Court Of Impeachment And War Crimes

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Imbush Peach

We The People Radio Network

An interview with Naomi Wolf about the 10 steps from democracy to dictatorship!

Stop The Spying Now

Stop the Spying!

Tuesday, January 1, 2008

Impeach+Bush+Cheney; From New England to Pasadena Today In News and Reviews


Impeach+Bush+Cheney+
Dump Pelosi, Reid
And A Whole Bunch
Of Worthless Lobby Suck Up Phonies,

Or Ask Yourself
This To Start The New Year:
Who is Opposing Your Incumbent Stooge?

Also Featuring With Kudos The NEImpeach.org
Near the end Of This Post.

And Then I Guess It’s Time To Turn Our Eyes To Pasadenda!

But just remember; That if you do things that can be ignored; you will be ignored…political theater is no substitute for action!

There are many 'known unknowns' about the Bush Years, but there's one thing we know for sure, the Democrats are not going to end the war. Before the 2006 elections they told us they needed to get control of Congress, then we'd see some action. Well that hasn't happened. In fact, they just passed a $696 Billion defense bill, with another $70bil cherry on top for lil Bushitler last week. They are now in open defiance of upholding their oath of office. Nancy Pelosi and John Conyers and the rest of the enbablers in DC are flipping you the bird America- they don't care what you think about it because they've got Diebold. What are we to do?

Watch for This at the Rose ParadeWatch for This at the Rose Parade.
From Barbara Cummings.AfterDowningStreet.org - Impeach... - http://www.afterdowningstreet.org

Local and national pro-Impeachment and pro-Peace American citizens will stage non-violent protests and demonstrations throughout the Rose Parade in Pasadena, California, on Tuesday, January 1, 2008 beginning at 6:00 a.m. with support from Cindy Sheehan and the Camp Casey Peace Institute.

The convergence of activists at Orange Grove and Colorado, by Pasadena's Norton Simon museum, is called the White Rose Coalition in honor of the resistance movement in Munich in 1942. The White Rose Coalition includes members of the Los Angeles National Impeachment Center (LANIC), CODEPINK, The Backbone Campaign, Troops Out Now Coalition, World Can't Wait, ANSWER, Progressive Democrats of America, the Green Party, Veterans for Peace, United for Peace and Justice, and others. Starting at 10:15 am, the peace and impeachment activists will march down Colorado from the Norton Simon to the east steps of Pasadena City Hall (by Euclid and Colorado) where Cindy Sheehan and other peace activists will hold a press conference on Impeachment and the Iraq War at 11 am.

Visuals and props will be gathered there and part of the procession. The groups are calling for impeaching George W. Bush and Dick Cheney for high crimes and misdemeanors,and to end U.S. occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan. Rep. Dennis Kucinich [OH] has sponsored two resolutions in Congress to impeach Vice President Dick Cheney: H. Res. 333 and H. Res. 799. He is drafting an extended version relating to President Bush. The patriots gathered on January 1, 2008 will be sending a strong pro-Impeachment and pro-Peace message to this Administration in opposition to the continuing occupations of Iraq, Afghanistan and the growing pressure by Cheney and others to bomb Iran.

"This administration has shredded Constitutional protections and is now apparently planning another illegal military strike, this time to bomb Iran and possibly Pakistan," says Cynthia Mather , a spokesperson for LANIC. "The consequences of such an assault on global well-being and security would be catastrophic," she said. "Congress is obligated to act before it is too late. But the Democrats are not making any move to stop it, so impeachment is our only recourse."

"Numbers of protestors and demonstrators from the various groups will be well into the hundreds or in the thousands", said Peter Thottam, Executive Director of LANIC . "We expect this to be a national day of impeachment visibility, with folks joining from all parts of the country. It is hard to gauge how many will show up, but according to the latest MSNBC poll, of 584,000 people asked if they thought Bush had committed impeachable offenses, 89 per cent said yes! There is a tremendous level of anger and frustration out there.

I doubt if our politicians in Washington D.C. have any idea just how much."
For more information about the Pasadena Rose Parade action, the Los Angeles National Impeachment Center or for an interview, please contact Peter Thottam at 310-497-7255 or e-mail him at thottam@bcimpeach.com.

We the PeopleBy Susie Protesters advocating impeachment of US President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney carry a giant copy of the Constitution as they follow at the end of the 119th annual Rose Parade in Pasadena, California January 1, 2008. ...Suburban Guerrilla - http://susiemadrak.com/

On The Others Fronts:


March in My Name, Philadelphia
http://www.flickr.com/photos/restoredemocracy/sets/72157603590425577/

http://wexlerwantshearings.com 172218

Impeach Cheney, Web site implores
By Lesley Clark - lclark@mcclatchydc.com
Last Updated 5:41 am PST Wednesday, December 26, 2007Story appeared in MAIN NEWS section, Page A9

IMPEACHMENT- A CAN OF WORMSWhy are Congressional Democrats protecting Bush and Cheney from impeachment? Is it because many of they are just as guilty of what's going on in our country? Digg / upcoming - http://digg.com/

Allyson’s FarewellBy john Given John’s enthusiasm and strong belief in the need for impeachment as a tool to return America to a country guided by its brilliant constitution, it has been hard for him to stay off of his feet as his feet are his way to fight for ...March in My Name - http://www.marchinmyname.org

Impeach Cheney, Web site imploresSacramento Bee - CA, USAI think he's a very brave person to go against the Democratic leadership," said Diane Lawrence, a member of the South Florida Impeachment Coalition, ...See all stories on this topic

IMPEACH CHENEYBy Justice Building Blog Therefore, it is with all due concern and respect for precedent and the high offices of our land, that after careful thought and consideration, we moderately propose the following possibility: Click here and impeach this sonofabitch now ...Recent Posts - Justia BlawgSearch.com - http://blawgsearch.justia.com/

Wexler's Web site: Impeach CheneyYoungstown Vindicator - Youngstown,OH,USAThe Florida Democrat has launched a Web site — wexlerwantshearings.com — and is gathering signatures calling for impeachment hearings against Vice President ...See all stories on this topic

Too busy to take up your civic duty and protest against these bastards? Can't make it to Washington. Well, he can and he will march in your name and send you a photo.

http://www.marchinmyname.org/?page_id=5
Estimated Schedule
http://www.marchinmyname.org/?page_id=69

Antiwar America Unite!OpEdNews - Newtown,PA,USAby peacecandidates.com (Posted by Nadia) Page 1 of 1 page(s) If 80% of America wants the to End the War & Impeach Bush, why can't we accomplish our goals? ...See all stories on this topic

Impeach bothSalt Lake Tribune - United StatesCongress should immediately impeach, convict and remove them from office. Then, maybe the United States will get on the road to recovery.See all stories on this topic

Impeach the vice presidentNapa Valley Register - Napa,CA,USADear editor,I support a call for the impeachment of Dick Cheney for his numerous questionable actions which may have violated our Constitution. ...See all stories on this topic

The White Rose and the Rose ParadeOpEdNews - Newtown,PA,USAI rode from the Veteran’s for Peace Convention in Dallas on the “White Rose,” a bus that had a huge ‘IMPEACH’ written on the side of it. ...See all stories on this topic

Since the conquest of Poland three hundred thousand Jews have been murdered in this country in the most bestial way ... The German people slumber on in their dull, stupid sleep and encourage these fascist criminals ... Each man wants to be exonerated of a guilt of this kind, each one continues on his way with the most placid, the calmest conscience. But he cannot be exonerated; he is guilty, guilty, guilty! — From the second leaflet of the White Rose. [5] ”My first encounter with the White Rose Society (a small group of Munich University Students who were executed for their opposition to Hitler and the Third Reich) came on my way from Dallas to Crawford, Tx on August 6th, 2005.

I rode from the Veteran’s for Peace Convention in Dallas on the “White Rose,” a bus that had a huge ‘IMPEACH’ written on the side of it. On the bus was a picture of Sophie Scholl and her brother Hans and some of the quotes of the series of 5 leaflets that the Society spread denouncing Hitler from June 1942 to February 1943, when they were caught and executed.

They were an obviously brave and moral group of wide awake Germans who sacrificed their lives to try and change the horrible direction that their nation was going in.Gold Star Families for Peace and the Camp Casey Peace Institute has joined a group called the "White Rose Coalition" that will be carrying a large copy of the Constitution at the end of the parade and the Backbone Campaign’s Chain Gang will be following the parade.

Many activists will tag along with our “Impeachment” banners, signs and other means of protest to call national attention to the accountability issue.Being involved in this particular action has engendered the most hate mail for me since I left the Democratic Party! I am “ruining the parade.” I am the “representation of everything that is evil in the world today.”

One woman named Carrie, was “sorry” that my son is dead, but he volunteered to “honor” this country with his service and even though Carrie is no “fan” of Bush (yeah sure), I have really “crossed the line” this time.

First of all, we are not protesting the parade at all, except that it is a symbol of corporate excess and it is my opinion it is not really moral to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on parade floats when people are still being killed in Iraq and suicide rates for our Veterans are skyrocketing because the VA system in under-funded and apparently not a priority for BushCo and Congress Inc.

I can’t remember a time in my life where anyone protesting at a parade would have upset me at all, but since Casey was killed in Iraq and since I have faced and witnessed so much violence, oppression and hardship in the world, it is absolutely stunning to me that this protest would create so much vileness and venom.

There are so many more important things in the world besides parades and football games. I have also tried to imagine an Iraqi happening to catch a glimpse of the Rose Parade on TV somehow and marveling how everything is so happy and beautiful in America when our nation has utterly devastated and destroyed theirs.

Impeachment InvestigationsBy Colorado Jyms(Colorado Jyms) I would like to challenge you into launching an impeachment investigation on Cheney and Bush in 2008. It would restore faith in the democratic process if the greatest nation of the world had the moral judgement to investigate it's own ...RANT FROM BOULDER & BELLEVUE - http://rantfromboulder.blogspot.com/

Truth Squaded! An Encounter with Rep. Henry WaxmanOpEdNews - Newtown,PA,USA... more than a hundred people, most of whom appeared to be there to discuss and press for the impeachment of both President Bush and Vice President Cheney. ...See all stories on this topic

Why won’t Ron Paul cosponsor impeachment? + Carol For Congress ...By dandelionsalad Why has he not signed on to the various bills for impeachment that have come before the House since 2004? If he is so concerned about the Constitution, why is he not following its mandate to impeach members of the Executive Branch who ...Dandelion Salad - http://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com

A Conservative's Case for ImpeachmentAn "Eisenhower-Teddy Roosevelt Republican" calls for an accounting for the violation of Americans' rights. Even John Ashcroft from his hospital bed couldn't stomach the NSA warrantless surveillance, and he's not exactly liberal. Digg / upcoming - http://digg.com/

A Conservative’s Case For ImpeachmentBy OrpRam "Most people don't know it, but there is a 60-year-old man out in the cold right now walking toward Washington DC, who says Bush and Cheney need to be impeached in order to save the Constitution. His name is John Nirenberg, ...BuzzFlash.net: all - http://www.buzzflash.net

A Close Look At Bush Derangement SyndromeBlogger News Network - USAPatients can sometimes sit for hours banging their head against the will mumbling something about “impeachment.” These “impeachment episodes” as they’ve ...See all stories on this topic

Keep signing those Cheney Impeachment petitions
http://dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/12/31/111617/85/837/428339

Not everyone agrees with the Democratic leadership that impeachment is a dirty word
http://letterfromhere.blogspot.com/2007/12/not-everyone-agrees-with-democratic.html

Will Media Broadcast "THE PEOPLE'S PARADE" At The Rose Parade New ...OpEdNews - Newtown,PA,USAThere, Cindy Sheehan and others will hold a press conference on impeachment and the war on Iraq. Since Speaker of the House, Pelosi, and her Congress, ...See all stories on this topic

IMPEACHMENT- A CAN OF WORMSOpEdNews - Newtown,PA,USAby Carol Wolman Page 1 of 1 page(s) Why are the Democrats keeping impeachment off the table, in the face of more and more flagrant crimes and violations of ...See all stories on this topic

January 1, 2008

Rep. Oemig at WA Impeachment Party: "It is never to late to do the right thing!"
Filed under: Related to Impeachment, Impeachment Progress News, Washington — Jodin Morey @ 2:14 am

http://impeachforpeace.org/impeach_bush_blog/?p=4358

Open Letter to Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of Our House of RepresentativesBy willyloman by Scott Creighton. Madam Speaker;. “Off the table”. This comment, the one that you have often repeated through-out your short tenure as Speaker of the House, is supremely offensive in many ways to a large percentage of the population ...American Everyman - http://willyloman.wordpress.com

And You Think You Need To Make New Years Resolutions?By SC&A Nancy Pelosi (D-CA): House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who promised a new era of ethics enforcement in the House of Representatives, snuck a $25 million gift to her husband, Paul Pelosi, in a $15 billion Water Resources Development Act ...Sigmund, Carl and Alfred - http://sigmundcarlandalfred.wordpress.com/

Bio Box-PelosiThe Associated Press - 5 hours agoNAME — Nancy Pelosi. AGE, BIRTHDATE — 67; March 26, 1940, in Baltimore. EDUCATION — BA, Trinity College, 1962. EXPERIENCE — House speaker, elected Jan. ...

A Look at Pelosi's Highs, Lows for 2007The Associated Press - 5 hours agoSome of the successes and failures of House Democrats under the leadership of Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., in 2007 — her first year as speaker. ...

An Office for EthicsWashington Post, United States - Dec 30, 2007STRONG ETHICS rules are worthwhile only if coupled with strong ethics enforcement. That is something that has been lacking in the congressional ethics ...

Broder: Lack of achievement will haunt DemocratsKansas City Star, MO - Dec 30, 2007W ASHINGTON After one year of Democratic majorities in the House and Senate, public approval ratings for Congress have sunk below their level when ...

2007: Democrats in control, but thwartedNewsweek - Dec 30, 2007By LAURIE KELLMAN AP Writer AP It's a painful irony for Democrats: In the space of a year, the Iraq war that was the source of party's resurgence in ...

John Diaz: A look back at year's winners, losers, highs and lowsSan Francisco Chronicle, USA - Dec 30, 2007Each year brings highs and lows for all of us, but rarely to the extremes experienced in 2007 by three men who dominated San Francisco headlines: Mayor ...

Dems to broaden Iraq debate next yearPierceland Herald, Canada - Dec 30, 2007WASHINGTON - Congressional Democrats are planning to take on a broader policy focus next year on the Iraq debate after failing repeatedly to pass anti-war ...

Iraq Policy Losses Cloud Speaker's YearThe Associated Press - 5 hours agoWASHINGTON (AP) — Nancy Pelosi crashed through a glass ceiling when she became the first female House speaker a year ago. That turned out to be the easy ...

Iraq Policy Losses Cloud Pelosi's YearWASHINGTON - Nancy Pelosi crashed through a glass ceiling when she became the first female House speaker a year ago. That turned out to be the easy part.Ap/washington from www.cumberlink.com - http://www.cumberlink.com/

Vote in the biggest pre-primary primary ever

Before Iowa, before New Hampshire, and before any other state, MySpace is conducting an on-line poll so YOU can vote for YOUR favorite Presidential candidate.
Vote HERE http://impact.myspace.com

Voting starts at 3:01 am (EST), Tuesday, January 1 2008.Voting ends at 11:59 pm (EST), Wednesday, January 2 2008.

Tell your family, your friends, your co-workers, and everybody you know. This is a fantastic opportunity to tell tens of millions of people all across the country who you think our next President should be.

Strength through Peace,The Kucinich for President Campaign

IOWA GARBAGE

Dear ed.,

All year, we've been working hard to make sure that the Democratic nominee is progressive. With the Iowa caucus on Thursday and the New Hampshire primary only a few days later, there's no better time to find out how the DFA Unite for a Progressive President campaign is working on the ground in Iowa.

Please join me for a nationwide conference call Wednesday night, January 2, starting at 8pm central time.

Live from Iowa with Jim DeanNational Link-Up Conference Call8pm to 8:30pm Central Time

Call-In Number: (646) 200-0620

Or listen live on the net at:http://www.DemocracyforAmerica.com/BlogTalkRadio

I'll be in Davenport Iowa, joining DFA members at their January Link-Up. You can call in from your local group's January Link-Up, call in from home, or listen live on the net.

We'll hear directly from local DFA members about the momentum on the ground for Kucinich, Edwards, and Obama. DFA Unite Caucus Captains will update us on the campaign at their caucus location. We'll even read some of the Unite letters local members received from DFA members nationwide.

This will be a fun call on the eve of the first election of 2008. This is what a national community is all about. I hope you can join us.

Thank you for everything you do.

-Jim

Jim Dean Chair

Religious leaders want probe on CIA 'torture' tapesFinalCall.com - Chicago,IL,USAThe National Religious Campaign Against Torture’s members include representatives from the Catholic, evangelical Christian, mainline Protestant, ...See all stories on this topic

The pictures and video of the rally have been featured on Philly IMC. I wanted to send you the link and ask you to forward it to the FSAWI list as I don't have list permission. Link to site: http://www.phillyimc.org/en/ Link to story: http://www.phillyimc.org/en/2007/12/43943.shtml I hope folks consider using this site as a space to get out news etc Best Todd

Are Iowa, NH really worthy?Columbus Dispatch - Columbus,OH,USAMatthew Masur, a history professor at St. Anselm College in Manchester, NH, with a master's degree and doctorate from Ohio State University, said he quickly ...See all stories on this topic

KUDOS ON THIS EMAIL POST!

aharlib@earthlink.net
I have no idea if the NYT will actually add this to the 400+ comments in this editorial - quite a few call for Impeachment but none contained any practical info.

Looking at America

The remedy for the crimes of the Bush Adminstration so eloquently described in this editorial is right there in the Constitution. IMPEACHMENT. Why did the editorial author not mention this solution?

That is very disturbing - as much as the contents of the piece.

Here is practical information on how patriotic American citizens can help protect and defend the Constitution and this country.

Impeach Bush and Cheney NOWDefense of the Constitution Knows No Party

The Bush administration has illegally seized and imprisoned Americans without benefit of their trial by jury, has spied on Americans without warrant in violation of the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution, has lied America into a disastrous war, and has betrayed an American intelligence officer, who was working on weapons of mass destruction networks, to our enemies (Valerie Plame.)

Impeachment hearings against Vice President Dick Cheney are now a distinct possibility, thanks to a recent outpouring of public support for impeachment by Americans across the political spectrum. Your calls and faxes to House Judiciary Committee members are needed to keep up the pressure.Leave a message for your Congressman, to demand he obey his oath to "defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic."

Act now to restore your rights and the rule of law bequeathed to us by our Founding Fathers, which brave men have died defending throughout our history.Call the House Judiciary Committee 202-225-3951 and demand that Impeachment hearings begin ASAP!
*What Happened to Make This All Possible?

On November 6, 2007, Rep. Dennis Kucinich brought H.Res.333, for the impeachment of Cheney, to the House Floor for debate. It was broadcast on CSPAN. A sudden outpouring of public support for impeachment forced lawmakers to keep the resolution alive. Democrats, most of whom currently resist demands for impeachment, were unwilling to kill the bill with the public watching. Republicans and some Democrats, mindful of impeachment sentiment, voted to debate the bill, but failed. At the end of the day, Americans of both parties had made it clear whose "table" this is, and that they want to see impeachment on it.

For more information go toNEImpeach.org

neimpeachmockup.html
Recognizing that our power is in the number of people who participate, the Northeast Impeachment Movement will organize and coordinate actions throughout ...ralphlopezworld.com/neimpeachmockup.html - 5k - Cached - Similar pages

» Save the U.S. Constitution: Impeach Bush and Cheney
(suggested letter to campaign contributors). John Nirenberg sets out on impeachment walk in cold and snow. ————-. “I do solemnly swear that I will support ...neimpeach.org/ - 14k - Cached - Similar pages

» Upcoming Events
IMPEACHMENT. TEACH-IN. Join us at. DARTMOUTH COLLEGE HANOVER, NEW HAMPSHIRE. FILENE AUDITORIUM at MOORE HALL. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2007 PRESENTING ...www.neimpeach.org/wp/?page_id=64 - 12k - Cached - Similar pages[ More results from www.neimpeach.org ]

the Northeast Impeachment Coalition Meetup Group (Cambridge, MA ...
We also have a website www.neimpeach.org and a discussion group on ... Sue Serpa Northeast Impeachment Coalition www.neimpeach.org working closely with ...impeachbush.meetup.com/416/?gj=sj5 - 32k - Cached - Similar pages

*BREAKING NEWS! Kucinich to force Impeachment Vote TUES. Nov. 6 ...
[From Ralph Lopez, webmaster, www.neimpeach.org] Patriots, In support of his upcoming move to ... The Northeast Impeachment Coalition (http://neimpeach.org. ...impeachbush.meetup.com/335/messages/boards/view/viewthread?thread=3754832 - 30k - Cached - Similar pages

AlterNet: We Have to Keep Pressing Hard Against an Attack on Iran
NEImpeach.org, and: 202-225-3951. [Report this comment]. Posted by: sommeyah on Nov 26, 2007 6:33 AM Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] ...www.alternet.org/story/68844/ - 53k - Cached - Similar pages

Classmates.com and Impeachment AfterDowningStreet.org
http://neimpeach.org. This is an action item. I joined classmates.com which ... for people across the country. http://neimpeach.org ...www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/27967 - 37k - Cached - Similar pages

News From Underground: Support Cheney's impeachment on Nov. 6!
http://www.neimpeach.org/wp/?page_id=61 Sample press release/flyer: Town Hall Meeting on the Impeachment of Vice President Richard Cheney, in support of ...markcrispinmiller.blogspot.com/2007/11/support-cheneys-impeachment-on-nov-6.html - 72k - Cached - Similar pages

StephenMalkmus.com Featuring the Jicks
I cannot just assume "it can't happen here" I belong to two impeachment groups Neimpeach.org and pledgetoimpeach.org and have a myspace site that I am ...www.stephenmalkmus.com/punbb/upload/viewtopic.php?id=8727 - 30k - Cached - Similar pages

John Nichols, Congressman Dennis Kucinich, and Panel Bring ...
Donations are welcomed to help defray expenses. To donate please contact the web site of NEIC http://www.neimpeach.org/ [3] ...www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/28871/print - 6k - Cached - Similar pages

Blog Links
Dan Dewalt of the NE Impeachment Coalition http://www.neimpeach.org/wp/ discussed ... NEimpeach.org has a link (page bottom) to a Move-on poll that has been ...blog.pdamerica.org/?p=1373 - 35k - Cached - Similar pages

AlterNet: War on Iraq: We Have to Keep Pressing Hard Against an ...
NEImpeach.org. [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 ... NEImpeach.org, and: 202-225-3951. [Report this comment] ...www.alternet.org/waroniraq/68844/?comments=view&cID=777638&pID=777323 - 56k - Cached - Similar pages

Google Free Speech? Where's The Impeachment Ad? - Attorney General ...
Yallies For Impeachment http://yaliesforimpeachment.org NeImpeach Org. http://neimpeach.org STORY POSTINGS: http://www.networkworld.com/community/node/22038 ...www.zimbio.com/Attorney+General+Alberto+Gonzales/articles/304/Google+Free+Speech+Impeachment+Ad - 39k - Cached - Similar pages

Big,big crisis here[sic]...Protesters could disrupt Rose Parade ...By partynut ... spectacle that has been going on for more than a century. Human rights advocates plan to protest a float honoring the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and anti-war activists, including "Peace Mom" Cindy Sheehan, intend to rally for peace.BuzzFlash.net: all - http://www.buzzflash.net

Bipartisan Group Eyes Independent Bid

First, Main Candidates Urged To Plan 'Unity' Government

By David S. Broder
Washington Post Staff Writer Sunday, December 30, 2007; Page A04

New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, a potential independent candidate for president, has scheduled a meeting next week with a dozen leading Democrats and Republicans, who will join him in challenging the major-party contenders to spell out their plans for forming a "government of national unity" to end the gridlock in Washington.

Those who will be at the Jan. 7 session at the University of Oklahoma say that if the likely nominees of the two parties do not pledge to "go beyond tokenism" in building an administration that seeks national consensus, they will be prepared to back Bloomberg or someone else in a third-party campaign for president.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/29/AR2007122901476.html?hpid=topnews

http://mydd.com/story/2007/6/19/19178/9453
"He has set aside $1 billion to go for it," confided a long-time business adviser to the Republican mayor. "The thinking about where it will come from and do we have it is over, and the answer is yes, we can do it."

Another personal friend and fellow Republican said in recent days that Mr. Bloomberg, who is a social liberal and fiscal conservative, has "lowered the bar" and upped the ante for a final decision on making a run. The mayor has told close associates he will make a third-party run if he thinks he can influence the national debate and has said he will spend up to $1 billion.

Earlier, he told friends he would make a run only if he thought he could win a plurality in a three-way race and would spend $500 million -- or less than 10 percent of his personal fortune. A $1 billion campaign budget would wipe out many of the common obstacles faced by third-party candidates seeking the White House.

"Bloomberg is H. Ross Perot on steroids," said former Federal Election Commission Chairman Michael Toner. "He could turn the political landscape of this election upside down, spend as much money as he wanted and proceed directly to the general election. He would have resources to hire an army of petition-gatherers in those states where thousands of petitions are required to qualify a third-party presidential candidate to be on the ballot."

Senior Republican officials -- including those supporting declared Republican presidential nomination contenders -- and several top Democrats told The Times they take the possibility of a Bloomberg candidacy as a serious threat in November 2008. The Bloomberg team is studying the strategies of Mr. Perot, the Texas billionaire whose 1992 presidential campaign helped President Clinton to win the White House with 43 percent of the popular vote.

"Mike has been meeting with Ross Perot's most senior people about how they did an independent run in 1992," the Bloomberg business adviser said on condition of anonymity so as to avoid appearing to speak for Mr. Bloomberg.

Talk of Mr. Bloomberg as a third-party candidate comes as Republican voters are deeply divided over their top-three declared candidates -- Arizona Sen. John McCain, former New York Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney -- and are casting longing glances at former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.

"Some of the people on McCain's [presidential campaign] staff have been calling me to see if Mike is running because they are ready to leave the McCain campaign, which is a biplane on fire and spiraling down," the Bloomberg adviser said.

Nebraska Sen. Chuck Hagel, another independent-minded Republican, dined recently with Mr. Bloomberg and suggested on CBS' "Face the Nation" over the weekend that he and Mr. Bloomberg might make an independent run for the presidency.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/24/weekinreview/24healy.html?_r=1&ref=weekinreview&oref=slogin

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/24/weekinreview/24healy.html?pagewanted=print

http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/provisions.html

Federal law mandates that Congress assemble in joint session on the sixth day of the calendar year following the meetings of the Presidential Electors to count the electoral votes and declare the winners of the election.

The meeting is held at 1:00 p.m. in the hall of the U.S. House of Representatives. The Vice President is expected to preside, but in several cases the President Pro Tempore of the Senate has presided. The Vice President and the Speaker of the House sit at the podium, with the Vice President in the seat of the Speaker of the House.

Senate pages bring in the two mahogany boxes and place them on tables in front of the Senators and Representatives. Each branch appoints two tellers to count the vote. Relevant portions of the Certificate of Vote are read for each state, in alphabetical order. If there are no objections, the presiding officer declares the result of the vote and, if applicable, states who was elected President and Vice President. The Senators then depart from the House chamber.If no candidate for President receives an absolute electoral majority 270 votes out of the 538 possible, then the new House of Representatives is required to go into session immediately to vote for President.

In this case, the House of Representatives chooses from the three candidates who received the most electoral votes. Each state delegation has a single vote, decided by majority decision (an evenly divided state delegation is considered to abstain). A candidate receiving the majority of votes of all states (currently 26) is declared the president-elect.

If no candidate receives a majority, the House proceeds to a second ballot and continues balloting until a candidate receives a majority of the state unit votes.

This situation would most likely occur only when more than two candidates receive electoral votes, but could theoretically happen in a two-person contest if each received exactly 269 electoral votes.

As of 2007, the Democratic Party controls 26 state delegations, and the Republican Party controls 20.

If no candidate for Vice President receives an absolute majority of electoral votes, then the United States Senate must do the same, with the top two vote getters for that office as candidates.
The Senate votes in the normal manner in this case, not by States.

If the Senate is evenly split on the matter, then the sitting Vice President is entitled to cast a tie-breaking vote.

If the House of Representatives has not chosen a winner in time for the inauguration (noon on January 20), then the Twentieth Amendment specifies that the new Vice President becomes Acting President until the House selects a President.

If the winner of the Vice Presidential election is not known by then either, then under the Presidential Succession Act of 1947, the Speaker of the House of Representatives would become Acting President until the House selects a President or the Senate selects a Vice President.As of 2004, the House of Representatives has chosen the President on two occasions, in 1800 and in 1824. The Senate has chosen the Vice President once, in 1837.

Loser of the year: PelosiBy donsurber Add Nancy Pelosi to the list. The New York Post headline said: “Iraq Policy Losses Cloud Pelosi’s Year.” At the end of the year, the pacification of Iraq and the destruction of al-Qaeda in Iraq have come despite the House Speaker. ...Don Surber - http://blogs.dailymail.com/donsurber

Don Surber lists Nancy Pelosi's accomplishments as Speaker of the ...By Kevin Gregory(Kevin Gregory) Don Surber says Nancy Pelosi hasn't done much of anything since she was sworn in a year ago. A year later her accomplishments are: The first female Speaker of the House. The first female Speaker of the House. ...McClatchy Watch - http://cancelthebee.blogspot.com/

Pelosi's year marked by advances, frustrationsPelosi's year marked by advances, frustrations Nancy Pelosi crashed through a glass ceiling when she became the first female House speaker a year ago. That turned out to be ... 6 hours ago from USA Today - PLUS 26 other articles ...Daylife - Topstories - Politics - http://www.daylife.com/topstories/politics

GEEZ, TALK ABOUT DUMB REPUB EMAILS!!!!OpEdNews - Newtown,PA,USAYou see, Nancy Pelosi is already in power, and Nancy has done nothing for the Democrats. We hoped that she would at least sponsor a bill to impeach Cheney. ...See all stories on this topic

http://www.sanluisobispo.com/348/story/234023.html

http://ktla.trb.com/news/ktla-paradeprotests,0,7951667.story?coll=ktla-news-2

9:00 AM - Scattered Rose Parade Demonstrations Now Under WayBy LA-IMC Newsroom(LA IMC) About a dozen people with impeach and anti-wars signs are now at Orange & Colorado and are visible on local live TV broadcast. Ron Paul supporters are also displaying a large banner there. One anti-war sign holder has been escorted out ...LA IMC - http://la.indymedia.org/

"IMPEACH" signs at the Rose ParadeBy Moody Loner I've been watching it on the local channel 36, and can't help but see the "IMPEACH" signs behind the floats. It looks like a bunch of people in front of the Norton Simon museum. Anybody else see them on your coverage? ...Daily Kos - http://www.dailykos.com/section/Diary

Rose Parade Kicks Off in PasadenaThe Associated Press - Dozens of anti-war protesters led by "Peace Mom" Cindy Sheehan staked out spots across from television cameras, hoisting signs reading "Impeachment is ...See all stories on this topic

Sidewalk campers spend night waiting for Rose Parade spectacleInternational Herald Tribune - FranceCindy Sheehan, the outspoken San Francisco Bay area activist whose son was killed in Iraq, is campaigning for Congress and calling for the impeachment of ...See all stories on this topic

http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=gmail&q=PASADENA,+PROTEST&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tab=wn&sa=N&start=0

http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=gmail&ie=UTF-8&tab=wn&ncl=1125638588&hl=en

A message for 2008 from The World Can't Wait -

Drive Out the Bush Regime Seven years into the Bush administration, the conscience of the world is shocked by the crimes and destruction the American people have allowed to be carried out in our names: Iraq in ruins, torture codified, due process shredded, and the science of global warming suppressed as the future of the planet itself hangs in the balance.

When, two years ago, we issued a Call to Drive Out the Bush Regime, even we did not anticipate the pace, cruelty and extremeness with which this program would advance and expand.
Today, impervious to the repeated pronouncements that he is a lame duck, George Bush is unrelenting in his determination to drive the savageness of his agenda into the next administration.

If the consensus of the National Intelligence Estimate has put an unexpected road bump in Bush's intent to conduct as many as 1,000 air strikes on Iran, it has also served to warn the public just how close we have come to another war predicated on a lie.

Already the regime is redoubling its efforts to come up with new reasons to justify the outbreak of hostilities. This is still a president serene in his belief that he is on "God's mission." A war time president making use of unbridled executive power.

A tyrant with his hands still on the levers of power.

Under the Military Commissions Act, passed by Congress in 2006, anyone the president decides to declare an enemy combatant can be disappeared into secret prisons without the right to know what crime he has been charged with and without the right to see his lawyer.

And in this never-land where George Bush claims "We Do Not Torture" a detainee will be methodically robbed of his senses. He may be subjected to "stress positions" such as tying his arms behind his back and being strung from the top of a cage; he may subjected to electrical shocks, sexually degraded and deprived of sleep to the point where humans lose sanity.

He may also be a she -- or as young as the 14-year-olds held in Guantanamo.

The tapes destroyed by the C.I.A. document the commission of water-boarding and crimes against humanity. The last seven years have also shown this to be true: There will be no savior from the Democratic Party. No "viable candidate" is calling for the immediate repeal of the Military Commissions Act or the Patriot Act.

Clinton and Obama are not planning to dismantle the Department of Homeland Security's domestic surveillance apparatus or the permanent U.S. military bases newly strung across the Middle East and Africa.

The candidates for Commander-in-Chief are campaigning to better prosecute, not end, the so-called war on terror, a war promised to span generations.

The election of 2008 will not be remembered for the candidate who campaigned to return the diaspora of black families displaced by natural disaster and criminal neglect back home to New Orleans.

It is already remarkable for the regular bashing of immigrants.

There will be no pendulum swing when Democratic contenders join Republicans in lacing their speeches with professions of their faith, when Democrats seek common ground with religious fanatics who do not believe in evolution and want to see the church as state.

There will be no pendulum swing when Democrats show tolerance for judicial nominees and "moral" agendas that are targeting the most fundamental rights of women to abortion and birth control for obliteration.

Official politics have proven to be a disaster.

Your government does not want what you want and the Democratic nominee of 2008 will not speak for us.

THIS JANUARY join with us in mounting what has been gravely missing from political, ethical and cultural life in this country for the last 4 years - the voice of the people who refuse to be ruled in this way.

World Can't Wait calls on all those who have shared a sense of collective outrage and shame - who would rise tomorrow if they believed there was a way to really change things - to do the only thing that is actually realistic.

We can and must through mass political resistance create a political situation where this criminal regime is driven from office before their term is up - and the whole fascistic direction George Bush has been taking society is reversed.

Only people highly mobilized and motivated by values that repudiate unjust war, bigotry and greed can bring the Bush agenda to a halt.

Only the people who will not remain silent when their government tortures, terrorizes whole peoples and moves to quash dissent and critical thinking can change the course of history.
It's up to us.

We must show it or it doesn't count.

It begins with you taking personal responsibility to show how you feel and where you stand: wear orange daily, spread orange everywhere, protest and speak out in every way you can.

As this orange resistance spreads to millions who represent the majority sentiment, Bush and Cheney's illegitimacy to rule will stand out vividly before the world.

This January the world needs to see that the people of this country rise to say NO to torture.
Torture is a crime against humanity.

Torture is an impeachable offense, ordered by the White House and still being sanctioned by Congress.

We Must Act Now - The Future Is In the Balance

The world can't wait and it's counting on You!

Drive Out the Bush Regime.

Debra Sweet, Director,
The World Can't Wait - Drive Out the Bush Regime

AND AT DAY’S END!

Cindy Sheehan Can't Even Get Herself Arrested AnymoreBy Michael(Michael) Dozens of anti-war protesters led by "Peace Mom" Cindy Sheehan staked out spots across from television cameras, hoisting signs reading "Impeachment is Patriotic." After the procession's last float inched out to start along the parade's ...The Pajamahadin - http://michaelcostello.blogspot.com/

Cindy Sheehan Booed At The Rose Bowl ParadeBy rob@sayanythingblog.com(rob@sayanythingblog.com)
Dozens of anti-war protesters led by “Peace Mom” Cindy Sheehan staked out spots across from television cameras, hoisting signs reading “Impeachment is Patriotic.” After the procession’s last float inched out to start along the parade’s ...
Say Anything - http://sayanythingblog.com/

Auld Lang Syne with Cindy Sheehan Canada Free Press, Canada - 12 hours agoBy Judi McLeod Tuesday, January 1, 2008 You’d think the parents of troops serving in Iraq could count on a break from Cindy Sheehan on the first day of the ...

Thousands Cheer Giant Rose Parade Floats The Associated Press - 2 hours agoDozens of war protesters led by "Peace Mom" Cindy Sheehan staked out spots across from television cameras, hoisting signs reading "Impeachment is Patriotic. Protesters Fail To Gain Support During Rose Parade AHNall 657 news articles »


Good Night. Tomorrow Is Another Day.

Impeach+Bush+Cheney+Dump Pelosi, Reid And A Whole Bunch Of Worthless Lobby Suck Up Phonies, Or Ask Yourself This To Start The New Year: Who Is Opposi


Impeach+Bush+Cheney+
Dump Pelosi, Reid And
A Whole Bunch Of Worthless Lobby Suck Up Phonies,
Or Ask Yourself This To Start The New Year:
Who Is Opposing Your Incumbent Stooge?
Also Welcome To 2008 And A Head Start On New Insanities!
Media Bullshit and “The Bloomberg Thing” And The Most Aberrant Of Possibilities. We’re Off And Running!


January 1, 2008 at 19:15:50
Pelosi's New Chief of Staff

by David Swanson Page 1 of 1 page(s)

By David Swanson
In a surprise and apparently sudden decision Tuesday evening, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced the hiring of a new Chief of Staff for her DC office.

The choice of someone without any experience on Capitol Hill surprised many observers, leading to speculation as to what changes Pelosi may have in store for the new year.

"Al Groh will be able to hit the ground running," Pelosi said in a statement. "As head coach of the University of Virginia Cavaliers football team Groh has displayed exactly the decision making skills we need to turn this country around and head it in the right direction."

Apparently basing her decision in large part on Groh's performance in Tuesday evening's Gator Bowl, Pelosi went on to detail what she found inspiring about Groh's work. "Coach Groh saw an enormous lead for his team with only a few minutes remaining in the game," Pelosi said, "and he made the courageous and Democratic decision to play his freshman quarterback, a player who was completely unprepared for the game but who deserved a chance to be humiliated on national television.

The overconfidence that Groh exhibited in blowing his team's enormous lead reminded me immediately of the Democratic Congress under President Reagan and the decision not to push for impeachment over Iran-Contra.

That Congress showed maturity and restraint, well calculated to win the next elections when it became recognized by the American people.

The fact that the Republicans wiped the floor with us indicates only that the American people are a bunch of ignoramuses.

Pelosi may have made her decision prior to the game's last few minutes.

At least, her statement suggests that she was leaning in that direction.

"We all admired Groh's wise hesitation earlier in the game," Pelosi said, "particularly the time when he challenged a questionable call only after another play had been run, thus preventing an official review.

By so acting, Groh displayed for the stupid ass public a desire to win, without risking any actual progress toward victory.

This is precisely the sort of performance that is needed on Capitol Hill at a time when we are facing the least popular and most impeachable president and vice president in history, and I'm too damn scared and corrupt to act.

Plus there's the whole occupation of Iraq nonsense, and sooner or later people are going to figure out that we could just cut off the money by not passing any more bills to fund it.
"Distracting people from that simple fact will take the well-honed skills of a proven loser like Al Groh, and I am thrilled to welcome him to my office."

Contacted late Tuesday evening, Groh said, "I don't really mind the pay cut that much, because there's the lobbying option afterward.

Besides, I was going to be gone soon one way or the other. I never knew I was a Democrat, to tell you the truth, but I felt so sorry for Nancy when she told me how people are treating her that I couldn't really say no.

At least I don't think I'll change my mind, but I'm really tired."

http://www.davidswanson.org

DAVID SWANSON is a co-founder of After Downing Street, a writer and activist, and the Washington Director of Democrats.com. He is a board member of Progressive Democrats of America, and serves on the Executive Council of the Washington-Baltimore Newspaper Guild, TNG-CWA. He has worked as a newspaper reporter and as a communications director, with jobs including Press Secretary for Dennis Kucinich's 2004 presidential campaign, Media Coordinator for the International Labor Communications Association, and three years as Communications Coordinator for ACORN, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now. Swanson obtained a Master's degree in philosophy from the University of Virginia in 1997.

A.B.C.F.O.X. It doesn’t matter what letters of the alphabet you choose; the media is F.U.C.K.I.N.G. the A.M.E.R.I.C.A.N people! We know what BuShit is and we know what Bullshit is, and this is Bullshit!

Some candidates won't make the cut

Next debates will have stricter criteria

By LAUREN R. DORGANMonitor staff

January 01. 2008 12:01AM

The three presidential debates scheduled this weekend in New Hampshire have the strictest participation criteria of any so far this campaign season, eliciting criticism from the chairmen of both political parties here and from voters whose candidates haven't made the cut.

The Fox News/New Hampshire Republican Party forum planned for Sunday night at St. Anselm College has the toughest standard: Only five candidates have been invited, leaving out two candidates who've been included in previous debates, according to New Hampshire Republican Party Chairman Fergus Cullen.

Yesterday, Cullen sent out a press release blasting the limitations set for the Fox forum and for the back-to-back WMUR/ABC debates scheduled for Saturday - which have also set strict parameters - though he declined to say whether the Republican Party would pull out of its co-sponsorship with Fox.

"It is our belief that, consistent with the New Hampshire tradition, all serious candidates should be given an equal opportunity to participate. . . . The whole idea of excluding candidates is a big deal, and it's unprecedented," Cullen said. "We're trying to work with Fox as the situation develops over the next several days, and it is our hope that we'll be able to continue on with the event. But we've made it clear that we believe all candidates should have an opportunity to participate."

According to Cullen, the candidates who have received and accepted invitations to the Fox forum are Arizona Sen. John McCain, former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, former Tennessee senator Fred Thompson and former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee.

Left out are California Rep. Duncan Hunter and Texas Rep. Ron Paul, who frequently outpolls Thompson in New Hampshire and whose $19 million fundraising over the last quarter has broken single-day records. Paul's supporters, in particular, have cried foul, protesting in e-mails to Fox, the Republican Party and dozens of letters to the editor.

"I think the State of Texas can give lessons on 'Live Free or Die' to the residents of New Hampshire," wrote Jim FitzGerald of Waco, Texas, in one letter to the editor. He laid out the statistics on Paul's fundraising and ended by asking: "Do y'all need to turn in your license plates?"

A Fox News spokeswoman did not return a call for comment yesterday.

Democratic Party Chairman Ray Buckley echoed Cullen in a press release of his own.

"New Hampshire has a long and proud tradition of serving as a level playing field and is the one state where each candidate can be given an equal opportunity to be heard by the voters," Buckley said in a statement. "I would strongly encourage any New Hampshire media outlet holding candidate debates or forums not to eliminate a sitting U.S senator or member of Congress."

It will be impossible to say for certain which candidates rate an invitation to the WMUR/ABC Republican and Democratic debates until Friday morning, the day before the debates. The debate criteria require participants to finish among the top four in Iowa's caucuses on Thursday or to have rated above five percent in one of the latest four opinion polls, either nationally or in New Hampshire.

Among Republicans, Paul, who is polling over 6 percent in New Hampshire, will probably get to attend that debate. Hunter's chances look remote.

Among Democrats, the previously-included candidates whose invitations are in question are Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware, Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut and Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio. Going by the latest polling, none of them appear likely to get an invitation.

Kucinich's campaign could not be reached for comment. Spokesmen for both Dodd and Biden telegraphed confidence yesterday, saying they believe their candidates will meet the standards.

ABC News Political Director David Chalian said that his network told candidates after the debates they sponsored in August that their next debate would have a higher threshold. ABC's standards were not set to achieve any particular number, Chalian said, but instead with a goal of getting "a real conversation or debate between people who may be the nominee."

"It was a time to put some criteria in the debates, so we are servicing the voters," Chalian said. "I think you'd have a hard time arguing that someone has a real base of support . . . if they don't meet the criteria.

Cullen disagreed, saying the ABC standards are "more egregious" than Fox's.

"They're talking about two U.S. senators, along with Dennis Kucinich. I find Dennis Kucinich's views abhorrent, but he's got some supporters," Cullen said. "It's not my job to stand up and defend the Democrats, but it is part of my job to stand up and defend the primary."

------ End of article By LAUREN R. DORGAN
"THE BLOOMBERG THING IS NO LAUGHING MATTER."

Bipartisan Group Eyes Independent Bid

First, Main Candidates Urged To Plan 'Unity' Government

By David S. Broder
Washington Post Staff Writer Sunday, December 30, 2007; Page A04

New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, a potential independent candidate for president, has scheduled a meeting next week with a dozen leading Democrats and Republicans, who will join him in challenging the major-party contenders to spell out their plans for forming a "government of national unity" to end the gridlock in Washington.

Those who will be at the Jan. 7 session at the University of Oklahoma say that if the likely nominees of the two parties do not pledge to "go beyond tokenism" in building an administration that seeks national consensus, they will be prepared to back Bloomberg or someone else in a third-party campaign for president.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/29/AR2007122901476.html?hpid=topnews

http://mydd.com/story/2007/6/19/19178/9453

"He has set aside $1 billion to go for it," confided a long-time business adviser to the Republican mayor. "The thinking about where it will come from and do we have it is over, and the answer is yes, we can do it."

Another personal friend and fellow Republican said in recent days that Mr. Bloomberg, who is a social liberal and fiscal conservative, has "lowered the bar" and upped the ante for a final decision on making a run. The mayor has told close associates he will make a third-party run if he thinks he can influence the national debate and has said he will spend up to $1 billion.

Earlier, he told friends he would make a run only if he thought he could win a plurality in a three-way race and would spend $500 million -- or less than 10 percent of his personal fortune. A $1 billion campaign budget would wipe out many of the common obstacles faced by third-party candidates seeking the White House.

"Bloomberg is H. Ross Perot on steroids," said former Federal Election Commission Chairman Michael Toner. "He could turn the political landscape of this election upside down, spend as much money as he wanted and proceed directly to the general election. He would have resources to hire an army of petition-gatherers in those states where thousands of petitions are required to qualify a third-party presidential candidate to be on the ballot."

Senior Republican officials -- including those supporting declared Republican presidential nomination contenders -- and several top Democrats told The Times they take the possibility of a Bloomberg candidacy as a serious threat in November 2008. The Bloomberg team is studying the strategies of Mr. Perot, the Texas billionaire whose 1992 presidential campaign helped President Clinton to win the White House with 43 percent of the popular vote.

"Mike has been meeting with Ross Perot's most senior people about how they did an independent run in 1992," the Bloomberg business adviser said on condition of anonymity so as to avoid appearing to speak for Mr. Bloomberg.

Talk of Mr. Bloomberg as a third-party candidate comes as Republican voters are deeply divided over their top-three declared candidates -- Arizona Sen. John McCain, former New York Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney -- and are casting longing glances at former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.

"Some of the people on McCain's [presidential campaign] staff have been calling me to see if Mike is running because they are ready to leave the McCain campaign, which is a biplane on fire and spiraling down," the Bloomberg adviser said.

Nebraska Sen. Chuck Hagel, another independent-minded Republican, dined recently with Mr. Bloomberg and suggested on CBS' "Face the Nation" over the weekend that he and Mr. Bloomberg might make an independent run for the presidency.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/24/weekinreview/24healy.html?_r=1&ref=weekinreview&oref=slogin

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/24/weekinreview/24healy.html?pagewanted=print

http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/provisions.html

Federal law mandates that Congress assemble in joint session on the sixth day of the calendar year following the meetings of the Presidential Electors to count the electoral votes and declare the winners of the election.

The meeting is held at 1:00 p.m. in the hall of the U.S. House of Representatives. The Vice President is expected to preside, but in several cases the President Pro Tempore of the Senate has presided. The Vice President and the Speaker of the House sit at the podium, with the Vice President in the seat of the Speaker of the House.

Senate pages bring in the two mahogany boxes and place them on tables in front of the Senators and Representatives. Each branch appoints two tellers to count the vote. Relevant portions of the Certificate of Vote are read for each state, in alphabetical order. If there are no objections, the presiding officer declares the result of the vote and, if applicable, states who was elected President and Vice President. The Senators then depart from the House chamber.If no candidate for President receives an absolute electoral majority 270 votes out of the 538 possible, then the new House of Representatives is required to go into session immediately to vote for President.

In this case, the House of Representatives chooses from the three candidates who received the most electoral votes. Each state delegation has a single vote, decided by majority decision (an evenly divided state delegation is considered to abstain). A candidate receiving the majority of votes of all states (currently 26) is declared the president-elect.

If no candidate receives a majority, the House proceeds to a second ballot and continues balloting until a candidate receives a majority of the state unit votes.

This situation would most likely occur only when more than two candidates receive electoral votes, but could theoretically happen in a two-person contest if each received exactly 269 electoral votes.

As of 2007, the Democratic Party controls 26 state delegations, and the Republican Party controls 20.

If no candidate for Vice President receives an absolute majority of electoral votes, then the United States Senate must do the same, with the top two vote getters for that office as candidates.

The Senate votes in the normal manner in this case, not by States. If the Senate is evenly split on the matter, then the sitting Vice President is entitled to cast a tie-breaking vote.
If the House of Representatives has not chosen a winner in time for the inauguration (noon on January 20), then the Twentieth Amendment specifies that the new Vice President becomes Acting President until the House selects a President.

If the winner of the Vice Presidential election is not known by then either, then under the Presidential Succession Act of 1947, the Speaker of the House of Representatives would become Acting President until the House selects a President or the Senate selects a Vice President.

As of 2004, the House of Representatives has chosen the President on two occasions, in 1800 and in 1824. The Senate has chosen the Vice President once, in 1837.


‘THE BLOOMBERG THING”

Originally Posted: Wednesday, June 6, 2007

http://courtofimpeachmentandwarcrimes.blogspot.com/2007/06/impeachment-possibilites-are-frightened.html

The Polling Date Referenced here will have to updated following the Oklahoma Session….but….

THE REALLY SCAREY THOUGHT OF THE WEEK: BECAUSE….
ELECTORAL CHAOS: HOW MICHAEL BLOOMBERG COULD DEADLOCK BOTH THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Rumors abound that Michael Bloomberg might spend a billion dollars running for the White House as an Independent, putting him on a competitive footing with the major party candidates. That might make it possible for Bloomberg to win several states and prevent anybody from winning a majority of the Electoral College votes.More.. (INSERT NOW)

Friday, June 01, 2007Rumors abound that Michael Bloomberg might spend a billion dollars running for the White House as an Independent, putting him on a competitive footing with the major party candidates. That might make it possible for Bloomberg to win several states and prevent anybody from winning a majority of the Electoral College votes.

The House of Representatives would then select a President, something that hasn’t happened since 1824.

The few political commentators who have considered this possibility dismiss its significance.

They reason that since Democrats control the House, the Democratic candidate would automatically move into the White House.

That assessment reflects a profound misunderstanding of the process outlined in the Constitution.

If no candidate wins a majority in the Electoral College, the top three candidates are submitted to the House of Representatives.

Presumably, this would be a Democrat, a Republican, and Bloomberg. (see polling data) (INSERT NOW)

National Survey of 1,000 Likely Voters May 30, 2007 How likely is it that you would consider voting for Michael Bloomberg as an independent candidate for President?

Very likely -7%
Somewhat likely -20%
Not very likely -32%
Not at all likely -28%
Not sure -13%
27% Likely to Vote for Bloomberg as Third Party CandidateFriday, June 01, 2007

It’s been 147 years since a “third-party” candidate won the White House. That man, Abe Lincoln is known to history for many things including becoming the first Republican President. Since it hasn’t happened in 147 years, any discussion about third-party campaigns must include the phrase “long-shot.”

Still, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg may be considering such a campaign and is reportedly willing to spend a billion dollars to get his message out. A Rasmussen Reports national telephone poll found that 27% of American voters would be Somewhat (20%) or Very (7%) likely to vote for Bloomberg.An even larger number—39%--would consider voting for Bloomberg vote under the right circumstances.

Just 28% would not vote for him while 33% are not sure.These numbers suggest that if Bloomberg can find a message that resonates, he might win some states and deny either major party candidate a majority in the Electoral College.

That could lead to Electoral Chaos by creating a deadlock in both the Electoral College and the House of Representatives.

Such a process would be unprecedented and unpredictable, sure to be studied by historians and political scientists for generations.

There’s also an outside chance it could lead to a President Bloomberg.

If Bloomberg somehow found himself in second place as Election 2008 progresses, the dynamics get even more interesting.

Remember, Ross Perot was second in the polls six months before the 1992 campaign. But, then he dropped out of the race for a period of time before re-entering the fray.

He never regained his earlier status but still wound up with 19% of the vote.In 2008, if it became clear that the Republican candidate couldn’t win, 46% of all voters say they’d pull the lever for Bloomberg over New York Senator Hillary Clinton (D).

Just 37% would vote for Clinton.

If the Democratic candidate couldn’t win, 35% of voters would prefer former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani while 34% would prefer Bloomberg.

Bloomberg is contemplating running at a time when the brand names of the two major parties is not doing well --the number of people considering themselves Republicans has dropped to the lowest level of the Bush era and the number of Democrats has just declined to the lowest level in seventeen months.And the Politicos, Candidates, Pundits and Know It.

Still If the Mayor were to spend some of his money developing a potentially competitive third party, 49% of voters say they’d consider voting for a Congressional candidate supported by Bloomberg.

Only 18% would not consider a Bloomberg Congressional candidate.

If he goes that route, 54% would want the Mayor to recruit business and community leaders as Congressional candidates.

Only 11% would rather see him recruit those who have held office in other parties.
All of this is pure speculation, of course.

Today, just 7% of Americans say they’ve followed stories of a potential Bloomberg candidacy very closely.

The whole concept is a blank slate.

Earlier head-to-head polling found Bloomberg struggling to reach double digits in national polls, although he has polled as high as 23% in New Jersey.

Nobody knows who the major parties will nominate and no one can realistically project the impact of a billion dollar campaign.

It’s also unclear what sort of message Bloomberg might articulate.

If he simply promised to be a better manager than the other candidates, it’s hard to see how he’d have much impact.It’s also hard to see how Bloomberg could set himself apart from other candidates on the situation in Iraq.

On immigration, he would have some flexibility so long as he demonstrated a serious commitment to enforcing the border and reducing illegal immigration. But, again, that is unlikely to set him apart from other candidates.er, if Bloomberg credibly.

The Rasmussen Reports national telephone poll found that 44% of all voters say they’d be more likely to vote for Bloomberg if he supported initiative rights so that important issues could be placed on the ballot for voters to decide directly.

That would turn off just 16% of potential voters.

The results are similar (41% to 21%) if Bloomberg were to support a proposal requiring all tax increases to be approved by voters. Sixty-two percent (62%) of all voters favor this policy and only 18% are opposed.

Traditional party politicians, however, tend to resist giving voters more power through initiative and tax approval approaches.Thirty-five percent (35%) say they’d be more likely to vote for Bloomberg if he were to build a true third party rather than just make an ego-driven run for the White House.

But, when all is said and done, Americans have their doubts about a possible third party candidate.

Just 23% believe it’s possible for Bloomberg to be elected—even after being told he would spend a billion dollars on the campaign. Forty-three percent (43%) say it is not possible while 34% are not sure.

So, assuming he can find the right campaign theme, Bloomberg’s biggest challenge might be convincing voters he has a chance to win.

The House would then vote, but the result would not be determined by the overall number of Representatives. According to the Constitution, each state gets to cast one vote… and a majority of all the states is required to select a President.

That means a candidate needs to get the nod from 26 state delegations before moving into the White House.

Today, the Democrats control precisely 26 state delegations. Republicans control 21 and 3 are tied. But, many are closely divided. If the Democrats lose a single state delegation, they lose the majority needed to select a President on their own.

In at least 12 state delegations currently controlled by Democrats, the loss of a single representative would either shift control to the Republicans or create a deadlock.

If the Democrats lose just a single net seat in any one of those twelve states, they lose control of the ability to select the next President in the House.

If a Bloomberg campaign resonates with the public enough to win several states; his candidacy could create a deadlock in both the Electoral College and the House of Representatives.
Certainly his strategists would recognize this and target the most vulnerable Democrats in key states to assure such an outcome.

What happens if nobody controls a majority of the state delegations in the House? It’s hard to tell, but whatever happens would be studied by historians and political scientists for generations.
There would certainly be an unprecedented and intense period of negotiations between Election Day and January 20. A deal could be reached prior to the Electoral College voting. Or, it could go to the House (with the Senate called upon to select a Vice President).

The possibilities are too numerous and speculative to consider here, but it is hard to overstate the leverage that Bloomberg would hold. If he finishes a strong second in the national popular vote, that leverage would be limited only by his desire to use it.

There is even a decent chance he could wind up as President.To give just one extreme example of the possible negotiating tactics, remember that the vote for Vice President is held separately from the vote for President.

If Bloomberg really played hardball, his team could cast their Electoral Votes for, say, the Republican Vice-Presidential candidate. By electing a Republican Vice-President, Bloomberg would put tremendous pressure on the Democrats to negotiate with him.

WHY? BECAUSE IF THE HOUSE REMAINS DEADLOCKED ON JANUARY 20, THE ALREADY ELECTED REPUBLICAN VICE PRESIDENT WOULD ASSUME THE ROLE OF PRESIDENT.

This, of course, is not a likely scenario. But, if Michael Bloomberg is truly serious about investing a billion dollars in a Presidential campaign—and if he can find a message that truly resonates with the American people--he has the potential to fundamentally alter Election 2008 in ways we can’t begin to imagine.

(SERIOUS ACCIDENTS DO HAPPEN, AND WE ARE IN AN EXTREMELY VOLATILE STATE WHERE AN EXPLOSION COULD HAPPEN AT ANY MINUTE.)

The Twelfth Amendment to the United States Constitution altered Article II pertaining to presidential elections. Article Two stated that the U.S. Electoral College would elect both the President and the Vice President in a single election; the person with a majority would become President and the runner-up would become Vice President.

Problems with this system were demonstrated by the election of 1796 and, more spectacularly, the election of 1800. The Twelfth Amendment, proposed by the U.S. Congress on December 9, 1803 and ratified by the requisite number of state legislatures on June 15, 1804, required electors to cast two distinct votes: one for President and another for Vice President.

CONTENTS
1 Text
2 Voting for President and Vice-President under the original Article II
3 Electoral College under Amendment XII
4 Elections 1804–present
5 References5.1 Bibliography
6 External links

THE TEXT OF THE 12TH AMENDMENT READS AS FOLLOWS:

“-The people shall meet in their respective states, and vote by ballot for President and Vice-President, one of whom, at least, shall not be an inhabitant of the same state with themselves; they shall name in their ballots the person voted for as President, and in distinct ballots the person voted for as Vice-President, and they shall make distinct lists of all persons voted for as President, and of all voted for as Vice-President, and of the number of votes for each, which lists they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the seat of the government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate.

The President of the Senate shall, in the presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the certificates and the votes shall then be counted;The person having the greatest number of votes for President, shall be the President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of Electors appointed; and if no person have such majority, then from the persons having the highest numbers not exceeding three on the list of those voted for as President, the House of Representatives shall choose immediately, by ballot, the President.

But in choosing the President, the votes shall be taken by states, the representation from each state having one vote; a quorum for this purpose shall consist of a member or members from two-thirds of the states, and a majority of all the states shall be necessary to a choice.
And if the House of Representatives shall not choose a President whenever the right of choice shall devolve upon them, before the fourth day of March next following, then the Vice-President shall act as the President, as in the case of the death or other constitutional disability of the President.

(THAT WOULD BE CHENEY... IF WE HAVE NOT IMPEACHED AND CONVICTED HIM BY THEN.)

The person having the greatest number of votes as Vice-President, shall be the Vice-President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of Electors appointed, and if no person have a majority, then from the two highest numbers on the list, the Senate shall choose the Vice-President; a quorum for the purpose shall consist of two-thirds of the whole number of Senators, and a majority of the whole number shall be necessary to a choice. But no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States.

ELECTORAL COLLEGE UNDER AMENDMENT XII

The amendment, which applied to elections beginning in 1804, did not change the composition of the Electoral College. Rather, it amended the process whereby the Electoral College, or in some cases the House of Representatives, chooses the President.Under the Twelfth Amendment, electors must cast distinct votes for President and Vice President, instead of two votes for President.

No Elector may cast votes for Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates who both inhabit the same state as the Elector. It is, however, possible for an Elector to cast his votes for candidates from the same state, if that state is different from the Elector's.

The Twelfth Amendment explicitly precluded from being Vice President those ineligible to be President: people under thirty-five years of age, those who have not inhabited the United States for at least fourteen years, and those who are not natural-born citizens. It is unclear if the Twenty-second Amendment's term-limiting provisions prevent two-term Presidents from becoming Vice Presidents (see that article for a fuller discussion).

A majority of electoral votes is still required for one to be deemed elected President or Vice President. When nobody has a majority, the House of Representatives, voting by states and with the same quorum requirements as under Article II, chooses a President.

The Twelfth Amendment allows the House to consider no more than three candidates, compared to five under the original constitution.The Senate, similarly, may choose the Vice President if no candidate has received a majority of electoral votes.

Its choice is limited to those with the "two highest numbers" of electoral votes. (If multiple individuals are tied for second place, the Senate may consider all of them, in addition to the individual with the greatest number of votes.)

The Twelfth Amendment introduced a quorum requirement of two-thirds for the conduct of balloting. Furthermore, the Twelfth Amendment provides that the votes of a majority of Senators are required to arrive at a choice; In the case of a 50/50 tie the President of the Senate, THE SITTING VICE PRESIDENT, will cast the deciding vote.

In order to prevent deadlocks from keeping the nation leaderless, the Twelfth Amendment provided that if the House could not choose a President before March 4 (at that time the first day of a Presidential term), the individual elected Vice President would act as President until one could be chosen by the House.

The Twentieth Amendment changed the date for the commencement of Presidential terms to January 20 and permits Congress to direct, through legislation, which officer should act as President if both houses of Congress are deadlocked.AMENDMENT XXSec. 3. If, at the time fixed for the beginning of the term of the President, the President elect shall have died, the Vice President elect shall become President.

If a President shall not have been chosen before the time fixed for the beginning of his term, or if the President elect shall have failed to qualify, then the Vice President elect shall act as President until a President shall have qualified; and the Congress may by law provide for the case wherein neither a President elect nor a Vice President elect shall have qualified, declaring who shall then act as President, or the manner in which one who is to act shall be selected, and such person shall act accordingly until a President or Vice President shall have qualified.