WORKING MAN FOR IMPEACHMENT

We are seeing a bit of a stirring in Washington DC as the national demo on January 27 approaches and the peace movement escalates (or surges) pressure on Bush and Congress. The Dems are having to come back and reconsider their earlier anemic response to Bush's troop surge plan after they were overwhelmed with calls from back home. The polls are going off the charts as now over 70% of the American people want the troops home. We've still got a long way to go but things are turning.

The carpenter we have hired to work on our new house loves to talk politics. Paul is a working class man of French-Canadian origin who spent his early years drinking and drugging - likely not engaged in politics. His dad worked in the textile mills. He's one of those guys that many people in the peace movement think we need to "educate" about our issues.

I met Paul a couple of years ago when he was hired to do repair work at our place in Brunswick. He does quality work and I noticed he liked to talk about Bush. Soon enough he was sending me emails, most of which were anti-Bush. When we hired him to take down a wall in our new (old 1790) house we learned even more about how engaged he is with what is going on.

He told me the other day he had an argument with a Republican friend of his about the need for Bush to be arrested and thrown in jail. See Paul is a guy who has seen the inside of jail a few times and he knows a bit about the law. He knows that his arrests years ago for a few minor wild nights is nothing compared to what Bush and his pirate crew have done in Iraq. Paul is calling for Bush's impeachment. He is furious about the hypocrisy and double standards at work in America.

Unlike Bush, Paul has to work for a living and spends hours each day doing back breaking work. By the time he is done at the end of the day he is ready for a shower and a rest. He's not likely to attend many demonstrations or evening meetings but he is watching, listening, and speaking out in his own world.

We need to thank the Paul's of the world who are helping us build the peace majority in America. They are a major reason why the Dems are slowly speaking out. People like Paul don't get enough credit.

(Artwork above by Natasha Mayers from Whitefield, Maine)