Letter to constituent [host comments in brackets].
Dear Mr. ,
Thank you for contacting me regarding your disappointment with the current administration [actually, the disappointment is with Congress]. I appreciate hearing your thoughts on this matter, and wanted to personally respond to address this issue, one that weighs heavy on the hearts of many Americans.
Throughout our history, nations around the world have looked to the United States as a model of liberty - a paradigm of both distinction and transparancy - and we have done our best to set a high standard. This has always been a great part of the inspiration in serving my country; the opportunity to take part in this noble cause. Recently, however, we have witnessed our government ignore the freedoms established in the Constitution on countless occasions, and flaunted national security as justification [right on!].
The founders of our nation left no doubt that the most important role of the president is to "preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States." President Bush has twice taken this oath of office, as has Vice President Cheney. [hmmm...anyone else?]. Throughout the past several years many have raised questions regarding the administration's actions with regard to the fundamental elements of democracy, as well the respect for the rule of law and the essential freedoms laid out in the Bill of Rights.
Congressional oversight has been an essential piece of American democracy. It is this oversight that keeps the Executive branch of the government in check and is essential to maintaining the limits of Presidential authority [exactly]. During the Clinton Administration [huh?], the Republican-controlled House held numerous hearings on President Clinton's actions and policies. In fact, a Government Accountability Office (GAO) study found that in one 18-month period the Clinton Administration staff spent more than 55,000 hours resopnding to more than 4300 congressional requests. However, when the Republican Party had control of the White House and both the House and Senate, congressional oversight essentially stopped [and...?].
Unchecked executive power invites abuses, and throughout the tenure of the Bush Administration, a number of allegations of abuse have been the cause of great public concern. Among the more egregious are: whether the Bush Administration led the nation into a war in Iraq based on intelligence that was faulty; whether President Bush condoned the torture of detainees in direct opposition to federal law ['whether?' you're kidding right?]; whether the Administration retaliated against individuals and organizations that were critical of their actions; the use of "signing statements" to reserve the right of the President to use his authority to disregard federal law if he discerns that it is in the interest of national security [please]; and the Persident's authorization fo eavesdropping on American citizens contrary to federal law. [why is there a "whether" before torture, signing statements and eavesdropping!? this is public knowledge. as far as retaliation goes, how are you making out with those subpoenas?].
Any one of these issues standing alone is a very serious matter. However, taken collectively, they raise very troubling questions that strike at the heart of our democracy [okay, we're back to building the case for impeachment]. With the recent elections, the House and Senate now have Democratic majorities, which gives us the opportunity to provide real oversight of the Administration's actions. Please be assured I will work with my colleagues to provide that oversight and ensure that the Administration's abuses of power do not continue [thank you, by the way, for voting nay on the FISA nonsense. so...how are those subpoenas coming along?].
Our Constitution provides checks and balances between the branches of government and demands a respect for the rule of law. Pennsylvanians expect open, honest and transparent government. I am working hard to bring those values to the issue facing our country and to guarantee that our government is of the people, by the people, and for the people. With all this said, I do not support impeaching President Bush or Vice President Cheney unless there is direct, unequivocal evidence of violations of the law. [WHAAAT!!?? Remember Nixon? Remember Congress wasn't too crazy about the eavesdropping? Remember something called the FISA Act? Knowingly violating the FISA Act is a F-E-L-O-N-Y. Not to mention the fact that the Constitution does not require a violation of the law for impeachment. Violations of the Constitution which you already established are plenty and equally, if not more, concerning are grounds enough. Secondly, the unequivocal evidence, although already quite evident, is determined after impeachment is put into play not before]. Our country must move forward [moving forward without establishing accountability and restoration of the Constitution is as dangerous an act as I can imagine].
I say this because while working in the White House under the Clinton Administration [here we go], an important distinction that I learned was between the idea of the president, and that of the presidency. Our founding fathers worked specifically towards establishing a reputable legacy within the oval office, one that would preserve through times of prosperity, times of war, and even times when a President abused the powers of his own office [the 'founding fathers' would be screaming, "Impeach!"]. This legacy also mirrors the image of the nation, reflecting its accomplishments or even its failures [okay, you're building the case again!]. As a result, I believe that issuing articles of impeachment would seriously undermine the legacy of the presidency [pulling self up off the floor]. The continued reputation of the presidency, and by extension the collective progress of the nation of which it reflects, outweigh the negative consequences that would result from impeachment [okay, don't think it matters how many times I read that sentence, I keep ending up with "huh?"].
There are times, however, that I do believe impeachment to be a viable course of action. The Watergate scandal was a clear, egregious abuse of power that merited congressional action. Nevertheless, in regards to the current Administration, I do not believe the abuses of power match the nature of those during Watergate [Good Lord, where's my Xanax? Two words: John Dean. One book: "Worse Than Watergate"], and thus do not believe such action is warranted. This nation must work hard to move forward, [move forward now without cleaning up this mess and kiss our country goodbye], to progress beyond the faults of the current Administration. Attempting to impeach the president would further stall this progress and besmirch the presidency long after the current Administration leaves office [not acting will seal the fate of the presidency and future presidents will undoubtedly relish the power grab and only a fool doesn't believe that others will follow suit]. Resultantly, in the spirit of growth and the preservation of [abuses] the oval office, I do not support issuing articles of impeachment against the office of the Presidency or Vice Presidency.
Although we may disagree on this issue, please know that I deeply respect your views. You were correct in stating that many have voiced their support of impeachment, and please be assured that I keep their thoughts and concerns in mind. Ultimately, it is my hope to work within the Democratic Congress towards returning America to the open, prosperous nation it was upon inception. Our work will not be done until citizens can criticize their government without the fear of retaliation or scorn, until the rule of law is steadfastly obeyed and upheld, and until a pervasive ethic of transparency runs through the halls of Capitol Hill [best of luck].
Thank you again for contacting me on this issue...[so on and so forth].
Sincerely,
Joe Sestak
Phone: (202) 225-2011 | Fax: (202) 226-0280
Freshman Joe Sestak Town Hall News
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If anyone can honestly say that Watergate was worse the the long list of abuses of executive power under Bush and Cheney, they have a poor memory and/or have not been paying attention. A two-bit burglary vs. an opposition party compared with a newly minited theory of the "unitary executive" or commander-in-chief or what dictator or king?_________________________________________
Sestak's name should be at the top of Moveon.com's list when looking for people to confront and oppose in 2008 Democrat Primary races. This guy shames the Constitution, his family, himself and calling himself a "patriot" and "Democrat". His pedantic letter assumes that no one is intelligent enough to read and understand the Constitution or the oath of office he took.
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The congress has given it's power over to the bush administration after it slavishly granted him the power to declare war after 911. The congress is quickly becoming a superficial body, and if it doesn't wake up, it will also be looking for new work. The propagandists will replace any dissenting voice with another corporate stooge. I am a historian, and I see too many similarities to Nazi Germany, and the end of the Roman Republic. I never thought I would find myself living in a situation like Germany's was in 1938, but that is what has happened while America slept. 2000 was a bloodless coup. 2004, the machines were rigged. I was very active in the 2004 election, people stood in lines in the rain until 1am to vote. People don't do that to maintain the status quo. The exit polls were at sharp variance with the results. What happened? John Kerry disappeared, and the destruction has continued. If these people are NOT thrown out, the next president will have equal powers, and will be worse. History bears this out. If things are not changed with impeachment and vigilant house-cleaning in DC, this will soon be a terrible place to live. If another corporate stooge enters the WH, another Clinton, or Obama, or any Republican except Ron Paul, I am leaving the country for good. We need a real person, not another puppet. The real candidates like Dennis Kucinich or Ron Paul will be blown away by the propaganda machine called media news. We need a radical shift, or it is too late. I want to thank everyone on this site for their good work. I am doing work of my own. I have drawn up a petition demanding Congress repeal the latest spying bill that allows this government to use military spy equipment on US Citizens. This equipment can see through walls, even into your basements. Using such methods is unacceptable. I hate to tell you how many people won't sign because they don't want their name on a list. There are others that are, and there are websites dealing with the issue now. But, we need action, websites can't do it all.
In my opinion, Bush, Cheney and the congress all need replacing.
Respectfully,
Marilyn Gjerdrum
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While Joe Sestak fiddles around, the Constitution is going up in flames, and the greatest financial collapse since the 14th Century threatens to ravage the nation and the world. When the nation needs REAL leadership, Rep. Sestak and his fellow idiocratic colleagues who dwell in the "House of Representin'" continue to act like little children choosing which new toy to buy, blissfully unaware that nothing's wrong.
He claims to call himself a "patriot" and a "Democrat", but he's definitely NOT acting like either of them by his determination to avoid discussing the issue of the impeachment of Dick Cheney by throwing up a lot of bald-faced excuses. He'd rather hide behind smoke and mirrors than to have the guts to tackle the issue of impeachment and the collapse of this present financial system head on and DO what's necessary to make sure that the United States will continue to exist as a sovereign nation at the beginning of 2008.
With so many members of Congress (with a few rare exceptions) who are stubbornly determined to avoid the issue of impeachment and the crimes which have been committed by this administration with impunity, along with the simultaneous exploding of the sub-prime mortage and consumer credit card debt bubbles and the banking crisis which threatens to virtually wipe out all chartered banks, you have to wonder whether Congress is either gutless, stupid, insane or all three.
Also, if you noticed, none of today's Sunday talking-heads programs or the Sunday editions of the nation's leading newspapers had anything to say about the banking crisis and/or the collapse of the sub-prime mortgage and consumer credit card bubbles. As far as they're concerned, those subjects aren't "sexy" or sensationalistic enough to merit giving these issues any media coverage and in the week ahead, neither the Congress nor the think tanks of DC have scheduled a single event to discuss the financial disaster we face, because they think these crisies have absolutely nothing to do with them, and that it's going to be "someone else's" problem to solve.
We, the People, must find the moral guts within ourselves to publicly confront Rep. Sestak and the others who are playing the role of a Congressman or Senator, instead of actually BEING a Congressman or Senator and ask them one simple question ... "Do you want to make something of your life, or do you want to be a piece of crap?" The answer which Rep. Sestak and the others give to this question (after they whine about how "blunt" and "rude" the question is) will determine whether they are morally fit to lead the nation through this extremely perilous time.
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Sir:
You have capitulated to the enemy (the Bush Administration), and I never expected that of a military veteran. I had expected better of you as a US Representative. From the beginning the USA has been a country of laws. Some of the laws George
W. Bush must obey as president are in the US Constitution. When he lies to the American people (and he has without question done this 100s of times) he is committing "high crimes and misdemeanors". When he allows abuses of prisoners he is committing torture. When he tells the NSA to spy without warrent on US citizens he is shredding the constitution.
IMPEACH the Bush Administration! It is the law. The law must be upheld. Congressman, I am ashamed of you! Never before have I seen a retired US Navy Admiral with jellyfish where his spine should be.
DO YOUR DUTY. IMPEACH CHENEY AND BUSH!
Sincerely,
George Hunt
Democrat County Committeeman, Maple Shade NJ
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Look, we can all point out, as I have to Mary Ellen in an email not only exactly how the crimes of Bush/Cheney are the same crimes that Nixon was guilty of and that they have committed more crimes than just Watergate type crimes, but what is the point? We know it. They know it. They are placing personal ambition and party politics above the law, their oath of office and the constitution. They EVEN parrot the SAME damn lines from the same damn script: "Oh, we need to
move on and look to the FUTURE!" It is like they all dropped the same kool aid acid. We have few options here that I can see. We can stop voting these SOBs in, we can run our own candidates or we can support third parties.
THEY DON'T CARE. THEY JUST DON'T GIVE A DAMN and that's why while I'll continue to write and send my emails, keep my appointment with Holt on the 24th, etc., but on the inside I've given up. THEY WIN. WE LOSE. Kiss the country and the planet goodbye. They are the only ones that have the power to hold Bush/Cheney accountable for
their crimes and if they had an obligation to stop a street or corporate crime in the same way they have an obligation to protect the constitution and hold Bush/Cheney accountable, they would be charged with aiding and abetting the criminal activity they are not doing anything about. So, what do you do? Report THEM to the justice department? Right. Good luck with that. Bush and Cheney have now surpassed Nixonian levels of disapproval in the polls, and for good reason. They openly committed the same abuses for which the House Judiciary Committee passed articles of impeachment against Nixon (such as refusing to comply with subpoenas). They openly violated laws put into place in response to Nixon's abuses (such as the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act). They seized unconstitutional power in ways Nixon never attempted (such as by rewriting laws with signing statements). And Cheney and Bush committed far more serious crimes, including misleading the nation into war, kidnapping, torture, and murder. No political calculation or marching orders from Nancy Pelosi should take precedence over the oath of office taken by Congress to defend the Constitution. This is a solemn oath that they are sworn to honor and to not act is not only a violation of their oath, it is a betrayal to the country and enables future presidents to commit the same high crimes and misdemeanors.
Ten Reasons to Impeach George Bush and Dick Cheney I ask Congress to impeach President Bush and Vice President Cheney for the following reasons:
1. Violating the United Nations Charter by launching an illegal "War of Aggression" against Iraq without cause, using fraud to sell the war to Congress and the public, misusing government funds to begin bombing without Congressional
authorization, and subjecting our military personnel to unnecessary harm, debilitating injuries, and deaths.
2. Violating U.S. and international law by authorizing the torture of thousands of captives, resulting in dozens of deaths, and keeping prisoners hidden from the International Committee of the Red Cross.
3. Violating the Constitution by arbitrarily detaining Americans, legal residents, and non-Americans, without due process, without charge, and without access to counsel.
4. Violating the Geneva Conventions by targeting civilians, journalists, hospitals, and ambulances, and using illegal weapons, including white phosphorous, depleted uranium, and a new type of napalm.
5. Violating U.S. law and the Constitution through widespread wiretapping of the phone calls and emails of Americans without a warrant.
6. Violating the Constitution by using "signing statements" to defy hundreds of laws passed by Congress.
7. Violating U.S. and state law by obstructing honest elections in 2000, 2002, 2004, and 2006.
8. Violating U.S. law by using paid propaganda and disinformation, selectively and misleadingly leaking classified
information, and exposing the identity of a covert CIA operative working on sensitive WMD proliferation for political retribution.
9. Subverting the Constitution and abusing Presidential power by asserting a "Unitary Executive Theory" giving unlimited powers to the President, by obstructing efforts by Congress and the Courts to review and restrict Presidential actions, and by promoting and signing legislation negating the Bill of Rights and the Writ of Habeas Corpus.
10. Gross negligence in failing to assist New Orleans residents after Hurricane Katrina, in ignoring urgent warnings of an Al Qaeda attack prior to Sept. 11, 2001, and in increasing air pollution causing global warming.
- Larry Siegel