It's Bright OUTside.

It's cold out, but I'm feeling cheery because the sun is sooo bright, it looks--here at the end of November-- almost like summer.... So what's new in YOUR world? Since Facebook, lo these past two-and-a-half years, I've read less of each of my favorite blogs, and am only now, getting "caught up". What world-events have made you dizzy? Please comment here, and tell me! What personal changes or transitions are you embracing, or just tolerating, or...resisting? Please comment here, and tell me! For me, the re-election of President Barack Obama, whom I am proud to say, I helped elect and Re-elect, was paramount. I was incredibly preoccupied with politics for the past two years, and recently discovered through a new application called "Social Me" (which I discovered in a Facebook post on Freddie Ashley's Facebook Wall) that "government", along with Christianity, and theatre (mislabeled on "Social Me" as "movies") was one of my most-often-discussed topics. I'm guilty of believing politics can literally change the world, but if I'm truly honest, I'll admit that inner change--that inner "spirituality", if you will---is the only model by which change may happen. WE change, and the paradigms we use to EFFECT change, well, it....changes... Can a President change our values? No...but he CAN change our priorities, and I'm so tickled that President Obama worked to embrace LGBTQ, and has spoken out in favor of Marriage-Equality. Kids, I believe a person's own marriage, is one's own responsibility. The happy gay or lesbian couple down the street, do NOT affect YOUR marriage....But by being given "a vote" on whether their marriage "counts", or is "legal", YOU affect THEIR happiness....and like it says "...Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness..." is a guaranteed right, here in the USA.... Here's to sunshine, warmth in winter, and wishes for anyone who wants to, to feel great about "coming out" as LGBTQ. Marriage Equality, kids. Peace, kids.

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA, AND THAT CAMBRIDGE POLICE OFFICER.

Read the update, below, on what's happened since the unfortunate incident involving Harvard Professor Gates. I suppose it would be smug to post here that several hours ago, on my Facebook page, I used the exact same wording that the President himself eventually used, in his call to the white police officer who unfairly arrested Professor Gates. Go to my Facebook page, hit "Older Posts", and you'll see what I said....Okay, I'm officially smug.
I know the incident had elements of racism in it, because I know if Professor Gates had been white, he would never have been arrested.
I also know that President Obama should've used the words "over-reacted" or "acted impulsively" to describe the police officer's actions in this case.
I am extremely pleased that President Obama took the iniative to call this police officer, to clarify his(the President's) remarks.
I hope the police officer will apologize to Professor Gates, and that this sad chapter will be closed, for good.
Here's the update, from the Associated Press:
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Obama phones white policeman who arrested scholar
5 mins ago
WASHINGTON – Trying to tamp down an uproar over race, President Barack Obama said Friday he used an unfortunate choice of words in commenting on the arrest of black scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. and could have "calibrated those words differently."

The president said he had telephoned the white policeman who arrested Gates, and he said the conversation confirmed his belief that the officer was a good man and an outstanding officer.

Obama said later that he had spoken to Gates as well, but he didn't say any more about that conversation.

The president caused a stir when he said at a prime-time news conference earlier this week that Cambridge, Mass., police had "acted stupidly" by arresting Gates, a Harvard scholar and friend of the president's, for disorderly conduct.

On Friday, Obama made an impromptu appearance at the daily White House briefing in an effort to contain the controversy. He said he continued to believe that both the officer, Sgt. James Crowley, and Gates had overreacted during the incident, but the president also faulted his own comments.

"This has been ratcheting up, and I obviously helped to contribute ratcheting it up," he said. "I want to make clear that in my choice of words, I think I unfortunately gave an impression that I was maligning the Cambridge police department and Sgt. Crowley specifically. And I could've calibrated those words differently."

The incident began when police went to Gates' home last week after a passer-by reported a potential break-in. It turned out that Gates had tried to jimmy open his own door, which was stuck, and there was no intruder. Gates protested the police actions and was arrested, although the charges have since been dropped.

Before Obama's appearance Friday, a multiracial group of police officers stood with Crowley in Massachusetts and asked Obama and the state's governor, Deval Patrick, to apologize for comments they called insulting. Patrick has said Gates' arrest was "every black man's nightmare."

Dennis O'Connor, president of the Cambridge Police Superior Officers Association, said Obama's remarks were "misdirected" and the Cambridge police "deeply resent the implication" that race was a factor in the arrest.

Sgt. Leon Lashley, a black officer who was at Gates' home with Crowley at the time of the arrest, said he supported his fellow officer's action "100 percent."

Gates has said he returned from an overseas trip, found the door jammed and he and his driver attempted to force it open. Gates went through the back door and was inside the house when police arrived. Police say he flew into a verbal rage when Crowley asked him to show identification to prove he should be in the home. Police say Gates accused Crowley of racial bias, refused to calm down and was arrested.

Gates, 58, maintains he turned over identification when asked to do so. He says Crowley arrested him after the professor followed him to the porch, repeatedly demanding the sergeant's name and badge number because he was unhappy over his treatment.
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Peace, kids. Peace.

TELL DICK CHENEY TO SHUT THE HELL UP.

TELL DICK CHENEY TO SHUT THE HELL UP.
IF YOU FACEBOOK, JOIN NOW!!
Thank you, actor Barry Stoltze, for the link:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Telling-Dick-Cheney-to-shut-the-hell-up/88683275177

I'm soooooo tired of hearing Mr. Cheney run his mouth about how "safe" we were when he was part of the former Administration. I'm certain he's decided he has a lot to say, now that he's readying his book for release(as usual, for Cheney, it's all about the $$ he can make--whether it's contracts he benefited from, through an illegal war he helped create and promote, or a tell-all (lies) book !)
President Obama has been incredibly(as usual) patient, and almost too forgiving of the wrongs of the previous Administration.
So, join this cause:
TELL DICK CHENEY TO SHUT THE HELL UP, at Facebook, and have your say!
Peace, kids.

I KNEW SHE'D BECOME SECRETARY OF STATE. AND SHE'LL BE GREAT.

I said four years ago, that Hillary would never get the nomination for President, and with reason: she would inadvertently galvanize the extreme-right, and they'd know how to attack her, since they've always been afraid of/hated her. It would be hard to win with Hillary, even with all her experience. Long long ago, I guessed that then-Senator Obama would never choose Senator Hillary Clinton as his running-mate, and I also said he'd probably choose her for Secretary of State, or possibly Health, Education & Welfare.
I think Hillary was made for the job of Secretary of State.
You can catch up on WHY(Her hard-nosed, no-nonesense, definitely-to-the-right-of-Obama-stance on foreign affairs. Her initial support of the Iraq war is just one example of how much more-to-the-right-wing she is than President Obama will ever be. She also possesses a willingness to "temper" idealism with reason.)she'll do such a great job, in the article, below.
I'm keeping the faith. And HOPE.
I think we've got a tremendous amount of goodness(in this case, measured balance) for which to be thankful!!
Peace, kids.

Analysis: Obama foreign policy favors diplomacy
By ROBERT BURNS, Associated Press Writer Robert Burns, Associated Press Writer
Sat Jan 24
WASHINGTON – Diplomacy now trumps defense as the main instrument of American foreign policy.

At least that is the intent that President Barack Obama and his change-minded secretary of state, Hillary Rodham Clinton, spelled out on their first days. They made clear that the military will be a prominent — but no longer dominant — tool for achieving U.S. goals abroad.

The message was reflected clearly in Obama's decision, on his second full day in the White House, to close the military-run prison for suspected terrorists at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and to include the State Department in a broad government study of how to proceed with terrorist detentions in the future.

In a subtler but equally telling way, the commander in chief's decision to visit the State Department before stepping foot in the Pentagon indicated his intention to elevate the role of diplomacy.

Setting the stage for what amounted to Obama's first foreign policy address since his inauguration, Vice President Joe Biden told State Department employees on Thursday that Clinton's charter is to "put diplomacy back in the forefront of America's foreign policy," and to do so immediately.

"For too long, we've put the bulk of the burden, in my view, on our military," Biden said.

Obama put it this way: "A new era of American leadership is at hand, and the hard work has just begun. You are going to be at the front lines of engaging in that important work."

Biden didn't say so, but it will be difficult to bulk up the State Department's capacity for stronger diplomacy.

The reality is that the Defense Department is vastly better equipped, with far bigger budgets, greater reach and a more committed constituency on Capitol Hill. Thus it often will be called on first to take the lead abroad, even if Obama manages to begin to shift the balance back in favor of the diplomatic corps.

One measure of the disparity: The military has more band members than the State Department has diplomats. Or as Defense Secretary Robert Gates has noted, the 6,600 people in the foreign service equal roughly the number of personnel aboard a single U.S. Navy aircraft carrier strike group at sea.

Against that backdrop, Clinton's arrival at the State Department on Thursday was a feel-good moment for a diplomatic corps that felt neglected during the Bush administration. But she wasted no time warning all to temper their cheers with the sobering knowledge that the foreign policy road will be rough.

"I don't want anybody to leave this extraordinarily warm reception thinking, `Oh, good, you know this is going to be great,'" she told a welcoming ceremony attended by hundreds of department workers. "It's going to be hard."

That includes not only the Guantanamo Bay headache but also others that the president and secretary of state will be confronting in the weeks ahead, from the stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace effort to nuclear dangers in Iran and North Korea.

Then there are the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, where Obama has promised that diplomacy and perhaps development aid will play a more prominent role in seeking to stabilize those countries, not to mention the challenges of a rising China, an assertive Russia and a chaotic Horn of Africa.

In her caution against excessively high hopes, Clinton also cited her pledge to reinvigorate the State Department by grabbing more resources, expanding the diplomatic corps, widening the role of development aid and building a civilian capacity to work alongside the military overseas.

"This is going to be a challenging time and it will require 21st century tools and solutions to meet our problems and seize our opportunities," she said. "I'm going to be asking a lot of you. I want you to think outside the proverbial box."

Unconventional approaches will be much in demand. But Clinton seems determined to begin with basics, such as bigger budgets, reclaiming some of the clout that the State Department has ceded to the Pentagon in recent years, and restoring morale in an institution that has been derided as idle and placid.

In remarks Friday, Clinton lamented the migration of funds and authority from the State Department to the Pentagon. She noted that young officers in Iraq and Afghanistan are given millions in cash to spend as they see fit to build a school, open a health clinic or provide other nonmilitary aid.

"Our diplomats and our development experts have to go through miles of paperwork to spend 10 cents. It is not a sensible approach," she said.

Clinton has already shown some of the ways in which she will change direction at Foggy Bottom:

_Obama will include the State Department not only in meetings of the National Security Council but also the National Economic Council. "The State Department will participate in both, not just one," Clinton told her confirmation hearing Jan. 13. "We will be very much involved in the crafting of international economic efforts."

_She intends to make more use of special diplomatic envoys, in part to move the U.S. away from its recent practice of increasing the power of military commanders to interact with foreign leaders. "I believe that special envoys, particularly (as compared to) military commands, have a lot to recommend in order to make sure that we've got the civilian presence well represented," she told senators.

_She says she agrees with Gates that in fighting against Islamic extremism, military action should take a back seat to efforts to promote better governance, spur economic development and address the grievances among the discontented — roles tailor-made for the diplomats and development experts.

"I think that our foreign policy has gotten way out of balance," she told her confirmation hearing. "It's going to be up to us to try to get back into more equilibrium, which will be good for our government and for the image of our country around the world."

___

EDITOR'S NOTE — Robert Burns has covered national security affairs for The Associated Press since 1990.

Joy Still Raining Down My Face.

It's taken me over 24 hours to try to digest yesterday's many moments in history.
I woke up before 6:00 A.M., just so I could see all the "before-Inauguration" stuff. I began tearing-up as then-President-Elect Obama and wife Michelle stepped out of The Blair House to head to St. John's (the "Presidents' Church", so dubbed as every President has visited, or become a weekly member of the Episcopal church located one block from The White House). I burst into tears as I witnessed the often-forgotten Peacemaker of the South, Jimmy Carter, step out with wife Rosalynn, to enter the area where the oaths of office would be taken. I sat on my bed, remembering what Carter has spoken about so wisely, and so well--the segregationist southern Georgia that he grew up in. How he never understood why some people did not "approve" of his best friend, a young black man he met in his youth, and maintained a friendship with, all their lives. I found myself wondering what Jimmy Carter was thinking as he walked the long hallway, remembering his youth, his strict Baptist neighbors, his fellow-farmers. Carter's most recent book (about Peace) was released yesterday, and I feel certain he planned it that way.
After a few more moments, I was able to contain myself until the new President Barack Obama(how I adore saying this:"President Obama"!!)spoke of how his own father, less than 60 years ago, could not have eaten in the restaurants that dot D.C. ...When President Obama spoke directly to Muslim nations(the word "Muslim" has never been spoken in any Inaugural address, in the history of the United States), offering mutual respect, and offering a new day....and then later, in speaking to anyone who would wish harm on us, about the United States' willingness to "Lend a hand, if you will unclench your fist...", I cried again. Here is a man willing to actually WALK THE WALK, OF PEACE. OF NEGOTIATION. OF DIPLOMACY.
How incredibly fortunate we are to have a THINKER--a man who actually considers the consequences of every action, indeed, of his words--before speaking, or acting.
I am guessing anything I might have to say about this beautiful, incredible day that was yesterday--January 20th, 2009--has already been said. With that in mind, I'm headed to all my fav blogs, and to Salon.com, and "Open Salon", a feature there(look for a blog I write over there!), to see if anyone has any new perspectives on The Inauguration, and President Barack Obama.
The joy is still streaming down my face. I think I'm feeling a bit corny, a bit romantic in my feelings for this country--and even for the government. I'll be putting my American flag out again(I put it away just before we invaded Iraq, as it felt "wrong" to have a flag out--it made me feel like a bully----wearing the gang's colors). The American flag is going to hang outside my house, and from now on, I 'll probably cry when I look at it. But not for the reasons it made me cry, the past several years.
Peace, kids.

THAT DEBATE LAST WEEK, THE ONE THIS WEEK, AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT WOMAN WHO IS THE GOP VP NOMINEE'S NAME, ANYMORE. READ HERE WHY YOU SHOULDN'T EITHER.
I'm so tired. And this week, it's not the illness that has pretty much ravaged me with extreme exhaustion, and all types of sickness, both due to bacterial infection, and diseased tissue. Nope, the tiredness and illness is related, I am afraid, to the incompetence I see, everywhere. The incompetence and irresponsibility of this current Administration, and the denial I see, all around me, by my fellow voters.
I have actually seen McCain/youknowwho signs popping up, all over.
In midtown(shocking because it is a heavily liberal-leaning area, arts-y, gay-friendly, etc.) Atlanta, in the neighborhoods of Ansley Park, in Sherwood Forest; in Buckhead(wealthy, usually liberal-leaning), near Peachtree Battle;and here in Alpharetta(okay, we're outside the city(called OTP--"Outside The Perimeter"), but folks here are young, and highly educated, which usually translates to Democrat), in my own neighborhood.
But whenever I wake up this early(it's about 3:00 A.M.), I remind myself of a few things that have been in my head, that have come true:
1) I predicted two years ago, then again one year ago(when she was considered by most to be the "presumptive" nominee), and again, several months ago, that Hillary would never get the nomination. I wasn't sure Obama would do as well as he already has, but I knew this country would reject her (for a number of reasons, including the fact that for the past twenty years, it's been Bush, Clinton, Bush.(George H.W., then Bill Clinton-Bill Clinton, then George W. Bush-George W. Bush). Enough with the Bush and the Clinton.We are ready for someone NEW.
2) I prayed Obama would pick an "old, white guy" as it seemed he would "need the old white guy vote", and he did, and it appears that's starting to happen(recent polls show educated white middle-aged and older men, suddenly leaning towards Obama).
3) I predicted that McCain would select a woman, once Obama selected a man, and I'm actually happy he chose who he chose, because this race for the White House may turn on the issue of his judgement. We all know how spectacularly unqualified she--the woman he chose--is, to ever be in a position to lead this country.
So, the debate.
I watched this first Presidential debate with my lovely niece, Breaz, who flew in to visit me. I watched as my niece, who will be voting in her very first election, sighed, and later wailed, about how ridiculous McCain seemed. How angry she felt, hearing him wage war with his mouth. And I decided to hold that outrgae of hers, close in my heart, and remember that there will be many Breaz's voting this year. In my state, we have over a million-and-a-half new registered voters, most of whom are Democrats.
The VP debate this week: I cannot wait. But not just for the debate....
But of course, for Tina Fey to do her impersonation of you-know-who again on SNL! I feel certain Tina Fey can once again, simply use that woman's own words as her script--who needs to write comedy, when the subject of your impersonation writes it, for you?! On Monday night, Countdown with Keith Olberman did a "split-screen" with you-know-who and Tina Fey, and Tina's words were nearly identical--and the best part? The biggest laughs were when she was saying EXACTLY what you-know-who said. No jokes, just her actual thoughts and words. Funny, but SCARY AS HELL!
One more prediction:
I think Obama is going to sweep his country. Sure, there'll be a few tight races, but when the final tally comes, this country will be smiling--because he'll win more states than anyone predicted. And yes, some of those races will be close, really close.
But we'll see that people will wake up. They simply have to!
Below, from my pal, Franklin Abbott, a tender and funny piece from Anne Lamott, on why we should never, ever, say you-know-who's (that VP nominee in the GOP) name, again.
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How To Handle the fury Brought On By This Election?
Register voters, Hit the streets, Pray. Stop talking about her. Talk about Obama.
By Anne Lamott Sep. 16, 2008
I had to leave church Sunday morning when it turned out that the sermon was not about bearing up under desperate circumstances, when you feel like you're going crazy because something is being perpetrated upon you and your country that is so obscene that it simply cannot be happening. I sat outside a 7-Eleven and had a sacramental Dove chocolate bar.
Jeez: Here we are again. A man and a woman whose values we loathe and despise -- lying, rageful and incompetent, so dangerous to children and old people, to innocent people in every part of the world -- are being worshiped, exalted by the media, in a position to take a swing at all that is loveliest about this earth and what's left of our precious freedoms.
When I got home from church, I drank a bunch of water to metabolize the Dove bar and called my Jesuit friend, who I know hates these people, too. I asked, 'Don't you think God finds these smug egomaniacs morally repellent? Recoils from their smugness as from hot flame?' And he said, 'Absolutely. They are everything He or She hates in a Christian.' I have been in a better mood ever since, and have decided not to even say this woman's name anymore, because she fills me with such existential doubt, such a sense of impending doom and disbelief, that only the Germans could possibly have words for it.
Nor am I going to say the word 'lipstick' again until after the election, as it would only be used against me. Or 'polar bear,' because that one image makes me sadder than even horrible old I can stand. I hate to criticize. And I love to kill wolves as much as the next person does. But this woman takes such pride in her ignorance, doesn't have a doubt in the world about her messianic calling, that it makes anyone of decency feel nauseated -- spiritually, emotionally and physically ill. I say that with love. As we say in Texas. (Also, we say, 'Bless her heart.')
We felt this grief and nausea during the run-up to the war in Iraq. We felt it after the 2004 election. And now we feel it again. But since there are still six weeks until the election, and since the stakes are as high as the sky, which should definitely not be forced to endure four more years of the same, we have got to get a grip. There are millions of people to register to vote, millions of dollars to be raised. We really cannot go around feeling flat and defeated, with the need to metabolize the rotten meat that this one particular candidate and the media have forced upon us.
One of the tiny metabolic suggestions I have to offer -- if, like me, you choose not to have her name on your lips, like an oozy cold sore (I say that with love) -- is to check out a Web site called the Sarah Palin Baby Name Generator. There you can find out what she and her husband would have named you if you had been their baby. My name, Anne, for instance, would be Krinkle Bearcat. John, her running mate, would be named Stick Freedom. George would be Crunk Petrol. And so on. First of all, go find out what your own name would be. Then for one day refuse to use the name of these people who are so damaging to earth and to our very souls -- so, 'I don't have to understand anything, it's all fuzzy math. Trust me. I'm the decider.' From now on, when working for Obama, talk about Obama, talk about his policies, the issues, the economy, the war in Iraq, poverty, the last eight years, Joe Biden. You don't have to mention Crunk Petrol, or his sidekick, Shaver Razorback. And you sure as hell don't have to mention Claw Washout -- she is absolutely, hands-down the most ludicrous person ever to be nominated. She's a 'South Park' character. There was a mix-up. Mistakes were made.
Everything you need to know about how to bear up during these two months is already inside you. Go within: Work on your own emotional acre. Stand still, and hurt, and feel crazy. Then drink a lot of water, pray, meditate, rest. Rest is a spiritual act. Now, I am a reform Christian, so it is permissible for me to secretly believe that God hates this woman, too. I heard God slam down a couple of shooters while she was talking the other night.
Figure out one thing you can do every single day to be a part of the solution, concentrating on swing states. Money, walking precincts, registering voters, whatever. This is the only way miracles ever happen -- left foot, right foot, left foot, breathe. Right foot, left foot, right foot, breathe. The great novelist E.L. Doctorow once said that writing a novel is like driving at night with the headlights on: You can only see a little ways in front of you, but you can make the whole journey this way. It is the truest of all things; the only way to write a book, raise a child, save the world.
As my anonymous pal Krinkle Bearcat once wrote: Laughter is carbonated holiness. It is chemo. So do whatever it takes to keep your sense of humor. Rent Christopher Guest movies, read books by Roz Chast and Maira Kalman. Picture Stick Freedom in his Batman underpants, having one of his episodes of rage alone in one of his seven bedrooms. Or having one of his bathroomy little conversations with Froth Moonshine. (Bless their hearts.) Try to remember that even Karl Rove has accused him of being a lying suck.
Reread everything Molly Ivins and Jim Hightower ever wrote. Write down that great line of Molly's, that 'freedom fighters don't always win, but they're always right.' Tape it next to your phone. Call the loneliest person you know. Go flirt with the oldest person at the bookstore. Fill up a box with really cool clothes that you haven't worn in a year, and take it to a thrift shop. Take gray water outside and water whatever is growing on your deck. This is not a bad metaphor to live by. I think it is why we are here. Drink more fluids. And take very gentle care of yourself and the people you most love: We need you now more than ever.
-- By Anne Lamott 9/16/08
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I love you, Annie Lamott!
Peace, kids.

THE DEBATE.
I decided to calm down a bit after Thursday's Debate.I was tickled that for the most part, both candidates were civil, and even kind at times...but Hillary's nasty cheap shot at Senator Obama made me wonder why she felt she had to do that, even as she scored points for speaking well, and received cheers and applause equal to his during the debate.
I think it's time to ready ourselves for a New America--the slogan of Kerry/Edwards in 2004 was "Change We Can Believe In"(I still have my button).I was sorry that slogan never galvanized the country in the way the catchword Change has, now. But, better late than never.
Here's to a President Barack Obama, and Change, and
a New America--an America that has a chance at regaining integrity, and developing a decent relationship/reputation with the rest of the world.

Presidents' Day.
I started thinking about what Presidents' Day SHOULD mean, rather than what it has come to mean.Instead of focusing on white-sales, and appliances, perhaps we could focus on what's been white-washed, what's been filed away under "Presidential powers", "Executive privilege", and so on.I'm speaking (again), of the abuse of the office of the Presidency, and the office of Vice-President.There is still a possibility for impeachment of Dick Cheney, and even George W. Bush. In fact, it could actually happen!Check out this link, below, to add your name to those who believe this Administration should NOT be able to walk away free from all the lies, criminal acts, and unjust and illegal war that they perpetuated.
Here where you register:
http://www.democrats.com/user/register

Then read the article below, for more bolstering--if you need any!
I'll be posting again in a day or so.I'm headed back to my numerous yellow legal pads, to work on more "The Book Of O: The Orgasm Poems", before I commit them to the computer.

Here's that article I mentioned earlier, in its entirety, from Democrats.com:
Something very important happened in Congress on Thursday, thanks to all of your emails and calls. After 7 years of cowering in fear of every dictatorial demand from Bush and Cheney, House Democrats finally rose up and said NO.
First, House Democrats refused to give immunity to the telecom giants for illegally wiretapping the calls and emails of every American - despite two Bush press conference hissyfits and endless Corporate Media lies.
Second, House Democrats declared Harriet Miers and Josh Bolten to be in contempt of Congress for rejecting subpoenas to testify about the U.S. Attorney scandal, despite a faux-angry walkout by Republicans. Watch Rep. Robert Wexler's excellent floor speech.
Could this be the start of holding George Bush and Dick Cheney accountable for their innumerable High Crimes, ultimately through impeachment?
The main problem we face is time. Since this is an election year, Congress will stop legislating and start campaigning full-time in May. Since impeachment hearings take time, those hearings must begin now.
Thanks to your emails and calls, 18 Democrats support Rep. Robert Wexler's call for Cheney impeachment hearings: http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/cheneyBut that's not enough - we need 100 Democrats to support Wexler in order to force Speaker Pelosi to hold these hearings.
This week, every Member of Congress will be home working at their District Offices and meeting with the voters who elect them. So let's send them a loud and clear message: Start Impeachment Hearings for Dick Cheney Now.
One great way to send that message is through "Honk to Impeach" actions at the District Offices of your Representative. These actions are fun and passing cars love it. It just takes 2-3 brave people to have a successful 1-hour event.
Here's a national map with ongoing honk-a-thons:http://www.communitywalk.com/impeachIf you don't see one near you, call your bravest friends and pick the date(s), time, and contact info. Find District Offices by searching for your Representative here:http://www.congress.org/congressorg/directory/congdir.tt?command=congdirThen create a map login and click "add a marker."
To find other honkers, connect with activists in your Congressional District by logging in to Democrats.com and clicking "local":http://democrats.com/local Click [Post] next to your Congressional District and blog about your plans. All the details you need are here:http://www.democrats.com/honktoimpeach
Since it's Washington's Birthday, we've created a special flyer you can print and hand out called WWWD: What Would Washington Do?http://www.democrats.com/files/WWWD.doc
Time is running out so let's hit the streets this week!http://www.democrats.com/crucial-week-for-impeachment