Dear Gov. Dean -- “I learned from my mistake …”

understandinglife

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Thu Jan-12-06 09:09 PM
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Dear Gov. Dean -- “I learned from my mistake …”

13 January 2006 (# 39)

Take five simple words and assemble them into what is perhaps the most important statement anyone can make – “I learned from my mistake.” Not surprisingly, the author of those words is Coleen Rowley.

First, let’s consider the “mistake”:

Talk about mistakes, I voted for Mr. Bush in 2000. Why, you ask? Because I had been working in government for years and believed Mr. Bush when he called for clean, honest, open government; believed him when he promised to avoid creating huge deficits and claimed he would be cooperative in world affairs -- and then Mr. Bush turned right around and reversed his position in almost every area. I learned from my mistake so well that now I'm running for Congress to try to help repair the damage Mr. Bush has done to this country and the world.

Link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/coleen-rowley/bullying-and-threats-can_b_13714.html

Now, let’s consider how a President who has made not just mistakes, but violated the law and the Constitution, behaves. He calls honorable Americans who challenge his lawlessness “irresponsible” and claims they are “aiding the enemy.”

We learn today that he and his neoconster minions have attempted to convince members of the military to attack Congressman Murtha:

The Huffington Post has learned the Bush administration recently asked high ranking military leaders to denounce Congressman John Murtha. Congressman Murtha has called for the Bush Administration to withdraw US troops from Iraq.

Link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2006/01/12/bush-admin-launched-secr_n_13713.html

We also learned today two very important facts about the coaching of Alito. One of those facts I doubt that either Senator Lindsey Graham or Bush’s folk at the White House thought anyone would notice. We know that Senator Graham was one of the coaches, but as a result of Senator Feingold pressing for the release of the names of those involved in prep-ing Alito, the list released by the White House does not contain his name. That is an issue.

How many other names are missing from the list is also an issue.

And, some of the names on that list are an issue – notably, Benjamin Powell and Harriet Miers. As Think Progress notes:

During this morning’s hearing, Sen. Russ Feingold noted that the same lawyers who created the legal justifications for Bush’s warrantless domestic spying program coached Alito about how to answer questions during the confirmation hearings:

I’m going to say that I am still somewhat troubled by the idea that you were prepared for this hearing by some lawyers who were very much involved in promoting the purported legal justification for the NSA wiretapping program….

I note, for example, that one of the people who participated in these sessions was Benjamin Powell. He recently advised President Bush on intelligence matters and was just given a recess appointment as general counsel to the national intelligence director.

I also see the name of White House Counsel Harriet Miers on the list. And she, obviously, is involved in the president’s position on this matter.

Link: http://thinkprogress.org/2006/01/12/alito-murder-board

The corruption and ongoing deception is obvious.

Let’s return to candidate Rowley’s assessment of Bush’s name calling:

Unfortunately, Mr. Bush has yet to come clean and level with the American people about his own mistakes, such as his decision to order U.S. military troops to invade and occupy Iraq. Minnesota's Second District Congressman John Kline was apparently privy to the Bush Administration's inside information and "rolled out" his own campaign for war on Iraq several months ahead of even Bush and Cheney. Mr. Kline, like Bush and Cheney, has never admitted his mistakes either. All three insist their initial reasons for invasion really don't matter now, that we're in Iraq and we're stuck. They warn those who disagree with Mr. Bush and who debate in search of the truth and a better way forward -- people like myself -- that we are "aiding the enemy."

Wrong. We are aiding and assisting America so that we don't compound the problem and so the same mistakes are not repeated in the future. I think the people of Minnesota and of our country know this and want me and other congressional candidates to fight for the right to debate and speak the truth. I will continue to do so even if Mr. Bush and his surrogate Mr. Kline call me names. I went through tough FBI training and can take it. Having been part and parcel of the serious domino chain of errors that has transpired up to and since 9-11, I see it as a duty to continue to insist on the utmost integrity including the unraveling of the serious errors made by the Bush Administration.

"Irresponsible"? The irresponsible Republicans have run the economy into a deficit ditch, abandoned millions of our jobs to other countries, wallowed in a culture of corruption financed by the likes of Jack Abramoff, eavesdropped on American citizens without warrants and led us into a quagmire of death in Iraq. The most responsible thing Democrats like me can do is take back the House and Senate in 2006 by speaking the truth all the way.

Link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/coleen-rowley/bullying-and-threats-can_b_13714.html

“… by speaking the truth all the way” is something I have no doubt Coleen Rowley and Jack Murtha will do.

Gov. Dean, truth is what Bush and the neoconsters fear.

Senator Graham must be challenged, as must the White House, for why his name is not on the list of Alito coaches – challenge them to tell the truth.

To have Benjamin Powell and Harriet Miers coaching a potential Supreme Court justice, whom if confirmed would most likely be hearing a variety of cases involving Bush’s willful and persistent violation of FISA law and the 4th Amendment, is beyond unethical, is beyond arrogant. It is a statement of crass intent to stack the court with a guy who will acquiesce to a President’s willful and persistent destruction of the rule of law.

Coleen Rowley, Senator Feingold, Congressman Conyers and many others are definitely not “aiding the enemy” because the enemy of America is Bush and his neoconster gang. As Ms. Rowley states, “We are aiding and assisting America so that we don't compound the problem and so the same mistakes are not repeated in the future.”

Americans get it, including many Republicans. Bush is an outlaw, his administration is full of outlaws. What is missing is a cohesive, robust message coming from the Democratic Party.

Bush could not have made it any easier than by standing before the Nation and admitting he broke the law and stating he intends to continue breaking the law. Not to be banal, but “It’s the law, stupid.”

Bush and many Republican members of Congress have violated their oath of office and broken the law. And, now, anyone running for Federal office must admit that fact and state explicitly what they are going to do to “try to help repair the damage Mr. Bush has done to this country and the world.”

Thank you for your continued leadership,

Peace.