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The generation of American leaders who fought the American Revolution and crafted the United States Constitution examined the most important issues of government. They considered (1) war and peace, (2) the limits to government power vs. individual liberties, (3) how officeholders should be controlled by the citizenry and (4) the raising and management of public money. That generation devised impeachment to remove tyrants and corrupt officeholders from positions of public power based on their experience under the government of King George. Under the present circumstances, it is likely that they would vote to impeach and remove from office George W. Bush and Dick Cheney.

Bush deserves to be known as Liar-in Chief because he has not been honest with the American public on the most important issues of public policy for the past 5 years of his government. It is amazing that Republicans in Congress were willing to impeach President Bill Clinton over lying about an essentially personal issue over his sex life but are defenders of Bush when he is dishonest on the most important issues of government and public policy.

Bush and Cheney were dishonest with the American voters when they pushed the American nation into the invasion and occupation of Iraq. They did not share the full information collected by our intelligence agencies on WMD's with all the members of Congress or the voters. Cheney and Bush dishonestly tied Saddam Hussein with the 9-11 terrorist attacks on the United States to justify their unjustifiable war policy.

The Bush Administration intentionally mislead the American public over the use of the excessive government powers granted the federal government by the falsely-named Patriot Act. They claimed that these powers would only be used to fight terrorism. It has mostly been used for matters unrelated to terrorism. It has almost never been used to fight terrorism.

Bush falsely stated that wiretaps under his government were only being conducted under authorization of the federal courts. This was false. Bush violated the law by not getting court authorization for his wiretapping of American citizens. This has not been done since the government of Richard Nixon. Nixon was driven from office based in large part because of this behavior. Bush broke the law passed in the aftermath of Watergate to prevent this kind of governmental abuse of power. Carter and Clinton permitted wiretaps of a handful of foreigners who were agents of foreign governments. Bush wiretapped thousands of American citizens without proven connections to terrorism.

Bush and Cheney have repeatedly lied to the American taxpayers over the impact of their program of excessive tax breaks to the Super Wealthy who have financed their political machine. During the 2000 Presidential Election, they promised tax breaks for the wealthy only because our government was in surplus because of the wise management of President Clinton. They stated that they would not support tax cuts if the government budget was in deficit. This was false. They promised a balanced budget but gave use the largest budget deficits in history. They have spent money in the most reckless manner of any American government in history with huge amounts going to their political supporters with much accountability or plan to pay the bills.

These issues are certainly not the only issues of public policy were the Bush Administration has not been fully honest. Campaign finance, voting machines, media concentration, oil policy, disaster relief, environmental issues, judicial appointments and most other important issues have been things that were spun by the Bush Administration without little regard for being fully truthful with the American citizens.

Our Founding Fathers would not have approved of Bush concerning his honesty or his abuse of the powers of his office. They would have exercised their power of impeachment to remove both Bush and Cheney from office if they were serving in Congress today. Current members of Congress should act the same.

Stephen Crockett (send him email) is a co-host with Al Lawrence for Democratic Talk Radio.  You can write him at 7A Planville Drive, Fayetteville, TN 37334