Tompkins County Against War & Occupation

This coming Monday, September 24 at 7 PM at the Trumansburg Fire Hall the Village Board is holding an open meeting, at Back to Democracy’s request, on the Impeachment Resolution for President Bush and Vice President Cheney.

Back to Democracy has been circulating a petition which asks the Mayor and the Board of Trustees “to ask Congresspersons and State Legislators representing this region to take action to open an impeachment inquiry.”

It is imperative that residents come to this meeting to support this resolution, as some residents are saying that that this resolution is not the “purview” of the village, and there are others in opposition of an impeachment inquiry altogether, because the President is a member of their party, and therefore should not be held accountable regardless of his actions. Even if you don’t live in the village, come out and show your support for this resolution. The number of people showing up will be an important determinant of the outcome.

Some of the board members have been very supportive, however, they have made it clear that as elected officials, they have to represent the majority. If we do not have a strong showing of supporters on Monday, the resolution may not pass.

As to the “purview” issue, here are a few counterpoints: First and foremost, every elected official must take an oath to “protect and defend” the Constitution, and it is the duty of village officials just as much as Congressional Representatives to defend the Constitution from Bush and Cheney’s abuse. If Congress will not do it, it is perfectly appropriate for local governments to encourage them to do so. Secondly, American citizens will not be asked to vote directly on whether the President should be impeached, so our local government is the closest we can come to the citzens themselves. It is actually because the village is local, and therefore closest to the people that it can appropriately express the will of the local population. Third, the whole “purview” argument is a red herring being waved to avoid accepting a task that villagers are asking of them. Nowhere is it written that the Trustees can only discuss local issues. Although their regulatory function is limited to the village, there is no rule stopping them from issuing a statement expressing the will of the majority of village residents regarding a more general issue.

Clearly, there is very strong evidence that the current administration has violated the Constitution by breaking International Treaties which are the “supreme law of the land” by initiating a war of aggression against a sovereign nation and by torturing prisoners. They have actually admitted to illegally wiretapping American citizens and detaining them, without due process. The precedent that has been set by this administration is terrifying and destroys the carefully constructed balance of powers guaranteed in our Constitution. The war has cost Trumansburg taxpayers $2,382,000 so far. The burden of repayment will be born by villagers and will be handed down to our children.

Our Congressional members are not listening to us, and this format of working through local municipalities to influence State and Federal officials is a legitimate and legal option.

We citizens have to make a strong statement that we the people WILL NOT TOLERATE SUCH CRIMES BY THIS OR ANY OTHER ADMINISTRATION.
Please come to the meeting. Spread the word to friends and neighbors in the village. Even if you do not want to speak, we need your support in numbers at the meeting.

We will be there with the petition if you haven’t signed it yet. If you have an hour or two this week and can take a petition around to neighbors, there are still many streets left we haven’t covered. If you can not make the meeting and would like to sign, call Margo at 387-5080 or Allen at 273-2186. For more information on the issue, or to see a copy of the resolution, go to www.trumansburgimpeachment.blogspot.com.

This is democracy in action! Please come and be a part of it.