Bush Invokes Executive Privilege With U.S. Attorney Firings - Redux

The abuse of power continues as Bush once again invokes "Executive Privilege" to keep Karl Rove, white house political aide J. Scott Jennings, and various documents that have been subpoenaed in the continuing investigation of U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez's role in the firings of U.S. Attorneys last year. Bush has already invoked his supreme executive power in this same case to prevent other aides from testifying, and is continuing to do his best to cover up his office's political wrongdoing and thwart the scales of justice.
Although I still think that "Executive Privilege" is a cop-out way to get away with illegal activities, I can see some utility if national security is truly threatened and lives are at stake. In this case of the use/abuse of this power, however, the matter at hand is nothing more than a political power play by the Bush administration. It is very simple - they illegally fired U.S. Attorneys who were not acting in the interests of their political party. Using Executive Privilege to cover up politically motivated lies and manipulation is an obvious and abominable misuse of this power (which is NOT part of a President's constitutional powers, by the way). Congress needs to force the administration to give up these documents and force testimony, complete the investigation of the Alzheimer-struck Gonzalez, impeach him, impeach Cheney, impeach Bush, get us out of this twisted oil war, pass some sweeping energy and trade reform, and revamp our healthcare system. Got it? Now get to it Congress - do your job and stop dicking around with rhetoric and magic shows, we're not buying it anymore.

via International Herald Tribune, Washington Post

Surgeon General's Message Twisted by Politics

Although not surprising in the least, Dr. Richard Carmona, the Surgeon General of the United States of America from 2002-2006, the Nation's guiding voice for the health and well-being of it's citizens, has come forth to reveal that his position was tainted by politics. His recommendations were edited or silenced, and his professional opinion was undermined by the interests of the controlling political party. Earlier this month, Dr. Carmona, a former trauma surgeon who served in Vietnam in the Army Special Forces, winning two purple hearts, told a congressional panel that during his 4 year term as Surgeon General he was forbidden to discuss or issue reports on stem cell research, emergency contraception, sex education, prison and mental health or global health issues. Top aides also attempted to block and "water down" reports on the significant dangers of second hand smoke.
Continuing on with the ridiculousness, Dr. Carmona was told to mention Bush three times in every speech, and was discouraged from supporting or attending the Special Olympics because they are supported by an opposing "prominent political family" (read: The Kennedys). Are you kidding? Don't support the Special Olympics because of your political agenda? What kind of twisted, self-centered, manipulative SOB tells the Surgeon General not to support the handicapped because of their political interests. Our current regime has stooped lower than any other in history. Once again, the Bush administration's true colors are revealed, and impeachment hearings should be initiated for Cheney then Bush. Write your congressperson to express your outrage.

via NY Times

The Scapegoat has Been Sentenced. Libby Goes to Jail, or Does He? Oh Yeah, and Let's Impeach Dick Cheney!

We all know the story by now, CIA operative Valerie Plume gets exposed in retaliation for her husband's article exposing faults (ie, lack of WMDs) in the Bush administration's handling of prewar Iraq intelligence, a partial investigation ensues, it culminates in the hanging of Scooter Libby for perjuring. At the end of it all, he has been sentenced 30 months in jail and fined $250,000 and news agencies are calling the whole thing "over". But is it really over? Bush still has the power to pardon Libby if he so chooses. Should he? Will he?
It doesn't really matter.
Does anyone care that Carl Rove, Dick Cheney, and George Bush haven't even been investigated properly for this whole ordeal? Did anyone notice that no fault was placed and no punishment was actually given for exposing Plume in the first place? It is incredulous that the press and the people have allowed this witch hunt to continue to "completion". Once again, we should be disappointed and outraged by our government's handling of a serious situation, allowing them to present us with a slipshod puppet show and being satisfied with their predictable, fenestrated, and poorly written plot.

To show your discontent, you can start by writing to your congressperson to support Democratic presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich's Articles of Impeachment for Dick Cheney! (he has to go first, then W!)
Official Articles of Impeachment (pdf) introduced April 24th, 2007 - how did I miss this?
Supporting docs on Kucinich's site
washington post