Wha? Your friend is a loon. Bush is gone in January of 2009. How does the new Congress get to impeach someone who is out of office.

I would suggest before you comment on American politics, you learn something about it rather than writing incoherent rants using terms of which you know absolutely nothing.

ed.

I’ve read your 2006-post about Guantanamo now, and it is a very good one. I apologize for my trying to “pigeonhole” you concerning torture.

My general problem with your post about liberal hysteria and with the debate is this: It all sounds very much like a civil war. The way you express yourself, Rick Moran, is quite hot … as if you wage a civil war with people whom you call liberals.

Is it really a good idea for Americans, liberal or conservative, to wage a verbal civil war with each other?

Both sides NEED each other, and so need understanding and compromise for each other to be able to govern the country in a sound way.

A constructive culture of debate in a democracy requires some friendliness and visible respect for the other side.

You are no liberal, Rick Moran, and I do not intend you to convince of my liberal views, but I suppose you (and your nation) cannot remain strong without a strong liberal movement - as it will not prevail without a strong conservative movement, too. Both sides need each other, to balance each other.

—

As for “enemy” in quotation marks in my post before your answer: I am a Christian and try to follow Jesus: Love your enemy.

I hold (different to many American Christians) that this means and can only mean: Respect your enemy they way this enemy is.

I’ve taught myself to do that when I studied Hitler’s biography … He is an enemy, for sure, and a capital one. But a human being nevertheless, and I want to understand him: his convictions, his motives, his mindset. I want to feel the humanity in this man who acted in the most inhumane way possible.

(I would have assassinated him, had I lived in his time and had I found an opportunity to do so then. But I would not have done that from hatred. There are better reasons to fight an enemy …)

So I used the “” to distance myself a little bit from the hatred-version of what an enemy is.

President Bush’s decision to commute the sentence of Vice President Cheney’s former top aide was con…

The primary concern would be that they will attaempt to ‘double down’ on the Middle East and go for the long awaited airstrikes on Iran. There is some reason to be concerned about such an attack. Cheyney would pretty obviously like it, and Bush might be persuaded that it would be the crowning achievement that ensured that history’s reading of him in 100 years would be favourable.

Of course, there is no guarantee that the Dems wouldn’t do the same thing, but there is a palpable feeling that if it isn’t done in the next couple of years, it will not be done at all, and that a nuclear Iran is inevitable.

Much of the impeachment drive comes from this sort of strategic or moral thinking, trying to prevent complete disaster while there is time.

I don’t comment on whether it is right or wrong, but it is certainly a large part of the desire to get rid of B&C before 2009.

“Liberals remind me of Jack Nicholson’s comment on women: “Take a man, and remove reason and accountability.” ”

And I just have to note that quoting a character who was created to showcase ignorant boorishness and pathological disregard for the concerns of others in an approving manner is, well, just funny.

Principled, yes, f.e. in the question of torture. The USA has re-introduced torture as a part of interrogation. And Republican candidates for President mostly and openly advocate the use of torture.

Thus they have abandoned the principles Western nations stand for, the principles which could unite us in our fight against the fanatics, who ever they are, Islamists, Chinese, or else.

I am a liberal, and among my principles are:
No torture!
Checks and balances!
No war of aggression!
Inclusion of minorities!
Make the center = the middle classes strong! (= mistrust the very rich, the people with too much money power, and help the poorer third to catch up with the middle third of the people)

And I am a Christian who follows Jesus’ word: Love your enemy!
(what means: respect him the way he is)

Here, sweetie, you have some of the principles of a liberal guy (in Germany we call us Social Democrats and Greens), and I think all these principles allow a bridge to Conservatives, allow a friendly dialogue between us. At least in Germany.

Lieberman seems to have abandoned principled liberalism in some principles …

If you’ve come for commentary that argues most of what you read in Europe is hogwash and that “warantless surviellance” is a myth - as well as other charges that the US is becoming some kind of banana republic dictatorship - then keep reading.

Search for “torture” posts on this site and you will see where I stand - closer to your position than some on the right. As far as “habeus corpus” for “enemies” (curious that you would put that word in quotes - as if they only exist in our imagination) there are a wealth of posts on this subject as well - much more nuanced than the screaming idiots of both left and right.

Sorry you can’t pigeonhole me. Never assume anything just by what some on the right believe or some on the left accuse the right of believing. Here, you will get my thoughts and beliefs - not talking points and certainly not what the left tells me I should believe simply because I’m conservative.

Here’s just one example from my posts on torture:

http://rightwingnuthouse.com/archives/2006/07/01/escaping-the-legal-and-moral-quagmire-of-guantanamo/

The Fathers of the Constitution established checks and balances - they had considerable mistrust in power and in government, and for good reason.

What we observe today when we look to the USA from Europe — is bewildering. Those people from whom we (most of all: we Germans) have learnt such a lot about Democracy - those people may have lost the sense of Democratic checks and balances and shift so much power to the government that this government can re-establish torture, can eavesdrop without court surveillance, throws out habeas corpus for “enemies”, etc.?

Mr. Moran, I’ve have just discovered your blog yesterday, and found it articulate and good for me to learn more about the pro-Bush mindset in the USA.

I read a blog like yours with personal respect: I realize there is a person with knowledge and good reflection who tried to make sense of the world.

I have not read the entries in which you utter doubts concerning the rule of law and human rights. I will try to find them - I am a doubter, and it’s always the mutual capability of doubt that connects me most to people, whatever principles they may follow.