The following is an email I sent out to express my frustration about The Al Franken Show's lack of proper coverage of liberal views on trade and Bush's war in Iraq.

On two major issues, liberal perspectives are being ignored.

Your panel discussion on trade was interesting, but why not have a liberal on it? The liberal position on trade is to repeal NAFTA, withdraw from the World Trade Organization, and put limits on corporate policies that pit workers against each other worldwide.

Even more strange was that you and all your guests acted as if "free trade" agreements relieve poverty in the developing world. That view has been rejected in the experiences and election results throughout most of Latin America, where democracy is most prevalent in the developing countries. In fact, the Zapatista revolt was deliberately started on the day NAFTA went into effect because everyone in Mexico knew that NAFTA would devastate everyone except the wealthy elites.

As for the war, liberal views are largely ignored. In State Department polls (which have a strong pro-occupation bias), over 80% of the Iraqis want an immediate withdrawal of US troops, not the phased withdrawal you said that they want. In independent polling, the percentage of Iraqis wanting an immediate withdrawal is around 98%.

Even though most Democrats want an immediate withdrawal from Iraq, you are ignoring or belittling our point of view, often using the GOP buzz-phrase "cut and run."

The irony is that the true cowards are people without the guts to oppose the Bush regime and its corrupt cronies like Halliburton, the Religious Right, Big Oil, Bechtel, etc.

You try to have it both ways by criticizing the Bush regime while actively promoting its Iraq agenda. Saying Bush is bad is not enough, you need to support the responsible alternative to dragging on this illegal and unAmerican war: immediate withdrawal.

Lest you try to spit out GOP talking points, I will point out the following facts.

- The Civil War in Iraq has been going on ever since the invasion.

- The Bush regime's occupation of Iraq is aiding and abetting Al Queda's recruitment efforts, as the CIA and Army have admitted. (When will you report the fact that Zarqawi refused to join Al Queda in 2000, wanting to focus on his opposition to Arab regimes. He only joined Al Queda after the invasion and colonization of Iraq?)

- The Bush Regime already has lost the war in Iraq.

- US troops stuck in Iraq are powerless to go after bin Laden and senior Al Queda leadership figures in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

- The war in Iraq makes bin Laden much more popular in the Muslim world.

- Iraq already is in a state of complete chaos.

Considerable protest has targetted New School President Bob Kerry and his decision to invite John "Keating Five" McCain to speak at the university's commencement address.

The criticism has been focused on issues such as McCain's support of the illegal and unAmerican war in Iraq. McCain also has been criticized for his misogyny, homophobia, and contempt towards the legitimacy of the political views of young adults.

However, there is another important aspect of the issue that has largely been overlooked. The decision by Kerry to invite McCain to speak at commencement shows a lack of concern about ethical education in the University.

McCain is a corrupt politician. His actions and those of the rest of the Keating Five cost people their retirement savings and who helped his corporate cronies carry forward schemes that cost taxpayers hundreds of billions of dollars in the Savings and Loan Bailout. Universities should invite commencement speakers of the highest ethical standards, not sleaze like John "Keating Five" McCain.

A university is not just supposed to provide rote memorization and a degree that helps with future career and income. Part of a university's responsibility is to teach ethical behavior. One of the most influential ways of educating people is by example. What a terrible example Bob Kerry has provided in John “Keating Five” McCain.

Wikipedia has a lengthy article on the movement to impeach Bush. This provides an excellent background and provides evidence to the extent of the movement's support. The crimes of the Bush regime are starting to catch up with them.

San Francisco's Board of Supervisors passed an impeachment resolution a couple of months ago. A resolution has been proposed for the California Legislature. Similar proposals are on the table for Illinois and Vermont.

Several Vermont towns have passed Impeachment Resolutions. The most interesting part of this is that they were passed in town meetings, showing that considered, direct democracy often works better than representative democracy.

The Green Party of the US has taken a particularly thoughtful approach, calling for the impeachment of both Bush and Cheney. Cheney is at least as guilty of Bush, and having him follow Bush in the White House would solve nothing.

Veterans for Peace's early support for impeachment played a vital role, and they have some excellent arguments for impeachment. (PDF)

There now are pro-impeachment House and Senate Candidates. Here are some examples:

Jean Hay Bright - Maine Senate

Jeeni Criscenzo - CA-49

Chris Owens - NY-11

Tony Trupiano - MI-11

The impeachment movement has an enormous online component.

ImpeachPac.org is the most comprehensive. It is worth going through the site for all the resources.

AfterDowningStreet.org is hosting Public Service Announcements for impeachment and have instructions people can use to try to get them on the radio. Some of the people making the announcements include Cindy Sheehan, Ed Asner, Howard Zinn, and Noam Chomsky.

www.impeachbush.org was one of the first impeachment sites. As often is the case, the left takes the lead on issues that the rest of the country is not ready to acknowledge yet.

Another impeachment Web Site

There's an impeachment blog.

Michael Moore is hosting impeachment resolution language on his web site for states, city councils, and political party committees.

There also are online impeachment petitions.

Veterans for Peace

The Petition Site

Petition Online