QUOTE
Democrats’ platform calls for impeachment
BY NATE GREEN
Boomerang Staff Writer
Friday, March 17, 2006
Impeachment of President Bush, elimination of the state grocery tax and protection of public lands from energy development are part of the draft platform to be considered at the Albany County Democratic Party’s convention March 26.
The draft is meant to spur discussion on what direction the local, state and federal governments should be headed, said Oliver Peters, a member of the platform committee.
“At this time, in the state and in the country, we’re the lowly opposition party, as it were. I think of that as a responsibility to maintain a balance and integrity,” Peters said.
Much of the draft relates to the United States’ role in international affairs. For instance, it calls for a timely withdrawal of troops and military bases from Iraq, support for an independent Palestinian state and an end to the development of nuclear weapons.
The resolution to impeach President Bush plays the most prominent role in the 14-page document. The platform committee voted unanimously in favor of the resolution, which alleges four reasons for impeachment of the president:
n The Bush administration deliberately distorted and misrepresented intelligence information to form a basis to lead the U.S. into war in Iraq.
n The president has violated the Geneva Conventions by detaining people captured in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq without formally charging them with crimes
n He has violated international and U.S. law by allowing the torture of prisoners.
n He has violated the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution by allowing the National Intelligence Service to conduct wiretaps on U.S. citizens without court warrants.
“This is a way of focusing that debate on what we consider some of the more important and alarming aspects of the administration’s activities,” Peters said.
Platform committee member Jason A. Lillegraven said that calling for the impeachment of the president might not be a position that a political candidate would publicly acknowledge, especially in Wyoming.
However, it is an issue that is discussed among local Democrats, he said.
“This does not bind any candidate to any viewpoint that is in here, and they’re allowed to go on their way. But it does try to get a sense of the feelings that this government is about,” Lillegraven said.
Environmental and conservation issues also comprise a large portion in the draft platform.
Nationally, it calls for better fuel economy in vehicles and protection for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and roadless areas in national forests.
Statewide, it calls for slowing down the pace of energy development to mitigate environmental problems and prohibiting development in wildlife refuges such as the Jack Morrow Hills and Adobe Town.
“People are concerned about the loss of animal habitat and scenic lands to the rush for development,” Peters said.
Other aspects of the draft platform relate to comprehensive health care reform, the development of affordable housing and the permanent repeal of taxes for groceries.
The convention will give registered Democrats a chance to debate and make changes to the platform before it is completed.
It will then be sent to the state Democratic convention.
While the Albany County Democratic Party’s platform committee voted unanimously in favor of the draft platform, Lillegraven said that he expects lively debate on certain planks of the platform.
“This is very much a draft. This is not meant to be the position of the Democratic Party of Albany County at this point,” Lillegraven said.
The Albany County Democratic Party convention is March 26 at 1 p.m. at the public library.
The entire draft platform can be viewed on-line at: www.albanycountydems.com.
BY NATE GREEN
Boomerang Staff Writer
Friday, March 17, 2006
Impeachment of President Bush, elimination of the state grocery tax and protection of public lands from energy development are part of the draft platform to be considered at the Albany County Democratic Party’s convention March 26.
The draft is meant to spur discussion on what direction the local, state and federal governments should be headed, said Oliver Peters, a member of the platform committee.
“At this time, in the state and in the country, we’re the lowly opposition party, as it were. I think of that as a responsibility to maintain a balance and integrity,” Peters said.
Much of the draft relates to the United States’ role in international affairs. For instance, it calls for a timely withdrawal of troops and military bases from Iraq, support for an independent Palestinian state and an end to the development of nuclear weapons.
The resolution to impeach President Bush plays the most prominent role in the 14-page document. The platform committee voted unanimously in favor of the resolution, which alleges four reasons for impeachment of the president:
n The Bush administration deliberately distorted and misrepresented intelligence information to form a basis to lead the U.S. into war in Iraq.
n The president has violated the Geneva Conventions by detaining people captured in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq without formally charging them with crimes
n He has violated international and U.S. law by allowing the torture of prisoners.
n He has violated the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution by allowing the National Intelligence Service to conduct wiretaps on U.S. citizens without court warrants.
“This is a way of focusing that debate on what we consider some of the more important and alarming aspects of the administration’s activities,” Peters said.
Platform committee member Jason A. Lillegraven said that calling for the impeachment of the president might not be a position that a political candidate would publicly acknowledge, especially in Wyoming.
However, it is an issue that is discussed among local Democrats, he said.
“This does not bind any candidate to any viewpoint that is in here, and they’re allowed to go on their way. But it does try to get a sense of the feelings that this government is about,” Lillegraven said.
Environmental and conservation issues also comprise a large portion in the draft platform.
Nationally, it calls for better fuel economy in vehicles and protection for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and roadless areas in national forests.
Statewide, it calls for slowing down the pace of energy development to mitigate environmental problems and prohibiting development in wildlife refuges such as the Jack Morrow Hills and Adobe Town.
“People are concerned about the loss of animal habitat and scenic lands to the rush for development,” Peters said.
Other aspects of the draft platform relate to comprehensive health care reform, the development of affordable housing and the permanent repeal of taxes for groceries.
The convention will give registered Democrats a chance to debate and make changes to the platform before it is completed.
It will then be sent to the state Democratic convention.
While the Albany County Democratic Party’s platform committee voted unanimously in favor of the draft platform, Lillegraven said that he expects lively debate on certain planks of the platform.
“This is very much a draft. This is not meant to be the position of the Democratic Party of Albany County at this point,” Lillegraven said.
The Albany County Democratic Party convention is March 26 at 1 p.m. at the public library.
The entire draft platform can be viewed on-line at: www.albanycountydems.com.