By a 28-7 vote, the Kennebec County Democratic Committee passed a Resolution to Impeach President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney. Four of the seven "no" votes were local legislators, or candidates. More below...
The no votes came as a result of people believing the timing was off, and that it wouldn't go anywhere. These committee members believed this could inspire the Republicans to rally behind Bush due to the "personal attacks".
The yes votes were far more emotional. One committee member, a school teacher, lost one of his pupils in Iraq. He stated that the poor kids are off fighting the war, while the wealthy ones are in upscale colleges, like Bowdoin and Bates.
The discussion was summed up in one simple statement, by one of our representatives to the State Committee: "If not now, when? If not us, who?" This statement rings true. Regardless of "timing", if no one stands up to the President, then what's the point in being a Democrat? We must stand in opposition to this government, if only so if everything crumbles around us, we know we fought. We know we didn't enable it.
I am proud to serve on the State Committee for the first Maine County to pass such a resolution. We have now joined our brethren across the nation in calling for an end to this disgraceful government. This resolution will be brought to the floor of the State Convention when it convenes on June 2nd.
The text of the Resolution is below:
WHEREAS, George W. Bush and Richard Cheney conspired with others to defraud the United States of America by intentionally misleading Congress and the public regarding the threat from Iraq in order to justify a war in violation of 18 USC §371; and
WHEREAS, George W. Bush has admitted to ordering the National Security Agency to conduct electronic surveillance of American civilians without seeking warrants from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review, duly constituted by Congress in 1978, in violation of 50 USC, §1805; and
WHEREAS, George W. Bush and Richard Cheney conspired to commit the torture of prisoners in violation of the "Federal Torture Act" 18 USC Chapter 113C, the UN Torture Convention and the Geneva Convention, which under Article VI of the Constitution are part of the "Supreme Law of the Land"; and
WHEREAS, George W. Bush and Richard Cheney acted to strip American citizens of their constitutional rights by ordering indefinite detention without access to legal counsel, without charge and without the opportunity to appear before a civil judicial officer to challenge the detention, based solely on the designation by the President of a U.S. citizen as an "enemy combatant"; and
WHEREAS, George W. Bush and Richard Cheney have acted in a manner contrary to their trust as President and Vice-President, subversive of constitutional government to the great prejudice of the cause of law and justice, and to the manifest injury of the people of the State of Maine and the United States of America; now therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Kennebec County Democratic Committee (KCDC) make this document available to city and town councils, boards of selectmen, county commissioners, and the Maine State Legislature for the purpose of any resolutions calling for the impeachment of President George Walker Bush and Vice-President Richard Cheney in accordance with Jefferson's Manual Section LIII §603 incorporated as part of the Rules of the U.S. House of Representatives by Rule XXVII of those rules; and further, be it
RESOLVED, That the KCDC instructs its Officers to forward this resolution to such other Democratic organizations, municipal, county, and state, as they deem appropriate: and further, be it
RESOLVED, That the KCDC instruct its Chairperson to sign a copy of this resolution, and send it directly as a petition to the Congress of the United States.