Robert Wexler — Dear Constituents,
Last Thursday the largest newspaper in my congressional district – the South Florida Sun-Sentinel – published an editorial lambasting my enthusiastic support for immediately holding impeachment hearings for President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney. Numerous letters to the editor have also criticized my support for this movement.
Below, you’ll find the original Sun-Sentinel editorial, followed by my response, which was printed yesterday.
I assure you that I will not back down from this fight ““ no matter the consequences or political cost. The only thing that maters is that we deliver accountability for the Bush Cheney Administration and defend our government and our constitution.
If you would like to write a letter to the Sun Sentinel, you can email [email protected].
Thank you for your continued support.
Robert Wexler
Sun-Sentinel Editorial
Impeachment not worth another minute of anybody’s time
South Florida Sun-Sentinel Editorial Board
June 12, 2008
ISSUE: Some in Congress want an impeachment.
The nation does have a few pressing issues pending that could use some attention from our federal lawmakers.
Let’s see. There are a couple of wars going on, unemployment is on the rise as the value of a house continues to fall, millions of Americans have no health insurance, and did we mention that gas prices are expected to hit $5 a gallon? You get the idea. And still, some in Congress feel the nation is just itching for another presidential impeachment.
Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio, who has made a career out of eye-rolling issues like these, said this week he wants the House to consider a resolution to impeach President Bush. Rep. Robert Wexler, D-Delray Beach, who is smarter than this, supported the Articles of Impeachment, which won’t go anywhere and thankfully have been buried in a committee not likely to hold hearings before Bush leaves office.
Last year, Kucinich led the misguided charge to impeach Vice President Dick Cheney, and Wexler supported that. In the case of Bush, Wexler called it a “sworn duty” of Congress to act.
Actually, it’s nobody’s sworn duty to take up any time to go after a badly battered president with only a few months left in office. This is a president so unpopular, presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain won’t make many public appearances with him. This is a president who is such a non-entity, peace activists didn’t even bother to protest his appearance in Berlin this week.
Nor should Congress bother with the ridiculous idea of impeachment, which Kucinich contends is warranted because Bush deceived the nation into war.
There’s plenty of evidence to fuel Kucinich’s ire, but not his choice of remedy. If Congress needs more things than impeachment to keep lawmakers busy, it has myriad options.
BOTTOM LINE: Get on with REAL issues.
Copyright (c) 2008, South Florida Sun-Sentinel
The Wexler Response:
The Sun-Sentinel recently ran an editorial criticizing my support for the articles of impeachment against President Bush opining that Congress should instead “get on with REAL issues” such as the Iraq war. In fact, it is this very war — entered into following an unprecedented campaign of lies and manipulated intelligence by the Bush Administration — that necessitates impeachment hearings. This war has cost us the lives of 4,090 US soldiers, injuries to over 30,000, and more than a trillion taxpayer dollars when it is all said and done.
It is a dark day when the Sun-Sentinel has the gall to tell the parents of the soldiers who have died in Iraq that pursuing
consequences for those that prosecuted this war of choice based on outright deception is not a “REAL” issue that Congress should address.
Sadly, the war is only the beginning. We now know that this Administration illegally ordered the torture of prisoners, obstructed justice by lying about the outing of a covert CIA agent and authorizing warrantless spying on American citizens.
No one can deny that if proven these allegations amount to High Crimes. Our failure to act sets an awful precedent and enables future Presidents to break the law and violate our Constitution without sanctions from Congress.
The Sentinel says impeachment is the wrong “remedy” for this litany of crimes. What then is the proper remedy? A harsh lecture? A strongly worded editorial? Or how about doing absolutely nothing in the face of these outrageous abuses of power?
Impeachment hearings need not distract us from other important priorities such as the economy, gas prices and bringing the troops home from Iraq. Congress can and should address all important issues – including safeguarding our constitutional rights and obligations.
It is obvious where the Sun Sentinel’s morals “lie”. Rip up the Constitution, to hell to personal privacy and if anyone disagrees may you be imprisoned and tortured indefinitely. And if this does not work let’s try to lie and deceive our way into the public’s fears. It would seem as if the Sentinel’s only concerns have to do with money. I for one support Rep. Robert Wexler and the rights guaranteed? under the Constitution to all Americans.
My letter to the editors at the Sun Sentinal:
Dear Editors,
Are you going to add to your long list of failures the downplaying of
the Articles of Impeachment levied against President Bush? Perhaps
you are afraid that you, as part of the news media that cheered and
rallied the country toward an unjust and illegal war, will be
implicated as an accomplice to murder. In your editorial it appears
you have not even thought out your reasoning for taking the stance you
have. Instead you attempt to detract from Mr. Kucinich’s character by
referring to him with disdain. Like the school yard bully, your
message is that if you are on Kucinich’s side, you are on the side of
the “loser”. It would be nice to expect more from our news media.
But your track record of one failure after another makes this
editorial on this momentous subject no surprise at all.
The only people who would not want impeachment carried out are those who are in league with the corporate take over of our country…who owns this newspaper???
Take action and cancel your subscription on these grounds.
We The People have very little power left. We have a small amount of purchasing power…do not buy this newspaper. Do not purchase gasoline from the major oil companies who have made 36 billion dollars in profit the first 3 months of 2008. Do not purchase unecessary clothing,shoes etc from the companies who seek to steal our hard earned money.
Speak out against the loss of democracy in our country.
IMPEACHMENT is worth everybodies time,and what we should have done 8 years ago.I totally support impeachment of Bush/Cheney.
I also supported impeachment of Clinton/Gore who are worst,terrible and not worth are tax payer money, employed by the people.Bush and Cheney are not worth are the people of this country money.Bush/Cheney are a waste of are tax money or a paycheck.I support Dennis KUCINICH and ROBERT WEXLER in impeachment along the other millions of american’s.Along
with Brattleboro Vermont Who are outstanding excellant people who support the impeachment
of Bush/Cheney who abuse we must not tolerate.
Looks to me we are just continuing this fight,rid the corruption from it.Bush in any type of office is a waste of time,and a insultive waste in this country.We should have never let Bush/Cheney go as far as they
went.So lets tear the corruption apart all the way people,I can sense a great big opening happening
in the issue.Will spend impeaching,well worth it.Impeachment improves this country,getting rid of such
violence,untruthfull,waste.ROBERT WEXLER i feel we should get right back in there and fight.FLORIDA SUN SENTINAL A WASTE OF THERE TIME,the editorial that won’t go anywhere.
Florida Sentinal just poorly written and of no knowledge or skill.No match of contest for Mr.Robert Wexler,that editorial couldn’t even spar Brattleboro Vermont position for impeachment.WILL just get on with the impeachment hearings.
Dennis M Mccullough
Wash,Pa.
I can hardly believe that any member of Congress has taken this long to launch an Impeachment campaign against the Current Occupant & his henchman Cheney. The proceedings should have begun in 2004 or 2005 at the latest, when the evidence of zero WMDs; the outing of Plame to punish her husband Wilson (putting at risk the lives of present-day covert CIA operatives); the illegal wiretapping of millions of Americans; and the horrors of Abu Graib/Guantanimo were staring us in the eyes as the darkest of abysses – in the shredding of Habeas Corpus & the Geneva Accords of 1954. Every single American, regardless of party affiliation, should care to the very core of their being, in protecting the sanctity of our Constitution. Nothing else matters!!!
-Laura Eisenberg
Minneapolis, MN
Please consider writing your own letter to the Sun-Sentinel.
Vict.
Impeachment not worth another minute of anybody’s time
South Florida Sun-Sentinel Editorial Board
June 12, 2008
ISSUE: Some in Congress want an impeachment.
The nation does have a few pressing issues pending that could use some attention from our federal lawmakers.
Let’s see. There are a couple of wars going on, unemployment is on the rise as the value of a house continues to fall, millions of Americans have no health insurance, and did we mention that gas prices are expected to hit $5 a gallon? You get the idea. And still, some in Congress feel the nation is just itching for another presidential impeachment>>>>>
…. and those are just the reasons impeachment should go full steam ahead.
I fully support Dennis Kucinich and Robert Wexler. The time for accountability in our highest offices is now … there is no better time than before a new administration takes over. The executive branch is bloated and out of control.
If a stain on a blue dress is worth impeachment, surely the thousands of our dead, who did not have to die, warrants justice. The billions … maybe will be trillions … spent in and on Iraq, while our own nation falls into disrepair … when it didn’t need to, is criminal!!!
That we attacked a foreign sovereign nation that did not attack us, and hundreds of thousands of theirs are dead, maimed, orphaned, or displaced, is outrageous to say nothing of coming up to the level of war crimes.
Accountability matters … the truth matters, and there is no better time than now. If the rest of the world is ever to respect us again, or if even our own people are to again hold their heads high, this current administration needs to feel justice.
Sincerely,
Victoria ….
Beaumont, CA
If the likes of Bush & Cheny are not impeached, it means they are above the law. We call ourselves a nation of laws, and a democracy. Neither is true if we do not hold the nation’s beggest criminals accountable. When they overreach, we must impeach!!!
There is a word that describes news media that denigrates the genuine need for impeachment. The word is “enabler”. Most people don’t think, they just repeat what they are told. The “enablers” are destroying the constitution by propagating their nearsighted thinking. The news media must be made aware of the gravity of what they are doing. We must voice our outrage directly at them.
AL K.
OTHER THAN SERVING IN THE NAVY, (I DID NOT) I WOULD HAVE TO SAY THAT I AGREE WITH EACH AND EVERY WORD THAT THE ABOVE TWO PEOPLE HAVE WRITTEN. WHOEVER WROTE THAT ARTICLE ABOUT AN IMPEACHMENT BEING IN ANY WAY WRONG SHOULD BE TAKEN OUT AND HORSE-WHIPPED.
IT SEEMS THAT YOUR PAPER/WRITER HAS NO CLUE WHAT-SO-EVER JUST WHAT IMPEACHMENT IS FOR. IT IS FOR JUST THESE SUCH ABUSES OF POWER, AND CRIMES AGAINST THE PEOPLE OF THIS GREAT NATION. WHY THE VERY THINGS THIS COUNTRY HAS FOUGHT AND DIED TO PROTECT US FROM ARE SOME OF THE VERY BASIC THINGS THAT THIS PRESIDENTS AND OTHERS HAVE THROWN OUT.
AND ANOTHER THING….ALL THESE THAT RUN AROUND SAYING NO TO IMPEACHMENT, YOU WATCH….THEY ARE THE VERY ONES WHO WILL GET CAUGHT IN THE END WITH THIER HANDS IN THE COOKIE JAR. THEY KNOW THEY ARE GUILTY, DIRECTLY OR BY ASSOCCIATION OR IN SOME WAY AND ARE AFRAID. I SAY GOOD, THEY SHOULD BE. LET ALL WHO DEFILE THIS COUNTRY SUFFER FOR IT. THEY ALL SWORE TO PROTECT THIS GREAT NATION FROM THREATS BOTH FORIEGN AND DOMESTIC. AND HERE IN MOST CASES THEY HAVE BECOME THE DOMESTIC THREAT.
AND LASTLY IT SEEMS WE HAVE BECOME A NATION OF DOING NOTHING ABOUT THINGS. WE SIT BACK AND PASSIVELY WATCH AS OUR RIGHTS ARE LOST, OUR GOVERNMENT LIES TO US, GAS PRICES GO THROUGH THE ROOF, ETC. NOT SO MANY YEARS AGO, IT WAS NOT THIS WAY. THERE WERE PETITIONS AND PROTESTS, AND SIT-INS AND DEMONSTRATIONS AND EVEN SOMETIMES RIOTING. BUT HERE IN THIS AGE THE NEWS SEEMS TO CONTROL EVERTHING AND EVERYBODY. TELLING THEM WHAT TO THINK AND WHATS HAPPENING THAT THEY WANT YOU TO KNOW AND FROM THIER POINT OF VIEW. HOW DID I LEARN OF ALL THIS, AND THIS WEBSITE TO COME TO ??? I HAD TO LOOK IT UP. IT WASNT ON THE NEWS….NOT A PEEP.
JUST LIKE THIS NEWSPAPER….TELLING PEOPLE THIER OPINION OF THIS COUNTRIES NEED FOR AN IMPEACHMENT HEARING….NOT THAT ONE HAS BEEN CALLED FOR. WHOS MAKING UP YOUR MINDS FOR YOU PEOPLE OUT THERE ??? WHAT KIND OF BAD NEWS ARE YOU GETTING AND FROM WHOM, WHAT SOURCE ??? START THINKING FOR YOURSELVES OUT THERE…STOP BEING THE FOLLOWER THIS AND OTHER PAPERS (NEWS) WANT YOU TO BE.
OH, AND I HEARD ONE OTHER THING TODAY. OBAMA SAYS HE SUPPORTS NOT IMPEACHING THE PRESIDENT. SAYS IMPEACHMENT SHOULD BE HELD FOR REAL CRIMES. MY GOD, IF HE COULDNT FIND ANY “REAL CRIMES” IN THE 35 ARTICLES BROUGHT AGAINST PRESIDENT BUSH AND THE VP, THEN I SURE AS HELL DONT WANT HIM FOR MY PRESIDENT !!! PLEASE, SOMEONE TAKE HIM AROUND TO THE 7OOO PLUS FAMILYS OF DEAD SONS AND DAUGHTERS AND TELL THEM THAT WHAT BUSH DID ISNT WORTH IMPEACHING FOR !!!! PLEASE, TELL THE OTHER COUNTRIES THAT WE SIGN AGREEMENTS WITH AND TRY TO REMAIN ON SOME KIND OF POSITIVE TERMS WITH, YEAH, WE BROKE ALL KINDS OF LAWS, AND OF COURSE ITS OK WITH YA’ALL CAUSE THEY ARENT SERIOUS BREACHES ACCORDING TO OUR NEXT DEMOCRATIC (IF ELECTED). TELL THOSE TORTURED, ITS OK, NOTHING SERIOUS, RIGHT ?? KIDS IN DETENTION CAMPS, NO PROBLEMS, OBAMA SAYS ITS MINOR. THE BREAKING OF OUR CONSTITUTIONAL LAWS AND SUSPENSION OF OUR RIGHTS AS AMERICANS AS IMPORTANT AS ALL THIS SHOULD BE…..BUT NO, OBAMA SAID ITS TRIVIAL. THE NEWSPAPER HERE SAYS DONT WORRY ABOUT IT, WE HAVE MORE IMPORTANT THINGS TO DO. WHO ARE YOU VOTING FOR ?? WHO ARE YOU READING AND LISTENING TO ??
IF WE DONT DO THIS….IF WE DONT STOP IT….IF WE DONT SEND A MESSAGE TO THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE DONE THIS, AND TO THE FUTURE…WE INVITE IT TO HAPPEN ALL OVER AGAIN, AND WORSE. TO OUR POSTERITY WE DO ORDAIN. IF YOU KNOW WHAT THAT LAST SENTANCE MEANS…..DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. TAKE FIVE MINUTES TO CALL A CONGRESSMAN OR A SENATOR. WRITE SOMEONE, SIGN A PETION, DO SOMETHING.
MAY GOD HAVE MERCY ON ALL OF US…….
My favorite analogy is that of a landlord who has a tenant nearing the end of an 8-year lease. It comes to the landlord’s attention that criminal activity is being run through his property, property damage is extensive and getting worse by the day, neighbors have been attacked after lies were spread about the threat they posed to the landlord’s tenants.
Do you go ahead and say “ah heck… we’ll just wait until the lease expires in January?”
No.
Evict the bastards and hold them criminally accountable for their actions.
In regards to IMPEACHMENT OF PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH.
It is not a WASTE OF TIME to proceed with these CRUCIAL MATTERS.
WHAT IS A WASTE OF TIME IS SPENDING TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND AMERICAN LIVES ON A WAR THAT WAS BASED ON LIES and OBVIOUS DECEIT.
IT IS NOT ABOUT THE PRESIDENT.
IT IS ABOUT THE PRINCIPAL.
IF BUSH IS NOT IMPEACHED then OUR CONSTITUTION MEANS NOTHING, and this further ALLOWS ALL OTHER PRESIDENTS TO MANIPULATE THE SYSTEM to GAIN FROM HIDDEN AGENDAS.
AND YOUR NEWS PAPER MEANS NOTHING TOO IF YOU DO NOT SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION. MOVE YOUR PAPER TO CHINA or SOME COUNTRY THAT YOU WILL ALLOW TO CONTROL YOU. YOU DON’T BELONG HERE IN AMERICA.
STAND UP FOR PRINCIPAL NOT YOUR PRESIDENT BUSH. HE WAS BOUGHT AND PAID FOR LONG AGO… AS APPARENTLY YOU WERE TOO.
I am a VETERAN of the Navy, and served in these MEANINGLESS CORPORATE INSTIGATED WARS. Those years of my life were wasted on the AGENDAS of PEOPLE LIKE BUSH and YOU.
DO NOT SAY IMPEACHMENT IS A WASTE OF TIME. SUPPORT IMPEACHMENT or SIT BACK AND WATCH AND SUPPORT THE COUNTRY GO TO HELL.
in all sincerity,
Christopher Edward Boykin