urgent to pursue this action. We may not last th 1 1 /2 years. Also, it is imperative that this attitude not be carried over to the next presidents. It is possible to copy this program and send it to our legislators? I just think this is something very vital.

Below are three email exchanges with my US Congressional Representative Anna Eshoo.

===============================================
July 14, 2007
Dear Congresswoman Eshoo,
I was moved to write this letter based on Bill Moyer's July 13 presentation of Tough Talk on Impeachment.

I am writing to remind you of your obligation under the Constitution to investigate impeachable actions of the President and Vice President.
"... the founders who had recently fought a revolution against a king named George would tell you that monarchical behavior, the behavior of a king, acting like a king, is an impeachable offense. You need not look for specific laws or statutes. What you need to look for is a pattern of behavior that says that the presidency is superior not merely to Congress but to the laws of the land, to the rules of law. And that is why we ought to be discussing impeachment. Not because of George Bush and Dick Cheney but because we are establishing a presidency that does not respect the rule of law. And people, Americans, are rightly frightened by that. Their fear is the fear of the founders. It is appropriate. It is necessary."
JOHN NICHOLS
Tough Talk on Impeachment
http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/07132007/profile.html

If Congress fails to correct this administration's distortion of Executive power, future Presidents will assume these monarchical powers and probably usurp additional ones.

Lew M@ieee.org

PS.
Be sure to remove the Vice President before removing the President.

===============================================
July 16, 2007
Dear LewM,
Thank you for contacting me about the Scooter Libby trial and
your thoughts about impeaching Vice President Cheney.

The Bush Administration has been able to operate in an unfettered
and unchecked way under Republican majorities in both the House
and Senate over the last six years. As a result of this, no questions
were asked, no oversight was exercised and essentially, blank
checks were issued. We're now, with a fragile new majority,
actually reversing the above.

Recently, the President commuted the prison sentence of I. Lewis
"Scooter" Libby who was the Vice President's Chief of Staff. Mr.
Libby's trial and conviction of perjury and obstruction of justice in
the Valerie Plame leak case raised many questions about the
integrity of the Executive Branch. The President's action raises
additional questions about his commitment to hold accountable
anyone in his Administration involved with leaking Ms. Plame's
identity. Congress is already holding hearings to investigate the
abuses of the Administration and will continue to. What disgusts
me and many others is the fact that Paris Hilton has served more
time than Scooter Libby ever will for what he was convicted of.

On the subject of impeachment, I've lived through the
impeachment process and witnessed firsthand how it tears the
country apart. I think it's time to bring the country together. We
have to move forward and impeachment, in my view, will heavily
distract from the critical work of reversing the disastrous policies
of this Administration and will bring to a halt progress being made
on important issues including ending the war, healthcare, global
warming, and our nation's economic competitiveness.

Since the start of this new Congress, the House has held hundreds
of oversight hearings covering the war in Iraq, the response to
Hurricane Katrina, the firing of United States Attorneys, and the
treatment of our veterans at Walter Reed. And there's so much
more to do. We either grind to a halt, or move forward.

If you have any other questions or comments, let me hear from
you. I always appreciate hearing from my constituents and ask that
you continue to inform me on issues you care about. I need your
thoughts and benefit from your ideas.

If you'd like to receive information on other issues, I've created an
e-newsletter to keep constituents informed on a variety of topics.
If you'd like to receive it, go to my website at
http://eshoo.house.gov and click on "E-Mail Sign-Up."
Sincerely,

Anna G. Eshoo
Member of Congress

===============================================
7/20/07
Dear Congresswoman Eshoo,
Thank you for clarifying your position on investigating impeachable actions of the President and Vice President. Certainly there are many great issues to be addressed along with impeachment proceedings. I also remember the Clinton impeachment, the Iran-Contra and Watergate hearings, when Nixon tried to hide his crimes behind the veil of "national security".

I also lived through the Kennedy assassination and witnessed the transition of power to Johnson. Our American History teacher in high school, Miss Ratner, made it clear to everyone of us how important that moment was. "The Constitution works! In most countries of the world, when a leader is assassinated, there's usually panic in the streets followed by gunfire and the installation of a new leader, supported by the military, who 'temporarily' imposes martial law to insure national security."

I get a sense that the underpinnings of America are being attacked (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/19/AR2007071902625_pf.html) while Congress and the Executive argue about whose favorite project gets how much of my tax dollars.

This congress will most likely spend its remaining months arguing with Bush and Cheney and probably get little accomplished. And, when the 2008 elections are over we will still have an executive branch with a distorted view of its authority.

If the next President decides to contemptuously stretch the bounds of its Constitutional authority, the next steps, I fear, will bring us closer to a time when panic in the streets will be followed by gunfire and 'temporary' martial law, just until we regain homeland security.

Make sure this congress reins-in the power of the Executive branch. That's your job and no one else's.

LewM@ieee.org

If you want peace, pursue justice.

A typographical error was in my just publlshed comments: I meant: Who appologized for the killings of our soldiers, whom we are NOT allowed to see when they are returned home in flag-draped coffins

Perhaps this is inappropriate for you to address, but I wish someone (you?) would progressively continue reporting political and ethical issues/problems that affect my (our) lives--with possible solutions.

The first time I perked up my perceived “problem/solution” ears was your discussion with Bruce Fein, John Nichols. The initial words of another commenter (July 20) echoed my reaction because it “crystallized a vague dread that has been hovering in the back of my mind for years”. This was posted by Leeb July 20 or Elizabeth Johnson Tsang (a confusion of your comments entries since either you indicated Posted by in body of the post or after a dotted line following the post).

The question/problem they crystallized for me was not Impeachment of particular individuals for perceived “illegal wrongdoing or imperial presidency”. The question was which of our Senators/Representatives: 1) Know or have read our Constitution that they swore to uphold: 2) Ask and demand answers in all hearings and in all votes on bills by highlighting and emphasizing the authority of the Constitution; and 3) Strive to rewrite or obliterate parliamentary procedures that prevent exercise of Constitutional authority and debate.

It was a much-publicized issue when our first Muslim/Islamic elected official decided to be sworn in by placing his hand on the Qur’an. (As if the “Bible” was symbolic of non-hypocritical “truthful” allegiance to uphold the Constitution). Why isn’t the Constitution the proper document upon which to swear, not some “religious” object many have never read completely?

Why aren’t candidates required to “prove” they know the Constitution, similar to a Bar Examination (with scores publicized) or SATs, before being allowed to run?

Who, out of ignorance or with nefarious motives, handed over their Constitutional authority to the Executive Branch? Who voted for the Patriot Act, under which the Executive Branch is acting within each legal “dot-coma-and-crossing-of-every-T” authority handed over? Who voted for the renewal of the Act, without reading it and then suddenly realizing some item was “sneaked” in allowing unchecked power to Justice Department? Who voted for the Middle East Wars/War on Terror and Total Presidential Authority and Privilege to conduct it as he wished, then lost their jobs because of it? Who allowed and defined “signing privilege” of the Executive Branch to bypass authority and directives of the other two branches. Who appologized for the killings of our soldiers, whom we are know allowed to see as they are returned home in flag-draped coffins?

Who challenged the constitutionality of “enemy combatant” and the rounding up of citizens to be sent to concentration camps/prisons, stripping them of constitutional rights, to torture them, and without anyone's knowledge of their whereabouts? Where are those among all elected officials who voiced constitutional/history-based objections and concerns about our emulation of WWII camps, which were done for nationalism pride and economic power for true-blooded “citizens”.

“We never knew” formerly implausible arguments of German citizens is suddenly plausible to USA citizens, under the umbrella of “national security”. IT IS NOT A PLAUSIBLE EXCUSE OF ANY OF OUR ELECTED SENATORS/CONGRESSMAN WHO ARE PAID TO UPHOLD OUR CONSTITUTION AND BILL OF RIGHTS, BUT WHO, OUT OF IGNORANCE OR ECONOMICS, DON’T.

I have searched the ACLU website and with their blog’s help located voting records of current crop of Presidential Candidates, who, until now, skirt Constitutional Issues and their Stances about what they intend to do to correct wrongs.

So Bush and Cheney won’t show us theirs. When they get out of office, who will open up all their refused records, publicize them, and institute legal prison-based proceedings for these “wrong-doings” done by these newly designated private citizens? Why not?

Dear Mr. Moyers,
greetings,

I love your program and hope that you will soon cover the status of health care in the US.

I can share some links that you might find helpful:

http://suttercorporatewatch.org/

I hope that you have seen the "Damaged Care" film based on Dr Linda Peeno's experience with HMO's.

http://www.workingtv.com/damagedcare.html

Thank you

As I have said 100 times, being a women in America there is a more likelyhood that I will be attacked and or create fear of my fellow Americans (i.e. rape) then by some supposed terrorist./

This interview would be great as a podcast. I enjoyed watching but would like to be able to take with on my ipod / mP3. Can you make your programs available in this format?

I am inspired by Bill Moyers Journal nourishing subjects rising up from the belly of this earth and the humanitarian soul...much richer than the news weather sports clones...this is a Joseph Campbell universal reunion.

Very intellectually stimulating show. The blog comments are almost as interesting . . .

It would be interesting to know how many members of Congress have watched the show. Is anyone out there . . .

overcome your modesty and allow pbs to do a biography on you and to what you attribute your success. leave aside the possible accusations of a headtrip and clue in others who might want to attempt it. i certainly would like to at least hear the story behind your leaving and returning to pbs, including all the politics.

The show about impeachment of Pres. Bush and VP Cheney was so enlightening. Why can some people still not get it? Because they have blinders on. Our country is going down the tubes.

uga6-
why aren't you fighting in Iraq or Afganistan?

watch this:
Olbermann: "Go to Iraq and fight, Mr. President"

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19859124/

This is maybe the most meaningful discussion I have heard in a very long time -- years. Excellent.

Why shouldn't we impeach Bush/Cheney?
I believe that they should be charged with war crimes! They ordered the invasion of two countries without provocation. Used false information to manipulate congress, and our foreign allies, to go along with them. And have been responsible for Thousands of deaths.
Bush/Cheney used 9/11 as an excuse to invade Iraq because they thought that they Iraqi people would be so happy to be free of Saddam, that they would just give us their OIL!
By declaring war on a non-existent foe, "Terror", he elevated himself to the status of King. He does what he wants, and answers to no one, because we are at War (without end).
There is no country named Terror, so we can never win, so the war never ends. Sound Orwellian, "Love is Hate, War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery"
Other dictators have been brought to trial for Less!

Democrats are rallying around a psychologist who says the way to win elections is to reach voters "emotionally" and not to worry with facts.

In his war against President Bush, Bill Moyers is brilliant in his emotionalism. From the blog comments, it appears the "emotional" viewers care less about facts.

Do you have to take an IQ test for dumb and dumber to be a Democrat? Impeach Bush? Of course the "Dims" will attempt this with people like Bill Moyers leading the charge! Media types like Moyers may not care about the facts, but their conniving and wily ways together with the leadership of NPR, CBS, NBC, ABC, and CNN MAY end with impeachment hearings.

SAD! SAD! SAD!

President Bush is one of the more honest and honorable presidents that we have had.

WE HAVE NOT HAD ANOTHER TERRORIST ATTACK SINCE 911. IT IS NOT AN ACCIDENT!

The media and the Democrats led the charge for our defeat in VietNam and the impeachment of Richard Nixon....years ago. History is important if it teaches us something worthwhile. Apparently the Media and Bill Moyers think defeat in Iraq and the impeachment of President Bush is an ideal template of the past.

YELLOW JOURNALISM AT ITS WORSE. The "Dims" are destroying our country!

300 investigations in 100 days....And the 2006 election was supposedly an attempt to "do the work of the people".

Is there no real work to be done?

A loss in Iraq will result in a terrorist takeover. The mideast will be in turmoil. DEFEAT IN IRAQ WILL REST WITH HARRY REID (WHO DECLARED THE WAR LOST) AND MEDIA TYPES LIKE BILL MOYERS!

There are numerous reasons why both George W. Bush as well as Dick Cheney should be impeached. Their Administration has been complicit in the following:
1) Authorizing the NSA wiretapping of Americans in clear violation of the FISA law;
2) Authorizing the torture of prisoners of war in clear violation of the Geneva Convention and thereby placing our own soldiers at greater risk of being tortured themselves;
3) Authorizing and attempting to cover up the outing of CIA spy Valerie Plame (clearly an act of treason) for political retribution (her husband was critical of the invasion of Iraq); 4) As discussed in Resolution 333: they deserve impeachment for actively and systematically seeking to deceive citizens and Congress about an alleged threat of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction and an alleged relationship between Iraq and al Qaeda and for openly threatening aggression against Iran;
5) Incompetence in their conduct of the war in Iraq (yes they can be impeached just for screwing up) since as Joe Biden rightly put it, “they have not been right about one thing” in regards to their policy in Iraq;
6) Firing U.S. prosecutors for political reasons;
7) Commuting the sentence of law breaker Scooter Libby found guilty of breaking the law by his obstruction of justice… and on and on.
Each of these acts and others justify impeachment on their own merit but together they indicate a clear lack of respect for the people and the laws of our constitution that they have sworn to uphold. In my opinion many of the actions of this administration remind me of the actions of fascists from the past.
It is my opinion that to ignore impeachment for such crimes is akin to supporting such crimes and an admission that our constitution is merely a piece of paper with no merit.

Sincerely,
Jason Dumas
Rochester Hills, MI

Your Bill Moyers' Journal last week was just so important that I sent an e-mail to all my contacts to be sure to watch the program when it repeated on Sunday the 15th at 7 p.m. I hope that my family and friends took the time to see this important show that brings attention to the loss of our basic liberties, and the fact that our President and Vice President are ignoring the laws of our land and doing as they please without a thought as to what the people of this country want of their leaders. If we let them get away with this travesty, we deserve whatever happens to us. When will the voters wake up and see what this rotten administration is doing to our country?

I have been blogging about the Bush Administration, its hypocrisy, and its atrocities for more than two years. I not only agree that President Bush should be impeached and removed from office, but I have also outlined and detailed a full case for the impeachment of President Bush. I have posted it on both my MySpace page and on my primary blog at http://eyesongovernment.journalspace.com. If you read and agree to what I have posted, please help spread these articles of impeachment around and contact your elected representatives in support of them. I am going to begin the process this weekend of sending this through E-mail to ALL 535 representatives in the Senate and House of Representatives. I am hoping to provide the catalyst we need to not only remove Bush from office, but also for his prosecution for the atrocities he has been involved with. Please use the following links if you wish to contact your representatives:

In the House of Representatives

In the Senate

Thank you to everyone who helps support this endeavor to free our country from the tyranny of the Bush Administration.

This has led to a lot of abuses of freedom of speech and freedom of the press that I discuss further in the following website: http://narj-clirus.blogspot.com/

Your bio section of that blog is totally blank...Whatta shock!

Bruce Fein, John Nichols, and Bill Moyers crystalized a vague dread that has been hovering in the back of my mind for years. In what sense is the Bush/Cheney administration NOT tyrannical? They have abrogated citizens' rights to privacy and habeas corpus (could they deem me an 'enemy combatant'?) My response to this program us to urge my Senators, Kerry and Kennedy, my Congressman, Jim McGovern, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Senator Patrick Leahy (a likely leader), to bring a bill of IMPEACHMENT against both Bush and Cheney IMMEDIATELY. I have urged others to speak up, as well. This is my letter:

The United States faces a grave Constitutional crisis. President George W. Bush and Vice-President Dick Cheney are two lawless men who have conducted an unprecedented, systematic assault on the separation of powers at the heart of the United States Constitution. We the People demand that you impeach President Bush and Vice-President Cheney immediately and return our great nation to the rule of law.

By claiming authority to conduct warrantless spying on American citizens and even imprisoning them without charge simply by declaring them citizens are ‘enemy combatants’ President Bush and Vice-President Cheney have abrogated citizens’ fundamental protection from the power of the state.

By signing laws passed by Congress and then reserving the right not to enforce those laws, President Bush has undermined the authority of the Congress.

By firing US Attorneys for political reasons, President Bush and Vice-President Cheney have systematically undermined the authority of the Justice Department to check usurpations of power by the Executive Branch.

By ‘outing’ undercover CIA operative Valerie Plame, by cooking up an excuse to invade Iraq, by authorizing the use of torture in secret prisons, and other abuses, President Bush and Vice-President Cheney have not only failed to protect the United States from its enemies, they have inflamed others to become our enemies.

It is time to impeach these lawless men. NOW.

7-20-07

I believe it was Benjamin Franklin who said, "Those who would give up freedom for safety deserve neither." And while much has already been said about these issues, I was compelled to make my own contribution to this community of thought.

On a macrolevel, the U.S. has intervened in and attempted to usurp the governments of approximately 50 different foreign countries. A compehensive account of this and other related topics is found in the interesting book by John Perkins entititled, The Secret History of the American Empire. There are approximately 750 permanent U.S. military bases worldwide with a megabase proposed for in Italy, which is currently under great protest, as it is feared that it will be used to engaged in warfare eith Iran. And 14 permanent U.S. bases, along with two major airstrips would belie the notion of withdrawal from Iraq. For critical thinkers, American imperialism seems obvious. Of course the culpability of oganizations like the nefarious Military Industrial Complex, World Bank, IMF with their vulture funds, soulless corporations, theo-con think tanks etc. is obvious, but is never discussed by major news channels, who are nothing more than the minions of the status quo; who are owned by the very same elitists and dominionists that are obsessed with the New Manifest Destiny. And it was five-star General and former President Dwight D. Eisenhower who coined the term, Military Indusrial Complex and publicly warned the country about this dangerous trend in his farewell speech to the nation back in 1961. His forgotten words were an eerie portent of the present. It is frightening, and much like grasping a handful of water; the tigher you clench your fist, the less you end up with.

We know that the three basic tenets of Nazism were nationalism, militarism and totalitariansim, yet we turn the other way so that we don't see that we have become what we most hated.

On more of a microlevel, we do not own the darkness in ourselves. The human race is not divided into two separate categories: the good and the bad. We each have the capacity for both. It is a monumental task, but darkness and evil must be addressed on an individual basis because the collective is only the sum of its individuals.

Yet we continue to eschew and ignore the psychological (non-traditional psychology) perspectives and so miss an opportunity for a real understanding of man's inhumanity to man and our own god-awful behavior. We inevitably end up psychologically projecting our own darkness onto others when we are unaware and unconscious of our own
-and to our own demise. We should attend to the wisdom of a great teacher who once said, "We can be grateful for our enemies, for their darkness allows us to escape our own."

Narcissism, hedonism, toxic consumerism, materialism, scientism and all the "wretched isms" are the progeny of a culture of corruption and an age of meaninglessness. We have money, power and things yet remain spritually bankrupt and emotionally impoverished.

We can no longer be sustained by mendacious leaders and the political rhetoric of failure. Neither can we be led by rigid dogma and religious abstractions. It begins with and in each of us, no matter our faith or denomination. It involves a genuine spiritual experience. And there does exist a means by which to unite the masculine and the feminine; the conscious and the unconscious; the sacred and the secular. What we have done so far does not seem to be working well! The incessant desire for connection, meaning and transcendance is innate us and is the most powerful force in the human psyche -the religious function. It is our true collective vocatus. Leaving the age of Pisces, we are now entering a time when we must personally and individually find our own connections to something numinous.

A vital key is given to us in the Gnostic Gospel of Thomas: If you bring forth what is within you, what you bring forth will save you. If you do not bring forth what is within you, what you do not bring forth will destroy you.

Thank you for bring this issue to the forefront. I hope the American people will act now while there remains courage among us. Many have been intiminated over the past few years as some in the media allowed us to be lambasted by claims that any critical of the present administration are guilty of undermining our troops. The president subtly tried the same thing in Thursdays speech. Yes, fear has stifled many knowledgeable citizens and ignorance has muffled the "dumbed down." What does that say about a "free people?" Where can it lead?

Heretofore, we see the results of a community having little understanding of the importance-even sacredness of our constitution to protect us from a tyrant. We must demand provision for a better education in our schools. In many places solid civics teaching has been "watered down." Are our representatives outraged when they see our values trodden upon, and our sensibilities moistened with renegade spittle? No! Some are behaving like unlearned preschoolers, educated fools and spineless politicians. This indolence does suggest a lack of understanding and appreciation for our form of government from those in whom we have "granted" and entrusted responsibility for preserving it. It is not surprising then, that we average citizens have become in many instances, stunned, paralyzed and mute.

Let us seize this moment while people still dare verbalize their angst. There is support for our representatives now, while it is so glaringly vivid that Bush & Company are stuck on a stubborn course with no regard or respect for innovatiave, creative, lawful democratic pur suits. Where are you Congress and Senate - Ms. Pelosi? Seize this time before more smoke is blown into our eyes.

Here is Congresswoman Susan Davis’ response to my earlier posting (see July 15 below):

July 16, 2007

Mr. Dan Landrum
San Diego, CA 92104

Dear Dan ,

Thank you for your contacting me with your support for impeaching President Bush and Vice
President Cheney. I appreciate hearing from you on this matter and welcome the opportunity to respond.

Please know that I share your strong frustrations with this administration . I have long been a
vocal critic of many of its practices and policies, including warrantless surveillance, the Military Commissions Act, the dismissal of U.S. Attorneys, and certainly the course of the war in Iraq . However, I do not believe that impeachment is the only way to demand accountability in these matters.

Several committees, including the House Oversight and Government Reform and Judiciary Committees, are continuing and even increasing their investigations of the Bush administration due to withholding of information, dismissal of Congressional subpoenas, and other administration mismanagement.

There are several larger issues that Congress must move quickly towards addressing, including immigration reform, global warming, and finding a workable solution to Iraq. I believe that these issues should take precedence, and that the distraction of impeachment would hinder our momentum in making positive changes in the daily lives of American families.

As a practical matter, impeachment is a very long and expensive process and, with little more than a year before the administration moves out of office, I believe that the process would be a waste of taxpayer dollars as well as divert attention from correcting and demanding accountability for the administration's mistakes.

Once again, thank you for contacting me. As your representative, I both need and value your perspective. Please sign up for my E-Newsletter on my website, www.house.gov/susandavis , if you would like to receive monthly updates about what is happening in Congress.

With warm regards,

SUSAN A. DAVIS
Member of Congress

--------------------------
and my reply:
--------------------------

Dear Susan,

Thank you for making the time to respond to my concerns regarding impeaching President Bush and Vice President Cheney. However, I find your viewpoint misses the forest for the trees. Certainly the issues you mention as your priority are important ones, but none even fractionally as important as preserving the integrity of our democratic institutions. This is not about Bush and Cheney, per se. This is about preserving the very core of those Constitutional rights and obligations we inherited. It's about the various bodies of government doing their specific Duty to insure the checks and balances of power don't run amok.

Believe me, those many issues you want to make headway on will still be there, but unchecked, the precedence set by the overreaching, grabbing and misuse of power will de facto become part of the executive branch long after the present administration leaves office. The time is now to rectify the inequities.

Susan, you say, "impeachment would hinder our momentum in making positive changes in the daily lives of American families." I can understand the strong frustrations you must have felt being in the minority party for 6 years unable to garner "momentum in making positive changes." But, I strongly sense you underestimate the gravity of this moment and misgauge the perception of those of us "outside the beltway" both in the depth and effect of corruption in government. And I believe you will find, even if the Impeachment process does not end with the desired result to oust the current administration, that the thorough and attentive investigation will have a cathartic effect that will not only help cleanse and heal our deeply divided citizenry, but stimulate fresh vigor and open new avenues for change in those very issues so dear to you.

In any case, let's get down to basics. Let's parse what you were elected to do, your functions from your Duty. The issues you mention are significant Functions for the House that represents us people, but they are not its unique and solemn duty. The House of Representatives uniquely "shall have the sole Power of Impeachment." That is your Duty. If you don't do it, it can't be done. As I understand it your Oath of Office was not to "maintain momentum for the popular polemic politics of the day," but rather to "support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.''

Overwhelmingly, the present administration poses a clear and present danger. Leading us into war on false pretenses, dissolving our civil liberties, robbing our treasury to give huge no-bid, no-accountability contracts to cronies, building clandestine torture chambers that flaunt international conventions of decency, the unchecked stealing of elections . the list goes on and on. These are NOT mere "mistakes", these are callous, criminal acts, strategically planned and methodically executed. Can you honestly say these outlaw manipulations of power do not threaten the very existence of our union as we know it?

If "We the People" dare to live in a fair and just society, then no one can be held above the law.

Please, Susan, please, please . set aside your other ambitions and do your Duty.

Thank you for your earnest consideration,
Dan Landrum

This beyond-excellent program was the first media discussion in six years that reminded me of what I'd learned in college poli-sci about how our system once functioned before it was hijacked by the current admin. Our government no longer serves it's citizenry in any real capacity and panders to the real owners of America - the corporate criminals. They have no interest in civil liberties or the safety of the military. Interesting how the most verbose bloggers want to limit the freedoms of others to speak or act! While so-called conservative conglomerate radio prattles on about "the godless liberal media our once proud nation has disappeared into the "global economy" like Britain did not that long ago.

I agree with Olivia. My civics teacher could (if he were still alive) give each branch of government a quick review of the Constitution with a pop quiz and he never graded on a curve. In class we had to read three newspapers every day (provided by the teacher and deemed to be fair and balanced news) and on Friday we held debates on revelent events. You never knew until Friday which side of the debate you would be assigned, so it was imperative to be well informed. Today it is pretty difficult to find any impartial news which makes Bill Moyers Journal the light at the end of the tunnel for those of us searching for the truth.

It's been almost a week since the Moyers, Fein and Nichols segment on impeachment - where's the follow-up? People are blogging about it like crazy, but zero attention in the media.

Great program. THANK YOU!!!

NOW let's see what you can uncover about the MYSTERY of Conyers, et al....

BEFORE the election Conyers and 28 others SUPPORTED impeachment investigation & proceedings. (that is why we elected the "new democratic congress"....

....BUT........

AFTER the election, every stinking one of them RETRACTED their support... and CONYERS, as well as the others ACT like they are SCARED TO DEATH OF THE "I" WORD...

....enquiring minds want to know "w-h-y?" What in blazes are they so afraid of?????????

//

I wrote United States Senator Diane Feinstein of California a very angry letter about how I felt that President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney had lied and violated the laws of the United States constitution with respect to their reasons for invading Iraq and the implementation of illegal wire tapping. I urged the Senator to support impeachment proceedings (if they were to be started in the House of Representatives) against both Cheney and Bush.

Senator Feinstein, in her letter back to me, wrote:

At this time, however, I believe that impeachment proceedings against President Bush or Vice President Cheney will only divide the country even further, frustrating our hopes for a meaningful change in direction, while having little chance of success.

Now I ask you, how is it possible that a Senator or Congressperson is less interested in making sure that ALL of our elected public officials follow the rule of law and instead care more about whether the country is "divided" or not?

What does it matter if a country is divided? Why should a public servant care no less? In a democracy, we should welcome dissent! Democracy is one of the most challenging forms of government because it requires constant negotiation and compromise in order to meet the demands of the people it serves. The most important consideration given by any public official should always be that the laws of this country are being abided by ALL! If a President or Vice President violates the law than the FIRST ORDER OF PRIORITY for ANY public official is to hold that public servant ACCOUNTABLE!

And yet hear we have Senator Diane Feinstein not even ACKNOWLEDGING the fact that Bush and Cheney DID violate the law and they MUST be held accountable.

It's unbelievable. And now I'm reminded why the United States, as a democracy, is failed time and time again by the very public servants the people elect to serve it.

I signed Impeachment petitions at www.ImpeachBush.org and democrats.com. There will be a march on Washington DC on September 15 to protest the war and call for impeachment. I hope Congress gets the message.

Initially, I thought impeachment was a hysterical subject to entertain, even though I'm a disgusted conservative and would love to see Bush and Cheney disappear. But after hearing the arguments set forth by the guests, I am now absolutely behind the idea. Another important point made was how ignorant Congress is of its role and the Constitution. We the people get it. When will they?! Excellent show, Mr. Moyers.

Charges and Counter Charge

Mr Fein charges that even though America is engaged in a war, Bush and Cheney should be impeached because they have taken away liberties guaranteed by the Constitution or have assumed power not provided to the President by the Constitution.

If Mr Fein is correct, then Bush and Cheney should be impeached, however if Mr Fein is wrong, he should be charged with treason because he is giving aid and comfort to the enemy. What enemy would not be delighted to see the leader of their enemy assassinated.

The reason the Constitution calls for a Deceleration of War and the associated censorship is to prevent people from giving aid and comfort to the enemy by criticizing the president who is the Commander and Chief of the Armed Forces.

This is a very black and white issue. No soldier should ever be sent into battle unless there is an absolute commitment to do whatever it takes to win. I believe that is why the Constitution require a Deceleration of War. If there is not a commitment to win don't go to war. Surrender to the enemy is better than criticism of the President that causes the war to be extended or lost.

Mr Fein talks about a box of powers that Bush and Cheney have assembled that he does not think any president should have. Others would say the box of powers was necessary to fight the war against an enemy who was using certain liberties to attack America.

I believe Clinton should be reprimanded for his failure to protect the American people from the Islamic Terrorists that Clinton knew existed. Clinton was a coward who would not face the Islamic Terrorists, because he feared the criticism that Bush is getting. Clinton had policies in place that prevented the sharing of information between the FBI and CIA that could have connected the dots, but because Clinton did not create a box of powers, he did not do his job of protecting America thus he should be reprimanded.

The New York Times should be charged with treason for disclosing government operations that were helping to defeat the enemy.

I believe Republicans have been soft on treason and should charge a lot of people with treason. The best way to avoid treason would have been to have had censorship. With censorship, most would have avoided the popularity of criticizing elected officials.

Mr Fein talks of filling a box with powers, but by his criticism, he is emptying the box of options available to the President to fight a war. The only options now appear to be to launch a nuclear strike if America is ever attacked again because the critics will start eating the President alive if the war lasts over six months.

Mr Fein says that the President is not elected to be a four year dictator, but in time of war I do not see how it will work in any other manner. Lincoln said a house divided will fall. When America is electing a president it is a very serious business because America cannot work if there are four groups (President, Senate, House of Representative and the News Media) vying for control.

This is very serious issue, because there is no question there will be future wars and that America needs to figure out how to win future wars both politically and militarily.

We would not be discussing this whole issue if there had been a Declaration of War as called for by the Constitution and the associated censorship.

People who criticize need to be held to a high standards and held accountable for their statements. For too long critics have been allowed freedom without responsibility. This has led to a lot of abuses of freedom of speech and freedom of the press that I discuss further in the following website: http://narj-clirus.blogspot.com/

Every critic should be required to state a better way.

Oh what a web we weave, when we at first we begin to deceive.

In many cases the answer you get in a poll depends on the question. I challenge you to ask the following question in a poll.

Security vs Liberties Poll - Different Question

If an enemy was using some of your liberties in an attempt to take away all you liberties, would you give up some of your liberties until the threat was gone? Do you:

Agree - Safety of the nation as a whole takes precedence over individual civil liberties.

Disagree - Nothing diminishes the importance of protecting our civil liberties.

Neither - Depends on the situation at hand.

Thanks Bill for a very informative program, well spoken, all facts in unison, villains unmasked and solution stated-impeach!
Probably, if this program were well distributed, it just might wake up enough American citizens that could right the nations subverted laws, fix the power balance and get rid of the parasites living lives of royal luxury and decadence while the private citizen wonders at the tragic mess taking place in their National Capital. The laws and balance of power should be in place before the two masters of darkness are totally and finally impeached.
The 'Apple Wood Presidential Powers Box' referred to in the program struck my imagination and I believe, in my seventy years, I've seen our Sovereign States drop powers into this 'box' either from ignorance, bribery, or from just being cowed. Of course, our Representatives go to the Washington 'Imperial Palace' and live it up, make millions and seemingly do little and, I suspect, give no thought to their proper accountability to their constituency, adding to the 'box' by their neglect of duty.
The Bushs and Chaneys (& the others serving our country) are born in and of these times, but we expect more from them than we expect from ourselves, our families and those that entertain us. Why are we surprised at our governments perverse activities. We, as a nation, have allowed and eccepted moral perversions that would make our parents cry for the shame of their children. There are only excuses for the present mess...!
To ride an old Horse , 'These things should be done for our children's sake' , a well worn but dead theme in our self serving potbellied society.
Thanks again Bill and please excuse me for seeing the 'box' as crowded by so many human neglects.

Dual impeachment would not make Pelosi president. Bush could prevent a Pelosi presidency just by appointing a new VP who hasn't done anything impeachable. The new VP would need the approval of both houses of Congress, so Bush would need to appoint someone uncontroversial, like Gerald Ford. (Yes, Ford was uncontroversial, before he pardoned Nixon.)

Speaking of civil liberties, I am very shaken today by Elliott Cohen's article at Buzzflash - "This Summer, Will America Officially Become a Totalitarian State?"

I urge everyone to read this article to learn about the quietly posted National Continuity Policy Presidential Directive established on May 9, 2007, in which, according to Cohen, "bypasses Congress and puts him in charge of all three branches of the federal government if there is a 'catastrophic emergency'".

Cohen concludes the article with:
"Like a game of chess drawing to a close, there is a chilling aura that the final checkmate is imminent. In the least, democracy in America is in grave danger and at best dependent on chance."

At the same time, The Guardian (in the UK) reported on Monday that Cheney's push for attacking Iran is finally overstepping Condi's attempt to try diplomacy.

Given the lawlessness of Bush/Cheney, it is extremely important to know these things, and share the information loudly -- before it's too late.

A wonderful review of what the role of each branch should be. However, in wondering why Pelosi doesn't bring up impeachment--if they are both impeached, she becomes President. Makes it look totally political.

In the hearings held by the Democrats, perhaps their agenda is to brimg the "Kingship" attitude of the Pres. and V.P. and create an impeachment groundswell?

I just saw the Bill Moyer, Bruce Fein and John Nichols discussion.

First it was Bush that was wrong.

Then it was Congress that was worse.

Then it was a failure of the news media.

It would appear they think the only people that are right are themselves.

While there is still freedom of speech, I would like to say that the three that think themselves perfect are fools.

The next president who faces the next war will do what was done in WW II which was to censor fools that think themselves perfect, but who hinder the winning of the war.

There is an old saying that you should lead, follow, or get out of the way. Many do none of these but have chosen the art form of criticism.

What all this criticism is leading to is that the next president facing the next war will have to use nuclear weapons because a war cannot be won if it lasts more than six months unless there is censorship. The only wars that have been won are the ones where censorship was used.

What a powerful and intelligent discussion of the importance of understanding the foundations of the American political system! I join all the others in thanking Bill Moyers for his patriotism in producing this discussion.

This is one of the most important videos of the last five years. It needs a far larger audience. All those who see this video should copy the URL and send it to everyone they know. Especially their congressperson.

Thanks, Bill Moyers.

--Rowland Scherman

That was a show that became more intriguiging by the minute.

Thanks to Bruce Fein and John Nichols for some much needed candor regarding Pelosi's stance on this issue vital to our nation.

If you appreciated the program as well, please join us to discuss it in real-time at DemocracyInteractive.com

Thank you, Bill Moyers, for presenting Bruce Fein and John Nichols' crystalization of what every American must understand about the Constitution, especially in their definition of impeachment as the medicine for the high crime of changing the Executive Offices into an Imperium. If Congress does not impeach both Bush and Cheney, we will have followed the same path as the Roman Senate as they transmogrified their Republic into Empire.

This show was argueably one of the most important shows to air within the past 10 years! On any subject.

There simply are no words to describe the elation I felt while listening to these two constitutional scholars point out that in America the President and his men work for us and therefore are responsible to us for everything they do.

Paine and the boys are cheering from their graves!

Good Night & Good Luck

I would like to like to encourage people to let their friends and neighbors know about Mr. Moyers segment on impeachment. We are showing the clip this Thursday at our local Philipstown for Democracy meeting. What is frustrating to me is that no major media figure besides Mr. Moyer is addressing this issue or has picked up his lead on the current debate... like many others who are posting, I am writing letters to my local representative (John Hall), as well as Speaker Pelosi with hope that they are listening to us. If I have these numbers correct, public opinion at the time of Nixon's impeachment hearings was around 39% in favor of proceedings - why is Congress turning such a deaf ear when we are seeing public opinion at 46% for Bush and over 50% for Cheney. What is the tipping point??

Democratic Society Devoted to the Rule of Law

A discussion between Bill Moyers and Bruce Fein on the Impeachment.

Bruce Fein: More worrisome than Clinton's - because he (President Bush) is seeking more institutionally to cripple checks and balances and the authority of Congress and the judiciary to superintend his assertions of power. He has claimed the authority to tell Congress they don't have any right to know what he's doing with relation to spying on American citizens, using that information in any way that he wants in contradiction to a federal statute called the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. He's claimed authority to say he can kidnap people, throw them into dungeons abroad, dump them out into Siberia without any political or legal accountability. These are standards that are totally anathema to a democratic society devoted to the rule of law.

--------------------------------

What is the "rule of law"? When I hear people talk about the rule of law, my question is which law, God's Law or Civil Law?

I have come to two conclusions when it comes to the Impeachment of President Bush for not doing what the Atheistic Liberal News Media and the democrats want.

The ALNM and democrats know little about the law.

The ALNM and democrats know even less about how to fight a war.

If one were devoted to Civil Law (original Constitution) there would still be slavery, and women would not be allowed to vote.

I am sure some will say that Civil Law is being improved and becoming perfect, but I see no evidence of that. Legalizing pornography, abortion and homosexuality, all of which lead to disease, death and destruction is not improvement.

Christians are devoted to God's Law and Civil Law so long as Civil Law does not violate God's Law. Atheists are devoted to Civil Law because they see Civil Law as a way to subjugate Christians.

The relation of Civil Law and God's Law is discussed in the following reference.

http://www.lonang.com/exlibris/blackstone/bla-002.htm

William Blackstone's Commentaries on the Laws of England states, "This law of nature, being coeval with mankind and dictated by God himself, is of course superior in obligation to any other-It is binding over all the globe in all countries, and at all times; no human laws are of any validity, if contrary to this: and such of them as are valid derive all their force, and all their authority, mediately or immediately, from this original."

The key point stated by Blackstone is that law was dictated by God himself, it is superior to all other law, and that no laws contrary to the laws dictated by God are valid.

--------------------------------------------

For those who are devoted to Civil Law I will remind them that everything that Hitler did in Germany was legal because he took over the government and made Civil Laws that authorized the killing of Jews.

When Civil Law is consistent with God's Law, Civil Law is good, but in the hands of Atheists, Civil Law can be used to kill those you hate.

--------------------------------------------

When the Constitution was written there were two things that were acknowledged.

There should be a Deceleration of War with news media censorship.

There needs to be a different set of laws for those who serve in the military. T