I'll make it easy for EVERYBODY - IMPEACH him for this!!! Right Now!!!

[autorank]

I know that there is disagreement on impeachment as part of the grand tragedy to eliminate the Bush influence on America.

Well, HERE IT IS. Clear grounds for impeachment. It does not take a PhD in the obvious to figure this one out. IT'S ALL RIGHT HERE.

Confirm the facts, charge him and put it ALL OVER THE MEDIA HEARINGS. He's out of there.

Presuming this is all verified, and it is I'm sure, tell me I'm wrong. This is deliberate
negligence, in the extreme: a crime against the people of the United States of America.

Greg Palast-BuzzFlash Interview 12.21.06
Greg Palast: That's part of the problem, because they had no plan in case of a breach.Number one, the LSU Hurricane Center told the White House before the flood -- and I want to reemphasize this -- before the flood -- that New Orleans would be under water on a class 3 hurricane, that the levees were deficient, and that they were 18 inches short. The White House completely ignored their warnings.

You have to understand that the LSU hurricane experts actually spoke directly to the White House about this and what they saw as an emergency situation.

You should also know that the White House knew for nearly a full day that the levees had in fact been breached, and were about to drown the people left in the city. The emergency crews and police stopped the evacuation because they thought the city had survived Hurricane Katrina because the storm missed New Orleans. The hurricane watch center didn't realize that the levees had started to crack.

The White House knew it because the Army Corps of Engineers sent them photographs. Again, I want to emphasize that the White House had the photographs of the levees breaking, and didn't tell state and local officials who had stopped the evacuation because the hurricane missed New Orleans. Everyone thought they dodged a bullet, but the White House didn't tell anybody the levees broke and were drowning the city.

[illinoisprogressive]

1. He was doing what the gop agenda is: Nothing.

They want to dismantle the new deal and the plan is to do nothing. FEMA is a shell of itself as well as other agencies, he has done nothing for anyone and wants it all to be privatized. He is now trying to privatize the post office and the military and contracts for all his buddies. This is the scam they came to office with.

[kay1864]

30. Well not *completely* nothing...

Chimpy did tell state officials, "We are fully prepared" for Katrina.

That's Our Great Leader...full of empty words.

[exlrrp]

37. And then he played a little air guitar

Remember the photo of Bush strumming the guitar?
the media never reported the obvious truth(how hard is that to believe?)--Bush doesn't play the guitar or any other musical instrument. He was just posing and faking it ( how hard is THAT to believe?)

[Auntie Bush]

78. don't forget...he also ATE CAKE!

[Selatius]

2. If LSU has the depositions and the photographs that can hold up in a court of law, then it...

probably is strong enough on legal grounds for prosecution, but impeachment is a political process, and political ground is not so clear cut.

[illinoisprogressive]

3. the problem with impeachment is cheney

You have to get Cheney first. Then go after bush if possible. That is why the dems are backing away from impeachment. They don't want the country to suffer thru Cheney.

[autorank]

5. I agree with that. But that's no reason to let a crime go

unpunished. Maybe Cheney was a part of this. Didn't his former company get some sweet no bid action
for NOLA?

[calimary]

8. No it isn't. Not at all. I wouldn't let some fear of cheney stop me.

IMPEACHMENT simply HAS TO happen. It just simply HAS TO. Otherwise we've declared for all of history and all the world that some people ARE above the law. That's presumably NOT what the United States of America is supposed to be about, although that certainly didn't phase Gerald Ford at all. Even so, our system of justice states that crime should be punished, NOT allowed to just dance away freely down the primrose path, and that NO MAN, no matter WHO, is above the law. NO woman, either.

[autorank]

82. To let this pass by makes our government meaningless.

It's bad enough that the Feds can now jail and torture us without any legal recourse just based
on a suspicion of terra-ism.

Now we know (and I don't doubt these facts at all) that THEY KNEW ALL ALONG. Failinlg to provide
information to NOLA AFTER they took a breath and stopped the evacuation is a crime, period.

Adios right wing extremists, in a big hurry.

[Disturbed]

7. Impeach AG Gonzales first then work up from there.

In order to Indicte after Impeachment the AG and his cronies must be out of office.

[nadinbrzezinski]

15. Yuo do not impeach the AG

he is apointed not elected...

[DoYouEverWonder]

22. Any member of the executive branch

can be impeached. It doesn't matter if they are elected or appointed.

[electropop]

55. Exactly - in fact, any Government official can be impeached.

Article II Section 4: "The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.
"

[RaleighNCDUer]

9. Are you kidding? Cheney's been the boss all along.

Putting him in the top spot will just make him accountable, for the first time in his life.

Impeach Now!

[tavalon]

24. That's my thought

Bring Cheney's fucking shadow government out of the shadows. Make him accountable for the first time in his miserable existence. Hell, he'll probably have a heart attack first month out.

[autorank]

83. Right! And the *shadow government* is barely concealed.

This is outrageous beyond words.

Wonder if Papasts video will show on the old USA tee vee. This was the video production
where Palast and Matt Pascarella were threatened for filming a national security locatoin -
which was, you guessed it, an Exxon plant behind a fence enclosed NOLA refugee center.

Lets see the whole thing, NOW.


They're in big trouble,don't you think?

[Eurobabe]

10. Crashcart wouldn't last without his co-hort

He'd suffer a meltdown and expire, before his hand hit the Bible.

[sellitman]

25. Cheney is already running things

All a chucklenuts Impeachment would do is make it official.

[ItsTheMediaStupid]

28. Impeach them both at the same time.

Try Cheney first.

Don't even allow the POS a chance to appoint anyone to the VP's position.

[No Exit]

39. I'm sure there is AMPLE material available for which Cheney could be removed.

Anyone disagree with me? Anyone on here think Cheney has committed no crimes?

Plus, if Cheney were to come to the presidency after a messy, scandalous impeachment/conviction of Junior, just think what his approval ratings would be. Hell, they're in the toilet even now. I like the idea of having the country--including those comatose people we all complain about--get a glimpse of the REAL Dick Cheney. (Right now he's in the shadows--a place he likes... all vermin prefer the shadows.) That would cure this country of any notion of voting for republicans ever again!

[mopinko]

46. IMPEACH THEM BOTH TOGETHER.

sorry to scream, but there is no reason not to impeach them both. most of the articles of impeachment that have been introduced are against them both. you have to impeach them together, to prevent any use of executive power from mucking up the process.

[xxqqqzme]

54. Hell, yes both of them

darth is the principle: 1. Iraq intelligence cherry-picker; 2. promoter of pre-fabricated saddam/al qaeda connection 'facts'; and 3. overlord of the powell UN presentation. The invasion & occupation is all darth.

[autorank]

76. Excellent!!!

Now we can go search out who got those no bid contracts.

Might be some Haliburton benefit there, nah, I'm just being cynical again;)

[calimary]

98. Actually, that's one of Henry Waxman's pet projects. He's been on

cheney for several years now, trying like hell to get some answers, ANY answers, about that sneaky-ass secret energy task force especially, and Halliburton everything. But he couldn't get anywhere as a minority House member, and he sure didn't have subpoena power. His committee chair certainly wasn't going to rock the boat, and kept him stymied. But now, that's ALL changed! I'm so excited about that!!! Henry can finally get somewhere!!! His efforts finally will have teeth, and lots of muscle!!!

WHEEEEE!!! Reason then and there to pop the champagne corks, regardless what else may be going on. Waxman Unleashed. A thing of beauty!!! And cheney's worst nightmare (which I like even better)!!!

:headbang:

:bounce:

:toast:

:party:

:thumbsup:

[bdamomma]

100. Yes, if one goes the others should go to.

but we the people will not learn all of their dirty deeds until they are out of the WH.

[goclark]

119. Let's suffer through Cheney ~ we can stand the pain of

Impeaching him first.

[autorank]

4. OK, I'll go for a prosecution. Where's a Federal or local prosecutor

with some guts.

This is an amazing case, one that would register with the public as a "high crime" against US citizens. So the politics of it are easy. Just show the evidence. Palast is very good on facts. He also interprets but these are facts. If they were informed ot these three facts and did nothing, that's the worst crime imaginable (within the realm of ever expanding possibility).

[Contrite]

6. It is criminal negligence.

Greg Palast: It is criminal negligence. Remember, I was a racketeering investigator.

The levees are federal property. If the federal levees failed, then it becomes a federal evacuation issue, and Bush and his gang did not want to be responsible.

Even more important is that they are financially responsible for all the homes lost, because the levees were deficient.

The original story coming out of the White House was that the Mississippi River and the lake north of New Orleans simply overflowed, right? Just big waves crash over the city and later the levees broke. Uh-uh. The city flooded because the levees broke.

Ivor van Heerden of the Louisiana State University hurricane center said he flew over those levees and he counted 28 levee breaks.

He said the White House, when they knew that the city was about to drown, said that there was one break. And he found 28. As he said, "That's not an act of God. That's an act of negligence."

If John Edwards wants to do something in the Ninth Ward, he can work on this problem. The poor people who rebuilt their homes with Common Ground funding and volunteers are being forced out because the developers say they own the land, not the people who lived on it.

[autorank]

11. I just sent an email to a friend on the Edwards angle. WELCOME TO DU!!

Where's the beef? He could go to town on this.

Does he have the audacity and imagination? We'll see.

[puebloknot]

19. I didn't realize this was your OP. I thanked autorank for it! :)

Now, let me thank you!

[puebloknot]

20. Oh, shoot. It's 3:12 a.m. I should be in bed. Can't figure out..

...how to zap this message.

So now, I see it *is* your OP, autorank, and I need to thank you again and unthank...oh well, you get it.


Help me someone. I hit the edit button as soon as I realized I'd made a mistake, but it seems you have about 20 seconds to edit. How do we get rid of a message we want to zap?

[autorank]

84. It's a Greg Palast - Matt Pascarella OP - Kudos to both of them.

I've felt like I should stay in bad every day this week, so you're one up on me;)

[texpatriot2004]

29. Yes, it is and it's shameful and evil that they ignored the

problem.

[autorank]

87. "Shameful" A + "Have you no sense of decency, sir? "

"At long last, have you left no sense of decency?"

Lawyer Welch to Sen. Joseph McCarthy, R,WI capping a nasty day at the Army-McCarthy hearings.

It's time to go, and go now!!!

[truedelphi]

63. The poor get the short end of the stick

>>The poor people who rebuilt their homes with Common Ground funding and volunteers are being forced out because the developers say they own the land, not the people who lived on it.

That is often the case with low income housing. Legally, the low income renter or owner is given the right to be there for a given amount of time, but then the land, and sometimes the buildings themselves, all revert back to the ownership of whatever person is or persons heads the Board of Directors.

[mattclearing]

12. Duh.

It has been obvious to me since about a day into the tragedy that Bush intentionally allowed New Orleans to drown, and refused to send help in order to maximize the damage.

I'm sure it was to allow developers to rebuild New Orleans...instant gentrification.

And the fact that it pushes most of the black population (read: Democratic voters) out turns Louisiana solid red.

Unless someone calls him on it.

[autorank]

16. Someone did...

...but this one didn't have legs..

It's still a favorite of mine

Scoop: The Disenfranchisement Of Katrina's Survivors Mar. 1, 2006

It was obvious but this sets it all out in concise terms, terms people could undersand. I remember finding the LSU web page during the storm. It's amazing. My response was "They knew!"

Good for Greg Palast.

200,000 New Oreans residents are exiled still.

Who benefits?

From the article:

The Federal government provided Louisiana $24 million to fund voting machine purchases in 2004. In that same year, it withdrew $24 million from levee maintenance support in the Federal budget. The de facto and de jure disenfranchisement of New Orleans evacuees is shaping up to be one of the most disgraceful chapters in the history of American governance. The ballot box, the purported solution, is hidden, swathed in absurdist regulations and out of reach for those most in need of access. The denial of voting rights to Katrina evacuees is a denial of their right to self determination. It is a national disgrace.

Who benefits?

[Fridays Child]

13. k/r...there's the fifth vote.

[autorank]

88. Muchos Gracias !!!

:hi:

[nicknameless]

14. Something else that I'll NEVER get over

are the stories from those who tried to deliver aid and conduct rescues, but were turned away.
Rescue and relief efforts from other states and other countries -- even freaking WalMart, for Christ's sake.
They were turned away.

K&R


:cry:

[cui bono]

17. And how about those trucks filled with ice that drove aimlessly around the country.

:wtf:

[puebloknot]

21. I read a letter on the Internet from a lawyer...

...who organized a flotilla of small boats and tried to rescue people from a hospital in NO. Federal troops/civil servants (don't know who they were) were playing softball while guarding the entrance to a channel that would have let the boats into NO. They were turned away -- at gunpoint, I seem to recall.

Who could make this stuff up?

[puebloknot]

18. Palast doesn't usually show his hand until he has the goods!

Let's not hide behind the "investigations" mantra, as if Conyers and others haven't compiled a mountain of evidence of impeachable offenses. New Orleans, a national treasure, along with its people who gave it its special character, deserve more than a "presidential" shrug!

Yes! We know! There is a procedure for impeachment that includes *investigations* and *hearings*! Not required, however, are drawn-out procedures which are simply a means of running out the clock until 2008.

January 4, 2007 is a good day for America to get over its malaise, grow up, and remove the stain from our national reputation. November said we are not helpless!

Thanks for this great post, autorank. I appreciate the work you do for election reform, and the research you're always doing to keep us updated here at DU!

[autorank]

93. You make an excellent point. Confirm the facts, enter the resolution & check this out!!!

But lets not forget the creative alternatives to the origination of a impeachment resolution:

Jefferson’s Revenge

There is a little known set of supplementary rules for both the US Senate and House of Representatives developed by Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson was clear on his opposition to centralized federal power and frequently sought balances giving states greater liberties and rights. Jefferson’s rules, Section 603, state:

Inception of impeachment proceedings in the House: … there are various methods of setting an impeachment in motion: by charges made on the floor on the responsibility of a Member or Delegate; by charges preferred by a memorial, which is usually referred to a committee for examination; by a resolution dropped in the hopper by a Member and referred to a committee; by a message from the President; by charges transmitted from the legislature of a State or territory or from a grand jury…”

The language in Jefferson’s parliamentary guidelines is clear. State legislatures can set “an impeachment in motion” with a “Joint Resolution” approved by the legislature (both the state Senate and Assembly). No state has taken advantage of this provision. In fact, it is so obscure; the majority of Vermont legislators who asked for impeachment did so in a formal letter to the House of Representatives rather than invoking Jefferson’s Rule 603.
----------------------------

[puebloknot]

106. Jefferson's workaround for impeachment

I've read about this. It would be a way to force the hand of the House, I assume. If one state did this, what would be next?

If that state submitted a Joint Resolution, and attached thereto were various pieces of evidence, such as Palast's, it would seem that would get impeachment rolling, as there would be a focus on specifics, not some diffuse investigatory process that could be used to, as I've already said, run out the clock.

More info, please, Teach!

[teryang]

23. pretending negligence during Katrina

the diaster in New Orleans was part of martial law exercise/legislative agenda. As a result, the national guards have been removed from state control for practical purposes by recent legislation.

[snappyturtle]

48. Isn't that (the National Guard thing) con-veeeen-ient!

The whole administration is long awful soap opera!

[EFerrari]

26. They harassed the guy at the Hurricane Center and they ARRESTED

Greg Palast for having the sand to report this homicide.

Because that's what this was, HOMICIDE.

[stevedeshazer]

27. RIGHT ON, my brother

[autorank]

107. You nailed it to the floor;)

He can't make anybody do anything but cry...and to think, this is the clown that the Corporate Media
referred to as someone you'd like t have next door. I'd rather have the Angels or the Gypsy Jokers. At least I could get some good "consignment items." And how stupid is this...Saddam is being executed. Amazing.

Great New Year!!!

[msedano]

31. impeach second, first

recognize sh*thead's incredible sensitivity in serenading these victims in that photograph. what is the phallo's repertoire, "jimmy crack corn" followed by "old black joe" then a rousing rendition texas style of "when the saints go marchin' in" and for an encore, as pictured here, "old man river"? or maybe it's broadway show tunes, "money (makes the world go around)" from cabaret, and "Christmas in n*****town" from hair, and the grande finale, "the ass of texas is upon you"?

recommended.

mvs

[Berry Cool]

35. Um, you do realize that image is Photoshopped?

Not that he wasn't insensitive, and not that he wasn't busy accepting guitars and having a good time while people drowned. He just didn't do it right in front of them, is all.

[RaleighNCDUer]

52. Not in front of THEM, because they had no electricity --

but the rest of the country had TV, and we saw it.

Yes, it is photoshopped, and it speaks the greater truth.

[msedano]

97. forrest gump my ass!

now all the shrubhole apologists come out of the woodwork and show their true colors. are you telling me i cannot believe my own eyes?

[chknltl]

32. Recommended and bookmarked

Thank you for this. There are many fine arguments against the impeachment process from a great many folks I deeply respect here in the DU. I am saddened that there is such a division here but I will not waver in my beliefs that America will be safer with bush gone! I do not believe he needs to be treated like Saddam but he MUST be tried for his crimes and placed in detention for them. All of his cronies MUST meet the same fate.

I must add, heartened though I am here by this post, I strongly feel that the bfee must also be tried for their crimes against the peoples of the Middle East. Anyone with even a freeper mentality can plainly see that we are being watched by those who would argue that we are directly responsible for the lions share of their problems over there. Why make it easier for the jihadist to expand their armies by appearing to condone bushcos actions? If we allow bush to get away with this then that is exactly how it will appear to them. One more 9-11 here will send this country into a real war, one far bloodier than any in history. The quicker the bushcons are brought to task for their crimes the sooner we can start to step away from the brink.

[autorank]

108. I respect both sides of the impeachment argument but this is simple and

compelling. He let people die, our people, and he did it with all sorts of folks surrounding him
who knew what was happening. He's GUILTY. If we don't nail him for this, a crime against the American people with 200,000,000 witnesses then we're not serious about the rule of law and respect for our fellow man.

I think this is so easy...he did in a whole city, culture, and continues to do so.

Paraguay, get ready;)

[FogerRox]

33. Its called premeditated murder.

eom.

[mod mom]

40. I framed a poster I found after the Sept '05 DC March that has Kanye West

with a talk bubble stating:

"George Bush doesn't like black people"
or poor people
or gay people
or the constitution
or the Geneva Convention
and the list goes on...


I placed so anyone who comes to my front door can easily read it. I have had only positive comments on it. (although we have friends of our children who gave $20,000 to B/C '04 come in and see it. I only hope it makes them think!)

INDICT
IMPEACH
IMPRISON!

[autorank]

109. Thost 20k'ers...I bet they're like the %60 million folks from the primaries...want their money back!

Defective merchandise and all that...

:hi:

[autorank]

70. This is amazing stuff isn't it Roj...what negligence, no heart at all .

Happy new year and thanks for all the great work you do for free and fair elections.

You're a warrior in our behalf!!!

[Felinity]

34. Let's not forget this advice from John Dean

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=3016754

"Lowering the aim of an impeachment effort to focus on those who have aided and abetted, or directly engaged in, the commission of high crimes and misdemeanors, would have all the positives, and none of the negatives, of going after Bush and Cheney. ...... to rid the government of those who have participated, along with Bush and Cheney, in abuses and misuses of power; indeed, many among them have actually encouraged Bush and Cheney to undertake the offensive activities."

[autorank]

71. Deans experience is extraordinary and he has a great mind.

The good news is that here in your national capitol region, we have so many talented lawyers, we can
pursue both policies.

Just look over the Palast interview at BuzzFlash and remember that he was formerly with the NOLA
Housing Commission.

These events took place. What message does it send if the perpetrators, any of them but
especially the "Perp in Chief" walk?

[EFerrari]

36. kick

[burythehatchet]

38. Decades from now there will be a DU debate

about how it was a good, healing thing for the nation it was that Bush was pardoned.

I was 14 when Nixon was pardoned and I knew even then that it was wrong.

[Stephanie]

41. What the WH did instead >>>

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=4550031

[Stephanie]

43. Here is Bush getting briefed on Sunday, Katrina hit Monday >

What did he do? Flew to Arizona for a Medicare "town meeting" = then to San Diego for a fundraiser.

[WinkyDink]

42. "Nobody could have anticipated...."

[kpete]

44. I, of course, stand with AUTORANK & THE TRUTH

Pearl S. Buck:
Truth is always exciting. Speak it, then; life is dull without it.

[autorank]

110. Is this mad enough;)

:toast:

[Poiuyt]

45. Let them eat cake

Bush and McCain on Aug 29, 2005

[NoSunWithoutShadow]

116. Then the cretin licks his fingers

And his vulgar mother

[Senator]

47. Sure, it's enough ... But War Crimes Charge is Still "Easier"

Mainly, because it's easier on Our National Conscience.

Easier to "prove" in that they publicly admit their crimes -- with words like "quaint," "dunking," and "redefining" Geveva.

Easier to set aside other matters briefly to deal with it -- since stopping the ongoing torture is a more immediate concern than any past matters -- and remains our obligation under international law.

Easier case to make to our so-called "leaders" to remove their heads from their ... well, sand piles. Because if they remain silently complicit while taking the majority power in Congress, they literally become war criminals themselves.

Easier to prevent a worse situation than any nightmare of the past 6 years. (Yes, it can get worse.) Because if the "new majority" fails to act on Geneva violations on Jan. 3rd, they do so -- unlike the never-elected, never-legitimate regime -- carrying the ostensible consent of the American People from the midterms.

Failure to act to impeach the regime now literally makes us a War Criminal Nation.

This is a worse outcome than any we've seen yet -- worse than stolen elections, worse than Iraq, far worse than 9/11.

The water is still rising.

Only Impeachment ... can shore up this moral levee.

--

[me b zola]

49. k&r

[pacalo]

50. There will be hearings on Katrina.

And I hope they ask this man to testify:



Ivor L. van Heerden
Deputy Director, LSU Hurricane Center
Associate Professor
Civil and Environmental Engineering

Director, Center for the Study of Public Health Impacts of Hurricanes.

Ph.D., Marine Sciences,
Louisiana State University

HAZARDS RESEARCH AREAS: Coastal zone management to
minimize storm impacts, design of coastal restoration projects

[Uncle Joe]

65. He should stay out of tall buildings, small planes and make a video

stating he has no intention of committing suicide

[Sapphire Blue]

51. Since Speaker Pelosi has apparently taken impeachment off the table...

... I sincerely hope she is preparing for his trial at the Hague.

This is nothing less than a crime against humanity. Justice will not be served until bushco faces trial.

[autorank]

111. Disney ending....

Speaker Pelosi was mildly amused that at the references to her as a light weight.
If they only knew of the special conference I've arranged for him in Berlin. He'll
be arrested and then transported directly to The Hague. No one will know what's happened
until he's before the judges. (fill in the rest).

Oh sure;) She'll put it back right after she sees this post...haha.

She'll put it there when there is some real anger behind the demands. She's a politician,
that's her job...that little warning devise that says, "Oops, gotta move now..."

We'll keep it up and hopefully she'll get the message.

[Jcrowley]

53. K & R n/t

[porphyrian]

56. You don't need to convince me. - n/t

[Dystopian]

57. K&R n/t

[earth mom]

58. Exactly right! Amazing isn't it that some would turn a blind eye to this crap

and want to continue to play politics with these criminal bastards?! :wtf:

[Independent_Liberal]

59. Another for the impeachment tally!

I'm writing Dubya up again!

You go Mike!

:yourock:

[Rex]

60. If we cared about nothing more than the image of America and

the progress we made in the last century, we would impeach them both next year.

[H2O Man]

61. #70 .....

I agree.

[autorank]

94. Having heard the nomination, we shall proceed!!! THE TRUTH IS ON TRIAL!

[truedelphi]

62. Edwards just announced run for the Presidency from 9th Ward

There are no coincidences.

The MSM media doesn't go to the depths of the issue- but I for one
would not be surprised if Edwards understands exactly the foul play
and genocide that went down in NO

[autorank]

72. You just made my day. Thank you.

I'm blown away. My one day working this week so I'm news deprived.

I'm stunned. THANK YOU :hi:

[EFerrari]

64. Impeach him.

[autorank]

95. He'll get that long needed rest;) n/t

[Uncle Joe]

66. Thanks for the thread autorank

Kicked and recommended

[autorank]

74. Thanks to you Uncle Joe and a great new year...

Just when I thought I understood how awful this character and his crew are, this!

Out with the bums!!!

[jus_the_facts]

67. When The Levee Breaks....M16's locked and loaded...Shoot To KILL...

.....THIS IS HOW GOV'T WORKS IN THE 21ST CENTURY. :nopity:


"They have M-16s and they're locked and loaded," she said. "These troops know how to shoot and kill, and they are more than willing to do so, and I expect they will."
Friday, September 2, 2005; 7:23 AM

NEW ORLEANS -- An explosion jolted residents awake early Friday, illuminating the pre-dawn sky with red and orange flames over the city where corpses rotted along flooded sidewalks and bands of armed thugs thwarted fitful rescue efforts.

Congress was rushing through a $10.5 billion aid package, the Pentagon promised 1,400 National Guardsmen a day to stop the looting and President Bush planned to visit the region. But city officials were seething with anger about what they called a slow federal response following the devastation left by Hurricane Katrina.


A SWAT team drives past flood victims waiting at the Convention Center in New Orleans, Thursday, Sept. 1, 2005. Officials called for a mandatory evacuation of the city, but many resident remained in the city and had to be rescued from flooded homes and hotels and remain in the city awaiting a way out. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) (Eric Gay - AP)
"They don't have a clue what's going on down there," Mayor Ray Nagin told WWL-AM Thursday night.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=4576651

[ieoeja]

68. I'd rather impeach ...

... because an openly conducted congressional investigation reviewed the evidence and heard counter-arguments before deciding this was all true.

I hope my country never impeaches a president on the basis that, "Greg Palast said so".

Horrible enough my country impeached a president for refusing to tell us unimportant facts about his sex life. But at least they investigated his sex life first (albeit in secret, closed grand jury hearings with no defense permissble) instead of justifying it on the basis that, "Rush Limbaugh said so".

[WritersBlock]

69. Criminal Negligence, indeed.

Shortly after Katrina, I called my US Representative's office and said I wanted Bush impeached for criminal negligence over the Katrina response, and the aide laughed at me. This is a Louisiana congressman - Jim McCrery.

I wasn't kidding then, and I'm still serious about it now. And I think this was all a part of that negligence, too.

[autorank]

112. Your link is excellent.

Looks like Brownie did the writing, not. He signed it so that's a good place to start.

Probably some lobbyist with a home in one of those parishes.

That's a great avenue...Brown will roll over like a tired puppy and sing like a canary (or vis a versa).

Whatever it takes. This is the BIGGEST crime...

[bobthedrummer]

73. By all means, and Cheney first...

[robertpaulsen]

75. And don't forget to throw Turd Blossom in the slammer!

After all, Rove is the run responsible for running the reconstruction into the ground:

Karl Rove: Hurricane Katrina Reconstruction "Czar"
From SourceWatch

Karl Rove, President George W. Bush's "top strategist" and Deputy Chief of Staff, often called "Bush's brain," is the man Republicans say is in charge of the Hurricane Katrina reconstruction effort. <1>

"The President literally changed horses in the middle of the stream last week, putting 'Heckava Job' Brownie out to pasture and wagering his last bit of political capital on a nag by the name of T-Blossom, who is used to slogging it out on a muddy track. Yes, Bush saddled his favorite political steed, Karl Rove, with the enormous political and economic task of rebuilding the Big Easy. To make the job more alluring he threw in—for starters--$200 billion to excite all the participants," Jean Carnahan wrote September 19, 2005.

"For now it looks like Karl is the go to man for the job. Lord, help us," Carnahan said. "'Brownie' was simply harmless and dull, but 'Dr. Evil' is brilliant, cunning, and loathsome. Never mind that this is not Karl's line of work. But it might be his salvation. Who would indict a man engaged in so noble a work? The administration gets a 'double whammy:' Karl's atonement and Bush's revival."

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Karl_Rove:_Hurricane_Katrina_Reconstruction_%22Czar%22



FBI Uncovers Post-Katrina Fraud

JACKSON, Miss. Jan 23, 2006 (AP)— The FBI has uncovered fraud by public officials in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and has created a task force to investigate corruption as federal money pours into the Gulf Coast region, Mississippi's top agent said Monday.

"We are seeing public officials facilitating some of the fraud," John G. Raucci, agent in charge in Mississippi, said in an interview with The Associated Press. "It's not widespread, I will say that, but we have seen it and we have begun addressing it."

Raucci would not give details.

Sheila Thorne, an FBI agent in Louisiana, said the bureau has set up task forces in each of that state's three districts to deal with hurricane-related fraud. "As allegations come in, they will be investigated," Thorne said in a separate interview.

Thorne said agents are looking at all levels of fraud in Louisiana, including public corruption.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=1533999&CMP=OTC-RSSFeeds0312



Auditors: Katrina waste could top $2 billion

• Waste after Hurricane Katrina could top $2 billion, government auditors say
• Wasteful spending already has been tabbed at $1 billion
• Contracts valued at $500K+ have been awarded with little or no competition
• The auditors expect to release their report in January

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The tally for Hurricane Katrina waste could top $2 billion next year because half of the lucrative government contracts valued at $500,000 or greater for cleanup work are being awarded with little competition.

Federal investigators have already determined the Bush administration squandered $1 billion on fraudulent disaster aid to individuals after the 2005 storm.

Now they are shifting their attention to the multimillion dollar contracts to politically connected firms that critics have long said are a prime area for abuse.

In January, investigators will release the first of several audits examining more than $12 billion in Katrina contracts. The charges range from political favoritism to limited opportunities for small and minority-owned firms, which initially got only 1.5 percent of the total work.

more...

http://edition.cnn.com/2006/US/12/26/katrina.waste.ap/

[waiting for hope]

77. This is why I think Edwards

chose the Ninth Ward to announce today - he was emphasizing what had happened and the gross negligence since then. It's a terrible stain on this country - hopefully when 2007 comes Waxman and the Dem Congress will try to make amends.

[autorank]

91. This was a world class move. I bet he's got a few more shoes to

drop on NOLA and he certainly knew the facts above. Very interesting. He's as smart as
he seems. Smart sells in 2006 - street smarts plus serious intellect.

[Qutzupalotl]

79. There was confusion about the breach.

http://katrinacoverage.com/2006/03/02/blanco-said-levees-were-safe-aug-29-at-noon.html

Various officials said at different times that a breach had not occured, for some time after it had. All cell phones were out in the area, and communication was poor.

However, there is NO excuse for Bush saying, "nobody could have anticipated a breach." That was just a lie.

[Me.]

80. R &

:kick:

As for the blivet, his days are numbered.

[understandinglife]

81. Ah, yes, .... inescapable and well documented ...

Recommended.

[Vidar]

85. Impeach Bush, Cheney , Gonzales & Rice together ( & Rove if her

is covered under the Articles of Impeachment).

[autorank]

96. He's sure covered by criminal code.

:hi:

[In Truth We Trust]

86. Impeacch and Imprison for the rest of his miserable frat boy life!

[autorank]

92. This is why your work on hand counted paper ballots is so important;

Scoop: Coalition Paper Ballot Call Spares Vote Villains 12.18.06 You can't suppress the truth.

[bleever]

89. Still in time to recommend.

:woohoo:

[autorank]

90. I'm honored considering the source!!!!

Can you believe this guy. I visited the LSU site during Katrina and was just amazed at how comprehensive the site was. But old Greg put it all together...simple, straight forward, and
devastating. We don't even need to comment on this. People were at risk, information was withheld
and people were injured and killed with the added consequence that a city is destroyed and 200,000
citizens are exiled. Not bad for a few days work but that's our "W".

Happy New Year!!!

[EFerrari]

99. bleever! You are awesome!

:woohoo:

[FogerRox]

101. I just made it 100 recommends, WOOT WOOT WOOT.

[EFerrari]

102. And you are awesome too.

:woohoo:

[autorank]

113. Your'e both awesome!!!

:evilgrin:

[EFerrari]

103. Mike, this post has ONE HUNDRED recs!

:rofl:

Thank you so much.

[Maraya1969]

104. Bush declared a state of emergency for all the northern parishes in NO

And left the southern ones out. Now that is something I have never been able to get my head around.

[FogerRox]

114. Thats right, Bush never declared an emergency for the

coastal parishes, I got the WH link someplace....

In my mind that makes it premediatated murder.

[WritersBlock]

117. Oh, he did, finally. On *Monday.* The day Katrina hit.

Link here.

Fat lot of good that did the people who weren't able to get out of New Orleans before the hurricane because of all the confusion & lack of response.

Too damn little; too damn late.

I have screenshots & the pdfs, both before and after, saved from the FEMA & WH websites. I'm simply not willing to let this go until it's explained to my satisfaction. And I'm damned hard to satisfy.

[nicknameless]

105. And don't forget this interview with Jefferson Parish President Aaron Broussard

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2005/09/04/4581

“One of the Worst Abandonments of Americans on American Soil Ever”

RUSSERT: "You just heard the director of homeland security’s explanation of what has happened this last week. What is your reaction?"

BROUSSARD: "We have been abandoned by our own country. Hurricane Katrina will go down in history as one of the worst storms ever to hit an American coast. But the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina will go down as one of the worst abandonments of Americans on American soil ever in U.S. history. … Whoever is at the top of this totem pole, that totem pole needs to be chainsawed off and we’ve got to start with some new leadership. It’s not just Katrina that caused all these deaths in New Orleans here. Bureaucracy has committed murder here in the greater New Orleans area and bureaucracy has to stand trial before Congress now."

Broussard then discussed the difficulties local authorities had with FEMA, including one case where they actually posted armed guards to keep FEMA from cutting their communications lines:

"Three quick examples. We had Wal-Mart deliver three trucks of water. FEMA turned them back. They said we didn’t need them. This was a week ago. FEMA, we had 1,000 gallons of diesel fuel on a Coast Guard vessel docked in my parish. When we got there with our trucks, FEMA says don’t give you the fuel. Yesterday — yesterday — FEMA comes in and cuts all of our emergency communication lines. They cut them without notice. Our sheriff, Harry Lee, goes back in, he reconnects the line. He posts armed guards and said no one is getting near these lines..."

<snip>

"I want to give you one last story and I’ll shut up and let you tell me whatever you want to tell me. The guy who runs this building I’m in, Emergency Management, he’s responsible for everything. His mother was trapped in St. Bernard nursing home and every day she called him and said, “Are you coming, son? Is somebody coming?” and he said, “Yeah, Mama, somebody’s coming to get you.” Somebody’s coming to get you on Tuesday. Somebody’s coming to get you on Wednesday. Somebody’s coming to get you on Thursday. Somebody’s coming to get you on Friday… and she drowned Friday night. She drowned Friday night! Nobody’s coming to get us. Nobody’s coming to get us. The Secretary has promised. Everybody’s promised. They’ve had press conferences. I’m sick of the press conferences. For god’s sakes, just shut up and send us somebody."

http://thinkprogress.org/2005/09/04/worst-abandonments

Edited to add link

[GreenTea]

115. If investigations started in the spring of 2007....

and with republican foot dragging for month's and month's screaming unfair at every turn to the media and then the hearings and then the voting if it gets that far in both houses...when do you think impeachment might actually occur? The earliest would be spring of 2008 probably longer, closer to election time 2008...

[lies and propaganda]

118. Autorank my favorite....

Ive had a million different reasons why i think taht fuck should be impeached and when and since Katrina happened it is so fucking clear.
What was not done in the week and subsequent year after is a travesty, UnAmerican and sickening.

[autorank]

120. That was the WORST WEEK...right here, on American soil!!!

Next year;)

[Disturbed]

121. Cheney can barely stay awake as VP.

If he became Pres. he would need to be Impeached for sleeping on the job.

[autorank]

122. He goes first, just like Agnew.

He'll be asleep, never know until he wakes up to a knock at his door. Federal Marshal serving a subpoena;) Maybe Chuck Norris could be deputized, some one like that.