By David Swanson
Donald Trump told Wolf Blitzer on CNN on Wednesday that Bush should have been impeached for lying us into a war, and that he was surprised Nancy Pelosi hadn’t done it. This was the first time CNN had invited a guest on to say that, even though it’s been a majority position in America for years. And they didn’t invite Trump on to say it; Trump caught Blitzer by surprise and challenged the host on his dishonest defense of Bush.
But what sort of a slow learner is Trump? The war lies began in September 2001. A major impeachment movement began despite lacking any serious source of funding in May 2005. Pelosi swore she would never impeach no matter what in May 2006. Congress members like Dennis Kucinich and Robert Wexler tried to force the issue through 2007 and 2008. And what did Trump do? Did he provide us funding to hire organizers? Did he fund independent media or polling companies that would report the news? Did he show his face at a single antiwar event? Did he breathe one word in public?
And now, with three months of the Bush-Cheney regime left to go, new wars being contemplated, and the White House beginning to do for Wall Street what it’s done for Iraq, New Orleans, and the rest of the planet, Trump is suddenly interested. And what does he do? Does he propose impeachment? Does he oppose self-pardons? Does he help fund prosecution efforts that are just beginning? No, he goes on CNN and effectively declares that the opportunity for accountability is over by discussing it in the past tense.
For that, Trump should receive partial credit for the damage of the next three months, and for the precedent we are setting of presidencies free to operate outside the rule of law. As a citizen, this man’s performance rates a D-minus. If I were his employer I’d fire him.
As a member of the plutocracy who’s belatedly come to his senses, however, Trump wouldn’t have to stay unemployed. He could get his job back in a heart beat by scraping some of the change out of his sofa and funding a serious organization to pursue legal strategies to put Bush and Cheney behind bars. These efforts are well underway ( http://convictbushcheney.org ) but have no funding. We don’t even have the opportunity to go on CNN and say what we’ve been screaming at the top of our lungs for seven years.
This is not the time for summer soldiers and sunshine real estate tycoons, Donald. Your country and your world need exactly what you have and need it right now. Future lamentations over the failures of others will not be taken any more seriously than this one. Step up and act.