Getting Conyers His Conscience Back

by Laura Flanders

Ouch. It hurts to listen to. This was Representative John Conyers, speaking to a troops-out demonstration this past January in Washington DC: "George Bush has a habit of firing military leaders who tell him the Iraq war is failing. But let me tell you something. He can't fire you. He can't fire us. But we can fire him!" Many took those words to mean that Conyers, the chair of the House Judiciary Committee, was serious about firing this president, meaning, impeaching the man, along with the vice president he rode in on. But this was Conyers, progressive Democrat of Michigan, speaking recently on Pacifica's Democracy Now, explaining why, although he has the authority, he's not going to initiate impeachment proceedings. "Impeachments come to the Judiciary Commitee. And, believe me, to tie up this government just as we're trying to stop the war and the clock is running on both the President and the Vice President, I think would be a mistaken strategy. We've got to win the next election which is next year." Winning the election, he told Democracy Now, is what he meant by "firing" the president. Yeah right. Like firing a senior on the day he graduates. It hurts to listen to because what you're hearing is the sound of consciousness – razing -- as in razor, as in destroy or level or scrape. What you're hearing is the leveling, scraping away of a man's conscience. Probably no one's done more than Representative Conyers and his staff have done to investigate Bush White House crimes, from wiretapping and torture to misleading the country into an illegal war. Luckily for Rep. Conyers, grassroots activists may save his conscience yet. This week in Olympia, Washington, more than 800 people packed into a meeting with Elizabeth De La Vega and State Senator Eric Oemig, who is introducing a resolution to petition the US House for impeachements. About half that number worked throughout last weekend to come up with a national strategy on which impeachment activists could unite. A lot is going on on the impeachment front. It's just been hard to see. Different groups have prioritized different grounds for impeachment--there's no shortage-- from Iraq, to Guatánamo to signing statements and illegal wiretapping and gross negligence in hurricane Katrina's wake. Now a broad array of organizations have launched a new coalition that brings scores of groups together, from the Center for Constitutional Rights to Hip Hop Caucus, to Progressive Democrats of America, Code Pink, After Downing Street, the Green Party of the USA and The World Can't Wait. Impeach07 has national and local demonstrations planned, along with a national day of action on April 28. Oemig isn't alone. Legislators in three states--New Mexico, Washington and Vermont have made moves towards petitioning the Congress. And no topic provokes more calls to RadioNation on Air America--people want accountability even if their leaders don't. Laura Flanders, host of The Laura Flanders Show on Air America Radio, is the author of Bushwomen: Tales of a Cynical Species. © 2007 The Nation Discuss This Article click here... ###