Reply #32: Sometimes people [View All]

[H2O Man]

take "old sayings" for granted, overlooking the fact that they became old sayings because they communicate simple truths. The issue of holding Bush and Cheney responsible for their actions brings to mind one of my favorite sayings from the 1960s: "Justice delayed is justice denied." This has never been more true than in the case of the utter failure of the Congress -- and that includes both the House and Senate, and democrats and republicans -- to uphold their oath of office, and to protect the Constitution of the United States against the threats posed by the Bush administration.

In my opinion, the most important difference between the other DUer you mention and myself is this: that person appears to believe that Bush et al should not be prosecuted, and I most certainly think that they should. I think that this is the same difference as, say, between shit and sugar.

Besides Rep. Arcuri's office, I had the opportunity to meet with and discuss the need for impeachment with people from several other elect officials in both houses of Congress. Not a single one -- not one -- was able to justify the stance that Congress should not impeach, based upon the law. In each and every case, they expressed a belief that attempts to obtain justice would fail, because of the nature of the process.

I disagreed then, as I do now, because I Arthur Schlesing, Jr.'s faith in democracy' greatest virtue, "it's capacity for self-correction." This issue was addressed in a powerful manner in this week's New York Times Magazine, in an article by Jonathan Mahler, titled "After the Imperial Presidency." By no coincidence, Mahler quoted from the exact same books to support his position, as I have frequently quoted from in my DU essays in recent years, to support my positions.

As a person who supported Barack Obama, I had also mentioned numerous times in DU essays that his election was not the answer to our problems, but rather, a small door. I also recognize that those who bemoan a lack of opportunity often ignore the fact that small doors sometimes open into large rooms.

Because of this, I have noted that we will have to step-up our efforts when Obama takes office. This is not limited to opposing republicans. As I've said many times, we will often have to penly oppose President Obama. I have used the example of how the civil rights movement had to pressure the Kennedy administration, as well as the Johnson administration. For this reason, I willingly will accept the role of being an opponent of the Obama administration on specific issues; a thorn in their side on others; but always in an open and friendly way. I sincerely hope that the majority of other progressive and liberal democrats, and our good friends and close allies on the progressive left, will do the same .... because, indeed, justice delayed is justice denied, and that should serve to remind us that it is essential that we remind the administration of this simple truth.