The Cowardice of Congress

BY FRANK J RANELLI
Wednesday, September 06, 2006


While angry America searches for assertive action, Congress placates the President and continually serves up more pointless platitudes amid a mix of abdications and felonious failures.


In an election year that smells and spells doom for incumbent Republicans, many are scurrying away from Bush’s inculcation of bombastic propaganda to fire up the fear factory once again. Ron Paul, Congressman of Texas, is one of those many Republicans doing the “Bush Shuffle.” Earlier this summer, Mr. Paul gave an ostensibly eloquent speech outlining why Americans are so angry and divided. While the speech was concise and identifies the precise rationale we are all terribly tired and angry as a nation, it does little good to speak without taking action. Paul, like so many other members of the hopelessly hapless 109th Congress, fails to offer deliverable deeds to his hollow howlings. The very mercurial connotation that Mr. Paul alludes to, as the cause of such anger in America, is that Congress is suffering from a case cowardice.


Even before Federal Judge Ann Diggs administered Bush a scathing civics 101 lesson on the Constitution and American rule of law, Paul stated, “I would have trouble arguing that he's (Bush) been a Constitutional President, and once you violate the Constitution and be proven to do that I think these people should be removed from office.” Again, words of profound prudence and ardent truth, yet Mr. Paul has failed to sign on as a co-sponsor of John Conyers’ H Res. 635 or to introduce his own Articles of Impeachment against a President he finds in direct dereliction of his Constitutional responsibilities. Cowardice and inaction, intermingled with insincerity are indeed cause for irritation and annoyance.


While many Americans may imprudently wish to thank Representative Paul for taking a presumably patriotic stance against the greatest threat to American democracy since the Revolutionary War, it must also be pointed out that revolutionary words, no matter how eloquently spoken, accomplish little by themselves. Galvanizing words coupled with assertive action, to right that which is wrong, is the only avenue that will truly affect change. Words absent of subsequent actions are merely empty idioms.


If Congress' cowardice is truly the root of the anger Paul so astutely noted in his speech, then only true courage, from a spirited man of action within Congress, can bring about real change in our country. If each and every one of us is guaranteed the individual right to pursue virtually unabated happiness, then collectively, as a nation of hundreds of millions of individuals, we are surely guaranteed that right. Sadly, the people’s own body of government, Congress, has gutlessly given up that right. Furthermore, the Bush Administration’s refusal to change policy and “stay the course” in Iraq is in total discord with the will of the people. This is the nucleus and the source of America’s anger.


True leaders, not merely career politicians placed in leadership positions, recognize the call to action, ignore the cynics, propaganda and platitudes, and proceed to bring about bona fide transformation. The first step in that transformation is to introduce Articles of Impeachment in “the People’s House”. Our Constitution empowers our elected representatives to do so and the will of the people demand it. Congress’ failure to act upon such egregious assailments on our rule of law, by the current Executive Branch, is not only cowardice but also a complete capitulation of civic compulsion.


The President, in light of a litany of liabilities and lies, has irrefutably been remiss in his duties as a public servant and violated an office of paramount public trust. From a multitude of Constitutional scholars, to former military Generals, to Federal Judges, to entire cities across America, there is overwhelming support and evidence that no President in history has been more detrimental to our country or more deservingly warrants impeachment. The only thing left is one brave patriot in the House of Representatives who is bold enough to stand up to the face of adversity and speak for justice, the American people, and our democracy.


The Framers of the Constitution feverishly worked to ensure a tyrannical despot would not rise to the office of President, one who would be at total odds with the people, by carefully spreading out the powers of our government. George W. Bush is the closest America has come to a tyrant and it is the defining duty of Congress to end this drive towards a dictatorship and restore the rightful balances of our democracy. Impeachment of President Bush is the first and most noble of steps -- the real catalyst needed -- in reinstating this balance and ending the angst and anger of a whole nation.


Congress must know that America not only hears what you say, but America also watches what you do. Will Congress simply stand idle and lifeless now, allow delusion and arrogance to rule supreme, or will a member of Congress be that courageous patriot that begins the healing process and ends the current mockery of our beloved democracy? Who in Congress will summon the courage to end this voyage of pernicious and pathetic leadership and return our beloved country to its intended Constitutional purpose of a united nation of free, peaceful, and honest people?


To that end, I quote Albert Einstein who once wrote, "Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds." America is now asking its cowardly Congress, “Who among you will be that great spirit?”