Finally - The Corrupt Gaslighter-in-Chief Has Been Impeached

He could have been impeached anytime after January 24, 2017.  Why?  Because on that date he violated the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).  See my essay here:  https://individualsovereignty.blogspot.com/2017/07/trumps-violation-of-nepa-sepa-laws-rules.html
He did so by signing the authorization for the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL), without an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) being done on that project.  It's a direct violation of the Law, a Law which has not been repealed.  Trump thinks he can contravene a Law simply by issuing an Executive Order.  Nope, not legally anyway. 

Here's the kicker.  The reason given for ignoring that Law was as follows.  The Administration claimed that each section of the main pipeline was the equivalent of a spur line.  Short spur lines are not required to have a separate EIS done.  They branch off from the main pipeline for a short distance to some terminus or another.  Any EIS on the main pipeline would encompass spur lines.  It's sheer nonsense to claim that each section of the main line is the equivalent of a spur line, and thus the whole pipeline does not require an EIS.  Such a concept is so ridiculous that it's absolutely hilarious.

That violation by Trump was at the very least a misdemeanor, and grounds for impeachment.  On January 18, 2017, the Army Corps of Engineers (the Lead Agency on the project) filed a Notice of Intent to write an EIS for DAPL.  After Trump took Office, the Corps of Engineers withdrew/cancelled that Notice.  I'm sure that was at the behest of The Don.

That whole business was a minor misdeed by Trump compared to his violations of the Constitution; nevertheless, it's an impeachable offense.  A President cannot essentially repeal a Law on his own...not legally.

In my view, The Democrats dropped the ball by not including all Trump's egregious violations in their Articles of Impeachment.  Ralph Nader has the same view.  According to him and a team of Constitutional scholars, there are at least a dozen misdeeds by Trump that constitute violations of his Office.  At least, indeed.

Too bad the Repub Senators are too chicken to do what's best for our country in the upcoming Trial.  Too bad, indeed.  Here's the good news.  As Al Green (a Rep. from Houston, & the 1st one in Congress to bring Impeachment of Trump to the floor of the House) pointed out, just because a President has been impeached once doesn't mean he/she can't be impeached again.  Let's see what our Serial Liar-in-Chief is hiding in his tax returns.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Impeach the Fake President

Below is a copy of the bulk of an email I sent to my New Mexico Congressman, Representative Lujan.

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Whenever possible & appropriate, I hope you will share the following with your colleagues.

1.  I'm not a Democrat or a Republican, but I've been keenly observing American politics since 1956 (1956 is not a typo)... for about 15 years now as an Independent.

2.  Trump has violated the Constitution at least twice... emoluments, and bombing without approval from Congress... not only the Syrian airfield, but elsewhere as well.  [The fact that other Presidents have taken similar actions does not mean that Trump's actions are legal.  The War Powers Act does not supercede the Constitution.]

3.  He has violated NEPA (Nat'l Environmental Policy Act) at least once.  [Environmental regulatory compliance is one of my areas of expertise.] The DAPL Project requires an EIS (Environmental Impact Statement); there's no question at all about that.  Immediately prior to Trump taking office, the Army had filed an NOI (Notice of Intent) to complete the EIS ; in February, they cancelled that NOI, and later, Trump bragged about closing his eyes & just signing it (the authorization for DAPL).  He did so without a NEPA-required EIS in place.  In short, he violated the Law.

4.  He has made us a laughingstock throughout the world.

5.  His conflicts of interest are beyond belief.

6.  Republicans in Congress are starting to desert him.

7.  It's time to get serious about the Articles of Impeachment that already have been introduced.

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Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Comey's Testimony - Wow!

Below is a copy of most of an email I sent to my son, other family members, & a few friends.
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As to Comey's testimony---

1.  Regarding who's lying, Trump or Comey, The Don is the loser...Trump is lying...it's not even close.

2.  McCain sounded like a befuddled old man:

more than once, he referred to Pres. Trump as Pres. Comey; and more importantly, he couldn't seem to keep the difference between two investigations straight.  His questions were just bizarre.

3.  I'm not a fan of Comey's (or for that matter, some of what the FBI does---such as sometimes writing their own Search Warrants), but I'll say this:  after watching all 2+ hrs of his testimony, I'm convinced that in that particular matter he was professional, truthful, totally open, and did a bang-up job.  Compared to Comey, Trump has proven himself to be unprofessional, ignorant, clownish, & an unrepentant liar.  Why he's still in office is beyond my comprehension.

The Repubs most likely won't vote for Impeachment (although that's not guaranteed...I imagine many would rather see Pence as Pres.), but I still predict that Trump will be out before the end of his 1st 4 yrs.  The probability of that is very high.

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Be Well

Blanket Bans on People Are Asinine

Preface---
Never mind the fact that Article II, Section 2 enumerates ONLY TWO Executive Orders permitted under the United States Constitution.  The President may order Department Heads to submit reports on anything having to do with their respective departments, and may grant clemency/pardons to specified prisoners.  That's it.  No other Exec Orders are listed/described.  Put that aside...because We the People apparently have accepted the Fed Govt's analysis which states that other Orders are IMPLIED.  Some analysts have argued (to no avail) that the Constitution does not imply powers, but instead ENUMERATES them.  [We have, after all, a government of Enumerated Powers.]

So for decades & decades, we have allowed past & present Presidents essentially to issue decrees (like a King) that instead should be ideas for legislative bills submitted to Congress.  Never mind all that.  Trump isn't the only guilty party.
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The USA's Soft Fascism is hardening rapidly under this new King & his Administration.  The recent blanket ban is proof of that.  Here are a few of the results:
1.  at JFK Airport, some moron kicked & punched a Muslim woman who was dressed according to her faith, and then said, "Trump is here now; he's going to get rid of all of you!";
2.  a PhD candidate at Stanford, who had been visiting abroad, was detained upon return to the Land of the Free because the country visited was one of the "areas where we've had trouble" (the quote is from an Administration spokesman);
3.  other students with Green Cards attending other universities had similar experiences;
4.  Iraqis who helped save the lives of American soldiers, and thus were targeted in their own land, were denied entrance as refugees to the USA at the airport... because of Trump's "Executive Order".

So much for "extreme vetting".  With this Order, apparently there is no vetting.  There's only a blanket ban.

Pluralistic societies/countries, if they were to use Trump's reasoning, should ban all Americans from entrance to their lands... because some Americans are violent racists.  That's the same flawed logic.

Trump already has demonstrated that he should be impeached.  Keep in mind, the Impeachment process begins merely with an investigation by the House.  It may end there.  It's the Senate that has to vote for conviction (removal from office)...2/3rds of Senators must so vote...if the House votes to proceed.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

US Combat CONTINUES in Afghanistan

Not too long ago, President Obama announced that the US combat mission in Afghanistan "has ended".  Like many of his utterances, this one also proved to be untrue.  It wasn't long after the announcement that the NYT reported this:  Obama had signed a secret order authorizing the remaining 10,800 troops to engage in combat.

Most recently, just the other day, the NYT also reported that combat night raids by US Special Forces had increased... now that the "combat mission in Afghanistan has ended".

Another lie from a Fed politician... go figure.

If there ever has been a President begging for impeachment, it is Barack Obama.  The man truly and literally is incredible.  Not only does he lie, but he violates the Constitution over and over.  [I've detailed such violations in several previous posts.]  Of course, he most likely won't be impeached because Republicans commit the same violations.  None of the DC politicians want a public discussion of why the President is not permitted to put this nation at war.  Only the Congress has the power to do that.

Not just my opinion.  Be Well

OBAMA SHOULD BE IMPEACHED...ASAP

Not long ago, the NYT Editorial Board came to the conclusion that Obama's ISIS War is unconstitutional. They are correct; there is no question whatsoever about that.  Violating the U.S. Constitution is an impeachable offense.  Unfortunately and most likely, impeachment will not happen.

Even though the Republicans now hold a majority in both Houses of Congress, they will not represent the People and pursue impeachment of Obama.  Why?  For a few reasons, not the least of which is that they too have been guilty of unconstitutional wars... and they want to retain for Presidents that illegal war-making power.  In other words, they won't rock the boat because they want all future Presidents to be able to go to war illegally.  That benefits their primary constituency--- the rich and powerful.

All of this demonstrates fairly clearly that, at the highest political levels, the old labels---Republican, Democrat, Conservative, Liberal---essentially are meaningless.  The highest echelon in politics consists of Neoliberals.  The old, anachronistic labels now merely are Distract-Divide-Conquer Propaganda.  It continually amazes me that many people don't see that.

Although politically we're in a Rigged Game, I'm convinced that it's NOT a "conspiracy".  Neoliberals are all about global BIG Business.  They may have similar interests and mutual goals, and they may keep their plans private, but that doesn't mean the whole thing is any sort of conspiring.  It's no more a conspiracy than is that of AT&T attempting to maximize profits.  Besides, the whole Neoliberal agenda mostly is in plain sight.

As have many Republicans, Obama has violated the Supreme Law of the Land in other ways as well.  Most likely, he will not be impeached for those reasons either.  We the People are asleep at the political wheel; we need to wake up.  At the highest levels, the Neoliberals in the Fed Gov't are all on the same Team.  That's so obvious that it's downright painful.  Example:  both Obama AND McConnell are working fiercely to get the TPP implemented in this Land.  That Agreement primarily benefits the Oligarchy, not commoners.  The same is true of TAFTA... and most so-called Republicans and so-called Democrats support that as well.  For the low-down on the TPP, see this:  http://www.citizen.org/TPP .

Long story short, in the USA we have (at the highest levels) an outlaw Fed Government.  There is absolutely no question about that.  [Take it from someone who has been observing American politics keenly since 1956...well over half a century.]

Not just my opinion.  Be Well

Obama Should be Impeached for...

violating the Constitution and his Oath to preserve, protect, and defend it.  Finally, a Law Professor and the editorial board of the NYT  have the same assessment of the Constitution as I do.  At least now someone does... publicly.  [See link below.]

So, why aren't the Repubs all over this?  Probably because they want the same illegal power that Obama has.  They, too, have ignored the Constitution... and they want to be able to do it again relative to war.

As I've said more than once, at the highest levels we have an OUTLAW Fed Gov't.  There's no question about that...none whatsoever.  Both political parties violate the U.S. Constitution... especially in regard to war.

http://reason.com/blog/2014/09/12/obamas-war-on-isis-betrays-the-constitut?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reason%2FHitandRun+%28Reason+Online+-+Hit+%26+Run+Blog%29   

Let's be perfectly clear:  the Executive Branch has NO Constitutional authority to put this nation at war.  Legally, only the Congress can do that.  The Commander-in-Chief cannot legally ignore parts of the Constitution just because he's the Head Honcho of the military.  What has been done relative to war by various Administrations ever since the end of WW II is blatantly unconstitutional.  In addition, the War Powers Act does not supercede the Supreme Law of the Land; Congress must declare war.

Not just my opinion.  Be Well      

p.s.  Reason.com is a biased source, but I cited the piece because it reported the unprecedented view of the NYT's editorial board.  [The NYT agrees that Obama's ISIS war violates the U.S. Constitution.] Lastly, in the interest of accuracy, the NYT's editorial board (or perhaps it's Reason.com---hard to tell the way the article is written) has the following technical error in its opinion. It refers to "Article 8" concerning the fact that the Congress declares war.  It's not Article 8, but rather Article 1, SECTION 8.