“[President Bush’s] soul was already closed down!” - Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (D-MD), on meeting with George W. Bush. (1)

George Washington deserved the title, “Father of the Country.” For eight and one half years, refusing any pay, he led the Continental Army, a gallant force which he helped to forge from the strength of his own stellar persona. After the victory over Great Britain in 1783, Washington, like the Roman General Cincinnatus, relinquished his military command at Annapolis, MD, and returned to his Mt. Vernon, VA home. The old General was also a keen observer. In June, 1799, after serving as the nation’s first President, (1789-97), he watched party politics first emerging. When the parties selected candidates to suit their own organizational interests, leaving the nation’s well-being out of the loop, he commented: “They...can set up a broomstick...it would still command their vote [for President!]” (2) Well, guess what General? Little has changed. The GOP did just that in the elections for President in 2000, and again in 2004. The broomstick’s name is George W. Bush!

Unlike other broomsticks, however, Bush is lethal. He launched a war in Iraq, on March 20, 2003, and did it by lying to the U.S. Congress and to the American people. (3) Like the delusional O.J. Simpson, Bush is in denial about his wrongdoing. Some of Bush’s lies were revealed during the perjury trial of Irving “Scooter” Libby, a slippery Neocon and gofer for V.P. Dick Cheney. Unfortunately, that important criminal case was carefully crafted by the Special Prosecutor, Patrick J. Fitzgerald, to protect the interests of the Bush-Cheney Gang. (4) Nevertheless, some of the lies, like how the White House distorted the evidence about WMD, did see the light of day. They contain the seeds for an Impeachment inquiry by the House, now, thankfully, a genuine possibility with the gutsy Rep. John Conyers (D-MI), chairing the important House Judiciary Committee.

Bush, the broomstick, despite nearly four years of carnage and mayhem in Iraq, instead of owning up to his massive deceptions, now wants to “escalate” the conflict. He is so criminally reckless, that he intends to send 22,000 additional U.S. troops, aka “The Surge,” into a raging, unwinnable, bitter Civil War. Wiser observers, like Lt. General William E. Odom, U.S. Army, Rtd., tell us: “[The Iraqi War] is the greatest strategic mistake in American history.” Gen. Odom underscored that the longer we stay there, the more we will “squander American lives and money.” (5) Bottom line: Only the U.S. Congress, responding to the will of the people and the electoral results of Nov. 7, 2007, can stop Bush and Cheney from creating even more chaos in Iraq, and also derail any mad scheme that they may have to attack Iran. (6)

The handwriting is on the wall, folks. Bush is not going to change! He’s a spoiled blue blood, with a frat boy psyche, who doesn’t give a hoot about our troops, the people or this country’s future. He is a first class warmonger and a conscious agent of the New World Order. Bush has made it clear that he will ignore the non binding Resolution on the Iraqi War that was passed by the House of Representatives. Ditto, if the U.S. Senate follows suit.

The broomstick mentality was in evidence on Feb. 15, 2007. As a result of a meeting with the President on that date, in the White House, Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD) is convinced that Bush has “not been truly listening to the public.” The former chair of the House Black Caucus added this revealing impression of the broomstick: “[Bush’s] mind [on the Iraqi War] was shut tight. (1)

To prove that Bush wasn’t listening, on that very same day, he showed up as the guest speaker at an affair, in Washington DC, sponsored by the ultra-hawkish American Enterprise Institute, (AEI), an organization swarming with Neocons. One of its so-called “scholars” is the repulsive Richard Perle, who wants the U.S. to attack Iran. (7) Bush sounded as bellicose as ever at the event. He pushed to send more U.S. troops into Afghanistan, too. Also, on Feb. 15th, the Pentagon announced that 19 more brave American military personnel had been killed in action in Iraq, which brings the total U.S. dead as of today’s date to 3135. It’s also costing taxpayers $8.4 billion a month. Yet, when its snows in this country, states like Pennsylvania, have to shut down significant parts of its major highway system, since it can’t afford the personnel or material to maintain and operate it properly.

The buck stops with Congress. It has a Constitutionally mandated duty to end the Bush-Cheney Gang’s killing spree. Non binding Resolutions aren’t going to get the job done. Although House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has warned Bush that he lacks Congressional authority to invade Iran, that’s like telling a drug addict to just say “no” to his habit. The broomstick in the White House has become a law unto himself. Professor Jonathan Turley has correctly labeled him: “The Uber President.” (8)

What to do? Well, activists from the Antiwar Movement are continuing to show the way on this matter. They are demanding that Congress cut off funding for the war now and bring the troops home. To show that they mean business, sit-ins of Congressional offices have been taking place around the country. On Feb. 15th, 21 protesters occupied the office of Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski (D-MD), which is located in the Hart Office building, opposite the U.S. Capitol. Although Mikulski voted against the war, she, like her counterpart, Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD), has repeatedly voted to fund it. By any fair standard of judgment, on the important issues of War, Peace and Human Rights, Mikulski has been a no-show, a huge disappointment and a dismal failure.

Kevin Zeese, of DemocracyRisingUS, one of the leaders of the demonstration, said: “Mikulski has given over $400 billion [to the War Machine], with no strings attached. She says one thing and does another--it’s the essence of hypocrisy.” (9) Jean Athey, coordinator of Peace Action Montgomery, promised more sit-ins unless Congress does the right thing. She said: “Congress must use its power of the purse if it is to end this war.” (10) Susan Crane of the Baltimore-based Jonah House emphasized: “The only way to stop the death and violence is to stop funding it.” (9)

Finally, the people need to get the broomstick Bush, out of the White House, along with his partner in lies, Cheney, before our troops get trapped in Iraq and set off another Vietnam-like defeat and/or the debacle leads to WWIII. All lovers of the Republic should focus on this one end: Stop the Bush-Cheney Gang!

Notes:

1. “Congressional Black Caucus Presses President in Meeting,” David Nitkin, 02/16/07, Baltimore Sun.
2. “Revolutionary Characters” by Gordon S. Woods.
3. www.afterdowningstreet.org/ and www.democracyrising.us/
impeachpac.org/ and www.worldcantwait.net/
4. www.americanchronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp
5. usa.mediamonitors.net/content/view/full/40065
6. “Next Stop: Tehran,” Philip Giraldi, TAC, 02/12/07 issue.
7. baltimore.indymedia.org/newswire/display/13033/index.php
8. baltimore.indymedia.org/newswire/display/13664/index.php
9. “Iraq War Debate,” Ron Cassie, 02/16/07, Baltimore Exanminer.
10. “Press Release,” Peace Action, Mont. Co., 02/15/07.

© William Hughes 2007.

William Hughes is the author of “Saying ‘No’ to the War Party” (IUniverse, Inc.). He can be reached at liamhughes (at) comcast.net.