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What can the people do when Congress refuses to listen??

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kentuck Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-17-09 01:47 PM
Original message
What can the people do when Congress refuses to listen??
It's obvious that the people want accountability for the last eight years. They want to know the truth about the torture, the eavesdropping on millions of citizens, the rendition of prisoners, the lies about the invasion of Iraq, the firing of US Attorneys that acted independently of the White House, and where all the money went. They want to know the truth.

But, for whatever reasons, the Congress does not seem to have the appetite to explore these questions? Perhaps it is because so many of them acquiesced to the wishes of Bush and Cheney, even though they had personal doubts about the legality of some actions. It seems that they have the ear of the new President-elect Obama, with his recent statements about wishing to "move forward". It is because of the collusion of so many Democrats in leadership positions that these investigations will never go forward. We will never know the truth and there will be no accountability.
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leftchick Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-17-09 01:49 PM
Response to Original message
1. you nailed it
answered you own question. If they were to actually investigate, many, many democrats would be exposed as complicit. Think DiFi, Lieberman and Rockefeller for starters.
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Le Taz Hot Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-17-09 01:49 PM
Response to Original message
2. Find people to run for office
who will listen -- including (and I've said this many many times), DUers.
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John Q. Citizen Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-17-09 01:50 PM
Response to Original message
3. Some in congress do have the appitite. The Executive branch is responsible for police and
investigation and prosecution.

The executive branch enforces the laws that congress passes.

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cali Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-17-09 01:55 PM
Response to Original message
4. I don't think it's obvious that the people
agree on these things. Seems to me there's a wide range of opinion. Do you have anything to back up your claim?

I'd love to believe that there's a strong majority who want investigations and prosecutions. I doubt it.
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kentuck Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-17-09 02:06 PM
Response to Reply #4
9. We do have the poll question on change.gov
Obama's own web page. By far, the people that responded wanted accountability issue addressed more than any thing else, including healthcare and Iraq.
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cali Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-17-09 02:09 PM
Response to Reply #9
12. The problem with that, of course, is that the people who
go to change.gov are a self-selecting group- and sure to be largely dems. That is not a representative slice of the citizenry.
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kentuck Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-17-09 02:11 PM
Response to Reply #12
14. We assume that most of the responders were Democrats....
that is true. That doesn't make it illegitimate.
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cali Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-17-09 02:12 PM
Response to Reply #14
15. not illegitimate, but not representative either
My chief point is that I think it's a mistake to speak for the people.
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kentuck Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-17-09 02:15 PM
Response to Reply #15
16. Since Obama won a majority of the votes in the last election...
I think this would represent the viewpoint of the majority. Of course, the Republicans are not going to investigate crimes that they were intimately involved in.
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cali Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-17-09 02:53 PM
Response to Reply #16
20. it's an error in logic to assume that everyone who voted for him
has the same view on this. Odds are, like in any large group of people, there are divisions in opinion.
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kentuck Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-17-09 03:52 PM
Response to Reply #20
22. Then by that assumption, others besides his supporters voted...
in the poll online?
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Bjorn Against Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-17-09 02:07 PM
Response to Reply #4
10. Not a lot of polls have been taken on impeachment.
I did find this Zogby one from 2005 however and it shows support for impeachment at 42% then, I would think it would be much higher now considering that Bush is even far more unpopular now. I realize Zogby has a mixed record, but no other major polling organization dares to ask this question so it is hard to get numbers on it.

http://www.zogby.com/news/ReadNews.cfm?ID=1007
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Tierra_y_Libertad Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-17-09 01:58 PM
Response to Original message
5. It's kinda like asking the Mafia to investigate organized crime.
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ZombieHorde Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-17-09 02:01 PM
Response to Original message
6. We can blog about our rage and then go watch TV, or get something to eat.
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Le Taz Hot Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-17-09 02:04 PM
Response to Reply #6
7. Self snapshot?
Sorry, couldn't resist. :evilgrin:
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ZombieHorde Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-17-09 02:06 PM
Response to Reply #7
8. Only if you replace blogging with DUing.
Sorry, couldn't resist.

That is Jesus whispering in your ear.
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Le Taz Hot Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-17-09 02:16 PM
Response to Reply #8
17. My mechanic is whispering in my ear???
That's creepy. :P
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ZombieHorde Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-17-09 04:27 PM
Response to Reply #17
23. I don't know, but you may wish to investigate that possibility. nt
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Iggo Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-17-09 02:08 PM
Response to Original message
11. This is why we overthrow the gov't every two years.
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CrispyQ Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-17-09 02:10 PM
Response to Original message
13. I haven't heard reports of Congress' phone lines ringing off the hook,
fax machines backing up, & email accounts being overloaded from requests from We the People to investigate. Congress doesn't have to work hard to not hear us.
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Solly Mack Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-17-09 02:17 PM
Response to Original message
18. Some of the same people mocking and fighting against accountability will be the same
people complaining the loudest when another Bush-league "President" gets into office. Wouldn't do any good to tell them "I told you so" at that time because they'll be blind to the connection. Mostly they'll be blinded by the same self-serving denial they are hiding behind now.





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stray cat Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-17-09 02:20 PM
Response to Original message
19. The people has to create a majority who want the same thing rather than a vocal minority
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stillcool Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-17-09 02:56 PM
Response to Original message
21. There aren't enough people talking..
to force them to listen. I wonder how many people here have emailed or phoned their Senators, Congressperson about Gaza, Rick Warren, or anything else lately.
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GA_ArmyVet Donating Member (304 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-17-09 05:00 PM
Response to Original message
24. Vote everyone of the fuckers out of office
All of em

Dems, Repub, Ind, all of em...

Start over with a new bunch who are not smothered in their own power and ego trips.
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