Truffula Tuft

Impeachment no longer a pipedream

Lewis Carroll once said "Sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast." Here's one I'm trying to believe today.

This past Tuesday 4/25, Rep. Dave Zuckerman of Vermont, along with 12 fellow lawmakers, introduced a formal resolution for the Vermont state legislature to call on the U.S. House of Representatives to impeach President George W. Bush.

With this resolution, Vermont joined the California and Illinois state legislatures, already embroiled in impeachment debates of their own. These resolutions have been scarcely reported in mainstream news but the blogs are going nuts over it.

Each of the three resolutions mentions Iraq lies, torture and illegal spying, with some variations in specifics.

Assemblyman Paul Koretz, a West Hollywood Democrat, told the Pasadena Weekly this week:
“We’re watching the president exceed his constitutional authority in one area after another. I don’t think we can afford to wait for the next disaster and hope to survive. I think it’s time to start the dialogue about questionable activities by the president.”

Koretz submitted a resolution to the Assembly Rules Committee last Friday 4/21, the day after similar papers were filed in Illinois by Democratic General Assemblywoman Karen Yarbrough.

The House of Representatives Rules Manual, initially drafted by Thomas Jefferson, allows states to submit charges of impeachment to the House for consideration.

Alternet journalist Onnesha Roychoudhuri noted last month that the "i-word" had gone public (alternet.org/story/32977). In an interview with impeachment expert Michael Ratner, Roychoudhuri observed that:

"[T]he distant rumbling is growing louder by the day, creating a resonant echo that is rapidly taking root in public discourse. 'Impeach Him,' reads the cover of this month's Harper's Magazine. And in a public forum in New York City last week, journalists, lawyers and political figures came together to discuss the case against our president."
According to CNN, Bush’s approval rating is at a low 32 percent. As early as last June, a Zogby poll found 42 percent of voters would favor impeachment if Bush was found to have lied about his reasons for going to war with Iraq. On April 12th, 36 percent of those polled by the Los Angeles Times said that if Bush broke the law in regard to unwarranted wiretaps, they felt it was an impeachable offense.

The three states debating impeachment represent nearly 50 million Americans, or roughly 16 percent of the total U.S. population.

What is BushCo. going to do about this? Evan Derkacz in his Alternet article "Impeaching Bush, State by State" (alternet.org/story/35467 ) wrote:

"As promising as this [impeachment] development is, serious questions remain unanswered. If Americans perceive that voting the Republicans out of the House will lead directly to a vote for impeachment hearings, will they instinctively rally around the president despite his unpopularity specifically and the unpopularity of Republicans in general?

Or, more ominously, will an unpopular president, terrified at the possibility of a crushing Republican defeat in '06 and facing impeachment hearings, launch some sort of "October Surprise?"

October Surprise speculation ranges from my colleague Joshua Holland's prediction that measures will be taken to significantly lower gas prices to Dave Lindorff's claim that:

"a number of journalists told me they worried that Bush, Rove and Cheney, if they thought they were going to lose the House in November and face serious investigations into their crimes and deceits, would do something treasonous, like launching a war against Iran, or perhaps allowing another major terrorist attack against a U.S. target, so that they could then clamp down further on domestic freedom and ramp up jingoistic support among their wavering base.""
Let's pray he is wrong about that.

Neil Young has a soon-to-be-released 10-song collection called “Living With War,” on which he calls for impeachment in the song titled simply, “Let’s Impeach the President.” I hope it becomes the soundtrack of the summer of 2006. Actions you can take to help make it so:

Sign an easy click petition addressed to your legislators at: impeachpac.org

Write a letter of support to Paul Koretz. Koretz submitted the resolution amendment to AJR Bill No. 39. It is now in the Assembly Rules Committee which may take up the bill this week for referral, allowing him to formally introduce the amended resolution. AJR 39 is a bill introduced in January by Koretz calling for a moratorium on depleted uranium. Find his contact info here: http://democrats.assembly.ca.gov/members/a42/Contact.htm

Find more Californians organizing for impeachment here: pdamerica.org

Find up to the minute news about impeachment here: afterdowningstreet.org

peace,
Jennifer

ps - image from radfilms.com

What are they smoking? Bush & Iran

Can this really be true? The US wants to attack Iran? Seymour Hersch wrote a chilling article in the New Yorker last week (www.newyorker.com/fact/content/articles/060417fa_fact) :

"The Bush Administration, while publicly advocating diplomacy in order to stop Iran from pursuing a nuclear weapon, has increased clandestine activities inside Iran and intensified planning for a possible major air attack. Current and former American military and intelligence officials said that Air Force planning groups are drawing up lists of targets, and teams of American combat troops have been ordered into Iran, under cover, to collect targeting data and to establish contact with anti-government ethnic-minority groups. The officials say that President Bush is determined to deny the Iranian regime the opportunity to begin a pilot program, planned for this spring, to enrich uranium. "

Oh my God and Goddess, can members of our government actually be seriously considering going to war with Iran?! Here's what one insider said, according to the Hersch article:

"One former defense official, who still deals with sensitive issues for the Bush Administration, told me that the military planning was premised on a belief that “a sustained bombing campaign in Iran will humiliate the religious leadership and lead the public to rise up and overthrow the government.” He added, “I was shocked when I heard it, and asked myself, ‘What are they smoking?’ ”

Apparently they've already started, both by amping up the rhetoric in Washington, and by showing off in the Arabian Sea:

"Some operations, apparently aimed in part at intimidating Iran, are already under way. American Naval tactical aircraft, operating from carriers in the Arabian Sea, have been flying simulated nuclear-weapons delivery missions—rapid ascending maneuvers known as “over the shoulder” bombing—since last summer, the former official said, within range of Iranian coastal radars. "

Joseph Cirincione, from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, wrote a recent essay , entitled Fool Me Twice (www.foreignpolicy.com/story/cms.php?story_id=3416) On the US - Iran situation he states “The unfolding administration strategy appears to be an effort to repeat its successful campaign for the Iraq war.”

Gore Vidal has a new book called Imperial America: The United States of Amnesia. I haven't read it but the title is darkly funny and seems very apt for this situation. Doesn't anyone else remember the fictional WMDs or only 3 years ago?! Shit, even Connor remembers them and he's only 7.

Bush's cronies have been quietly briefing members of Congress about their plans. According to the Hersch article, an unnamed member of the House said

"... no one in the meetings “is really objecting” to the talk of war. “The people they’re briefing are the same ones who led the charge on Iraq. At most, questions are raised: How are you going to hit all the sites at once? How are you going to get deep enough?” (Iran is building facilities underground.) “There’s no pressure from Congress” not to take military action, the House member added. “The only political pressure is from the guys who want to do it.” Speaking of President Bush, the House member said, “The most worrisome thing is that this guy has a messianic vision.” "

That does NOT make me feel secure, but I have lost most of my faith in our elected representatives anyway.

Iran possesses large reserves of oil and natural gas. It will play a critical role in the world's energy future. Large US oil companies are frothing at the bit to get at these reserves, something they are forbidden to do at the moment. There's no doubt in my mind that this is what's behind this crazy idea.

Beth Quinn, in her recent article Recipe for Holy War: Add Two Nut Jobs and Stir (www.commondreams.org/views06/0417-32.htm) says:

"All right. I'm now officially scared. Having just read Seymour Hersch's article about Bush's Iran plan, it appears that we no longer have a case of the good guys versus the bad guys. What we have here is the bad guy versus the bad guy - two madmen playing an international game of chicken, ratcheting up the rhetoric to appeal to their fundamentalist followers."

Scary indeed!

A group of known liars could be leading us past the point of no return. On the other side there is no restraint on preemptive nuclear attacks on non-nuclear nations, and no incentive for non-nuclear nations to remain non-nuclear. If we don't destroy humanity with a global nuclear war first, we will be caught in an endless war all over the middle east. This will have to be supplied by a draft, and age 18 is less than 10 years away for many of our sons and daughters.

For the inimitable Mark Morford's take on this disaster read his latest column Iran, You Ran, Let's Bomb Iran: When all else fails and you're becoming Nixon 2.0, why not just nuke someone, and smirk? (http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/gate/archive/2006/04/19/notes041906.DTL&nl=fix)
He compares Bush to a gambler on the outs:

"What's to be done? Why, do what any grumbling, furious, confused, underqualified alcoholic gambler does: reach down deep and say, "Screw the nation and screw the odds and to hell with the rest of the planet," and pull out one more desperate, crumpled war from deep in your pants, slap it on the table and hear the world moan."

Well, we can do a few things about it, paltry as they may feel. We can write more letters (sample letter below) and sign another petition (www.petitiononline.com/NWinIran/ ), and talk to our friends and families about what's happening.

To end on a more postive note, here's a lovely quote I found:
"And even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree."
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

peace,
Jennifer

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Sample Letter to your Representatives and Senators. Find your elected officials contact info here: www.senate.gov/ and www.house.gov/

Dear _________

I object to the Bush administration's beating of drums for a war against Iran..
Our military and financial resources are already at a breaking point. We cannot protect our citizens from hurricanes and other natural disasters. There isn't even enough for adequate body armor for the US soldiers in Iraq.
The Bush doctrine of pre-emptive wars has been a disaster in Iraq. It has made America and the world less safe. We need an exit strategy for Iraq, not another war in the region. War with Iran will be, at best a long unwinnable sinkhole, at worst a global nuclear war.
Do not let Bush and his supporters get away with another misinformation campaign. Just like the build-up to the war in Iraq, it's a smokescreen to grab more control over the world's oil resources. We do not want a war in Iran. Our national focus should be on energy conservation and renewable fuels.
The seeds of peace in the Middle East will be only be sown if US troops leave Iraq. We must then begin to repair our ruined reputation.

Sincerely,
name and address

Blowing Our Noses on Trees

Two depressing facts woke me up this morning - consider this

-- the average American uses 50 pounds of tissue paper - toilet paper, paper towels, etc, a year. (from www.conservatree.com)

-- 40 percent of trash found in U.S. landfills consists of paper products. (from www.greenseal.org)

Paper derived from virgin wood pulp carries a double environmental burden. First, ecosystems are damaged or destroyed by deforestation and indiscriminate logging. Then companies bleach paper products with chlorine to maintain that "whiter than white" we think we need. The bleaching releases dioxins into the environment which are known carcinogens.

It's not hard to get in the habit of using cloth napkins and hankies. Having a bunch of them makes it easier. We have at least 25 cloth napkins. Store them near or on the dining table to remind you. If you just stop buying the paper stuff you'll force yourself to get in the habit. Keep some old t-shirts around too, they're great for cleanups. If you have a rag bag, consider storing it in the kitchen.

If you must buy paper products, the key is to pay attention to labels. Beyond the brand name lies information on recycled content, post consumer waste content and the method of bleaching used. Look for these indicators:

-- Post Consumer Waste (PCW) content
The percentage of PCW in a recycled product refers to the amount of pulp derived from paper that was used by consumers and then recycled. This saves trees and promotes the use of recycled paper.

-- Processed Chlorine Free (PCF)
This means that no additional chlorine or chlorine derivatives have been used to bleach the final recycled product. Elemental Chlorine Free (ECF) may also appear on labels of recycled products. However, such labels mean a chlorine derivative has been used to bleach the paper. Although ECF reduces emissions compared with chlorine gas, it still contributes dioxins into the environment.

Shopping suggestions below.

One more thing, if you do use paper napkins and facial tissue, remember you can compost the used stuff. I even compost egg cartons and occasionally shredded office paper. According to Grist Magazine "printed newsprint, including colored newsprint, and cardboard boxes are safe for garden use" but glossy junk mail and catalogs are not recommended for composting (www.grist.org/advice/ask/2004/02/12/umbra-papercompost/).

peace,
Jennifer

ps - This information was adapted from The Green Guide with some personal sources and thoughts thrown in:
www.thegreenguide.com/doc.mhtml?i=112&s=paper
Subscribe to their helpful newsletter here: https://ssl.thegreenguide.com/subscribe/renewfreeissue

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Shopping Suggestions

PCF bleached, 80 percent PCW PAPER TOWEL varieties:
SeventhGeneration White or Unbleached rolls (www.seventhgeneration.com, 800/456-1191).
AtlanticPackaging's "Atlantic" and "Fiesta" brand (www.atlantic.ca, 800/268-5620).
Planet (www.planetinc.com, 800/858-8449).

Tree-free alternatives to PAPER TOWELS:
Organic Cotton Dish Towels ($11/towel), or Organic Hemp and Flax Dish Towels, ($16/4 towels) (www.rawganique.com, 877/Raw-Hemp)
Organic Cotton Kitchen Towels ($9 each, www.ahappyplanet.com)

PCF bleached, 80 percent post consumer content NAPKINS:
365 (www.wholefoods.com)
EarthFirst ( Available from Safeway, www.safeway.com).
SeventhGeneration (www.seventhgeneration.com, 800/456-1191).

Tree-Free alternatives for NAPKINS
Color Grown Organic Cotton Napkins ($32.95/4, www.abundantearth.com).
Organic Hemp Napkins ($6.50 each, www.rawganique.com).

PCF bleached, 80 percent PCW TOILET PAPER:
AtlanticPackaging's "Ambiance," "Fiesta" and "April Soft" brand (www.atlantic.ca, 800/268-5620).
EarthFirst (Available at Safeway, www.safeway.com)
Planet (www.planetinc.com, 800/858-8449).
SeventhGeneration (www.seventhgeneration.com, 800/456-1191).

Tree-Free alternatives to TOILET PAPER:
Hah! you thought I was going to recommend leaves didn't you? I haven't gone that far, yet

FACIAL TISSUE
MarcalPaper's "Marcal", "Hankies" and "Fluff Out" brand facial tissue are PCF bleached, 40 percent PCW facial tissue (www.marcalpaper.com, 201/796-0470).
SeventhGeneration's facial tissue is PCF bleached, contain 20 percent PCW (www.seventhgeneration.com, 800/456-1191).

Tree-Free alternatives to FACIAL TISSUE
Handkerchiefs from Hankettes (they have travel packs, cosmetic squares and other goodies too)www.hankettes.com/
Handkerchiefs from Lunapads (they also make reusable menstrual products) http://lunapads.com