Political Ideas

Rorty: The Best We've Ever Had

By David Swanson

Whenever anyone asks me what author has had the greatest impact on me, I don’t hesitate. There’s no doubt that it’s Richard Rorty. I consider him the most significant author of the past century, something I once told him, and which he had the humility to say and honestly believe was ludicrous. Richard Rorty died this week and took from this planet the most brilliant mind we’ve ever seen put to the kindest and most useful endeavors.

Rorty didn’t answer read more

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Iraq, Cowboys, and the Enormity of 18 Months

By David Swanson

Eighteen months ago Congressman John Murtha and other pro-war Democrats had not yet developed even a muddled half-hearted opposition to the occupation of Iraq, Joe Lieberman had not lost a primary, MoveOn.org and the Center for American Progress were pretending there was no such thing as Iraq, and the Democratic Party had shoved its collective head so far up… well, let’s just say the pretense was alive and well that Iraq was not the central issue in American politics.

Eighteen read more

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Of Congressional Surrenders

Dick Cheney and Jim Wright Saved Reagan: What Can Cheney and Nancy Pelosi Do for Bush?

By David Swanson

For almost five months, Congress has gone out of its way to avoid impeachment in order to get things done, and has thereby managed to have signed into law all sorts of wonderful legislation. Er, well, actually not so much legislation that you would really call wonderful. Well, OK, actually not a single bill, if you want to be picky about it. And of course, any useful legislation sent to the read more

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85 Percent of Democrats in PA Likely to Vote for Pro-Impeachment Candidates

By David Swanson

A new poll conducted in Pennsylvania (a battleground “purple” state) by Zogby International and commissioned by OpEdNews.com found that 84.9 percent of Democrats said they would be likely to vote for a congressional candidate who “supports having impeachment proceedings against President Bush.” Only 7.0 percent said they were not likely to vote for such a candidate.

These questions were included in a poll asking about senatorial candidates in Pennsylvania. read more

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Woolsey's Way to Peace

By David Swanson

We’ve all heard the line. “That would make us look weak on national security.” That line is supposed to be based on public opinion, not just the opinions of media corporations and pundits working for Pentagon-funded think tanks. That line is supposed to have something to do with the general American public. But it does not.

Take a look at this survey from last spring by the Program on International Policy Attitudes (University of Maryland): read more

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What the Republicans Really Do Not Want

By David Swanson

The New York Sun today printed this quote:

“A spokeswoman for the Republican National Committee, Tracey Schmitt, dismissed the effort as ‘fringe, to say the least.’

“‘If Democrats choose to align themselves with such a laughable campaign, it will be at their own peril,’ Ms. Schmitt said.”

What campaign was the RNC spokeswoman referring to? Whatever it was, we can be sure it is something the RNC really really does not want to see succeed. read more

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What Fate Awaits NSA Spying Whistleblower

By David Swanson

Can there be any doubt that if the White House finds out who leaked the story of its illegal spying, fierce retribution will follow?

Another way of asking that question is: Should auld acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind?

Remember what happened to Ambassador Joseph Wilson? The White House leaked to the media his wife’s identity as an undercover agent for the CIA, putting her life and those of her colleagues in danger and ending her career.

And let us recall what read more

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Can Cheney Save Bush's Presidency?

By David Swanson

Talk of censure and impeachment has begun swirling around President Bush. Can Vice President Cheney come to the rescue? He will do so if enough of Bush’s opponents adopt the position of this Philadelphia Daily News op-ed writer — the position that impeaching Bush would be a mistake, since Cheney is worse than Bush.

That position is already fairly widespread on the left in the United States, and is typical of the left in the United States. Why must we get five steps read more

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Conyers Talks Impeachment

By David Swanson

Listen to audio of Congressman John Conyers talking about the Bush Administration’s crimes, and his efforts to censure Bush and Cheney and to create an investigation that would develop articles of impeachment. I recorded this conversation with the Congressman on December 29th. The bills and the report referred to in the conversation can be found here. The upcoming events discussed can be found here.

This mp3 is 24 minutes and 21 MB: LISTEN.

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Conyers Introduces Censure and Select Committee

CONYERS INTRODUCES BILLS TO CENSURE BUSH AND CHENEY

CONYERS INTRODUCES BILL TO CREATE A SELECT COMMITTEE TO INVESTIGATE POSSIBLE CRIMES AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING GROUNDS FOR IMPEACHMENT

Congressman John Conyers has introduced three new pieces of legislation aimed at censuring President Bush and Vice President Cheney, and at creating a fact-finding committee that could be a first step toward impeachment.

Ask your Congress Member to support these efforts!
read more

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