In Defense of Robert Wexler

[davidswanson]

By David Swanson

My review of Congressman Robert Wexler's book includes plenty of criticism of him. I would add my extremely negative view of the new get-tough-on-the-nonexistent-threat-from-Iran bill that he's cosponsored. But this attack on him is utter nonsense.

Was Wexler late in coming to impeachment? Of course, he was. But not as late as many other Congress members, and not as late as many more who we hope will still come around. We want to welcome them with open arms, not attacks for showing up tardy.

Is there more that Wexler could do for impeachment? Of course, there is. But he has already taken the almost unheard of step of publicly whipping his colleagues and committee chairman. He has uniquely put his voice in the media. He has uniquely assigned both congressional staff and campaign staff to work on the issue, and to work in cooperation with grassroots groups.

While Congressman Dennis Kucinich has taken the lead, as Wexler openly acknowledges and praises, Wexler has taken steps that nobody else has taken and done more for impeachment than anyone in Congress other than Kucinich.

Does Wexler hope to generate support for his election campaigns and sell copies of his book? Does he hope to generate some fame for himself, maybe even take pleasure in some talk of a vice-presidential nomination? Maybe even raise some money to pay the salaries of all the staffers he - and NO OTHER MEMBER OF CONGRESS - has working on impeachment?

Well, what could be better? What would indicate more life in our tattered democracy? Electing saints who cared nothing for public opinion would be the death of a democracy. Electing anti-politicians who didn't want to compete is by definition not possible. The wonderful thing about Wexler is that, even compared to most politicians, he's willing to make a lot of noise for positions actually held by his constituents. Sure, he's attracting attention to himself - but for exactly what we want him to attract attention to himself.

Already a quarter millenium back, as democracy was being born, David Hume pointed out that there is very little harm, if any, and often much good, in people taking pride in their good behavior. Would we prefer they did the right thing but with indifference to people around them? Or did the right thing but with shame and secrecy? Or did the wrong thing?

Let's grow up, here. I want to see every congress member who claims to take a position to do more than cosponsor a resolution. I want them to make it a focus of their next campaign. I want them to write a book about it. I want that book to be a best seller. I want them to get on TV and talk about it endlessly. I want them to pressure their colleagues to get on board. Why wouldn't I?

Now, perhaps I'm corrupt as well. Perhaps AfterDowningStreet and Democrats.com hope to build their membership and run ads for Wexler's book and run ads from other poor chumps attracted by all the work we do to try to make impeachment happen, while meanwhile I'm secretly traveling around the country giving speeches promoting impeachment, and I make a living at it, and I might write a book someday and want people to buy my book too.

But I hardly see the harm in putting ourselves out for impeachment. I think the Congress member who just signs a resolution and then goes out and tells everyone it's only for show and not really possible can be thanked for doing something more than most and yet can also be upbraided for hypocrisy and counterproductive actions. But the member of Congress who publicly and privately devotes endless hours to pushing for impeachment as a real possibility? We're going to condemn him because he's running for reelection and selling a book? That's where you lose me.

And that's where you'll have to completely condemn every single member of Congress. Kucinich, too, sends people to his campaign website. His website, too, asks for money and Email addresses. And he should do that, and I would complain if he didn't. Our job is not to complain that he's promoting himself. Our job is to ask even him, as our leader in Congress, to do more, and to ask everyone else in Congress to catch up to him. And if he writes another book, our job is to make it a bestseller - and maybe even read it, and maybe even learn something.

[KaryninMiami]

1. Beautifully stated, David. K&R

I am a big fan of Wexler and I admire his courage and perseverance. I wish we had many more like him. I will also buy his book. My only wish is that he was in my district or that I could swap him for Debbie Wasserman Schultz.

[hfojvt]

2. It would be a terrible thing

if people became rich and famous for doing the right thing. Then suddenly everybody would want to do it.

PS - looks like this is double posted, at least in your journal.

[davidswanson]

3. i agree and thanks

oh, and i'd trade w-schultz for almost anybody, but not for virgil goode :-(

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. Another great post, David

Have you seen Wexler's show on the Sundance Channel? It's wonderful. http://www.rolandparkpictures.com/thehill_press.html

[davidswanson]

6. heard about but

haven't watched

[UTUSN]

5. K&R #3 for, Nobody better be attacking my man WEXLER!1 (Yes, I read it) n/t

[EFerrari]

7. We can leave comments at the link, folks. I'm only disappointed that Wexler

has no rock opera yet. :)

[KoKo]

8. I saw your excellent comment there ....I hope others signed up there will

share their views about Scott's OP Ed Letter. :thumbsup:

[KoKo]

9. David, thank you for that excellent review of Wexler's book and the links

to the OP ED. Your review is filled with insight about Wexler and seems very fair in your small critique where I've also observed the same problems with Wexler in the past. Even if he's a little "d," as you say we need a fighter like Wexler and would that we had more like Wexler and Kucinich.

:thumbsup:

[cascadiance]

10. Dave, I love what Wexler (and Kucinich) are doing! We NEED more like him. But!...

I wonder about what kind of blackmail is going on behind the scenes in congress.

The two most ardent champions of impeachment are Kucinich and Wexler. In the case of Kucinich, he's already faced an assassination plot in the past as mayor before he was in congress, and I believe that man has learned to have NO fear! I think that serves him in his "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead" mentality he has now, no matter what they might be threatening him with behind the scenes.

With Wexler, I wonder about the following issues.

I, who've lived myself for five years in Turkey as a person growing up, and was likely living with many friends whose parents were helping the Turkish government arm for doing the invasion of Cyprus (which was recently released in CIA reports that the American government was more complicit in that event than known previously).

I've been a big advocate for letting Sibel Edmonds speak, who appears to have a bipartisan effort in silencing her from both parties in congress. I think she's sitting on top of a real time bomb of information of folks in this administration leaking black market WMD secrets and technologies to countries like Turkey and Israel who've sent them on to AQ Kahn in Pakistan, etc.

I also have noted that Congressman Wexler has a lot of ties to Turkish lobbyists and individuals himself. Now that by itself is not "indicting", as I myself know MANY Turks who are great people and I associate with, etc. But there IS a big problem with corruption in that government just like we have here now.

I still wonder if part of the reason why Wexler is so strident in his efforts of impeachment now is to make sure that later when some of this crap gets exposed and some elements of Turkey's government complicit with some elements of ours in what could be some very heinous crimes, that he can hold his hands up and say he had nothing to do with it. Being a leader on impeachment efforts will really be helpful to him then in validating that claim too. So in the case of Wexler, perhaps his interests in distancing himself from the corrupt elements of our government that are associated with corrupt elements of Turkey outweight any costs of blackmail they might be trying to hold against him.

I know that there are many in the Armenian community that whether or not they hate George Bush, still don't like Congressman Wexler for what they perceive as having too friendly a relationship with Turkey, voting against the genocide resolutions, etc. I'm not supporting the Armenians here either, but I think there's an interesting angle to look at.

Perhaps that means that we need to find other "costs" that could outweigh any blackmail costs for other congress critters too, to challenge them to join Wexler and Kucinich too.

With so much of the rest of congress staying away from impeachment, you have to wonder what kind of blackmail is going on!

I say again though, that I'm really for what Wexler's been doing and continue to support him strongly! Just wanted to offer an explanation that perhaps can provide insight into his motivations, and what we might use as motivations for others to join the fight!

[davidswanson]

12. i doubt it

he's a militarist and an isreal-right-or-wronger, but there are hardcore rightwingers who support impeaching bush too - as should anyone who wants to maintain any system of laws in this country or internationally

wexler backs impeachment because his constituents want it, and because people around the country flock to it, their own representatives having let them down

[cascadiance]

13. Yea, it could be. It's just speculation on my part...

I've also noticed that it is strange that so many right wing publications are the ones to "leak" stuff on Sibel Edmonds too (The Rupert Murdoch owned London Times, Patrick Buchanan's American Conservative, etc,) when what she's talking about really indicts primarily Republicans in power now. It's almost like they are also doing what I postulate Wexler is doing and "distancing themselves" from the criminal elements in Washignton.

Let's not forget that former Ambassador to Turkey, Marc Grossman, who's really had a finger pointed to him as the pointman for WMD leaks to AQ Kahn via Turkey and also perhaps the REAL person who outed Valerie Plame and Brewster Jennings, was an older "friend" of Joseph Wilson, and was also worked in Clinton's administration too. There's probably a LOT of blackmail going around just on this!

But it's just as likely that Wexler has also other reasons as well for doing impeachment that you note. I think keeping a distance from the criminal crowd in Washington probably just seals the deal for him, instead of working against him in terms of blackmail fear like other congress critters are facing now!

[Hissyspit]

11. I saw that article at Op Ed News and thought about posting it for discussion...

for about a second. Then I said the hell with it.

[EFerrari]

14. I wonder why that author chose to publish at OEN instead of

taking it directly to Wexler. I also wonder how old that author is.

[pacalo]

15. Good point about Wexler's book revenues possibly paying for his staff's work on impeachment.

I believe Wexler to be an honorable man & I don't doubt that the money he gets from the book is going toward a good cause. If some of it goes to his re-election campaign, that's great. He said yesterday in the townhall telephone conversation that he has two opponents with lots of money who are attacking him for his stand on impeachment & for his vote on the FISA bill; said it was a hot issue in his area & could use some help.

I typed the gist of the townhall meeting here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x3514301.

I was disappointed in the lack of interest; there were only a few responses, & a couple were sarcastic toward Wexler.

[davidswanson]

16. I understand

there were thousands on the call and hundreds asked questions

[pacalo]

17. Yes, but with only an hour's time to work with, I'd say only 10, plus or minus, got through.

All unanswered questions can be submitted to www.wexlerwantshearings.com .

[davidswanson]

18. they screened them

for the most articulate people asking the most popular questions

the call cost thousands, paid for by that detested "Contribute" button

almost 10,000 people were on the call