Ethan Kutinsky
725 N. 43rd St.
Seattle, WA 98103
ekutinsky@gmail.com
Dear Senator Cantwell:
On a recent episode of Real Time With Bill Maher, GOP Strategist Amy Holmes asked of Harry Reid that, at the point in which he’s voted for the war in Iraq, voted to confirm General Petraeus, and continues to find the war “lost,” then why hasn’t he asked “his friends in Congress” to start moving towards impeachment? I believe Holmes was onto something, and that question speaks to the flaws at the center of the Democratic party – at what point during this party’s and this country’s deep, unwavering dissatisfaction with President Bush and the Republican leadership in America, do we stop complaining and start to take actions to check and rebuke that leadership? In other words, when do we begin to show as Liberals in America that we too care as much about action as we do about criticism?
I moved to Seattle in August of last year, so in the midterm elections, I voted absentee from Colorado – it was important to me at the time to vote for a Democratic governor there as well as on the amendments covering social issues and educational packages. I worked in mental health in Boulder, Colorado prior to moving to Seattle and work within the foster system here in residential behavioral counseling with at-risk teenagers. I bring my background up for a couple of reasons: first, I am new to your electoral base and I vote. Secondly, I mention my background because in work with children, it is assumed that if there is not adequate supervision and disciplinary action taken immediately with employees who are simply not doing their job, unacceptable behaviors go unchecked and have the chance to become the norm in daily operations, and this puts the kids that we represent at risk. Strong leadership requires that the best interest of our clients remain our highest responsibility.
I do not believe Democrats in Congress share a similar philosophy towards their clients, the electorate in their districts – Holmes is correct to point out that Democrats are willing to make symbolic gestures rather than necessary action. This does not need to be the case. As Americans, and as our leadership in Washington, there is a responsibility when our voices are not being heard to move towards real, undismissable actions.
In this case, that action is impeachment. Currently, 71% of Americans are dissatisfied with President Bush’s leadership. This past week, President Bush once again showed disregard for Congressional reproaches by vetoing the war funding bill that included a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq. Americans continue to express their concern that there is no plan for salvaging American involvement and protecting troops and Iraqi civilians under this administration, and why shouldn’t we? There is no plan, and this President is not interested in the criticism necessary to hear in order to formulate any sort of strategy.
The information I have is incomplete as it is not my job to keep a check on President Bush, but you do have access to that information because that is part of your job. As a reasonably informed citizen, I know about things like the Walter Reid scandal, the outing of CIA agent Valerie Plame, the illegal NSA wire taps, the humiliation of the justice department, and the unyielding escalation of violence in Iraq – and these are simply the scandals of the past year. How many of these presidential scandals does it require before Congress confirms what America sees fairly plainly – this president is in violation of the law and needs to be removed from office. It is disconcerting that a president as disastrously inept as this one will be listed in history as a successful two-term president for whom no congressional disapproval beyond nonbinding resolutions was ever logged. As a nation, our check on our dissatisfaction is exactly this – to pressure our elected representatives to log their own discontent in the form of impeachment. As our elected representation, it is your obligation to take forth legislation, disregarding how unpopular it has the potential of being, and help to begin the process to impeach President Bush with cause and remove him from office. These are the times in which your obligations are most important, and definitive, clear action is essential.
Sincerely,
Ethan Kutinsky
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