Democratic Underground Latest Greatest Lobby Journals Search Options Help Login
Google

We need a pledge from our candidates

Printer-friendly format Printer-friendly format
Printer-friendly format Email this thread to a friend
Printer-friendly format Bookmark this thread
This topic is archived.
Home » Discuss » Archives » General Discussion (1/22-2007 thru 12/14/2010) Donate to DU
 
Blue_In_AK Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Oct-21-07 01:20 AM
Original message
We need a pledge from our candidates
I've been thinking a lot about the Constitution this week, thanks to PBS and other disturbing things I've been reading, and I'm angry. We need to demand that the candidates pledge to us that if they are elected, they will give up the extra-Constitutional powers that Bush/Cheney have usurped since 2000. They must be willing to be a "weaker" president in order to restore our government to the founders' original intent. Our government only works if all three branches are equal. The whole idea of the Declaration of Independence was to get out from under King George's tyrannical ways, and the Constitution was carefully crafted to assure that American citizens would never again come under such autocratic rule. Now here we are. Executive immunity, signing statements, undeclared wars, private armies -- all that stuff has to go. It is very UN-American.

Where do our candidates stand on this? Why aren't they talking about it? I want some clarity here. Politicians swear to uphold the Constitution with their hand on a Bible, and then they ignore it. I want something in WRITING that says WE THE PEOPLE can get them out of there if they start getting too full of themselves. We need to keep them humble.

Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
Ghost in the Machine Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Oct-21-07 01:23 AM
Response to Original message
1. Vote for Dennis Kucinich
The ONLY candidate with a clear plan to get out of Iraq.

The ONLY candidate who carries a pocket Constitution and reads it...
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
MaggieSwanson Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Oct-21-07 03:54 AM
Response to Reply #1
10. Word.
I don't think he even needs to carry it with him, he knows it by heart.

:patriot:
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
robinlynne Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Oct-21-07 01:24 AM
Response to Original message
2. I'm with you on this one. And they need to pledge to NOT concede until every god damn vote is counte
counted several times.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Kagemusha Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Oct-21-07 01:42 AM
Response to Original message
3. There is such a pledge, actually.
http://www.americanfreedomcampaign.org/

It's not quite as wide ranging as you suggest, but it's not far off at all... I like it. Not all candidates signed, though; some did er... they wrote a letter saying they supported the goals, but didn't sign the piece of paper per se. And there's no way that signing a pledge means they can be removed by any (legal) means other than impeachment after getting into office.

But it's not nothing, and the candidates who really mean it deserve props.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
jillan Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Oct-21-07 01:45 AM
Response to Original message
4. This is from Biden in July
http://www.joebiden.com/newscenter/pressreleases?id=0127

SENATOR BIDEN CHAMPIONS LEGISLATION TO STRENGTHEN COUNTERTERRORISM AUTHORITIES, RESTORE RULE OF LAW

Key points:

Prohibit Extraordinary Rendition

Close Black Sites & Extra-Judicial Prisons

Prohibit the Torture or Mistreatment of Detainees in U.S. Custody

Modify the Definition of "Unlawful Enemy Combatant"

Extend Habeas Corpus to Detainees

You can read the details at the link.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Blue_In_AK Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Oct-21-07 01:51 AM
Response to Reply #4
5. Thank you for that.
I just think it's so terribly important that we backtrack, get back to where we used to be -- oh, pre-Reagan maybe -- and have a do-over.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
jillan Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Oct-21-07 01:56 AM
Response to Reply #5
6. And this huge step from Dodd. With Biden as the first co-signer, than Obama.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
TahitiNut Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Oct-21-07 02:07 AM
Response to Original message
7. A "pledge" leaves the option open. Prosecution is the only satisfactory recourse.
Edited on Sun Oct-21-07 02:09 AM by TahitiNut
Deliberate violation of the Constitution MUST be a "high crime" ... or "high crime" has no meaning whatsoever! This ain't a matter of a "gentleman's agreement" or a campaign promise. No fucking way.

If the high crimes of the Cheney/Bush regime go unprosecuted and unpunished, they become precedent. ANY subsequent President can then claim powers established by precedent. Completely and totally unacceptable.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
me b zola Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Oct-21-07 04:19 AM
Response to Reply #7
11. Agreed, but that leaves open another important question
Are we going to get the candidates on record for if they will issue pardons to the * administration? I think getting that answer from the candidates would be telling.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
ConsAreLiars Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Oct-21-07 02:16 AM
Response to Original message
8. My preference would be rather different.
First, take all the war criminals and "rendition" (isn't that a pleasing word) them off to US/Chimpco ally Uzbekistan for a bit of boiling in oil -- just an hour or so. Then confiscate all the assets of the war profiteering corporations and add them to the public coffers as a partial repayment for what they have stolen. Then sieze the assets of the uber-rich that they have accumulated since 2001 and redistribute the money to the general population. And declare that corporations will no longer be considered to be "people" with any rights, but only tools, and useful mechanisms.

Then restore the Constitution. At least humans would have a fighting chance, and the Constitution would mean something. (And my wish is as likely as yours.)
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
cartach Donating Member (361 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Oct-21-07 02:21 AM
Response to Original message
9. Pledges,demands?
How many times have these been made and nothing has been done? It's time for new rhetoric on what action is required to get something done.Time to shrug off the cloak of complacency.What you have said is great,it just is'nt enough.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
DU AdBot (1000+ posts) Click to send private message to this author Click to view 
this author's profile Click to add 
this author to your buddy list Click to add 
this author to your Ignore list Thu Oct 31st 2024, 06:28 PM
Response to Original message
Advertisements [?]
 Top

Home » Discuss » Archives » General Discussion (1/22-2007 thru 12/14/2010) Donate to DU

Powered by DCForum+ Version 1.1 Copyright 1997-2002 DCScripts.com
Software has been extensively modified by the DU administrators


Important Notices: By participating on this discussion board, visitors agree to abide by the rules outlined on our Rules page. Messages posted on the Democratic Underground Discussion Forums are the opinions of the individuals who post them, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Democratic Underground, LLC.

Home  |  Discussion Forums  |  Journals |  Store  |  Donate

About DU  |  Contact Us  |  Privacy Policy

Got a message for Democratic Underground? Click here to send us a message.

© 2001 - 2011 Democratic Underground, LLC