Republicans Impeach Bush?!?

GOP senator hints impeaching Bush an option



www.chinaview.cn 2007-03-26 13:22:26

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BEIJING, March 26 (Xinhuanet) -- One Republican senator on Sunday hinted impeachemnt of President George Bush over his war policy while another Republican senator was railing against House Democrats for setting an "artificial date" for withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq.

GOP Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a frequent critic of the war, stopped short of calling for Bush’s impeachment. But he made clear that some lawmakers viewed that as an option should Bush choose to push ahead despite public sentiment against the war.

"Any president who says, I don't care, or I will not respond to what the people of this country are saying about Iraq or anything else, or I don't care what the Congress does, I am going to proceed -- if a president really believes that, then there are -- what I was pointing out, there are ways to deal with that," said Hagel, who is considering a 2008 presidential run.

On Sunday, Hagel said he was bothered by Bush's apparent disregard of congressional sentiment on Iraq, such as his decision to send additional troops. He said lawmakers now stood ready to stand up to the president when necessary.

"This is not a monarchy," he added, referring to the possibility that some lawmakers may seek impeachment. "There are ways to deal with it. And I would hope the president understands that."

In the April edition of Esquire magazine, Hagel described Bush as someone who doesn't believe he's accountable to anyone.

"He's not accountable anymore, which isn't totally true. You can impeach him, and before this is over, you might see calls for his impeachment. I don't know. It depends on how this goes," Hagel told the magazine.

Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss. said setting withdrawal dates is a futile and potentially dangerous exercise because Bush has made clear he will veto any such legislation.

"There are members in the Senate in both parties that are not comfortable with how things have gone in Iraq," Lott said. "But they understand that artificial timetables, even as goals, are a problem. ...We will try to take out the arbitrary dates.

"We need to put that kind of decision in the hands of our commanders who are there on the ground with the men and women. For Congress to impose an artificial date of any kind is totally irresponsible."

The Senate planned to begin debate Monday on a war spending bill that would set a nonbinding goal of March 31, 2008, for the removal of combat troops.

That comes after the House narrowly passed a bill Friday that would pay for wars in Iraq and Afghanistan this year but would require that combat troops come home from Iraq before September 2008 -- or earlier if the Iraqi government did not meet certain requirements.

States I've Visited

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Ode to Marriage

It's amazing. Loving him heals me, makes me love deeper, wider, greater. Loving him makes forgiveness instant, makes grace cover everyone in my life, makes me forget the petty past and forget to worry about the uncertain future. Loving him makes me love everyone more.

My words only hint at secrets, only draw an outline so faint few could even see--only the sparkling wave is visible to the naked eye...you cannot see the treasures below, so many treasures. I feel so loved.

An inspiring letter

Among the many letters I have received since I wrote Diet for a New America, there is one that I would like to share with you. I received it in the mid-1990s, from a man in San Francisco, California. It represents, for me at least, a statement of hope for us all. — John Robbins

Mr. Robbins,

Your book Diet for a New America has had quite an influence on my family. About two years ago, I would have liked to have killed you for it. Let me explain.

I am an extremely successful man. I am used to getting my way. When my daughter, Julie, was a teenager, she announced that she wanted to become a vegetarian. She had read your book. I thought this was ridiculous, and insisted that she stop this nonsense. When she did not obey, I became angry. “I am your father,” I told her, “and I know better than you.”

“I am your daughter,” she replied, “and it’s my life.”

We had many fights over this. We weren’t getting along very well, and there were tensions between us, but they seemed always to come to a head over the never-ending vegetarian debates. It drove me crazy. As far as I saw it, she was being disrespectful and willful, and just wanted to get her way. She said the same about me.

At first, my wife and I forced her to eat meat, but she made such a stink about it that meal times were completely ruined. So eventually, resenting it, we caved in and allowed her to eat her vegetarian meals. But I let her know how I felt about it. It’s okay to be an idealist, I told her, but you’ve got to keep your feet on the ground. It’s okay to be a lawyer, she told me, but you’ve got to keep your heart open. It was terribly aggravating.

For my birthday, one year, she made me breakfast in bed. But there was no bacon, no sausage, not even any eggs. It just turned into another bad situation.

I reminded her that it was my birthday, not hers. She set about telling me about how the pigs and chickens were treated, quoting chapter and verse from your book. This was not what I wanted to hear, first thing in the morning, on my birthday.

After she graduated from high school, Julie moved out. I was glad, actually, because I was sick and tired of it. Every meal it was an issue. I wanted her to eat meat, and she wouldn’t. She wanted me to stop eating meat, and I wouldn’t. There was no peace. But after she left, I missed her. Not the arguments, I didn’t miss them, but I missed her a lot more than I thought I would.

Several years later, Julie found herself a husband, and a short while after that she became pregnant. When our grandchild was born, I was on top of the world. But of course it didn’t last. Sure enough, Julie wanted to raise her son, our grandson, as a vegetarian. This time, I put my foot down. “You can ruin your own life if you want to,” I told her, “but you cannot ruin the health of this innocent boy.” As far as I was concerned, what she was doing was child abuse. I even considered calling the Department of Children’s Services. I believed they would either force her to feed our grandson properly, or remove him from her clutches. It was only because my wife prevented me that I didn’t take that step.

While I had found I could (barely) tolerate Julie being a vegetarian, I simply could not accept her doing this to our grandson. Eventually, it got so bad that she stopped seeing me entirely. Not only had this stupid vegetarian obsession of hers cost me my relationship with my daughter, it had also cost me my relationship with my grandson, because now she wouldn’t bring him by, nor would she let me visit. I was completely cut off.

I thought I should at least try to keep the door open, though, so through my wife (Julie wouldn’t even speak to me by then) I asked her what she wanted for her next birthday. She said what she most wanted was for me to read your book, Diet for a New America. I told her this would be impossible, because it would be too time consuming. She told me that if I would actually read it, for every hour it took me, she would let me see my grandson for an equal number of hours. She’s a smart one. She knows where my soft spots are.

So, Mr. Robbins, I read your book. I read the whole thing, every word. What impacted me the most was your description of how animals are raised nowadays. I had no idea it was so severe. It’s ghastly, and I totally agree with you that it must not be allowed to continue. I know cruelty when I see it, and this is extreme.

I’m sure you’ve heard this all before, but no book I have ever read has impacted me in this manner. I was overwhelmed.

I called her, when I was done reading. “I told you not to call me,” she said as soon as she knew it was me. “Yes,” I said, “but I’ve read the book, and I want you to come over for dinner and bring the boy.”

Mr. Robbins, I am a proud man, and what I said next did not come easily to me. But I knew what I must do, and so I did it. “Dearest Julie,” I said, “please forgive me. There won’t be a fight if you come over. I have made a terrible mistake, and I understand that, now. If you come, there will be no meat served, to anyone.”

There was silence on the other end of the phone. I learned later that she was crying, but I didn’t know it at the time. I only knew there was something else I had to say. “And there won’t be any meat served ever again in this house,” I told her, “that comes from factory farms.”

“Are you joking?” she asked in disbelief.

“I’m not joking,” I said. “I mean it.” “We’re coming,” she said.

And I did mean it. There has been no meat served here since then. We simply don’t buy it. Julie is teaching us how to eat vegetable burgers, tofu, and a variety of other things I used to mock. I don’t mind a bit. I look upon it as a kind of adventure.

Since then, they have come over for many happy dinners, and many other happy times, too. Mr. Robbins, can you understand what this means to me? I’ve got my daughter back, and my grandson, too. My daughter is a wonderful human being. And our grandson has not yet had a single cold or ear infection or any of the other ailments children often have. She says it’s because he eats so well. I say it’s because he’s got the best mother in the world.

What’s being done to these animals is wrong, terribly and horribly wrong. You are right. Animals should never be treated like that. Never. Never. Never. Never. Never.

I pledge to you what I have pledged to Julie. I will never again let a bite of flesh cross my lips that comes from an animal that has been treated like that.

Now, when Julie says that animals are her friends, and she doesn’t eat her friends, I don’t argue, as I used to. I just smile, happy to know that I am no longer at odds with such a special person. And glad that I can look my grandson in the eye, and know I am helping to make the world a better place for him.

Yours with great respect,

(Name withheld by request)

CD Shipping

I ordered a CD of said group, Bassline Entertainment, from this independent music store online yesterday. This message showed up in my email as a order shipping confirmation:

"Your CD has been gently taken from our CD Baby shelves with
sterilized contamination-free gloves and placed onto a satin pillow.

A team of 50 employees inspected your CD and polished it to make sure
it was in the best possible condition before mailing.

Our packing specialist from Japan lit a candle and a hush fell over
the crowd as he put your CD into the finest gold-lined box that money
can buy.

We all had a wonderful celebration afterwards and the whole party
marched down the street to the post office where the entire town of
Portland waved 'Bon Voyage!' to your package, on its way to you, in
our private CD Baby jet on this day, Friday, January 19th.

I hope you had a wonderful time shopping at CD Baby. We sure did. Your picture is on our wall as 'Customer of the Year'. We're all
exhausted but can't wait for you to come back to CDBABY.COM!!"

2006 Book List

Books I Read and What I Thought:

Kite Runner--best fiction I read all year.
Wind Up Bird Chronicle--haunting and strange. Worth the read.
Bag of Bones--my first foray into the world of Stephen King. Good.
Gone, Baby, Gone--disturbing.
Practical Demonkeeping--funny but predictable. I've got this author's number, apparently. I can almost finish his sentences.
How to Know God--amazing book. I talk about it to everyone. Read it.
The Triathalete's Training Bible--inspiring, intimidating, and way over my head. Maybe someday I'll be serious enough about the sport to actually use something like this! Until then, having it on my bookshelp makes me look hardcore....
The Gospel of Judas--interesting. Need scholarly help understanding some of its significance.
A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius--like Kerouc's writing. Of a specific genre and young, hip, postmodern mindset that I find lame. Although it strikes me that perhaps I don't relate to it because I'm a girl.
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants--fun read. Reminded me of being a teenage girl.
Blue Shoe--not bad. I could appreciate Anne LaMott. Wait, did I read that in 2005?

I need to consult my bookshelf (which still happens to be boxes, at the moment)...back shortly...

Okay:
Me Talk Pretty One Day--okay. I thought I'd like it better, but it was still worth the read.
McSweeney's #18--excellent collection, as usual.
Villa Incognito--another Tom Robbins. He's my favorite author. This wasn't my favorite book of his, but I wasn't at all disappointed.
God Makes the Rivers to Flow--an amazing collection of spiritual poetry. Beautiful.
Memoirs of a Geisha--my second favorite book that I read this year. The movie doesn't do it justice at all. It was a very good book.

Virginia

I am sitting in a blue wing-back chair from Goodwill looking out a double window onto the street. An occasional runner passes by. I notice with a special kind of longing today. Usually, the feeling is more akin to dread and wishing it were me, finishing my run, so that I wouldn't have to think about going out. But today, I was actually looking forward to running. I have new running tights with extra insulation against the cold that just arrived by UPS, and I was excited to try them out. But obstructing my view from the window is also a pile of wet laundry that my husband just got out of the washer which needs to be air-dryed. Among the tangle of clothes is every single long-sleeve running shirt I own. And they are all wet. Very wet. And it is cold outside. Very cold. In the 20s. For me, who's been living on the California coast mostly for the past 9 years, that's frigid. (And yes, I know that last sentence was grammatically incorrect. These days require liberty of pronoun and punctuation.)

Virginia is an interesting place. It is gray outside, and the light is waning. Winter gray here means the possibility of snow, which is exciting. But walking outside is always a little disconcerting for my nose. Winter gray on the coast means the smell of ocean fog. Here, the impending snow-smell is a very different scent, and I can't re-train my nose. It has culture shock everytime I step outside.

It is almost dark, so I guess I didn't have time to run, anyway. I haven't yet graduated to runs wearing a headlamp. I'm going to be a grump this evening, what with no exercise and the embarrasing number of homemade chocolate chip cookies I've put away in the last 2 days.

Last night, I saw Busta Rhymes in concert. In rural Virginia! He played at Washington & Lee University, a small, private, liberal arts college whose students are mostly white, clean-cut, and drive astonishingly nice cars. I've never seen so many khaki pants at a concert, let alone a hip-hop one. And I've never seen a more depressing person than Busta Rhymes. Uck. Most of the students seemed too drunk to notice or care. Luckily the group that opened for him, Bassline Entertainment, was AMAZING. They were a group of teenagers singing real hip hop and having a great time. Infectious. I ordered a CD moments ago.

Well, this is the update, from the mountains of Virginia. I see now it is precipitating...something very fine and hardly discernible, or else my eyes are doing something funny from staring at a computer all day. In either case, it's time to shut down and think about dinner. Damn those chocolate chip cookies. Til next time...

The Dress, Part One

3 months ago, when all the wedding planning started, I thought I already had a dress.
I was wrong.

I had a lovely ivory sheath dress I purchased, well, um, an emabarrassing 8 years ago that still had never been worn. It was lovely, simple, straight, and I thought it was perfect. Well, almost. It just needed a few nips and tucks here and there, and a bra that could hold "everything" up.

When my Mom and sister first saw me in the dress in September, they were less than pleased. But after much talking and expressing of heartfelt sentiment, they agreed to help me get the dress wedding-day ready.

Just 2 weeks ago they visited for 4 days. By Sunday afternoon, Day 3, I had a new dress.

Now, this may not come as a surprise, but the journey to getting to a new dress was frought with peril. The first was finding underwear. Only, what my sister and mother had in mind was not underwear, but a bodysuit that amounted to a straightjacket.

After searching every store, we finally found what they said was "IT." My sister held up a nude-colored, bustier looking thing complete with boning, built in bra cups to add at least 2 sizes, and thigh hugging things meant to keep the cellulite in, or at least cut off all circulation to the legs.

We proceeded to the dressing room. I was in shock.

All of us crammed into the room (it was the handicapped room, so we had some space) and I undressed and started one of the more humiliating processes in my life. I had to tug, jump, and everything else you could possibly imagine to get in this thing! I actually worked up a sweat. Once it was finally on, my boobs were pushed up, my stomach was sucked in, my butt was contorted, and my thighs had serious marks from the legging things.

It turns out the humiliation wasn't over. I leaned over to find a hole in the crotch area of this crazy piece of fabric. Had I ripped it in the laborious process of getting it on? No. I thought perhaps this was an "easy access" garment...it was going underneath my wedding dress, after all. But WHO would want access to me wearing something as unflattering as this thing? Ugh. Turns out it was the pee-hole, because once you got into this thing, you couldn't possibly get out in time to go to the bathroom.

Needless to say, I did not purchase the crazy thing. This was the beginning of the series of events that led to finding the perfect dress, but not without much trial and tribulation.

A Moment

Yesterday, I read the text of our wedding ceremony for the first time. It really sank in...this is it.

Abe's dad prepared the ceremony and will be officiating. I was floored by what I read. It is just beautiful. A thoughtful blending of eastern and western influence, and just really meaningful. It feels good to know we have his blessing in such a meaningful, intimate way.

Confessions of an Almost-Bride...

I have a feeling that when this writing starts, it will pour out and never stop. I'm going to work on this blog for a long time today, in small stitches between work.

I had forgotten, maybe even taken forgranted, how great it is to have friends who leave voicemails on your phone like this:

"Misty, I'm calling to pick your brain about grantwriting for nonprofits, because I have a really cool idea and I think I've finally figured out the true vision of the greater good."

I owe this to having the opportunity to attend an amazingly progressive college all those years ago (even in the middle of a conservative area), to having friends who are truly passionate about making the world a better place, and to Verizon cellphone voicemail (important to mention since I spent so many years denouncing cellphones). Granted, who knows if her idea will work or not? Not me. But the idealism of friends is refreshing...and it reminds me--I'm in that category, too!

Here's a surprise: I'm really excited to be a bride! Not just a wife or daughter-in-law or sister-in-law---for I've been excited about that from the beginning of all this---but a BRIDE! This comes as a surprise to me, although maybe it shouldn't. It is only fair that after all the thoughts I've had in my head so many times about how anti-wedding I would be when I got married; how many times, despite my best efforts, I secretly felt bewildered and confused at old friends who wrote with talk of dresses and flowers and bridesmaids and etc., that I find that it is an effort for me to remember to talk about anything else!

There are two reasons for that. One is, planning a wedding in 3 months means that I have to eat, sleep, and breathe it in order to get all of it done. The other is that I'm so incredibly excited! I have been excited for the marriage since before it was even a possibility...and not just any marriage, but a true marriage of heart, minds, and souls. This is a person I can join all parts of myself with. That is nothing short of miraculous.

So being excited about marrying my husband-to-be is not new. Being excited to be a bride is. I find myself looking forward to the actual wedding itself...the flowers, the music, the family. Somehow things changed when I finally found a dress (see a subsequent blog for that adventure). I actually looked at myself and thought, "I look like a bride." It seems so stupid that something as simple as a dress could do that, but truthfully, I suddenly remembered how much I love my husband-to-be, how excited I am to start a life with him, AND how excited I am about the actual ceremony itself. Somehow, everything will be perfect, even in all the snaffoos and awkwardness that are sure to happen on the day itself.

Adventure

Let me tell you what's been going on.

Hiked Angel's Landing in Zion. Life changed.

Abe's visit to California. Midnight walks to the beach, sitting together in silence. Dinner, bike rides, frisbee on the beach. No sleep. Who needs it? Drives up the coast, watching the stars come out at Waddell Beach under a wooden lean-to, my head against his chest. Silence.

Trip to Belize in June. Took water taxi from Belize City to Caye Caulker. Dove off cement docks into water repeatedly---forgot what warm ocean water felt like! First night: ran through absolute downpour from restaurant back to hostel. Felt alive. Left Caye Caulker and headed for Xunantunich--Mayan ruins in the Rainforest near the Guatemala border. Hit by a car. Everything changed. Hiked the ruins anyway. Headed south to Hopkins...spent days in a hostel 50 feet from the water. Endured hurricane. Swam in warm water under full moon. Snorkeled with a nurse shark. Watched natives drum. All magic. Long bus rides criss-crossing the country sharing headphones, being quiet, and feeling love. Wow.

Trip to Portland. Biked 35 miles...Sauvie's Island trip. Stopped at roadside market to sample fruit. Jumped in river...freezing and reviving. I knew I was alive.

Triathalon in Pleasanton. Abe's first. He was waiting for me at the finish line. Smiles. Satsang together.

Backpacking in Santa Cruz Mountains. No tent; forgot flashlight. Thank God for cell phone flash camera. Encountered mountain lion and bear. Abe's wallet stolen by wild animal. Footprints left on my journal.

Birthday weekend. His, here. Engaged by the end. No surprises, though.

East Coast Trip. I finish my first competitve triathalon--in spite of flooding and downpours during bike ride--with a smile on my face. He meets my family. Wedding planning begins. Cave trips, hiking. Drive to Virginia. The trees are beautiful. I see my new home. New family. Retreat preparations. Meditation dates, and cooking dinner with vegetables from the garden.

We feel love. More everyday.

So many more adventures to come....

Chatty Misty...

Finish line! Tri for Sight, Lexington, Ky, Sept 2006.

Surveying the Flood

Muy Interesante

From CBS News, January 2006:

(AP) Roman Catholic priests in a Colombian town are furious over a councilman's proposal that people 14 and older must carry a condom at all times to reduce unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases.William Pena, a councilman in Tulua, said Wednesday he will present a formal proposal requiring all men and women _ even those just on a visit to the town _ to carry at least one condom. Those caught empty-pocketed could be fined $180 or ordered to take a safe sex course, he said."Sexual relations are going on constantly," Pena told The Associated Press in an interview. "If you carry a condom, chances are you'll use it during the day. It's not going to be there forever."Tulua has one of the highest rates of HIV infection in Colombia, he said. The proposal will be debated by other town leaders and could go into effect by March.Roman Catholic priests in the Cauca Valley town, 150 miles southwest of Bogota, were fuming over the plan.The Rev. Jesus Velasquez said it would only encourage sexual relations and ridiculed it as absurd. "I would have to have a condom even though I'm a member of the clergy," he was quoted as saying in the newspaper El Tiempo.Another town priest, the Rev. Roberto Sarmiento, said improved sex education would be a better solution."Nobody can force someone to carry a condom in their pocket," he said. "They should instead carry the responsibility of what sexual relations mean."Ramiro Cano, a 19-year-old laborer in Tulua, said Wednesday the proposal was the talk of the town and most young people he talked to support it."I try to always carry a condom on me, especially if I go to a discotheque, in case I can pick someone up," Cano said.The proposal is perhaps the most radical in a series of pro-condom efforts across Colombia, where 190,000 people are infected with the HIV virus, a figure only surpassed in Latin America by Brazil, according to the World Health Organization.The capital city of Bogota handed out more than 2 million free condoms last year as part of a campaign titled "Use it instinctively _ make yourself sexy."In the city of Tunja, where 17 percent of all pregnancies last year were to women under 18 years of age, condom dispensers will be installed in bars and movie theaters starting in February.MMV The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Random picture

One of my favorite days from this summer. Beach party with the teens I work with for Mayana's going away celebration. I miss her.

Wedding magazines, at first glance, are hokey, icky, and mostly not helpful when one is planning a small, intimate, non-traditional family wedding. After looking at some of the weddings featured in there, I can understand why the average American wedding costs a whopping $20,000. Geez.

But, to tell you the truth (and I hate to admit it), I have gotten some pretty nifty ideas from looking in there. Some about what I like, and others about what I absolutely don't want.

Luckily, with the date less than 2 months away, there's little time to obsess about details.

Thoughts

The more serious it gets, the more I have to choose...and the less I can depend on others' opinions. I have to be true to myself.

Start a Revolution

After years of being registered as an independent voter, I have finally found my political party home. Now I just have to move to Canada to join.

www.worklessparty.org

Maria Shriver

Maria Shriver visits the Farmer's Market in downtown Watsonville. Her visit was interrupted by a protest from the Brown Berets, who were protesting her husband's (Gov. Schwarzenegger's) politics. I support the Brown Berets, but she was here in support of better access to fresh fruits and vegetables for food stamp recipients. Maybe this wasn't the time or place for protest...

Remembering Belize...

I was hit by a car in Belize.
On some days, now, almost two months later, I forget about that. More and more days, actually. I'm lucky that I am injured so little that I can forget.
But occasionally, I remember. Like now...sitting for too long in one position, and my back has a funny ache that moves back and forth across my spine, and refuses to go away when I stretch. Or like this weekend, when my right hip just feels funny a lot.
I think there are a lot of lessons to learn when one is hit by a car. Maybe my body is trying to remind me of that. I'm sure I haven't learned them all.