Mad as Hell in Midtown

Wow. My neighbors are pissed.

I live in the center of the city, and the public transit in this town - sucking as bad as it does - is pretty much set up to accommodate the people who live in my building. We walk two minutes to the east to catch a Max to Crown Center or the City Market or the Plaza or Waldo; two minutes to the west, I can catch a bus to the downtown library or Target.

Today I ran errands, and had lunch in Waldo.

Holy Cow! I have never in my life heard so many people talking in such an animated fashion about the politics of the day.

First thing I saw when I got to the Max stop was a blue Prius at the stoplight. In large, white letters on the windows on either side, and on the back window, it said IMPEACH. People on the bus were talking about the "criminal bastards."

As I walked past the coffee bar at the Plaza Library, I overheard "impeachment is all that's left."

Waiting at the bus stop after leaving the library, the other woman waiting for the bus struck up a conversation with me, and asked if I could believe what they were doing. On the bus, a whole 'nother group of people were talking about impeachment.

Then I got to Waldo, and as we walked in front of the recruiting station, on the sidewalk was written the names of last weeks casualties and the proclamation at the end "DEAD FOR LIES." Turning to face the door, and across the threshold it said in large letters "IMPEACH BUSH / CHENEY NOW!!!"

Yet Congressman Cleaver repeatedly emails that candy-assed, mealy-mouthed, non-answer "history will impeach this administration" form letter. That is not good enough; not by half. It's a cop-out, it's a cowards position, and it is fucking insulting. A hell of a lot of his constituents want impeachment of this administration in the House and Senate, not in the annals of History. Good God what a lame excuse for a position.

Impeachment is the Constitutionally proscribed remedy to the constitutional abrogation perpetrated by this administration. It is not just about these men. It is about the Rule of Law. We want impeachment because that the only way to take back the powers this criminal administration has claimed they are entitled to. It isn't just that I don't want this president to have those powers (and I do not) it is that I never want any American president, ever, to have those powers.

Listen up: You are in the safest Democratic seat in the state, and you know it. So do we. We also know that this is no time for acquiescing, whimpering, simpering Democrats who act like whipped pups around mean ol' Republicans. We want fighters. If you are not willing to fight, maybe we should find a primary challenger who will.

(Is Jamie Metzl still around? I voted for him in the primary in 2004, because I was afraid Cleaver would fold like a roadmap when the going got tough. I'm sad to say that it turns out my fears were justified. Al Brooks? You busy?)

I know Congressman Cleaver is a man of the cloth, and I know that he founded the Civility Caucus, and I know that civility has it's time and place - but this ain't it.

We'll play nice again after we restore the Republic. Right now, I have more pressing thoughts than whether someone gets their wittle feewings hurt.

I want a Congressman who takes the Oath to the Constitution seriously. I can not tolerate it when my Congressman is willing to abdicate his responsibility to the Constitution to "history."


For shame, Congressman. Truly, for shame.