Thirty Democratic Congressional Challengers Issue Joint Call for a Responsible End to Iraq War
Eric Massa, along with 29 other Democratic Congressional Challengers, participated in a live phone-in press conference at noon today. Here is the media release:
Thirty Democratic Congressional Challengers
Issue Joint Call for a Responsible End to Iraq War
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Candidates Will Run on Common Platform
Backed by National Security Experts and Retired Generals
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Thirty Democratic challengers for House and Senate seats this November have joined together under the banner of a policy paper entitled “A Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq .†They plan to coordinate their campaign efforts in opposition to the Iraq War and have pledged that when elected, will support measures, outlined in their paper, that would end U.S. military action in Iraq promptly. The plan has been endorsed by national security experts and retired generals.
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For a full list of the thirty candidates, other backers and further information on the plan, please go to: http://www.responsibleplan.com/endorsees.
Eric Massa said:
The plan offers a path out of Iraq. This administration offers us a parking lot there.
The plan has also been endorsed by the following people:
Major General Paul Eaton (U.S. Army ret.) former Security Transition Commanding General, Iraq
Dr. Lawrence Korb former Assistant Secretary of Defense in the Reagan Administration
Brigadier General John Johns (U.S. Army ret.) specialist in counterinsurgency and nation-building
Capt. Larry Seaquist ( U.S. Navy ret.)former commander of the U.S.S. Iowa and former Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Policy Planning
Does this mean we could actually start sending people to Washington who will actually listen to the American voters and who will have the courage to get us out of Iraq?
Didn’t the last bunch of Congressional newcomers promise this too? I seem to recall, “we will end the war” was the winning mantra in 2006. I’m not saying it won’t happen this time but ya know, politicians do have quite the habit of saying one thing to get elected and then something else entirely once they’re seated. On the other hand, we did get hearings on steroid abuse in baseball and cheating in football so they are kind of busy.
I’m glad war is such a joke to you and your friends.
Therein the problem lies.
What on earth are you talking about? The Democrat Party Congressional candidates in 2006 overwhelming ran on a platform promise to end the war. They haven’t. Speaker Pelosi refuses to even meet with groups like Code Pink, after they helped her get elected. They could stop the war today by refusing to fund it, as they did to end the VietNam Conflict. They continue to do so. They are holding hearings on baseball and football. What is this “joke” I’m supposed to be making?
Yes, many of them did. But - there are many Democrats who are considered members of the Blue Dogs or as we in the progressive community like to refer to them as Bush Dogs.
Point being if you actually paid attention - the Democrats are not fully unified in pulling the funding - got that? Not fully unified.
Which is why we need “more and better Democrats”.
Well I apologize to you whwtrdood for snapping at you. I guess I may be in a bad mood today. I read your comment and sensed that somehow you blame the Democrats for only being concerned about steroid use, and not taking full and comprehensive consideration of the toll of the war.
I’m more proud of the way the candidates have “united” to bring a comprehensive and clear message to the American people.
I’m sure we can both agree with that.
Go back to using steroids. I don’t have time for your psychobabble.
Jiminy Cricket, jiminybizbo, did you wake up on the wrong side of bed or something?
I understand that. I was merely rhetorically asking whether the last bunch of hopefuls lost their courage, or simply were lying to you in the first place. I think we all know the answer. R or D, a very high percentage of politicians are all the same type of person. It’s why almost all of Americans best and brightest have very little to do with the profession.
the only congressman with courage is dennis kucinich. the ‘dood’ has a point that a lot of folks made promises and they are going to be unable to deliver for various realities, also pointed out above. if they followed dk’s lead, however, they could force the issue and put some public pressure on other congressmen/women.
Did they not pull funding for the war because they were afraid of being painted as not supporting the troops? This points to the problem of elected officials worrying about winning the next election instead of doing what they said they would. It’s also flawed logic in this case since the voters sent them there to end the war and the majority of Americans want us out of Iraq.
No, the assumption is there is some united block of Democrats that automatically act in unison. That is not the case with regards to the war most other things.
whtwtrdood assumptions are incorrect - making the rest of the discussion a moot point.
This is why the press release is so unique. We are finally starting to see a band of our Democratic brothers (and sisters) starting to act in unison with regard to the war.
Back to the point btp wrote earlier -
More better Democrats
[...] New Republic has a big, and very favorable piece about the “Responsible Plan” for redeployment out of Iraq, being backed by Eric Massa and 29 other Democratic challengers: On [...]