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IMPEACH BUSH 

On Tuesday, the Berkeley City Council will consider recommending to U.S. Representative Barbara Lee that she support the impeachment of Bush, 

Cheney, Rumsfeld and Ashcroft. 

These unelected criminals have not only violated U.S. and international law by involving the U.S. in wars of aggression in Iraq and Afghanistan, but have now supported the violent overthrow of a legitimate democracy and ally in Haiti, and also kidnapped a chief of state and his wife. (The cross-examination of Noriega by the members of the Congressional Black Caucus yesterday demonstrated this without a doubt.) 

All of these actions are clearly impeachable offenses. These men are simply too dangerous to leave in office until the coming elections in November. They will very likely involve the U.S. in an invasion of Venezuela and Cuba before November. We have already gained a well deserved reputation as an aggressor nation; now, many thousands more will be killed and crippled for illegal motives that we don’t agree with. 

Berkeley has been a vanguard of opinion and action for peace and social justice in this nation. The National Coalition for Impeachment of Bush and Cheney has therefore called upon the Berkeley City Council and Mayor Bates to recommend to Barbara Lee that she either introduce articles of impeachment into the Congress, or immediately support that action if taken by another U.S. Representative. 

I am dismayed that preliminary indications have shown that several people on the council are reluctant to support this resolution. Some of the reasons I have heard are outrageous beyond my comprehension, e.g., equating Bush and Co.’s crimes with Clinton’s lying about oral sex, and using this idea in somehow determining the propriety of impeachment. Furthermore, another move being considered is the alternative of recommending “censure” of the administration. This absurdity will have absolutely no influence on a junta that has shown its willingness to go to war against the opinions and wishes of record numbers of its own people, and in defiance of the United Nations. “Censure” is nothing more than a formal expression of someone’s opinion, and it is quite evident by now that the Bush Administration will simply do whatever it can get away with, regardless of any opinion. Only impeachment has the force of law to remove these criminals, who lie and connive. Censuring Bush makes about as much sense as “censuring” Charles Manson, as an alternative to incarcerating him. And Manson was responsible for far less damage than Bush, Cheney, etc. 

Finally, it has been indicated Lee’s district office chief of staff Jeffrey Thomas that Congresswoman Lee balks at pursuing impeachment because it would “divert precious hours and energies away from other important legislative matters.” First, I would remind the Berkeley City Council that there are no more important legislative matters than keeping us out of wars of aggression—the highest crime on the planet. Second, we as citizens should not be taking our cue from Representative Lee—she should be taking her cues from us. We don’t work for her—she works for us. We would not be in this mess if Congress had been willing to appropriately exercise their duty of oversight of the executive branch. Let’s get real—tell them to indict these bastards, and remove them. 

I am reminded of a politician character in Walt Kelly’s comic strip Pogo, some years ago, who says, “The people have spoken, and I must follow, for I am their leader.” Well, that’s how it works, folks. 

Hank Levin 

San Rafael 

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