Vermont Towns Debate Impeaching Bush
AOL Wire Services
CALAIS, Vt. (March 7) - Packed into their 140-year-old Town Hall on a clear, frigid morning, the people of Calais -- population 1,552 -- took care of business Tuesday.
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They elected Gus Seelig moderator for the annual Town Meeting. They talked about fire department contracts and the town highway fund, appropriated $2,500 for a town swimming program and boosted the property tax exemption for disabled veterans, all without much debate - and no rancor.
But when Article 23 came up, the mood changed. That was the one calling for the impeachment of President George W. Bush and Vice President **** Cheney .
Peering over the eyeglasses perched on the end of his nose, Seelig - anticipating an emotional debate - asked the crowd of about 125 people to keep it civil.
"We are not here to criticize each other," he said. "We're not going to attack our neighbors. They're still going to be our neighbors when we're done here today."
With that, the debate began. In a scene played out at Town Meetings across Vermont, supporters of the measure said Bush and Cheney misled America about the threat posed by Iraq , condoned prisoner torture and approved illegal eavesdropping of citizens, while critics defended them, calling impeachment inappropriate.
Town Meeting is a colonial-era tradition in which voters gather in town halls and gymnasiums to debate issues big and small.
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At Least Two Winning Tickets for $370 Million LotteryBitter Cold, Blowing Snow Hit NortheastTwo American Women Poisoned in MoscowVermont Towns Vote on Impeaching BushBefore Fatal Plane Crash, Mom Heard Girl's Plea for HelpAt least 29 towns approved calls for impeachment investigations, according to the Rutland Herald and Times Argus and Dan DeWalt, a Newfane select board member who organized the impeachment resolution drive. Dorset and Stamford rejected the resolution, and moderators in some other towns blocked it from being considered, according to DeWalt, who barnstormed across Vermont with anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan last weekend to drum up support for the measures.
At least 16 towns also approved a companion measure calling on Washington to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq. It was unclear how many towns had put the resolutions to a vote, and the results of all the Town Meetings in the state of about 609,000 people may not be known for days.
In Middlebury, Gov. Jim Douglas is the Town Meeting moderator. He at first tried to block a vote on the two resolutions, reasoning that they were brought up under new business, meaning no vote could be held, according to the Rutland Herald and Times Argus.
He changed his mind when voters made clear they wanted to weigh in on the resolutions, both of which opposed by wide margins.
"It became clear that no one was going home until they had the chance to discuss the resolutions and vote on them," said David Rosenberg, a political science professor at Middlebury College who attended the meeting. "And being a good politician, he allowed the vote to happen."
In Calais, Marion Gray, 60, the stepmother of a service member killed in Iraq, called it "treasonous" to spend taxpayer money on impeachment proceedings, and said the United States had more to lose by pulling out.
"If we don't finish the job there, it's going to be finished here," she said. "They will follow our troops home."
Moments later, Cynthia Johnson, 51, who had petitioned for the resolution, stood up from her pew near the back, her voice breaking. "I did not do it to offend anybody," she said, asking Seelig for a paper ballot vote instead of a floor vote because of the emotional tenor of the dialogue. "It is our responsibility here, at Town Meeting, in this forum, to question the things that are happening."
"I think that if we keep going the way we are, it's aiding and abetting the enemy," said Tim Celley, 43, who opposed the measure. "If we keep going like we are, we're going to lose."
So it went, back and forth.
Even critics of the war were torn.
Chuck Storrow, a 49-year-old attorney, said the stated reasons for impeachment were all present in 2004, when Bush and Cheney were re-elected. "If we're going to have an impeachment every time something happens at the national level that we don't agree with, we'll be doing it all the time," said Storrow, who said he thinks Bush is a "disaster" but opposed the resolution.
Ray Lemay, 66, whose son is a U.S. Navy officer, said the polling place was where such grievances should be addressed. His voice halting, he looked toward Gray, who was across the room. "I'd hate to see my son in the same boat as Mrs. Gray's. But if it happens, it happens. It was a good cause."
Several speakers said they objected to the notion that war opponents don't support the troops.
"It is not treason to question our government," said Tom Treece, 40. "This has nothing to do with the troops. It's about what the administration is doing. We all support the troops, but they're being used."
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Bad Leadership is husband of Corruption
Corruption, the mother of backwardness
Backwardness brother of poverty
Poverty, the sister of squalor
Squalor the king of disease
why wasn't this hate applied when facts about wmds first came up? you're in a war! finish the damn job reguardless of cost(financial or human lives should come last)
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"The larger lesson here concerns the nature of the Iranian regime and its nuclear ambitions. Iran's provocations in Iraq have been deadly enough, but they might be far more aggressive if the mullahs no longer fear the ability of the U.S. to hit back. As a
why wasn't this hate applied when facts about wmds first came up? you're in a war! finish the damn job reguardless of cost(financial or human lives should come last)
wars are never "finished" the usually end when one side or the other "gives up"
wars are never "finished" the usually end when one side
the goal was to control the entire region right? they aren't finished. i'm all for drawing iran into the picture.
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"The larger lesson here concerns the nature of the Iranian regime and its nuclear ambitions. Iran's provocations in Iraq have been deadly enough, but they might be far more aggressive if the mullahs no longer fear the ability of the U.S. to hit back. As a
too little too late...he should have been impeached after the Katrina incident
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MrRahaman
for these playoffs alone malcolm...
you've been a raps fan, pistons fan, cavs fan, nuggets fan, jazz fan, spur fan, celtics fan and a fukin laker fan..
too little too late...he should have been impeached after the Katrina incident
the katrina event was an indictment on the lack of everything this administration represents.
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"The larger lesson here concerns the nature of the Iranian regime and its nuclear ambitions. Iran's provocations in Iraq have been deadly enough, but they might be far more aggressive if the mullahs no longer fear the ability of the U.S. to hit back. As a
why would you personally care about controlling that entire region? what good as that gonna do you personally? why would you want Iran involved?
until we develope a clear alternative for oil, we need to be there. if it was up to me i'll ignore that entire region; those people are beyond retarded.
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"The larger lesson here concerns the nature of the Iranian regime and its nuclear ambitions. Iran's provocations in Iraq have been deadly enough, but they might be far more aggressive if the mullahs no longer fear the ability of the U.S. to hit back. As a
so its ok for hundreds of innocent thousands to die because of oil?
man, i tell you. the wrath this country is heading towards is beyond what can be described in human words. i only pray god sees my heart and render me free of the repercussions of this country's iniquities. I can only hope and trust to god when that time comes when America will be brought to its knees that I only hear of the bad news happening to people and that nothing actually happens to me and my family.
God can be ruthless at times but i believe in this case he'll know to start the loss of lives in the families of all those who support the war in Iraq in anyway. Its only right they also get the opportunity to know what it feels like to lose loved ones
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Bad Leadership is husband of Corruption
Corruption, the mother of backwardness
Backwardness brother of poverty
Poverty, the sister of squalor
Squalor the king of disease
so its ok for hundreds of innocent thousands to die because of oil?
dude you want millions to die in the cold.
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"The larger lesson here concerns the nature of the Iranian regime and its nuclear ambitions. Iran's provocations in Iraq have been deadly enough, but they might be far more aggressive if the mullahs no longer fear the ability of the U.S. to hit back. As a
Bush started the war for no reason. There is no job to finish and he needs to just back off. He's just too hell bent on trying to convince the public there was a reason to go over there in the first place.
there's a reason and then there's facts. do you think most people would sacrifce themselves in order to better their country? they won't! bush is trying to preserve/protect the lifestyle of us, and this is how they treat him.
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"The larger lesson here concerns the nature of the Iranian regime and its nuclear ambitions. Iran's provocations in Iraq have been deadly enough, but they might be far more aggressive if the mullahs no longer fear the ability of the U.S. to hit back. As a
And my problem with this administration isn't that it did wrong, it's the fact that it's so steadfast in its ways and unwilling to learn from its mistakes. Reading a **** Cheney interview is fukking frightening; the dude is not all there.
But like I said... the damage has already been done, and homie already fukked it up for his party. I just hope whoever is next in line has some kind of feasible solution for everything; and if not, is at least willing to listen and think with an open mind.
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\\Hondo Pirelli. Curb Your Modesty. Spring 2010.//
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cleansing
Rebirth is really, really good for what it is.
it's like Taylor Swift, Kelly Clarkson, Miley Cyrus but darker, harder, and stronger.
Homie has a year left.
Reading a **** Cheney interview is fukking frightening; the dude is not all there.
.
Nope he understand most people won't understand so he dumbs it down for them
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"The larger lesson here concerns the nature of the Iranian regime and its nuclear ambitions. Iran's provocations in Iraq have been deadly enough, but they might be far more aggressive if the mullahs no longer fear the ability of the U.S. to hit back. As a
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Bush To Be Impeached.
