IS A CRIME NOT A CRIME WHEN THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES COMMITS IT? IS STEALING NOT STEALING, IS MURDER OF INNOCENTS, NOT MURDER?

Dear Congresswoman Pelosi, or Nancy, if I may be so bold?

Please explain to me, a loyal fan and fairly widely read blogger, how you can turn your back on all that is right and just by agreeing not to pursue George W. Bush’s impeachment, when you and the rest of the gang take control of Congress next month?

Now, I am as aware as the next well read person that Bush’s impeachment has become a campaign issue for desperate Republicans scrambling to hold onto their seats.

They must be returned to Washington, they tell on the fence voters, if only so they can protect poor George Bush from having to spend his entire last two years defending himself and his administration from recriminations for their crimes against America.

Those still loyal to the President know that the enormity of this task, if he is forced to do so, would distract the already easily distracted Dubya from giving away the rest of America’s wealth to the richest one percent, dismantling Social Security, and destroying what is left of the once proud American middle class, or what the Republicans like to refer to as governing.

They also know that if the President is brought to justice, can they be far behind?

Ironically enough, the same boys and girls trying to sell this clunker of an argument, cared little for Bill Clinton’s ability to govern when the shoe was on the other foot, and our then President was forced to defend his sex life to adulterer, Henry Hyde and the grand Republican Inquisition.

And, while we are talking dirty sex, recent events have only confirmed that the GOP apparently enjoys their dirty little sexcapades as much as Bill Clinton ever did, except the objects of Clinton’s affection, while they had big hair and other fashion quirks, were all consenting adults, over 21 years old, and not sixteen year old male pages.

So, why Nancy? Why sanction this plan?

What kind of example does this send to the world about our country when we make the tyrants of the world stand trial for their actions, as in the case of Slobidan Milosovic and Sadaam Hussein, but will not pursue George Bush because “Republicans would ‘just love’ the ‘waste of time’ such proceedings would be”?

Who cares what the Republicans would love or would not love? They had their turn and what a mess of things they made. So loose that line of thought, Nancy. Its irrelevant and worse than that, insulting.

America owes it to every citizen damaged by this administration, and there are millions, that they have the opportunity to seek justice and perhaps restitution for damages sustained.

If this were you or I, there would be no question. We would stand trial where we would face our accusers, and be forced to make restitution. The state would then tack on suitable jail time in the hopes that this would prevent us from committing similar offenses in the future.

Why is the President of the United States any different? Is a crime not a crime when he commits it? Is stealing not stealing, is murder of innocents, not murder?

While we are the topic of crime, an issue that I have with you and so many others of our party this election cycle, is that so few of you are willing to call things what they are, preferring to use the administrations sanctioned innocent sounding names for things.

For example, Tax breaks for the rich are not tax breaks. What they are is a fancy name for stealing the people’s equity in our country, and transferring it to the already rich. In its place is left debt, debt that we will all be forced to pay off for the next several generations, while the stolen money earns totally new fortunes for its recipients and their heirs.

Don’t you see this, and why haven’t you drawn this connection, already?

And, this is just one of the ways that the Bush administration has screwed John and Jane Paycheck, their children and their grandchildren, these last 6 years.

But it doesn’t stop there. Just take a look around your district and the rest of America, at all of the people that are hurting today that were not when the Bushes took office. People who in 2001 were gainfully employed and enjoying a comfortable living, but who now must work way harder to earn but a fraction of their previous salary, since their jobs were either consolidated, replaced by automation, or outsourced to India or the Philippines.

Take a look, also, at those now in their golden years, men and women – just like your relatives and mine - who are struggling to make ends meet after a lifetime of paying into their respective pension plans, only to have the entire pension, erased by court sanctioned corporate reorganization.

Often, said reorganization was the result of poor planning or even worse execution by less than conscious corporate leaders. But there are also times, as in the case of Enron, where corporate leaders, more interested in personal gain than its cost to stockholders and pensioners, looted the company for all that it was worth and then when it was about to collapse sought reorganization protection from the courts.

As a reward for years of faithful service, these people are now forced to live on Uncle Sam’s minimum pension guarantee of about a third of what they had planned and budgeted on having.

God help them if they are blessed with longevity and the money runs out before it is their time to shuffle off into the afterlife. Who will support these proud, once successful men and women? Their kids, or society that is already overburdened paying off George Bush’s debts?

And lastly, Nancy, look at all of those people with empty places at the table this holiday season. People who have lost a loved one or loved ones fighting the administration’s totally unnecessary little war, a war, which in hindsight was apparently more about aggression and oil than it ever was about defening America against a global enemy.

Please Nancy, please take a look at all of these people and reconsider your position about pursuing the impeachment of the President.

I know it will not be easy, and it will take a lot of time and money, and yes, the Republicans will bitch, but it will be worth every cent. The sooner we can send George and Dickie packing, the sooner America can regain its respect in the global community, and become the nation that we were meant to be.

It is in your hands.

Please for a moment, cease thinking as a politician, and listen to your conscience.

We are praying for you.

DENIS DONOVAN - Editor