On Daily Kos the other day, interested parties could learn, if they were so inclined, about a primary challenge to Congressman Jerry Nadler in the Eighth District. Had you been interested, you could have learned the same from this post on Democrats.com, Bob Fertik's hub of activism on impeachment and other issues of interest. The challenger in question is one Adam Sullivan, and his issue is impeachment of the criminal cabal that currently stains the White House. Judging by Sullivan's own commentary, he's a backer of Dennis Kucinich, the so-called Progressive who just so happens to have one of the worst anti-choice records in the House and, incidentally, claimed to Shirley MacLaine that he'd seen a UFO; or smelled it, as it wafted near his window carrying an odor of roses.

So far so good.

But here's why I would consider this challenge a complete waste of time for Progressives. Now, I personally think impeachment is a necessity for our constitutional heritage, and to safeguard unborn generations. That said, it is not, contrary to what Sullivan claims,

Mr. Nadler, a powerful, popular and by all accounts progressive Democrat from New York’s Eighth is by no means a bad man. But when I met with him personally, I was disappointed because it seemed that he had become lost in a maze of his own arguments, excuses and rationalizations. I was also disappointed that the meeting was mostly him talking; I’d thought he was going to listen to a group of the people he serves.

...free of contention within the Progressive Movement that impeachment is a desirable goal.

Back in February, Bouldin observed that this year may be the year of challenging the entrenched and out of touch political establishment in NYC. Bouldin focused primarily on Paul Newell's challenge of perhaps the most entrenched politician in New York State, Shelly Silver. I want to expand upon what Bouldin wrote by covering some other races as well.

There is no question that Paul Newell is going up against the biggest bully in NY State, something that takes considerable guts. Let me let Paul introduce himself to you (though he has already done so here on Daily Gotham several times):

Do you have to be a Nobel-prize winning economist like Joseph Stiglitz to understand that a fast, effective way to spend our way out of the Bush-GOP-invented economic swamp is to put cash into the hands of the poor? Food stamp increases and extension of unemployment insurance benefits could be done quickly by Congress and would be spent right away by the lower-income people they’d reach.

Yet, of course, the Bush-Pelosi plan doesn’t include them. It could be a worse plan, of course but its mechanism, tax refunds, will take five months (best case) and it directs the pump-priming cash to people who might well bank it instead of spending it. Indeed two-thirds of the money in the Bush-Pelosi plan goes to higher income while only a third goes to poorer people. ( Andrew Leonard at Salon tracks the saddest-funniest food story: Republicans saving the poor from fatness by blocking boost in food stamps. Who knew?) Many, many (too many?) updates (5 sets) are at the end of the post. Also Take Action! Urge a progressive stimulus package! Link at the end. .

This has led progressives like economist-columnist Paul Krugman to pan the Bush-Pelosi deal:

There are people – I am one of them – who think that George W. Bush and Dick Cheney have committed impeachable offenses. Some of us have written our Congress Members to ask that they sign on to an impeachment effort; essentially to prepare an indictment of Mr. Bush and Mr. Cheney. Many Congress Members have not done so. (For a Politico report on a pro Impeachment speech by Rep. Wexler -- with video of the speech (D-Pa)click here.)

On this page recently one writer says, in effect, that Congress Member Jerrold Nadler lacks balls , courage in less sexualized terms, while others have been sitting in at his office. They want Mr. Nadler to sign on the impeachment idea and he has not. Because he lacks balls? Well that’s what they say. I have great respect for Mr. Nadler as a progressive Congress Member, worked with him and “the kids” for decades.

What does Mr. Nadler say? Well, I called up, asked, got this statement below. Two caveats: I did not speak with Mr. Nadler directly and the people I spoke to have not responded when I asked for a review the quote they gave me. After the jump.

Impeachment is being whispered everywhere I go. And, since I live in NYC, Jerrold Nadler and Anthony Weiner are among those who immediately are brought up when the issue comes up. I have several email discussions going about it. I see diaries on Daily Kos about it. And when I got to local Democratic club parties and meetings I hear it brought up.

Here, in progressive Brooklyn it comes down to this question I get asked a hundred times:

Are Anthony Weiner and Jerrold Nadler supporting Yvette Clarke on impeachment of Bush and Cheney.

Oddly, no one asks me about Velasquez and Rangel...or even Towns, who HAS signed on with Clarke.

The bottom line is this: I am being asked several times a day (whether I want it or not!) who in NYC is backing impeachment.

The simple answer is this: Yvette Clarke and Ed Towns are signed on to impeachment. No one else in NYC has so far.