John Conyers, the Democratic Party and the Electoral System

Conyers today once again refused to move forward on impeachment and ordered Cindy Sheehan, Rev. Lennox Yearwood, Ray McGovern and others arrested and forcibly removed from his DC office. He told them, before arresting them, that their only recourse was the 2008 elections.

Before the Democrats took back the majority in Congress, Conyers did a number of wonderful things, including writing the forward to Steven Freeman's book, Was the 2004 Election Stolen? (the answer to which was, yes). So Conyers telling people that the only answer is voting is disengenuous in the extreme. Not only were the 2000 and 2004 elections stolen (see my Chapter Two in Impeach the President), but even when the vote was so lopsided that it was impossible to credibly get away with stealing the vote on the scale necessary in 2006, and the GOP's stranglehold was ended, look what we've got: a bunch of Democrats in chairmanships who still refuse to stop the Bush and Cheney dictatorship!

Many people are justifiably furious. In reading some of the comments on blogs about the situation, especially after today's shameful actions, I have never seen so much anger. Some people, in searching for an answer, are talking about running independents and about withdrawing their support for the Democrats. In short, they are talking about the electoral path as the solution. In so doing, they are inadvertantly following Conyers' terrible advice.

It is a precarious and frankly dangerous assumption to count on elections even being held in 2008 given the trouble that the GOP and Bush/Cheney are in. What is exactly the one thing that could rescue them from their straits? Yes, you already know the answer: another 9/11. They are in fact openly and brazenly talking about this, hoping for, even recommending, another 9/11. Consider the following partial list:

Dennis Milligan, new Arkansas GOP Chairman: “[A]ll we need is some attacks on American soil like we had on [9/11], and the naysayers will come around very quickly to appreciate not only the commitment for President Bush, but the sacrifice that has been made by men and women to protect this country.” (June 3, 2007).

Rick Santorum, ex-Senator from Pennsylvania: "Between now and November, a lot of things are going to happen, and I believe that by this time next year, the American public’s going to have a very different view of this war, and it will be because, I think, of some unfortunate events, that like we’re seeing unfold in the UK. But I think the American public’s going to have a very different view." (July 7, 2007, speaking on the Hugh Hewitt Show).

Lt.-Col. Doug Delaney, War Studies Program Chair, Royal Military College in Kingston, Ontario: "The key to bolstering Western resolve is another terrorist attack like 9/11 or the London transit bombings of two years ago.” (Delaney paraphrased by Toronto Star reporter, Andrew Chung)

"If nothing happens, it will be harder still to say this is necessary," adds Delaney. (July 8, 2007).

Michael Chertoff, Head of DHS: I have a “gut feeling” that another al-Qaeda attack will occur this summer. (July 11, 2007).

A Sacramento Democratic strategist, probably Bob Mulholland, paraphrased: “there will be another terrorist attack between now and next November…the public will run into the arms of the Republicans as a cause of that, and … Democrats are essentially helpless to do anything about that.” (July 17, 2007).

(Paul Craig Roberts recently posted an essay about this. I have also been trying for several weeks to get an essay of mine in a major publication regarding this danger and on the matter of the so-called war on terror. Wish me luck!)

I am frankly not surprised that Conyers is still refusing to impeach. It will take a powerful movement from below of the people to bring about impeachment. Nothing else and nothing less. Putting our energies into elections that may not even come would be a huge mistake. The war is now, an attack on Iran is a clear and present danger, and this regime is daily torturing people. Americans in the millions must show their determination and make visible their demands for impeachment!

Declare It Now! Orange Outrage must bloom everywhere! These tyrants must be stopped now.