This isn’t news.  Or, is it?  During his short run for the White House Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) brought up the subject from time to time… when he was allowed to speak.  And, just as with Ron Paul’s top issues during his campaign for the Republican nominee position, eyes rolled, smirks stretched across faces, and heads shook in disbelief.  But, there are a few who listened and questioned.  There was even an attempt to make Dennis look foolish when asked about his sighting of a UFO.  And, it was unfortunate.

Dennis Kucinich made some great points during his shortened campaign as did Ron Paul.  But, there was a problem with where each of the men tried to lead us.  Both men seemed to want to take us back to the basics.  As a country we are so far removed from the Constitution with all the various interpretations that have evolved over the centuries that we sometimes forget the simplicity of what was written.  In fact, a discussion of the Constitution these days is about as baffling as discussing a passage from the Bible.  To emphasize that point, read any recent Supreme Court ruling and then try to find its origin in the Constitution.  Or, read any sermon and go back to its source in the Bible.  Sometimes its a stretch.

But, back to Dennis Kucinich.  Kucinich is still working to impeach the President.  And, the question remains.  Are there grounds for impeachment? 

The 35 articles were offered by Dennis J. Kucinich, D-Ohio, who has pushed his caucus to do more to challenge the White House regarding the run-up to the Iraq War.

Democratic Party leaders have spent nearly a year and a half reining in their caucus on this topic, determined to show that the party is more focused on getting out of Iraq than on how the nation got into Iraq.

Kucinich argues Bush abused his power “to manufacture a false case for war against Iraq.”

Kucinich was one of 22 senators who voted against going into the War in Iraq.  Perhaps, now, years later and in hindsight we should respect the votes of the 22 who were not hoodwinked into the committment that has cost thousands of American lives and tens of thousands of Iraqi lives, including those innocent lives lumped into the phrase “collateral damage.”

On Monday, Kucinich spent about four and a half hours reading the full impeachment text into the Congressional Record.

Under House rules, the chamber must act on the measure within two days.

Judiciary Chairman John Conyers Jr. , D-Mich., declined to say whether his committee would consider the articles.

Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer , questioning whether impeachment hearings were the right use of time remaining on this year’s election-shortened calendar, defended Congress’ record on confronting Bush.

“This Congress, for the first time since this president has been in office, is holding him accountable, doing oversight in terms of Iraq and Afghanistan, domestic policy, and international civil liberties and civil rights,” said Hoyer, D-Md.

Although many view a referral to committee as a burial for the resolution, Kucinich insisted that “referring it to committee indicates that there should be hearings on this.”

I guess we can all assume that because of the “election-shortened calendar” the Articles of Impeachment will end up in File 13.  However, I and hopefully many of you are disgusted by Steny Hoyer’s response that “this Congress, for the first time since this president has been in office, is holding him accountable.”  We have been involved in a trillion dollar war in Iraq for five years and the best Hoyer can offer is that “for the first time” Congress is doing something.

And, Conyers, ordinarily one of the most dependable among those on the Judiciary, won’t comment.

The truth of the situation is simple.  Congress isn’t going to act on the Kucinich articles.  They don’t want to appear foolish and they fear that taking such action would make them appear nothing less.  And, as for Hoyer’s comment.  He told the truth… almost.  I’m not certain Congress is holding Bush accountable for anything, but if they are it is “for the first time.”  And what does that say about our Congress?  It says that they have not been doing the job they were elected to do.  The whole concept of our government is “checks and balances.”  Every 7th grader knows that.  According to Hoyer’s own admission, Congress has failed for five years to perform their duties. 

President Bush was not taken to task on the War in Iraq.  No one asked the hard questions.  No one asked anything.  In fact, most of Congress took soundbites from the present administration’s talking points and incorporated them into their own words, accepting what was said as if it came from the Sermon on the Mount.  The media, fearful that they would lose a possible interview with the President or the administration officials at a later date, didn’t ask the hard questions.  When the people… yep, you and I, mentioned Vietnam… we were laughed at and made to look foolish.  Yet, today Congress is well aware that Iraq is a repeat of the failure in Vietnam.  Spin it as you will.  We are stuck in a quagmire.  Iraq is no more going to become a clone of America than Vietnam is. 

If there is one point that is being driven home with Kucinich’s Articles of Impeachment, it is that Congress failed us.  They didn’t do their job.  In fact, they all too readily jumped on the Bush bandwagon blindly spewing lies as truth for the most part. 

The Kucinich Articles of Impeachment have less chance of reaching the Judiciary Committee than a snowflake surviving in hell.  The point isn’t that the articles are an indictment of the President as much as they are an indictment of a Congress who let it happen.