Stephen Crockett: Time for Republicans to Choose: Bush-Cheney or America

[babylonsister]

http://www.buzzflash.com/articles/contributors/1097

Stephen Crockett: Time for Republicans to Choose: Bush-Cheney or America
Submitted by BuzzFlash on Mon, 06/25/2007 - 1:05am. Guest Contribution

A BUZZFLASH GUEST CONTRIBUTION
by Stephen Crockett

The recent claim by Dick Cheney to have both executive privilege and not to be part of the executive branch of government seems to amount to a claim that Cheney is simply above the rule of law. It appears that both Bush and Cheney think they rule by divine right like the absolute monarchs of medieval Europe or the dictators of the old Soviet Bloc. Both need to be impeached. Until they are removed from office, the media, Congress, and the courts should be aggressively investigating, exposing, and opposing their abuses of power.

Bush has ignored the rule of law repeatedly. He has wiretapped American citizens without court orders in clear violation of the law by claiming nonexistent Presidential authority. Both Bush and Cheney lied to the American public and Congress to take America into an illegal war in Iraq.

Republican politicians helped Bush and Cheney pack our federal courts and the U.S. Department of Justice with partisan political hacks who do everything possible to make illegal actions benefiting Republicans appear legal. Elections have been essentially rigged, denying millions of Americans of their right to vote or to have their votes accurately counted.

snip//

Our national security has been undermined; our civil liberties threatened; our traditional political freedoms badly trampled by an out of control Executive Branch actively abetted by Republicans in Congress and Republican federal judges.

Corruption and incompetence dominates the leadership of the Republican Party at the state and national level almost everywhere in America. Investigations are underway in state after state from California to Texas to Ohio of Republican political abuses. Many more are called for in places such as Alabama, Arizona, Delaware, Florida, Maryland, Nevada, and Pennsylvania.

Partisan political considerations should never trump the rule of law. It is up to Republicans to clean up the corruption and contempt of American political traditions by their leadership. Republican leaders need to choose between their Party leadership and the future of the American nation!

A BUZZFLASH GUEST CONTRIBUTION
Stephen Crockett is a co-host of Democratic Talk Radio.

[aquart]

1. Yep.

[acmavm]

2. Someone forgot the third choice, the one they'll chose. THEMSELVES.

They'll distance themselves (hell, they already have) from the criminals squatting in the White House. But they'll claim that their way is still the high road, the way to go.

They have no scruples.

And WTF? John Kerry is going to support Chuckie Hagel if he runs for pResident?????????????????????

[babylonsister]

3. Can you provide a link for that last little tidbit? I hadn't heard that. Thanks. nt

[acmavm]

6. I can't find the article that I read that in. But I read it today and it just

freaked me out.

[babylonsister]

8. Well, I can't find it anywhere; if it was even a rumor, I think someone

might be shouting it from the rooftops. I couldn't see Kerry doing that; Hagel hasn't even declared, and it's so early.

[kerrygoddess]

4. Absolutely unsubstantiated rumor. Period. n/t

[acmavm]

5. Good. I hope so....

[Mass]

7. Somebody got confused between Kerrey running if Hagel does not run in NE, I think.

If this is not that, the person who wrote the article is dillusional.\nt

[karynnj]

10. It would not be the first time someone mixed up Kerry and Kerrey

In addition to Kerrey running if Hagel doesn't - I could see Kerrey speculating that he would vote for Hagel. KerrEy is a loose cannon and has over been quoted saying things he backtracks from. I also vaguely remember that Bill Clinton and KerrEy were not on friendly terms in the 1990s.

[karynnj]

9. The only comment I have heard from Kerry on endoursing anyone

was on one of the book tour events. He spoke of how he was looking for all the candidiates to stand up on the environmental issues. He said he hoped that there would be a candidate with good positions and a track record. (Hagel's 0% from the LCV speaks for itself.) On This Week with Stephanopolis he said no one was there yet. In Denver, he answered "the Democrat" when asked.

Given that Hagel is profoundly conservative, he is almost always on the other side of every issue from Kerry. The one issue where they have any closeness is that Kerry would likely be able to work in the Senate with Hagel on Iraq.

Kerry did not endorse McCain in 2000, instead he campaigned for Gore in NH during the primaries. Hagel is not McCain of 2000 - before his brain was stolen by PNAC - where there were broad areas where they agreed (environment, veterans benefits and, because McCain was then a libertarian, many social issues like abortion) in addition to where they disagreed.