On the evening of June 9, Congressman Dennis Kucinich introduced 35 articles of impeachment against George W. Bush.  

These articles introduced in the House of Representatives include lies concerning the claimed existence of Weapons of Mass Destruction and the deliberate use of those untruths to launch a war against Iraq in contravention of the U.S. Constitution and international law.

Kucinich's effort also included the approval of illegal unapproved wiretapping against U.S. citizens.

Congressman Robert Wexler of Florida was one of the co-sponsors of Kucinich's effort.

The Progressive Democrat Newsletter grew out of the frustration of the 2004 election. I have try mixing my own rants and ideas, with national issues, news items, and some very local groups and events in an attempt to both help shape debate and to help people find their own ways of getting involved.

This week I highlight the Drum Major Institute's response to the State of the Union and a short video showing "The Real McCain" (a must see for any Dr. Strangelove fans out there). I also discuss the importance of Primary elections, including Mark Pera's, Steve Harrison's and Dennis Kucinich's, for the strength of the progressive movement. And I continue to highlight local events in all the states where I have had a good number of readers. I highlight Darwin Day events in many of these sates as Darwin's Birthday approaches. Interestingly, Florida and Texas are joining New York and California as states where I have lots of readers. Don't forget to visit an advertiser or two and if you want more, please visit Culture Kitchen.

The topic below was originally posted in my blog, the Intrepid Liberal Journal, as well as the Independent Bloggers Alliance, the Peace Tree, Wild Wild Left and Worldwide Sawdust.

Warning, this is a long post. It's long because supporting a presidential candidate for me is deeply personal. It's not simply deciding which candidate I will pull the lever for in the privacy of a voting booth. Rather I approach the decision as an activist and ask myself: after weighing all the virtues and flaws of the declared candidates on whose behalf am I willing to devote my free time?

In my darker moments I'll ask myself, "Do any of these lying corporatist whores deserve my support? Why bother with any of them?" The ship has long sailed on my days of being a "true believer."

Dennis Kucinich told a group organized by Progressive Democrats of America by        telephone on October 23 that he intends to introduce to the House of Representatives on a point of personal privilege a resolution of impeachment against Dick Cheney sometime before Thanksgiving.

Impeachment is imperative in the face of Cheney-Bush neoconservative actions in brutal defiance of the U.S. Constitution and international law.  A current point of international concern is the hot rhetoric coming from White House sources about Iran.  It is comparable to that delivered before the Iraq War.

Progressives need to coalesce around Kucinich's noble and courageous effort.  If an earnest investigation were to be undertaken the anger that would be generated throughout America would be considerable.  

Individuals who have been unaware of the depths of plotting toward war and the machinations flowing there from would receive a wakeup call like that so many Americans received when the particulars were revealed during Richard Nixon's tenure.

Dennis Kucinich took that necessary first step that scores of progressives have been urging for some time in submitting articles of impeachment against Dick Cheney, a necessary first step in ending the Cheney-Bush neocon regime and its steadfast destruction of law and liberty at home and abroad.

Two points have been consistently made in this column concerning impeachment:  1) the act was designed to correct executive tyranny through the commission of "high crimes and misdemeanors" and it is therefore essential for Members of Congress to take such a step in the interest of preserving the Constitution; 2) once that a conscientious investigation has been conducted in this area there will be a strong outpouring of public opinion calling for removal of Cheney and Bush from office.

A sturdy bulwark in the fight for justice at home and abroad has been the Black Caucus.  It will be recalled that Congresswoman Barbara Lee of California rose in opposition to the Patriot Act when fellow members of both parties, in the wake of the 9/11 attacks.

While others endorsed the Patriot Act without either reading it or taking note of far-reaching provisions that could and eventually would through their application trample basic freedoms and liberties of American citizens, Barbara Lee stood up and announced her opposition due to an unswerving devotion to the U.S. Constitution and its principles.    

Dennis Kucinich has taken a meaningful forward step that is essential for the preservation of democracy and world stability.  Kucinich today introduced articles of impeachment against Vice President Dick Cheney.

When Kucinich was interviewed by Wolf Blitzer of CNN he was asked whether this step might be a mistake since "we are at war," his response was directly on point.  Kucinich told Blitzer that we went to war based on a series of lies.  These lies were repeatedly propagated by Cheney and Bush.

For those wondering whether George W. Bush rather than Cheney should have been singled out, should this vital step gain the kind of grassroots support that it deserves then it is only a question of time before the chief executive, in name at any rate, is singled out in the same fashion.

A key point raised by Kucinich is Cheney's ongoing effort to instigate a war against Iran, which he stated violated Article 6 of the U.S. Constitution.  

Dennis Kucinich made one of the most potentially significant comments on the current political scene in some time last week.  Citing the prospect of a possible preventive war against Iran by the Cheney-Bush neocon con Administration, Kucinich concluded that perhaps the only way to prevent such a conflict, which would contravene international law and the U.S. Constitution, would be an impeachment action.  

Kucinich further stated that he might be willing to introduce such articles of impeachment in the House.  This is significant news by any yardstick since a prominent congressman and announced candidate for president in 2008 has actually mentioned the word impeachment in direct contravention to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's previous comment about impeachment being "off the table."

How much did you read or hear about this important statement from Kucinich in the mainstream media?  Kucinich, it should be noted, did appear in the latest edition of Time.  That leading mainstream journal did not mention Kucinich in any significant context, however, instead concerning itself with trivial pursuit.  

A mention was made in the letters section that Kucinich stood at 5-7, hardly a noteworthy topic.  At that height he towered above Napoleon and Fiorello LaGuardia, as if any of this really mattered.

Today Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich defied Speaker Nancy Pelosi's "impeachment is off the table" declaration and stated that, as so many of us have been writing and saying, impeachment may be the only way to terminate the Cheney-Bush corrupt and power hungry corporate ruling cabal.

Democrats.com is one of the groups asserting the importance of contacting Kucinich's office and declaring support by urging that he introduce Articles of Impeachment before the House of Representatives.

Kucinich stated:

"This week the House Appropriations committee removed language from the Iraq war funding bill requiring the Administration, under Article 1, Section 8, Clause 11 of the Constitution, to seek permission before it launched an attack against Iran.  Since war with Iran is an option of this Administration and since such war is patently illegal, then impeachment may well be the only remedy which remains to stop a war of aggression against Iran."

The topic below was originally posted in my blog the Intrepid Liberal Journal.

The silly season of presidential politics is here. Posturing, fundraising and repositioning to simultaneously win support from party activists and independent voters that decide general elections. A candidate that can thread the needle with their party's base and remain viable to the center has achieved a sublime nexus.

In our current culture a candidate must demonstrate fidelity to their party's core principles and a maverick streak of independence. They must project manliness (or in Hillary Clinton's case toughness) with a soft side of empathy. After six years of Bush's insipid rule a winning candidate will also need to project gravitas but not appear above us. As women are burdened with a double standard Hillary Clinton will have to demonstrate firmness without coming off as shrill. Most importantly a winning candidate better have terrific hair.

The diary below was originally posted in my blog the Intrepid Liberal Journal.

On July 10th I posted a podcast interview with congressional candidate Chris Owens of Brooklyn, New York's 11th congressional district. As I am new to podcasting, the host site I used at the time wasn't very good. I've finally come up with a better one. Since the Democratic primary for the 11th district is Tuesday, September 12, I thought it made sense to repost the podcast.

This district is a human mosaic of 654,000: 60 percent blacks, 20 percent whites, 12 percent Hispanics, 4 percent Asians and 4 percent other ethnicities. The minorities, mostly Caribbean Americans and other immigrants, comprise 80 percent of the district.

The interview below took place on Sunday, July 9th and was originally posted in my blog, the Intrepid Liberal Journal.

The 11th Congressional District in Brooklyn, New York is a human mosaic of 654,000: 60 percent blacks, 20 percent whites, 12 percent Hispanics, 4 percent Asians and 4 percent other ethnicities. The minorities, mostly Caribbean Americans and other immigrants, comprise 80 percent of the district.

This district is historically significant because it was created pursuant to the Voting Rights Act. In 1968, the 11th elected the first black woman to Congress - Shirley Chisholm. Since then the predominantly black population has been represented in Washington by one of their own. The incumbent, Major R. Owens is retiring after serving in Congress since 1984. An African-American, Representative Owens is highly regarded among progressives for his commitment to strengthening public education.

Dennis Kucinich comes from a blue-collar background and was reared in Cleveland, long an American melting pot with strong roots to Eastern Europe.  He was the oldest of seven children in the Kucinich household.  His Croatian father was a semi-truck driver while Dennis's mother was a housewife with Slovenian roots.

Kucinich's progressive roots as a self-defined Paul Wellstone Democrat have been defined by key quotes from his political career.  One in particular stands out in reference to his political posture and expectations as he declared for the 2004 presidential race for the Democratic nomination.  "You're looking at a guy who believes he can beat a rigged game," the Cleveland Congressman sharply declared.  

A significant element of game rigging is the potent interlocking directorate of the mainstream media connected to the corporate structure with heavy emphasis on the world of lobbying.  

Its chief consequence is the severe paralysis of any semblance of legitimate democracy.  This effort has been enhanced by the termination of the then prevailing equal time rule applied by the Federal Communications Commission.  

Using the demagogic catch phrase of, "Let's get the government off of people's backs" the definitive corporatist president, Ronald Reagan in his most important role, harkened the death knell of equal time.  Just who possessed the necessary funds to control the airwaves?