A Fax Sent to Congressman Bart Gordon Concerning Impeachment of Bush

Congressman Bart Gordon

2304 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-4231

Fax: (202) 225 6887

To Congressman Gordon, _ January 23, 2006

My name is Mary MacElveen and I am a journalist for VHeadline.com and came across a letter written by you to one of your constituents which I will post on my personal blog at RadioLeft.com where you state of Bush: “I do not believe Americans should look to impeachment to address their disappointment in the President’s actions and policies. Such an exercise is pointless and inappropriate.” You then go onto state: “This is because it is unlikely a Congress controlled by the President’s party will impeach him, and because impeachment is a remedy of last resort, not the first tool we should use for addressing national disagreements.”

I am left to ask: When is enough, enough as I just read where 7 more GIs were killed today in Iraq? While you may see it pointless every single elected official in both houses of congress were sworn to protect the Constitution of the United States and that is also directed at the Republican members as well. With this attitude, there can be a case made where every single elected official including Bush should be impeached. How on Earth you feel impeachment is a tool of last resort, I do not know considering the illegal eaves dropping done by Bush, his lies that engaged us in a bloody quagmire and his incompetence in handling Katrina. Quite frankly, he (Bush) should be tried for crimes against humanity for invading Iraq and killing tens of thousands of innocent Iraqis who did nothing to you or me. I have seen images their dead bodies as well a video feed showing how we used white phosphorus in Fallujah and their spirits call out for justice. Don’t you hear them? I do! I have seen the images of our brave soldiers whose faces were blown off. They were sent to their untimely deaths leaving behind grieving families. Their spirits also cry out for justice. Don’t you hear them? I do!

As far as Katrina goes: I have seen the now famous picture of Ethel Freeman who was left for dead at the Super Dome and have written about her. Her spirit cries out for justice. Don’t you hear her? I do!

When you state in that letter: “we have to trust our democracy and work within it to build a stronger America.” I can tell you this as a journalist; I get many emails not only from Americans but people around the globe that sees no democracy taking place within this country. Many have lost all trust in this government. They write to me for help, to elevate their voice and where some have told me that no one in Washington, D.C. is listening to them. I do in fact hear them, and more importantly write of their plight. Don’t you hear them? I do!

I will leave you with a passage from the Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. - That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, - That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.” Don’t you hear the framers voices beckoning you? We the people most certainly do!

Sincerely,

Mary MacElveen

Congressman Bart Gordon’s Communiqué with a Constituent:

Thank you for contacting me in support of impeaching President Bush. It helps me better represent Middle Tennessee when I hear from you.

Like you I am troubled by the President’s actions and by Congress’ failure to conduct proper oversight of the Administration in spite of the President authorizing warrantless wiretaps and evidence that the Administration misled the American people about Iraq. Other areas where the Congressional leadership has failed include inquiring into the Administration’s failure to prepare for natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina, its use of cronyism to appoint unqualified people to run critical agencies like FEMA, its use of illegal leaks to punish its enemies, and its waste of billions of dollars on no-bid contracts handed out to firms like Halliburton. Instead of protecting the Administration the leadership’s refusal to conduct strong oversight hearings into these failures has fed public distrust of the government. As a result, the inaction by Congress and the actions by the Administration are undermining the public’s faith in its government.

I do not believe Americans should look to impeachment to address their disappointment in the President’s actions and policies. Such an exercise is pointless and inappropriate. This is because it is unlikely a Congress controlled by the President’s party will impeach him, and because impeachment is a remedy of last resort, not the first tool we should use for addressing national disagreements.

Ultimately we have to trust our democracy and work within it to build a stronger America. The proper course is to continue making the case against the President’s policies that are not in this country’s interest and fighting through the democratic process to promote better ideas for our country. As your Representative that is going to be the focus of my efforts.

Stay in touch,

BART GORDON
Member of Congress