As Publisher for The Lang Report I believe that it is important that I openly state that I am and have been an avid supporter for the impeachment of President and Vice President . Putting aside my personal politics, there is more than enough documented  knowledge of “high crimes and misdemeanors,”  (as defined by the U.S. Constitution), perpetrated by the Bush Administration to warrant, at the very least, a Congressional inquiry and investigation.

How and why the current Administration has been able to continue this long, untouched by inquiry will be a question asked and hopefully answered by future historians. For the present, however, it is an issue that has frustrated and outrage many including this author.

The largest newspaper in the congressional district where I live, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, recently published an editorial lambasting Congressman Robert Wexler’s (D-Fl) enthusiastic support for immediately holding impeachment hearings for President George W. Bush and Vice PresidentDick Cheney.  The rationale for their stance against “wasting time” with the impeachment initiative is so full of holes that I can only surmise that the authors are either ignorant or have an political agenda of their own.

I intend to answer this editorial and tirelessly work towards supporting the call for justice and open government however first things first. In an effort to bring the readers of The Lang Report current. I will enclose the original editorial and Rep. Wexler’s official response to it which the Sun Sentinel also printed.

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.

This is Representative Robert Wexler’s 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.

Let’s keep it simple folks because in my mind this really should be a no-brainer and all of the hoopla and debate over whether we should or should not uphold the constitution could and should have been time spent seeking justice. So let’s take one argument at a time.

1) We have more pressing issues: Firstly, what could be more important than ensuring that all elected officials act in accordance with the U.S. Constitution and all other laws of the land. Secondly, if you remove all of the frivolous Congressional activities such as investigating “steroids in baseball,”  I believe there would be more than ample time and resources to keep the White House honest.
And a footnote to this issue could be that all of those other “pressing issues” seem to get vetoed by Mr. Bush!

2) Wars, unemployment, gas prices, etc: Yes, it is a fact that the country is at an all-time low in almost every area that can be measured. And if we were to trace the problem back to its origin, what do you think we’ll find. That’s right, Bush and his administration making almost every decision based not on what would be best for the American people but what is best for “his people” which he himself described as “the rich.” 
So, simple logic would dictate that if you remove the cause, the effect or outcome would be quite different. Couple that with Bush’s penchant to negate or veto any attempts for positive change and the answer is simple!

3) It’s nobody’s sworn duty and poor George is “badly battered”:  Oh, I love this last point of contention because it actually IS the sworn duty of our elected representatives. They are sworn to uphold the Constitution and the laws of the land and everything else has been dreamt up and manufactured by all of the bureaucrats, technocrats and self-interested parties that followed the Founding Fathers.
And poor George,…..give me a break! Let’s put things in proper perspective for that remark is an indication as to how far we have gotten away from the priorities that this nation was founded upon.
George Bush works for you and me! And as it has been stated by those in the business world….if he was running a public company answerable to its stockholders, he would have been FIRED long ago and I dare any fair minded individual to challenge that statement.

Now, being that we cannot fire the President, what course of action does the Constitution provide us with. That’s right…..IMPEACHMENT! So why are Congressmen Wexler and Kucinich coming under fire for having the courage to do their jobs, especially when it might be unpopular with the few Americans left who, for whatever reason, still choose to protect or run interference for the “Bush Crime Family.”

One last thing. We are all going to have to answer to our children and our children’s children for the decisions we make and actions we take today. AND BEHAVIOR DOES NOT LIE!

Michael Lang
Publisher

Congressman Robert Wexler: Impeachment Update/McClellan’s Revelations - Your commitment to accountability for the Bush/Cheney Administration, and the support of 230000 other Americans who signed up at wexlerwantshearings.com, has inspired and motivated me in my effort to hold impeachment hearings for Vice …

Rep. Wexler Defends Against Impeachment Editorial - 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. …

Impeachment In The 11th Hour - Robert Wexler, D-Delray Beach, who is smarter than this, supported the Articles of Impeachment [entered by Rep. Dennis Kucinich]…In the case of Bush, Wexler called it a “sworn duty” of Congress to act. Actually, it’s nobody’s sworn duty …

Wexler responds to criticism of impeachment efforts. - 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 …