Conyers Must Decide or step aside

Excerpt:

The best of icons risk losing their luster, no matter how well-deserved, if they falter at the gates of greatness. Rep. John Conyers, the Dean of the Congressional Black Caucus and Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, resists all pleas that he begin the process that could lead to impeachment of George W. Bush and/or Dick Cheney. Although the evidence of their criminality is overwhelming and both are held in widespread contempt by most of the population, Congressman Conyers appears to fear impeachment more than the consequences of his inaction to the nation and the world. "Those Democrats, especially those on the Judiciary committee, who oppose impeachment must themselves be opposed."

HELP WANTED:

"Democrat in Michigan's 14th district needed to replace House member. Must stand up to evil, tyrant boss from San Francisco. Long hours required to uphold Constitution. Applicant pledges to fight Bush regime. Must also be willing to fight Democrats."

Congressman John Conyers has served 21 terms in office and is now Chairman of the House Judiciary committee. He once promised to hold impeachment hearings against President Bush or Vice President Cheney, but now those words mean nothing. If he cared about the future of the country he would either fight for the Constitution as he once did, or make plans to retire. If he makes neither choice, he needs a hard fought primary race to convince him that his political time has passed.

Bush is using every moment of his lame duck year to destroy civil liberties at home and expand the American empire abroad. As usual Democrats act like needy supplicants, hoping they can run out the clock without confronting a president with a 31% approval rating.

In 2006 Bush's plummeting popularity made Democratic victory and Conyers' committee chairmanship a probability. It was a hopeful time, especially because Conyers said he would hold impeachment hearings. Joy was short lived when Nancy Pelosi declared that impeachment was off the table. Conyers waved the white flag in the pages of the Washington Post in an op-ed entitled "No Rush to Impeachment":

"So, rather than seeking impeachment, I have chosen to propose comprehensive oversight of these alleged abuses. The oversight I have suggested would be performed by a select committee made up equally of Democrats and Republicans and chosen by the House speaker and the minority leader."

That so-called oversight has accomplished nothing. In July of 2007, the Senate and House Judiciary committees investigated the politically motivated dismissals of United States attorneys. Both committees issued subpoenas to White House chief of staff Joshua Bolten and former counsel Harriet Miers. Bolton and Miers claimed executive privilege and ignored the subpoenas. Bush faced no consequences for breaking the law and treating congress like an irritant to be ignored.

Politicians understand one threat more than any other, the possibility of losing their jobs to electoral defeat. Most incumbents have safe seats, and little reason to be bold when political bosses give them marching orders. Conyers is no different in that regard, but he is also shrewd, and he continues to keep hopes alive by claiming that impeachment is still possible.

In a recent interview he testily claimed that Pelosi "can't stop me from anything really." In the same conversation he immediately back pedaled, claiming that the Republicans would use impeachment to demonize Democrats in the upcoming elections. He didn't mention that Republicans' efforts to do the same thing in November 2006 failed when Democrats won the day. He makes the bizarre claim that a losing strategy should be feared.

Democratic voters across the country must do anything and everything in their power to impeach Cheney and or Bush. Those Democrats, especially those on the Judiciary committee, who oppose impeachment must themselves be opposed. Nancy Pelosi and the rest of the rotten leadership will be forced to take notice and act as most Americans want them to act.