Our old friend Dennis. My former Congressman, the Olive pit conqueror, part-time Wiggle and full time kook made some news recently when he criticized Barack Obama over the attack on Libya, and called for him to be impeached.
Reps. Jerrold Nadler (N.Y.), Donna Edwards (Md.), Mike Capuano (Mass.), Dennis Kucinich (Ohio), Maxine Waters (Calif.), Rob Andrews (N.J.), Sheila Jackson Lee (Texas), Barbara Lee (Calif.) and Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D.C.) “all strongly raised objections to the constitutionality of the president’s actions” during that call, said two Democratic lawmakers who took part.
Kucinich, who wanted to bring impeachment articles against both former President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney over Iraq — only to be blocked by his own leadership — asked why the U.S. missile strikes aren’t impeachable offenses.
Kucinich also questioned why Democratic leaders didn’t object when President Barack Obama told them of his plan for American participation in enforcing the Libyan no-fly zone during a White House Situation Room meeting on Friday, sources told POLITICO.
I can’t disagree too much with Dennis about the Libya attack. While I don’t know that it is an impeachable offense, I certainly object to the notion of asking the United Nations and the Arab League for permission, but not consulting with the United States Congress. For all of the opposition candidate Obama showed to Bush foreign policies, President Obama has adopted many of those same policies. (See Gitmo, Patriot Act, indefinite detention, etc). Say what you want about Bush, but at least he got backing from Congress.
Now, just this evening, after calling for the impeachment of “the one Democrats had been waiting for”, Kucinich has put a video on his website criticizing Obama even further. Then, he asks all of his followers, who will surely be voting to re-elect that same man in 2012, to donate to his campaign, so he can keep “standing up” to Obama, or something.
The Obama Administration’s decision to attack Libya was made without any Congressional approval. It’s outside the Constitution of the United States. Whether you like President Obama or not is not the question. The question is: if you like the Constitution more. And the Constitution places very firmly in the hands of Congress the decision as to whether or not to commit the men and women of our armed services to a conflict, or the physical assets of the United States of America into a conflict.
We are bombing Libya right now. Congress did not approve, according to the Constitution. Such an action lacks legality in the United States and the President should have to answer to that. I mean this isn’t anything that is a small matter. It’s a very grave matter, actually.
Stand up. Contribute.
Maybe Dennis should keep his money requests separate from his calls to impeach his followers’ hero. Regarding Obama himself, something tells me Dennis’s joy rides on Air Force One may be over.
