How many of you get the "Capitol Connection"? It's Gary Miller's weekly newsletter. You can sign up to have it delivered in your email inbox every Friday at Gary Miller's official Congressional web site.
After more than a hundred days of delay, the House on Thursday finally passed a responsible troop funding bill to meet the needs of our men and women in uniform. The measure funds ongoing combat operations in the War on Terror and protects members of our military from harm by providing added funds for body armor and mine resistant vehicles. Congressman Miller was proud to support this bill because, unlike previous legislation, it does not tie the hands of our commanders on the ground or set a date for surrender. Following passage by the Senate, the bill now heads to the President's desk where it is expected to be signed into law shortly.
Follow me after the flip to see why Gary Miller is wrong...
My member of Congress, Loretta Sanchez (D-Garden Grove), did something pretty amazing yesterday. She voted against four additional months of funding for Bush's failed war in Iraq. She actually stood up and voted against keeping our brave troops in the middle of someone else's civil war for any longer. Loretta did the right thing, and as a constituent I am proud.
Two weeks may have passed between the Democratic Convention and today, but that hasn't stopped us from speculating over whatactuallyhappened during that weekend. During these two weeks, everyone seems to have developed a theory on who knew what ahead of time, who was conspiring to silence the progressives, and who was really behind the mysterious quorum call. Two weeks have passed since then, and I'd like to do my part to end all the speculation NOW.
Last Thursday, I hopped on over to OC Drinking Liberally. John Hanna, Co-chair of the Resolutions Committee, also happened to be there. Pretty soon, hekebolos showed up, and we all went to the back room of Memphis to discuss what really happened at the convention. Later on, we also talked about what we can do better next time, but I'll talk about that part of the discussion another time.
Right now, I'm inviting you to follow me after the flip to find out WHAT REALLY HAPPENED TO ALL THOSE RESOLUTIONS. I have been collecting information from a few brave individuals for quite some time now, and my meeting with John Hanna on Thursday put an end to my own speculation on all these rumors. So why not join me after the flip, so that you can also toss the speculation and just find out what happened?
As you no doubt have read by now, on Sunday The LA Times editorial board, in an editorial titled "Bring Them Home," belatedly called for an end to American troop presence in Iraq.
The U.S. should immediately declare its intention to begin a gradual troop drawdown, starting no later than the fall. The pace of the withdrawal must be flexible, to reflect progress or requests by the Iraqis and the military's commanders. The precise date for completing the withdrawal need not be announced, but the assumption should be that combat troops would depart by the end of 2009.
Don't ya love when the Times issues these strong declarative statements about what the U.S. SHOULD do in times of war as though a. they're the first to even consider such a thing and b. they have any credibility left?
Tell you what; you're still a relevative [sic] young man in good health who obviously supports this president and this war. Do what hundreds of other soliders have done. Put your life on hold and go enlist. Ask to be assigned a unit going to Iraq. Support this war and this president all you want. But the veto is not supporting the troops. The veto is a sentence to extend this quagmire to satisfy a tyrant president's stubborness and refusal to admit mistakes.
Dan Chmielewski said that to Republican insider/consultant/"blogger"Jubal/Matt Cunningham on Monday, after Jubal/Matt spewed out the same old Republican talking points that Democrats hate the troops. Well, all hell soon broke loose as Jubal/Matt had his fit. I guess it's so much easier to "support the troops" by blithely sticking a yellow ribbon on a Middle-Eastern-oil-guzzling SUV while ignoring the real hell that our troops must suffer in Iraq.
So Matt/Jubal, since you seem to support this debacle in Iraq so much; since you seem to believe that this war is really about terrorism and not an occupation; since you support this President and his stubborn insistence that there is something over there that can be won, other than oil and no-bid contracts for his friends; why don't you put your butt where your mouth is, step up to the plate, and become part of King George's noble cause.
OK, so many of you have probably seen this diary by now. And yes, I can understand the frustration of seeing CDP Resolutions Committee Co-chair John Hanna coming here to "talk down at us". However if you look beyond the first comment, you just might find that Hanna is offering some pretty good advice. Hopefully, we're all beyond anger at this point, and we're ready to learn how to be more successful in passing resolutions and holding the Democratic Party to its true values .
Now I know that all of this is frustrating. I know that it sucks when we can't get the party to agree to such no-brainers like net neutrality and deauthorizing the Iraq War. However, there are some important lessons to be learned from our failures.
John Hanna, along with other knowledgable folks in previous comments, hinted at some good secrets to success for next time around, and I'd like to talk more about these after the flip...
Have you ever seen a politician come back to the stage for an encore? Well, Maxine Waters did. During a passionate and poetic speech, Waters announced repeatedly:
I am the chair of the Out Of Iraq Caucus and I am committed to ending this war!
But what brought the house down was this refrain:
Not another nickel
Not another dime
Not another soldier
Not this time
After she left the stage the crowd chanted "Maxine! Maxine! Maxine!"
And she literally came back out for an encore to thunderous aplause and repeated the chant. Amazing.
"We haven't learned the lessons and we haven't found solutions," she said of U.S. abuse of war prisoners. "We have to admit to our failures before we can find solutions." [...]
"We (the U.S.) were known as the champion for human rights. This war and these violations and these policies have become our failure... If there is ever another war, who will stand beside us? We cannot condemn those (human-rights abusers) because we are doing the same and worse."
That was former Brigadier General Janis Karpinski, speaking at Chapman University in Orange today about the grand failure that is Bush's war on Iraq. Now if you forgot already, Karpinski was the military officer in charge of the fifteen detention facilities in Iraq when the news about Abu Ghraib broke. Now Karpinski claims that she had no knowledge of the abuses at the time, and was being scapegoated to protect superiors. Perhaps she's lying to protect herself, but then again why should anyone believe the Bush Administration about anything? If they've been caught lying about everything else, then why should we believe their denial that they weren't orchestrating all these abuses?
Most Americans woke up this morning ready to read the morning paper, listen to the news, and check their computer to see what the day would bring.
Jan and I woke up knowing that today our son deployed for his fourth rotation in Iraq. We woke up knowing that for the next several months, the last thing we do at night and the first thing we do in the morning will be checking the internet for news out of a war zone...for word from our son.
We are in the minority: parents, spouses, and friends with a loved one in Iraq. Knowing from experience about the true cost of war, we questioned the justification and execution of this policy before it was popular. We learned first hand about the lack of proper equipment before others read about it in the newspaper. We checked prices for top quality body armor to send our son while the GOP led Congress fiddled. And long before the Walter Reed scandal broke, we followed the aftercare problems facing our troops, their families, and surviving dependents as our son talked about the injured and dead his unit flies out of Iraq.
Senator Carl Levin (D-MI), Chair of the Armed Services Committee, will be coming to University Synagogue in Irvine tomorrow to speak about "America's Role in the World". Levin, who has been leading the charge in Washington on stopping Bush's madness in Iraq, will be talking about what's happening with US foreign policy.
This event is open to the public. Again, this will be tomorrow at University Synagogue at 3400 Michelson in Irvine. For more information, or to RSVP to this and the Family-friendly Passover Seder that will take place before the Senator's speech, go ahead and call University Synagogue at (949) 553-3535.
Special Guest: John Perez, Political Director of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 324, to discuss current contract negotiations with Albertson's, Von's and Ralph's. Other items: Presentations on peace actions, blogging in CA (by Calitics' own atdleft!!), resolutions to be voted on at State Convention, media presentation and more. For collection, bring household items or gift cards for Beverly House, a home for 18-21 year old emancipated foster women.
Do you want to hear for yourself what Cindy Sheehan has to say about the Iraq War, George Bush, and the process of impeachment? And oh yes, would you also like to hear The Nation's John Nichols talk about impeachment?
Well, tonight is your night if you'll be in South Orange County! I noticed this again in the OC Democrat Weekly:
Please join The Nation Magazine political writer and best-selling author JOHN NICHOLS for discussion of his new book THE GENIUS OF IMPEACHMENT: The Founders' Cure for Royalism With Introductions by MIMI KENNEDY, PDA [Progressive Democrats of America] National Advisory Board Chair and now added Special Guest CINDY SHEEHAN, Peace Mom and PDA National Advisor Board Member.
So are you free tonight at 7:00 PM? Want to go to the Aliso Viejo Library? This is your chance to speak with the one and only Peace Mom about how best to hold this Imperial President accountable.
Say what you will about Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, but even if you disagree with him more often than not, you have to at least admit he's not afraid to speak his mind.
And in these days of political polarization, it's refreshing to still have an elected leader you can count on to tell you how he sees things and not just parrot party talking points.
Believe it or not, that's what the Huntington Beach Independent has to say about Dana Rohrabacher in their editorial page today. So are they right? Does "CrazyDana" really make sense now? Follow me after the flip for more...
But what the heck is going on with Ron and Anna Winship? They are supposed to be the "Newport BeachRepublicans" on the blog, but I am wondering if they are really representing more than just your typical Newport Beach Republicans... Especially when they say stuff like this:
The inquiry goes something like this: "Are you a witch?", NO! "Ok, is any member of your family a witch?" NO!, "OK, so you are saying that you have never known any witch in your entire life?" NO!.... I am saying I am not a witch and no member of my family is a witch! "Hmmm, then you are saying basically that you have never known a witch, never met a witch, never dated a witch, never attended a coven meeting, never watched a television program with witches and in fact are a non-denominational church going person of good repute...who denies any connections to the 'Wicked Witches of the West' or any affiliate organizations?" What do you mean by Affiliate Organizations Senator?
At first, I thought this was ridiculous... But now, I must admit that this is some of the most brilliant and hilarious CAMP that I have ever seen. OK, I know this sounds crazy, but I'll explain it to you after the flip...
(This event is TOMORROW, and I hope to see many of you there! : ) - promoted by atdleft)
What do you have to say to YOUR Democratic Party about ending the Iraq War?
The Laguna Woods Democratic Club wants to give Orange County Democrats a chance to tell their representatives to the state party how they feel about ending the Iraq War. On March 31, the club will be hosting Defining the New Direction: Orange County Democrats Voice Their Views on the War in Iraq. This will give Democrats from throughout Orange County a chance to talk to the delegates who will be representing them at the CDP Convention next month about how, when, and why they want to see the Iraq War end. As the delegates prepare to vote on resolutions regarding the war, this is a chance for local Democrats to tell the delegates what they think.
Follow me after the flip for all the details on this important forum...
By now, you've all probably received an e-mail from MoveOn asking us to call our Congressman to urge him or her to support the U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Health and Iraq Accountability Act. I know PeteB2 has called. And earlier today I called my Congressman, Rep. Adam Schiff. This is what his office said:
Congressman Schiff voted for it in committee last week and intends to do the same on the floor this week.
Have you called? When you do, let MoveOn know the response HERE. And share it below in the comments.
I've also contacted Schiff's press guy about posting here at Calitics. I'm particularly interested in his perspective on this issue, since he's both a Blue Dog and on Appropriations. I suspect he may view us as too liberal for him but hopefully he'll see that we don't bite.
(Calling all LA people! CALL YOUR MEMBER OF CONGRESS, and tell her what you think about ending this war. - promoted by atdleft)
Her office says she hasn't decided. It sounds like they are taking a count. Perfect timing to call!
If you are a constituent of Harman's, please make a quick call and tell them that - despite it being a lot weaker than it should be - you want her to support it.
The number is: 202-225-8220
For more on Harman's position on the Iraq War supplemental, please check out my recent post at my blog.
OK, so you probably know by now that I wasn't able to see Mitt Romney on Friday in Dana Point. However, Jon Fleischman did. While I was out in the cold, he was in on all the action... And yes, Fleischman now has his account of the Romney fundraiser up on FlashReport.
Here are some of Romney's "Greatest Hits" from Friday's swanky fundraiser. For more videos, go to Jon's blog.
