History Will Not Look Kindly

Ever since February 14th when WA State Senator Eric Oemig and eight co-sponsors introduced a joint memorial demanding the US House of Representatives open impeachment investigations on Bush and Cheney, the DC Democrats have had their knickers in a twist.

Heads were banged, arms twisted, vapid talking points shoved down throats, and careers were threatened. If only the Democrats used these tactics against the GOP instead restricting themselves to bullying their own, we wouldn't be in this mess.

Since the last election, the Democrats have been acting as if divine providence gave them control of Congress instead the voters. The breathtaking stupidity of a political stategy that counsels ignoring the mandate of the last election as the road to victory in the next, is incomprehensible.

The iron fist of the DC Dems reached out to Olympia and silenced the State Legislature even though twenty thousand Washingtonians signed a petition in support of Oemig’s legislation, ten legislative districts and three populous counties passed impeachment resolutions. State Senators claim to have received more mail and phone calls on this issue than any other legislative issue this term and they still too frightened to defy the DLC.

When outraged citizens demanded a debate, they were promised a watered down discussion on the floor of the Senate. At the last minute they tried to escape even that responsibility. Only a Senate gallery overflowing with spectators, many dressed in orange jumpsuits to symbolize the nation's shame prevented them from doing so.

Senator Oemig rose to speak on the immorality of the Iraq war and the absolute necessity of removing the commander and chief who lied about national security to fight a war of choice. He said he would not trust President Bush with the life of his own son, so why should he trust him with the lives of his constituents. When a man makes an honest mistake and is made aware of it and he fails to act, he is neither honest nor mistaken.

Senator Swicker, a Republican delivered a response ala Dick Cheney with an outrageously mendacious comparison of the Iraq War to America’s own revolution while metaphorically waving a soiled American flag in our faces. Senator Swicker’s constituents might be interested to know that he doesn’t think that State Senate should have a voice in national affairs like whether or not their sons and daughter will be sent to die in an unjust war whether 20 billion dollars of their money should go to vandalize Iraq instead of providing for our needs here at home.

When Senator Kline rose to respond, the Senate Secretary forbade him to engage in a debate, limited him to a personal statement and three minutes. No such constraints were placed on Senator Swicker though clearly he speech was a rebuttal to Senator Oemig's statement. Senator Kline responded with a moving statement about losing another generation to the hard lessons from Viet Nam that this administration refuses to learn. .

Before anyone else could rise, a luncheon recess was hurriedly called.

The gallery rose and chanted “Impeach”, “Impeach”. Shouts were heard, “do your job”, “shame on you” “shame on you”. It continued for some until a larger than usual security force began to move spectators out. The anger and disgust were palpable.
Senate members on the floor stared at the angry spectators. It was a defining moment in participatory democracy. We participate and they sit smugly in their chairs clutching their slice of the pie and daring you to do anything about it.

While it’s true there would have been no hearing in March and no mention on the Senate floor that our president might be a criminal who has no legitimate right to govern without the efforts of thousands of citizens, nothing has changed. The slaughter in Iraq continues unabated. Torture and rendition are still US policy. The Judiciary has become a joke. Our government is still free to spy on us or lock us up throw away the key and they do. We are still bleeding borrowed money to crooked war contractors, more soldiers will return home broken in body and spirit to an uncertain future in a nation diminished in every way. All this because our elected representatives are arrogant enough to think they can ignore us with impunity.

Instead of an exhilarating exercise in participatory democracy, we experienced the clenched fist of power politics. Activism is at an all time high in this country and response to the will of the people is at an all time low.

The call to impeach will not die because the Washington State legislators took a fall. We will take the frustration that prompted respectful citizens to jeer at their legislators and others to camp out on Nancy Pelosi's lawn. We will mold it into a more powerful message they will not be able to ignore. They had their moment to part of a more hopeful human history and were not man and women enough to seize it.

Carol DW