Harry Reid's Blog
A few weeks ago, I wrote you about our party's Senate candidate in Georgia, Jim Martin. I asked for your help and you came through, contributing almost $30,000 to his campaign.
Our efforts paid off, and Jim Martin held Saxby Chambliss to under 50% of the vote, forcing a runoff election that will take place on December 2.
You can help put Jim Martin over the top and give Barack Obama another vote in the Senate to pass his agenda.
Contribute to Jim Martin's Campaign
In 2002, Saxby Chambliss and Karl Rove ran one of the most disgusting campaigns imaginable, airing a television commercial that attempted to scare voters with images of Osama Bin Laden.
Back then, John McCain called the ad "worse than disgraceful" and condemned it. Well, last week John McCain headed down to Georgia to campaign for Chambliss.
Jim Martin needs all the help he can get to fight back.
Contribute to Jim Martin's Campaign
Democrats have already picked up seven seats in the Senate, bringing our total to 58, including Mark Begich who was declared the winner in Alaska last night. In Minnesota, a statewide recount begins today and several experts predict that Al Franken could prevail.
If Jim Martin can pull off a win in Georgia on December 2, that just might give Barack Obama 60 votes in the United States Senate.
Contribute to Jim Martin's Campaign
I know it's been a long campaign season, but right now Jim Martin needs your help more than ever.
Thank you,
Max Cleland
The history of the last hundred years has been a toxic mix of oil and war.
Wars were funded by, impossible without, and usually fought over oil. Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, the Nazi invasion of Russia, Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, and countless other conflicts have been based in whole or in part on the world's addiction to oil. Even today, dictators and authoritarians from Venezuela to Russia, from Sudan to North Korea, base their actions--and their power to oppress their citizens and threaten their neighbors--solely on access to or sale of oil on the world market.
Since the turn of the new century, those hard facts have come home to America in the most vicious way. Attacked at home by oil-funded terrorists, at war abroad with oil-funded insurgents, threatened in global markets and faced with acquisition of our industrial base by oil-funded multinationals, we must defend America or face her utter destruction.
If we continue to follow this slippery, oil-slicked, downward-winding path, our citizens will shiver in darkness as our resources hemorrhage to Third World thugs whose only virtue is their control of petroleum-based energy.
These threats are real, they are immediate, and they are potentially overwhelming. And the saddest part, the most terrible irony, is that we finance them every time we pump gas or pay utility bills.
The threats are not new, nor is their solution. President Carter warned us about it in the 1970s when he proposed real solutions--conservation, fuel efficiency, and alternative fuels--to what he correctly named the "moral equivalent of war." His proposals were ridiculed by Republicans who forgot that both Presidents Nixon and Ford had joined him in calling for America's energy independence.
That bipartisanship, however, became partisan as this nation entered an era of oil industry dominance when, for the 28 years since 1980 except for the Clinton presidency, former oil industry executives have been president or vice president of the United States and indeed, for the past eight years, have filled both offices at once.
For the past eight years, the man in the Oval Office has tipped his hat over his eyes, kicked back his chair, and snoozed at his desk. Charged with protecting our national interests, he slept on duty while his vice president conspired with oil industry cronies. Tasked with cutting off funding to terrorists, he slept on duty while oil shortages worsened, oil prices soared, and dollars by the ton were delivered to terrorists' banks in Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela. Faced with a new kind of war, this president and his vice president helped their friends the old-fashioned way:
through war profiteering, tax cuts for billionaires, and in many cases out-and-out corruption.
There are honest answers to the problems we face, but they call for hard solutions and common sacrifices, the kind of sacrifices that this administration has only asked the American people to bear when it lined the pockets of the obscenely rich.
There's an answer, but only if someone will speak truth to power.
There's an answer, but only if someone will unite Americans to share common burdens to reach common goals.
There's an answer, but only if someone has the values, the virtues, and the vision to lead us through these troubled waters to that beckoning shore.
There's an answer. There's a man. Barack Obama.
Barack Obama is unique. So are we all. Each of us brings to the world our own strengths and weaknesses.
What qualities then, have earned him our support for the highest executive office? Even his opponents agree Senator Obama is smart and thoughtful. His biography proves he's committed to basic American values like hard work and fair play, and that he is honest and forthright. He articulates a vision of energy independence that is comprehensive and based on sound science and sound policies, science we know will work.
These policies include the answers we discussed at our energy summit in Las Vegas last week: wind, geothermal, and solar power generation and the development of efficient power transmission. Even more importantly, they include conservation measures ignored and indeed ridiculed by the current administration: smarter vehicles, more efficient and accessible mass transit, energy-effective building codes, and retrofitting all have their place in Senator Obama's vision of an energy-smart America.
But John McCain has a vision too, which in fairness I must address.
When doctors screen out the quack nostrums and phony remedies we call snake oil, they use two fundamental principles: the maxim "first, do no harm" and the question "is it safe and effective?"
In Congress, as in medicine, when we are offered snake oil as a remedy for the nation's energy ills, our question should be: "Is it safe and effective? Does it do more harm than good?"
Senator McCain and the Republicans have centered their answer to our vital energy needs on one solution: off-shore drilling. Senator McCain calls for it in every speech; his party has demagogued the issue in both houses of Congress.
So, is off-shore drilling energy policy or snake oil? Let's review the facts. White House analysts, congressional analysts, and the oil industry all agree that off-shore drilling won't add one drop to our energy pool for at least ten years. The way things are going now, in another ten years we won't need more oil; nobody will be able to afford it.
T. Boone Pickens said it right: "We can't drill our way out of this crisis."
But even if Doc McCain's magic off-shore oil elixir won't work, will it do any harm?
The answer is, we just don't know, and neither does he. It might not ruin tourism in the Gulf or on the California coast. It might not destroy vital fisheries. It might not pollute our waterways.
Nobody really knows. But kindly old Doc McCain would like to sell it to you anyway.
The simple fact is that the promise of more oil isn't part of the solution; it's part of the problem. At best this is an 18th century answer to a 21st century crisis; at worst it's pure baloney.
There are no quick and easy answers here, folks. For over a quarter of a century, the Republicans have sold their magic beans with a promise of a giant beanstalk and gold over the horizon. Look what they've done to our country. Look what they've done to our planet.
It is time to bring our nation back to reality. It is time for an energy policy that recognizes national security means ending dependence on oil and that the future is about new ideas and change for the better, not snake oil and quackery.
It is time for recognition that threats to our planet are threats to our great country.
It is time to understand that in the long run, indeed in the short run, we must wean ourselves of addiction to oil.
It is time, my friends, to elect Barack Obama as President of the United States.
Wars were funded by, impossible without, and usually fought over oil. Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, the Nazi invasion of Russia, Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, and countless other conflicts have been based in whole or in part on the world's addiction to oil. Even today, dictators and authoritarians from Venezuela to Russia, from Sudan to North Korea, base their actions--and their power to oppress their citizens and threaten their neighbors--solely on access to or sale of oil on the world market.
Since the turn of the new century, those hard facts have come home to America in the most vicious way. Attacked at home by oil-funded terrorists, at war abroad with oil-funded insurgents, threatened in global markets and faced with acquisition of our industrial base by oil-funded multinationals, we must defend America or face her utter destruction.
If we continue to follow this slippery, oil-slicked, downward-winding path, our citizens will shiver in darkness as our resources hemorrhage to Third World thugs whose only virtue is their control of petroleum-based energy.
These threats are real, they are immediate, and they are potentially overwhelming. And the saddest part, the most terrible irony, is that we finance them every time we pump gas or pay utility bills.
The threats are not new, nor is their solution. President Carter warned us about it in the 1970s when he proposed real solutions--conservation, fuel efficiency, and alternative fuels--to what he correctly named the "moral equivalent of war." His proposals were ridiculed by Republicans who forgot that both Presidents Nixon and Ford had joined him in calling for America's energy independence.
That bipartisanship, however, became partisan as this nation entered an era of oil industry dominance when, for the 28 years since 1980 except for the Clinton presidency, former oil industry executives have been president or vice president of the United States and indeed, for the past eight years, have filled both offices at once.
For the past eight years, the man in the Oval Office has tipped his hat over his eyes, kicked back his chair, and snoozed at his desk. Charged with protecting our national interests, he slept on duty while his vice president conspired with oil industry cronies. Tasked with cutting off funding to terrorists, he slept on duty while oil shortages worsened, oil prices soared, and dollars by the ton were delivered to terrorists' banks in Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela. Faced with a new kind of war, this president and his vice president helped their friends the old-fashioned way:
through war profiteering, tax cuts for billionaires, and in many cases out-and-out corruption.
There are honest answers to the problems we face, but they call for hard solutions and common sacrifices, the kind of sacrifices that this administration has only asked the American people to bear when it lined the pockets of the obscenely rich.
There's an answer, but only if someone will speak truth to power.
There's an answer, but only if someone will unite Americans to share common burdens to reach common goals.
There's an answer, but only if someone has the values, the virtues, and the vision to lead us through these troubled waters to that beckoning shore.
There's an answer. There's a man. Barack Obama.
Barack Obama is unique. So are we all. Each of us brings to the world our own strengths and weaknesses.
What qualities then, have earned him our support for the highest executive office? Even his opponents agree Senator Obama is smart and thoughtful. His biography proves he's committed to basic American values like hard work and fair play, and that he is honest and forthright. He articulates a vision of energy independence that is comprehensive and based on sound science and sound policies, science we know will work.
These policies include the answers we discussed at our energy summit in Las Vegas last week: wind, geothermal, and solar power generation and the development of efficient power transmission. Even more importantly, they include conservation measures ignored and indeed ridiculed by the current administration: smarter vehicles, more efficient and accessible mass transit, energy-effective building codes, and retrofitting all have their place in Senator Obama's vision of an energy-smart America.
But John McCain has a vision too, which in fairness I must address.
When doctors screen out the quack nostrums and phony remedies we call snake oil, they use two fundamental principles: the maxim "first, do no harm" and the question "is it safe and effective?"
In Congress, as in medicine, when we are offered snake oil as a remedy for the nation's energy ills, our question should be: "Is it safe and effective? Does it do more harm than good?"
Senator McCain and the Republicans have centered their answer to our vital energy needs on one solution: off-shore drilling. Senator McCain calls for it in every speech; his party has demagogued the issue in both houses of Congress.
So, is off-shore drilling energy policy or snake oil? Let's review the facts. White House analysts, congressional analysts, and the oil industry all agree that off-shore drilling won't add one drop to our energy pool for at least ten years. The way things are going now, in another ten years we won't need more oil; nobody will be able to afford it.
T. Boone Pickens said it right: "We can't drill our way out of this crisis."
But even if Doc McCain's magic off-shore oil elixir won't work, will it do any harm?
The answer is, we just don't know, and neither does he. It might not ruin tourism in the Gulf or on the California coast. It might not destroy vital fisheries. It might not pollute our waterways.
Nobody really knows. But kindly old Doc McCain would like to sell it to you anyway.
The simple fact is that the promise of more oil isn't part of the solution; it's part of the problem. At best this is an 18th century answer to a 21st century crisis; at worst it's pure baloney.
There are no quick and easy answers here, folks. For over a quarter of a century, the Republicans have sold their magic beans with a promise of a giant beanstalk and gold over the horizon. Look what they've done to our country. Look what they've done to our planet.
It is time to bring our nation back to reality. It is time for an energy policy that recognizes national security means ending dependence on oil and that the future is about new ideas and change for the better, not snake oil and quackery.
It is time for recognition that threats to our planet are threats to our great country.
It is time to understand that in the long run, indeed in the short run, we must wean ourselves of addiction to oil.
It is time, my friends, to elect Barack Obama as President of the United States.
Whether you are watching the convention on TV, or in are in Denver I want to welcome you to the West.
As you watch the convention unfold, it is important to remember the "New West" - Arizona, Colorado, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Idaho, Utah and Wyoming -- is emerging as the future of the Democratic Party.
In 2004, George Bush won all the states listed above. Today, four of those states are considered up for grabs - and if you ask me, are likely to be won by Barack Obama and Joe Biden. In recent years Democrats have picked up two Senate seats, seven House seats, in addition to winning two state legislative chambers. And Mark and Tom Udall are well positioned to win Senate seats in Colorado and New Mexico this year.
Throughout the week, you will hear from some amazing western leaders. Be sure to watch Governor Napolitano and Governor Schweitzer speak from the podium Tuesday night. They are two true leaders of the New West.
So as you watch the convention this week remember, with four battleground states in 2008, the road to the White House will run through the West!
As you watch the convention unfold, it is important to remember the "New West" - Arizona, Colorado, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Idaho, Utah and Wyoming -- is emerging as the future of the Democratic Party.
In 2004, George Bush won all the states listed above. Today, four of those states are considered up for grabs - and if you ask me, are likely to be won by Barack Obama and Joe Biden. In recent years Democrats have picked up two Senate seats, seven House seats, in addition to winning two state legislative chambers. And Mark and Tom Udall are well positioned to win Senate seats in Colorado and New Mexico this year.
Throughout the week, you will hear from some amazing western leaders. Be sure to watch Governor Napolitano and Governor Schweitzer speak from the podium Tuesday night. They are two true leaders of the New West.
So as you watch the convention this week remember, with four battleground states in 2008, the road to the White House will run through the West!
An email from Al Franken to the members of GiveEmHellHarry.com:
Thank you for voting in the "Give 'Em Hell Harry" contest. It'll be great practice for when you vote on November 4th and elect a stronger Democratic majority in the Senate for Harry Reid to lead in support of President Barack Obama.
CLICK HERE TO HELP ME JOIN HARRY REID IN THE SENATE!
And, of course, thanks to you and Senator Reid for this opportunity to ask you for your support. By which I mean money. It's going to take a lot of support (money) to beat Norm Coleman, one of the best-funded Republican incumbents in the country and one of George Bush's favorite rubber stamps in Washington.
Make no mistake: Norm Coleman needs to go. He's voted with President Bush nearly 90% of the time, rubber-stamped the war in Iraq, and taken more money from Big Oil than any politician in the history of Minnesota. I'm working hard every day here in Minnesota to spread our positive message of change - but I can't do it alone.
PLEASE CLICK HERE TO HELP ME WIN THIS CRITICAL RACE!
On January 20, 2009, George Bush leaves office (you can go ahead and applaud). And on that day, we'll swear in President Barack Obama. But if we're really going to change this country, we'll also need to swear in enough Democratic Senators to give Harry Reid a real working majority.
That's how we're going to get to universal health care. That's how we're going to end our dependence on foreign oil, cut the price of gas, and build a renewable energy economy. That's how we're going to turn our economy around and make it start working for working people again. That's how we're going to restore our standing in the world - starting with ending the war in Iraq.
I'm ready to join Harry Reid in the Senate and get to work - but I need your help. Can I count on you to make a contribution - whether it's $500, $50, or $15 - today?
PLEASE CLICK HERE TO MAKE YOUR CONTRIBUTION TODAY!
I know that Senator Reid works hard every day to get this country moving in the right direction again. And I know that you work hard to support him in his efforts.
Thank you for everything you've done - and, more importantly, thank you for supporting my campaign (with money).
Sincerely,
Al Franken
Thank you for voting in the "Give 'Em Hell Harry" contest. It'll be great practice for when you vote on November 4th and elect a stronger Democratic majority in the Senate for Harry Reid to lead in support of President Barack Obama.
CLICK HERE TO HELP ME JOIN HARRY REID IN THE SENATE!
And, of course, thanks to you and Senator Reid for this opportunity to ask you for your support. By which I mean money. It's going to take a lot of support (money) to beat Norm Coleman, one of the best-funded Republican incumbents in the country and one of George Bush's favorite rubber stamps in Washington.
Make no mistake: Norm Coleman needs to go. He's voted with President Bush nearly 90% of the time, rubber-stamped the war in Iraq, and taken more money from Big Oil than any politician in the history of Minnesota. I'm working hard every day here in Minnesota to spread our positive message of change - but I can't do it alone.
PLEASE CLICK HERE TO HELP ME WIN THIS CRITICAL RACE!
On January 20, 2009, George Bush leaves office (you can go ahead and applaud). And on that day, we'll swear in President Barack Obama. But if we're really going to change this country, we'll also need to swear in enough Democratic Senators to give Harry Reid a real working majority.
That's how we're going to get to universal health care. That's how we're going to end our dependence on foreign oil, cut the price of gas, and build a renewable energy economy. That's how we're going to turn our economy around and make it start working for working people again. That's how we're going to restore our standing in the world - starting with ending the war in Iraq.
I'm ready to join Harry Reid in the Senate and get to work - but I need your help. Can I count on you to make a contribution - whether it's $500, $50, or $15 - today?
PLEASE CLICK HERE TO MAKE YOUR CONTRIBUTION TODAY!
I know that Senator Reid works hard every day to get this country moving in the right direction again. And I know that you work hard to support him in his efforts.
Thank you for everything you've done - and, more importantly, thank you for supporting my campaign (with money).
Sincerely,
Al Franken
This is it - the final election to decide which Senate candidate we as a community want to direct our energy, enthusiasm, and dollars towards.
I am proud to announce that the two Senate challengers who received the most votes in round one are ... Al Franken and Tom Udall!
Now, it's up to you to vote in the final round, and decide which one of these two outstanding candidates gets to send two emails to the GiveEmHellHarry.com list, helping him build the resources needed to win this fall and reach our 60 Senator filibuster-proof majority.
Click here to vote in the final voting round, before the July 28th deadline!
As a Member of Congress and Attorney General of New Mexico, Tom Udall has earned a reputation as a principled leader who has the integrity to do what is right for New Mexico. In the House, Tom has established himself as a leader on key issues - writing and passing a bill to establish a national renewable energy standard, voting against the Iraq War, working to expand preventive health care, attempting to increase well-deserved benefits for veterans, and acting as a champion of small businesses owners.
You might know Al Franken as an award-winning comedian and author. You might know him as the host of Air America Radio's "The Al Franken Show," the network's flagship program that helped put progressive talk radio on the map. But, here's what's most important for you to know: Al Franken stands by his principles and leads by his values. As the founder of Midwest Values Political Action Committee, he raised over $1.1 million for Democrats across Minnesota and around the country. Now he is putting all of his energy into being elected to the United States Senate, and representing the progressive values of all Minnesotans.
Click here to vote in the final voting round, before the July 28th deadline!
I can't wait to see which Senate challenger you choose to help us reach our 60 Senator filibuster-proof majority. But, whoever you choose, this much is true:together, we will finish what we started in 2006 and deliver a mandate for change in 2008 that Republicans can't lay a finger on.
From the beginning I've wanted GiveEmHellHarry.com to be driven by you. Now, I need you to make a choice. Which Senate challenger do you want to hear from and raise money for?
You've raised ten of thousands of dollars for candidates - close to $1,000,000 in 2006 - and directly helped Democrats take back the Senate. But today, the tables are turning - you're going to tell us who to raise money for. It's time for you to choose where we as a community direct our energy, enthusiasm, and dollars.
Click here to vote in the first round, before the July 10th deadline!
To pump up the excitement even more, we're going to have two rounds of voting - first round voting starts now, and ends on July 10th - and second round voting starts right after that. The winner of the second round will get to send two emails to the GiveEmHellHarry.com list, helping them build the resources needed to win this fall and reach our 60 Senator filibuster-proof majority. But hurry! The deadline to vote is July 10th.
Vote before the July 10th deadline!
I'm looking forward to seeing which Senate challenger you pick. But I'm especially looking forward to throwing our support behind that challenger, and getting even closer to a 60 Senator Democratic majority.
So, what are you still reading this for? Vote today!
Now that the primary election has come to a close, it's time for Democrats to rally around our nominee, the only presidential candidate that will bring change to Washington, Barack Obama. We all feel the excitement running through our Party. And it's that momentum that's our ticket to the White House.
Help keep up our Democratic momentum - Make a donation to Barack Obama today.
Hands down, our Party has the best nominee in the 2008 presidential race - so you can bet your bottom dollar that John McCain and the GOP will be on Democratic candidates across the country like fleas, following our every move.
In the few moments it took you to read this far, the GOP has mass-distributed the Karl Rove playbook, juiced up the Republican spin machine, and redoubled their efforts to break down our incredible Democratic momentum.
At this point in time we cannot only focus on electing our next President. In January, President Obama is going to need the Senate to have as close to 60 Democrats as possible to pass his agenda. So when you contribute to Barack Obama today, I'd also ask you to support three incredible Senate challengers, Mark Udall from Colorado, Mark Begich from Alaska, and Jeanne Shaheen from New Hampshire, that with your support, will help us bring Republican filibusters to a screeching halt.
Put an end to the Roadblock Republican era -- Support our Democratic candidates today.
It's no secret that the Democratic Party is more united, more excited, and more ready to lead than ever before. I know it, you know it, and the Republicans know it. Together, let's pledge to do whatever it takes to move that excitement from cities and towns across America to Capitol Hill and 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
Help keep up our Democratic momentum - Make a donation to Barack Obama today.
Hands down, our Party has the best nominee in the 2008 presidential race - so you can bet your bottom dollar that John McCain and the GOP will be on Democratic candidates across the country like fleas, following our every move.
In the few moments it took you to read this far, the GOP has mass-distributed the Karl Rove playbook, juiced up the Republican spin machine, and redoubled their efforts to break down our incredible Democratic momentum.
At this point in time we cannot only focus on electing our next President. In January, President Obama is going to need the Senate to have as close to 60 Democrats as possible to pass his agenda. So when you contribute to Barack Obama today, I'd also ask you to support three incredible Senate challengers, Mark Udall from Colorado, Mark Begich from Alaska, and Jeanne Shaheen from New Hampshire, that with your support, will help us bring Republican filibusters to a screeching halt.
Put an end to the Roadblock Republican era -- Support our Democratic candidates today.
It's no secret that the Democratic Party is more united, more excited, and more ready to lead than ever before. I know it, you know it, and the Republicans know it. Together, let's pledge to do whatever it takes to move that excitement from cities and towns across America to Capitol Hill and 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
Last Saturday, George Bush announced that he vetoed the Intelligence Authorization Bill, thereby sending a message to the rest of the world that he supports torture, even after Congress rejected practices such as water boarding.
I want to thank the tens of thousands of you who signed our petition taking a stand against torture. It is still vital that as many people as possible take this stand as Congress goes back to work on the Intelligence Authorization Bill.
If you've already signed, please ask your friends and family to do so. If you haven't signed, speak out against torture now by clicking here.
George Bush has once again compromised the moral leadership of our nation. By vetoing a bill establishing a single, government-wide interrogation standard, the President has substituted his own judgment for that of the vast majority of military and foreign policy experts -- including Gen. David Petraeus, the U.S. commander in Iraq -- who all agree that torture is simply counterproductive.
Ironically, George Bush has warned against ignoring the advice of our commanders in Iraq -- while at the same time ignoring the Army Field Manual's determination that horrific tactics such as water boarding elicit unreliable information, put U.S. troops at risk and undermine our counterinsurgency efforts.
Take a stand against torture today byclicking here.
With your help, we will continue working to reverse the damage President Bush has caused to our standing in the world.
I want to thank the tens of thousands of you who signed our petition taking a stand against torture. It is still vital that as many people as possible take this stand as Congress goes back to work on the Intelligence Authorization Bill.
If you've already signed, please ask your friends and family to do so. If you haven't signed, speak out against torture now by clicking here.
George Bush has once again compromised the moral leadership of our nation. By vetoing a bill establishing a single, government-wide interrogation standard, the President has substituted his own judgment for that of the vast majority of military and foreign policy experts -- including Gen. David Petraeus, the U.S. commander in Iraq -- who all agree that torture is simply counterproductive.
Ironically, George Bush has warned against ignoring the advice of our commanders in Iraq -- while at the same time ignoring the Army Field Manual's determination that horrific tactics such as water boarding elicit unreliable information, put U.S. troops at risk and undermine our counterinsurgency efforts.
Take a stand against torture today byclicking here.
With your help, we will continue working to reverse the damage President Bush has caused to our standing in the world.
Since Tuesday, tens of thousands of you stepped forward and took a stand against torture. I am happy to announce that all your hard work paid off. Thank you.
The Senate passed the Intelligence Authorization bill banning torture. This sent a clear signal to the world: the United States Senate believes torture is immoral and does not work.
Now the bill will go to George Bush, who has a choice: He can sign it into law and declare America does not torture. Or he can continue to damage America's reputation in the world.
Now is the moment when we all need to join together and say "no" to torture. If you've already signed the petition, please forward this e-mail to your friends and family and ask them to sign. If you haven't signed, take a stand against torture now by visiting:
http://giveemhellharry.com/stoptorture
Nearly every expert on interrogation agrees that torture is counter-productive. Most of the information it generates is simply unreliable, causing our intelligence agencies to waste time chasing down false leads. It also puts U.S. troops at risk, in addition to undermining our counterinsurgency operations.
Now is the time for George Bush to show some moral leadership and sign this bill into law. That is why, right now, all of us need to join together and take a stand against torture by visiting:
http://giveemhellharry.com/stoptorture
The Senate passed the Intelligence Authorization bill banning torture. This sent a clear signal to the world: the United States Senate believes torture is immoral and does not work.
Now the bill will go to George Bush, who has a choice: He can sign it into law and declare America does not torture. Or he can continue to damage America's reputation in the world.
Now is the moment when we all need to join together and say "no" to torture. If you've already signed the petition, please forward this e-mail to your friends and family and ask them to sign. If you haven't signed, take a stand against torture now by visiting:
http://giveemhellharry.com/stoptorture
Nearly every expert on interrogation agrees that torture is counter-productive. Most of the information it generates is simply unreliable, causing our intelligence agencies to waste time chasing down false leads. It also puts U.S. troops at risk, in addition to undermining our counterinsurgency operations.
Now is the time for George Bush to show some moral leadership and sign this bill into law. That is why, right now, all of us need to join together and take a stand against torture by visiting:
http://giveemhellharry.com/stoptorture
We've all heard their heated rhetoric on Iran.
George Bush, Dick Cheney, other administration officials, and right wing pundits using phrases such as "imminent threat" and talking about the potential for World War III. Now we know these are just the latest in a long line of inaccurate and misleading comments -- the same type of misinformation that got us into the Iraq war.
All 16 of our nation's intelligence agencies have concluded that Iran stopped its nuclear weapons program four years ago. This finding, contained in the National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) that was released yesterday, further diminished the credibility of the President, who has a dangerous record of overstating threats.
Of course, instead of announcing a new diplomatic offensive, George Bush's response was to state, "the NIE doesn't do anything to change my opinion about the danger Iran poses to the world." Well, maybe his opinion hasn't changed, but the facts have. The President is the only person that I know who can receive a report like the NIE and believe that it's a warning signal.
I have no doubt that those cheerleading for a war with Iran will continue to do so. That's why I need your help to get the word out in your community about this development. If we can send 10,000 letters to the editor by Monday, I know it will make a real difference.
Help make sure that George Bush and his allies don't spread misinformation leading to war with Iran.
Send a letter to the editor of your local newspaper by visiting:
http://giveemhellharry.com/iran
Instead of stubbornly insisting the NIE did not "change his opinion", George Bush should announce a new diplomatic surge.
George Bush used this playbook in the build-up to the war in Iraq -- and now he is trying to lay the same foundation for us to go to war in Iran. For the last seven years, we've seen this kind of misinformation coming from the White House. Our nation deserves better.
Help make sure that George Bush and his allies don't spread misinformation leading to war with Iran:
Send a letter to the editor of your local newspaper by visiting:
http://giveemhellharry.com/iran
George Bush, Dick Cheney, other administration officials, and right wing pundits using phrases such as "imminent threat" and talking about the potential for World War III. Now we know these are just the latest in a long line of inaccurate and misleading comments -- the same type of misinformation that got us into the Iraq war.
All 16 of our nation's intelligence agencies have concluded that Iran stopped its nuclear weapons program four years ago. This finding, contained in the National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) that was released yesterday, further diminished the credibility of the President, who has a dangerous record of overstating threats.
Of course, instead of announcing a new diplomatic offensive, George Bush's response was to state, "the NIE doesn't do anything to change my opinion about the danger Iran poses to the world." Well, maybe his opinion hasn't changed, but the facts have. The President is the only person that I know who can receive a report like the NIE and believe that it's a warning signal.
I have no doubt that those cheerleading for a war with Iran will continue to do so. That's why I need your help to get the word out in your community about this development. If we can send 10,000 letters to the editor by Monday, I know it will make a real difference.
Help make sure that George Bush and his allies don't spread misinformation leading to war with Iran.
Send a letter to the editor of your local newspaper by visiting:
http://giveemhellharry.com/iran
Instead of stubbornly insisting the NIE did not "change his opinion", George Bush should announce a new diplomatic surge.
George Bush used this playbook in the build-up to the war in Iraq -- and now he is trying to lay the same foundation for us to go to war in Iran. For the last seven years, we've seen this kind of misinformation coming from the White House. Our nation deserves better.
Help make sure that George Bush and his allies don't spread misinformation leading to war with Iran:
Send a letter to the editor of your local newspaper by visiting:
http://giveemhellharry.com/iran
Waterboarding is torture.
Because Michael Mukasey cannot admit to this basic fact, I will vote against his nomination.
I respect Michael Mukasey and believe he is an intelligent and capable man. However, given our recent history, it is important that our next attorney general be able to stand up to the President and for the rule of law. I am not confident that Michael Mukasey will.
Send the message:
If he can't say no to torture - we say no to Mukasey.
While Michael Mukasey refuses to answer the question of whether waterboarding is torture, the precedent is clear. In 1947, Yukio Asano, a Japanese officer, was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor for performing a form of waterboarding on an American citizen.
In 2004, Daniel Levin, who was then acting assistant attorney general, volunteered to be waterboarded. Later, he told the White House "even though he knew he wouldn't die, he found the experience terrifying and thought that it clearly simulated drowning."
If Michael Mukasey cannot answer the simple question of whether or not waterboarding is torture, he should not serve as attorney general.
Our message needs to be loud and clear:
If he can't say no to torture - we say no to Mukasey.
Because Michael Mukasey cannot admit to this basic fact, I will vote against his nomination.
I respect Michael Mukasey and believe he is an intelligent and capable man. However, given our recent history, it is important that our next attorney general be able to stand up to the President and for the rule of law. I am not confident that Michael Mukasey will.
Send the message:
If he can't say no to torture - we say no to Mukasey.
While Michael Mukasey refuses to answer the question of whether waterboarding is torture, the precedent is clear. In 1947, Yukio Asano, a Japanese officer, was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor for performing a form of waterboarding on an American citizen.
In 2004, Daniel Levin, who was then acting assistant attorney general, volunteered to be waterboarded. Later, he told the White House "even though he knew he wouldn't die, he found the experience terrifying and thought that it clearly simulated drowning."
If Michael Mukasey cannot answer the simple question of whether or not waterboarding is torture, he should not serve as attorney general.
Our message needs to be loud and clear:
If he can't say no to torture - we say no to Mukasey.
On Wednesday, President Bush was asked why he vetoed the CHIP legislation that would provide health care to almost ten million children. His response: "to ensure that I am relevant".
It is amazing that he thinks his relevancy is more important than health care for ten million children.
We already have 69 votes in the Senate, more than enough to pass the bill without the President, and the House of Representatives came within 13 votes of overriding his veto yesterday.
This is a tiny margin, and your efforts can help put us over the top.
Sign our petition to member of the House who oppose CHIP -- tell them our children are more important than the President's relevancy.
Now the President is saying "Why don't we sit down and compromise on CHIP?" How in the world does he think we got where we are? How did we get to 69 senators to support this legislation? Compromise.
We started with a cost of $70 billion, then went to $50 billion and finally compromised at $35 billion. For the President to come now and say, "Let's compromise," is completely disingenuous. Saving children should be more important to the President than saving face.
Sign our petition to member of the House who oppose CHIP -- tell them our children are more important than the President's relevancy.
Here is the irony of the President's veto: This program was created by Orrin Hatch, a conservative Republican, and Ted Kennedy 10 years ago. Why? Because Orrin Hatch had two families come to him -- both families were working. They didn't qualify for Medicaid. They couldn't buy insurance. They didn't have the money. So in the finest example of bipartisan cooperation, conservative Orrin Hatch and liberal Ted Kennedy sat down and created one of our nation's most successful health care programs.
Now George Bush vetoed this bill simply to remain relevant. Ten million children are not irrelevant.
Sign our petition to member of the House who oppose CHIP -- tell them our children are more important than the President's relevancy.
It is amazing that he thinks his relevancy is more important than health care for ten million children.
We already have 69 votes in the Senate, more than enough to pass the bill without the President, and the House of Representatives came within 13 votes of overriding his veto yesterday.
This is a tiny margin, and your efforts can help put us over the top.
Sign our petition to member of the House who oppose CHIP -- tell them our children are more important than the President's relevancy.
Now the President is saying "Why don't we sit down and compromise on CHIP?" How in the world does he think we got where we are? How did we get to 69 senators to support this legislation? Compromise.
We started with a cost of $70 billion, then went to $50 billion and finally compromised at $35 billion. For the President to come now and say, "Let's compromise," is completely disingenuous. Saving children should be more important to the President than saving face.
Sign our petition to member of the House who oppose CHIP -- tell them our children are more important than the President's relevancy.
Here is the irony of the President's veto: This program was created by Orrin Hatch, a conservative Republican, and Ted Kennedy 10 years ago. Why? Because Orrin Hatch had two families come to him -- both families were working. They didn't qualify for Medicaid. They couldn't buy insurance. They didn't have the money. So in the finest example of bipartisan cooperation, conservative Orrin Hatch and liberal Ted Kennedy sat down and created one of our nation's most successful health care programs.
Now George Bush vetoed this bill simply to remain relevant. Ten million children are not irrelevant.
Sign our petition to member of the House who oppose CHIP -- tell them our children are more important than the President's relevancy.
I have been looking forward to this day for eight months. My friend Tim Johnson is returning to the Senate. It will be great seeing him back at work and having one more vote in the Democratic caucus.
Last week, in his first public appearance since falling ill in December, Tim showed us all his strength, character and courage. It is amazing that only eight months after surgery he is returning to his Senate schedule, including service on five committees.
In honor of his first day back in the Senate, help me welcome Tim with a contribution to his campaign by clicking here.
It's still early in the cycle, but Republicans are already on the run.
South Dakota is one of the few places where they believe they have the opportunity to pick up a seat in the Senate. Tim Johnson is incredibly popular at home, but we all know what happens when Republicans get desperate.
In 2002, the same year that Tim won reelection by just 524 votes, Republicans ran ads against Max Cleland, who lost three limbs for his country, comparing him to Osama Bin Laden. I expect, with their backs against the wall, they will try to do the same thing to Tim. We need to make sure he has the resources in place to win.
Help me welcome Tim back to the Senate. Make a contribution to his campaign by clicking here.
Last week, in his first public appearance since falling ill in December, Tim showed us all his strength, character and courage. It is amazing that only eight months after surgery he is returning to his Senate schedule, including service on five committees.
In honor of his first day back in the Senate, help me welcome Tim with a contribution to his campaign by clicking here.
It's still early in the cycle, but Republicans are already on the run.
South Dakota is one of the few places where they believe they have the opportunity to pick up a seat in the Senate. Tim Johnson is incredibly popular at home, but we all know what happens when Republicans get desperate.
In 2002, the same year that Tim won reelection by just 524 votes, Republicans ran ads against Max Cleland, who lost three limbs for his country, comparing him to Osama Bin Laden. I expect, with their backs against the wall, they will try to do the same thing to Tim. We need to make sure he has the resources in place to win.
Help me welcome Tim back to the Senate. Make a contribution to his campaign by clicking here.
Even after our bloodiest summer in Iraq, George Bush still refuses to reevaluate his flawed strategy that led to one of the worst foreign policy blunders in our nation's history. A change of course in Iraq is long overdue, and I will fight for that change in the coming weeks.
In July, several Republicans began to speak out against the President's failed strategy. But when it came time to vote, they continued to back George Bush.
I promise you, I will not let these Republicans hide. When the Senate returns to Washington, I will force them to take vote, after vote, after vote on bringing an end to the war in Iraq. Talk is cheap -- their votes are what really count. Republicans will have to decide, do they stand with the President or with the American people?
This summer, Americans Against Escalation in Iraq, a coalition of organizations working to end the war, put pressure on these Republicans utilizing hundreds of organizers and thousands of volunteers. Their efforts will culminate with town hall meetings and Stand Up Vigils across the country on August 28th.
Take A Stand Town Halls and Stand Up Vigils are part of a nation-wide organizing drive to demand that members of Congress stand with the vast majority of Americans who want a safe and responsible redeployment of American Forces from Iraq.
Sign up to attend a Take A Stand Town Hall or Stand Up Vigil in your community by visiting:
http://giveemhellharry.com/takeastand
In September the White House will issue its report on the surge. They will try to use this moment to convince the American people that the escalation worked.
That's why if you want to end the war, it is vital you participate in this event. We need to put as much pressure as possible on Republicans in Congress.
Find an event in your area by visiting:
http://giveemhellharry.com/takeastand
In July, several Republicans began to speak out against the President's failed strategy. But when it came time to vote, they continued to back George Bush.
I promise you, I will not let these Republicans hide. When the Senate returns to Washington, I will force them to take vote, after vote, after vote on bringing an end to the war in Iraq. Talk is cheap -- their votes are what really count. Republicans will have to decide, do they stand with the President or with the American people?
This summer, Americans Against Escalation in Iraq, a coalition of organizations working to end the war, put pressure on these Republicans utilizing hundreds of organizers and thousands of volunteers. Their efforts will culminate with town hall meetings and Stand Up Vigils across the country on August 28th.
Take A Stand Town Halls and Stand Up Vigils are part of a nation-wide organizing drive to demand that members of Congress stand with the vast majority of Americans who want a safe and responsible redeployment of American Forces from Iraq.
Sign up to attend a Take A Stand Town Hall or Stand Up Vigil in your community by visiting:
http://giveemhellharry.com/takeastand
In September the White House will issue its report on the surge. They will try to use this moment to convince the American people that the escalation worked.
That's why if you want to end the war, it is vital you participate in this event. We need to put as much pressure as possible on Republicans in Congress.
Find an event in your area by visiting:
http://giveemhellharry.com/takeastand
I am immensely proud that 17 of my Senate colleagues have joined me in using ActBlue to build our Democratic majority, and I expect many more to do so this election cycle.
Blogosphere Day celebrates the greatest aspiration of our democracy: people coming together to change the direction of their country. By enabling Democrats from all walks of life to work together, to pool their passion and energy, and to elect candidates who represent their values, ActBlue has created a unique strategic advantage for the Democratic Party.
Your investment in ActBlue builds resources for our best candidates, our best activists, and our best ideas -- and your contribution today makes the biggest difference as we pave the road to November 2008.
Please support ActBlue today.
Blogosphere Day celebrates the greatest aspiration of our democracy: people coming together to change the direction of their country. By enabling Democrats from all walks of life to work together, to pool their passion and energy, and to elect candidates who represent their values, ActBlue has created a unique strategic advantage for the Democratic Party.
Your investment in ActBlue builds resources for our best candidates, our best activists, and our best ideas -- and your contribution today makes the biggest difference as we pave the road to November 2008.
Please support ActBlue today.
Back in December, when Tim Johnson fell ill, I delivered tens of thousands of get well soon cards from members of GiveEmHellHarry.com. It was one of my proudest moments since launching this community. Well I have some good news to report -- it looks like Tim Johnson will be back at work in the Senate soon.
Tim is up for reelection in 2008 and as he finishes his recovery, we need to make sure he will be able to hit the ground running. While he is incredibly popular at home, South Dakota is a red state and Tim will be a Republican target next year.
Next week is the FEC's second quarter fundraising deadline. Republicans and the media will use these numbers as the primary gage of a campaign's strength. Tim can't fundraise for himself right now, so we all need to chip in and help.
Make a contribution to Tim Johnson's campaign before next week's critical fundraising deadline.
In 2002, Tim Johnson won by just 524 votes. Ever since he was declared the winner, Republicans have been preparing for 2008. And now, with Democrats in the majority by only one vote, they will do whatever it takes to try and defeat him.
Well, we need to do whatever it takes to help him fight back. If you want to see Democrats keep and expand our majority in 2008, the most important thing you can do is support Tim Johnson.
Next week is the FEC's end of quarter fundraising deadline. If you have ever considered making a contribution, now is the moment.
Tim is a fighter. The entire time I've known him, he has consistently stood up for what he believes in, no matter what. And when he became sick in December I knew he would fight to come back to the Senate. The fact that Tim is recovering so quickly is a testament to his incredible strength and will power.
Tim is up for reelection in 2008 and as he finishes his recovery, we need to make sure he will be able to hit the ground running. While he is incredibly popular at home, South Dakota is a red state and Tim will be a Republican target next year.
Next week is the FEC's second quarter fundraising deadline. Republicans and the media will use these numbers as the primary gage of a campaign's strength. Tim can't fundraise for himself right now, so we all need to chip in and help.
Make a contribution to Tim Johnson's campaign before next week's critical fundraising deadline.
In 2002, Tim Johnson won by just 524 votes. Ever since he was declared the winner, Republicans have been preparing for 2008. And now, with Democrats in the majority by only one vote, they will do whatever it takes to try and defeat him.
Well, we need to do whatever it takes to help him fight back. If you want to see Democrats keep and expand our majority in 2008, the most important thing you can do is support Tim Johnson.
Next week is the FEC's end of quarter fundraising deadline. If you have ever considered making a contribution, now is the moment.
Tim is a fighter. The entire time I've known him, he has consistently stood up for what he believes in, no matter what. And when he became sick in December I knew he would fight to come back to the Senate. The fact that Tim is recovering so quickly is a testament to his incredible strength and will power.
My op-ed in the Dallas Morning News:
In the six years since President Bush took office, the cost to fill up a car in America has more than doubled. In May alone, as we entered the summer travel season, gas prices broke records nationally and in nearly half the states.
Even though Democrats have raised the minimum wage for the first time in a decade, rising fuel costs still take too much out of Americans' paychecks; their effects are felt long after we pull out of the gas station. High prices hinder our nation's economic growth: They echo in the job market, increase our trade deficit and hurt businesses large and small. And our dependence on oil, especially foreign oil, endangers our national security and jeopardizes our environment.
Our current path is undeniably unsustainable: America produces just 3 percent of the world's oil reserves but consumes nearly half its gasoline. Democrats recognize that we have a historic opportunity and responsibility to correct this course, and we have a plan to do just that.
For too long, the Bush administration has made it a priority to give tax breaks to oil and gas companies even as prices at the pump and corporate profits have soared. Democrats have different priorities. Our strategy puts consumers, our economy, our national security and our environment ahead of historic profits.
The plan that Democrats introduced in the U.S. Senate recently will help Americans spend less on gasoline every year and takes major steps forward to cut our oil consumption. Our bill will:
•Mandate the production of clean, renewable fuels here at home, which will create thousands of American jobs.
•Raise the fuel-efficiency standards for new cars and trucks to 35 miles per gallon by 2020.
•Set new energy-efficiency standards for lighting, appliances and federal office buildings and vehicles.
•Protect consumers by punishing companies that price-gouge consumers or manipulate gas supply to pad their profits.
•Fund promising new technologies that make our air and water cleaner.
•Give us more leverage in the global energy market by requiring the president to step up diplomatic efforts to build strategic international partnerships.
America's energy and national security increasingly overlap. Each day that we continue to rely on Middle East energy is one more day we remain vulnerable to that region's volatility.
Our search for solutions must begin at home, powered by American-made ingenuity and innovation. But the impacts of our oil addiction do not stop at our borders; they reverberate around the planet and in the atmosphere that surrounds it. The Democratic plan will reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, curb the risks of global warming and more than quadruple the amount of biofuels we use to run our cars and heat our homes.
The cleaner our power sources, the fewer pollutants we send into our environment and the easier our communities and our children breathe.
Nothing but our own resolve stands between us and a clean, affordable and secure energy future. America is home to bountiful renewable-energy resources, and we already possess the cutting-edge technology and inventive spirit to boost our fuel efficiency and fully realize this potential.
Capturing just one week of the sunshine in my home state of Nevada could provide enough energy to power every car and truck in the United States for a year. And there is enough geothermal energy in our country to run our economy emissions-free for more than 2,600 years.
All we need to do is corral the political will to seize this opportunity and pass this important legislation. Instead of relying on unstable regions of the world to fuel our country, it is time to tap America's can-do spirit and revive our proud record of innovating to confront challenges. We must recognize that our dangerous dependence on oil is an urgent national priority and harness the resources and technology already at our fingertips.
Our plan will save money and create jobs in a new clean-energy economy, make America safer and start to put a freeze on global warming emissions.
In the six years since President Bush took office, the cost to fill up a car in America has more than doubled. In May alone, as we entered the summer travel season, gas prices broke records nationally and in nearly half the states.
Even though Democrats have raised the minimum wage for the first time in a decade, rising fuel costs still take too much out of Americans' paychecks; their effects are felt long after we pull out of the gas station. High prices hinder our nation's economic growth: They echo in the job market, increase our trade deficit and hurt businesses large and small. And our dependence on oil, especially foreign oil, endangers our national security and jeopardizes our environment.
Our current path is undeniably unsustainable: America produces just 3 percent of the world's oil reserves but consumes nearly half its gasoline. Democrats recognize that we have a historic opportunity and responsibility to correct this course, and we have a plan to do just that.
For too long, the Bush administration has made it a priority to give tax breaks to oil and gas companies even as prices at the pump and corporate profits have soared. Democrats have different priorities. Our strategy puts consumers, our economy, our national security and our environment ahead of historic profits.
The plan that Democrats introduced in the U.S. Senate recently will help Americans spend less on gasoline every year and takes major steps forward to cut our oil consumption. Our bill will:
•Mandate the production of clean, renewable fuels here at home, which will create thousands of American jobs.
•Raise the fuel-efficiency standards for new cars and trucks to 35 miles per gallon by 2020.
•Set new energy-efficiency standards for lighting, appliances and federal office buildings and vehicles.
•Protect consumers by punishing companies that price-gouge consumers or manipulate gas supply to pad their profits.
•Fund promising new technologies that make our air and water cleaner.
•Give us more leverage in the global energy market by requiring the president to step up diplomatic efforts to build strategic international partnerships.
America's energy and national security increasingly overlap. Each day that we continue to rely on Middle East energy is one more day we remain vulnerable to that region's volatility.
Our search for solutions must begin at home, powered by American-made ingenuity and innovation. But the impacts of our oil addiction do not stop at our borders; they reverberate around the planet and in the atmosphere that surrounds it. The Democratic plan will reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, curb the risks of global warming and more than quadruple the amount of biofuels we use to run our cars and heat our homes.
The cleaner our power sources, the fewer pollutants we send into our environment and the easier our communities and our children breathe.
Nothing but our own resolve stands between us and a clean, affordable and secure energy future. America is home to bountiful renewable-energy resources, and we already possess the cutting-edge technology and inventive spirit to boost our fuel efficiency and fully realize this potential.
Capturing just one week of the sunshine in my home state of Nevada could provide enough energy to power every car and truck in the United States for a year. And there is enough geothermal energy in our country to run our economy emissions-free for more than 2,600 years.
All we need to do is corral the political will to seize this opportunity and pass this important legislation. Instead of relying on unstable regions of the world to fuel our country, it is time to tap America's can-do spirit and revive our proud record of innovating to confront challenges. We must recognize that our dangerous dependence on oil is an urgent national priority and harness the resources and technology already at our fingertips.
Our plan will save money and create jobs in a new clean-energy economy, make America safer and start to put a freeze on global warming emissions.
I want to thank the more than 36,000 of you who signed our petition asking President Bush not to veto the Supplemental Appropriations Bill. A bipartisan majority in Congress voted to fully fund our troops and change the mission in Iraq. The President refused to sign the bill into law. That is his right, but now he has an obligation to explain his plan to responsibly end this war.
President Bush may be content with keeping our troops mired in the middle of an open-ended civil war, but I am not; and neither are most Americans.
In the coming days Democrats will continue to reach out to the President. And we hope Congressional Republicans, who have remained silent throughout this debate will work with us as well.
If President Bush thinks by vetoing this bill he will stop us from working to change the direction of this war, he is mistaken.
Thank you for your continued support
President Bush may be content with keeping our troops mired in the middle of an open-ended civil war, but I am not; and neither are most Americans.
In the coming days Democrats will continue to reach out to the President. And we hope Congressional Republicans, who have remained silent throughout this debate will work with us as well.
If President Bush thinks by vetoing this bill he will stop us from working to change the direction of this war, he is mistaken.
Thank you for your continued support
Congress has acted.
Both the House and Senate have passed a Supplemental Appropriations Bill that fully funds our troops and provides a plan to responsibly end the war.
George Bush has repeatedly threatened to veto this bill. However I know that you and the majority of Americans support our legislation. We only have a few days to get that message through to the President. Tell George Bush:
Listen to the American people - don't veto the Supplemental Appropriations Bill
The President has put our troops in the middle of an endless Iraqi civil war. That's why a majority of Americans, a bipartisan majority in Congress and the Iraq Study Group believe that this war cannot be won militarily and the current path is not sustainable.
George Bush and Dick Cheney know their strategy has failed and they are now desperately grasping at straws, attacking anyone trying to responsibly bring our troops home. Instead of debating policy or working towards consensus, the Bush administration has resorted to name-calling. For example several days ago Dick Cheney came up to Capitol Hill and accused me of "defeatism."
Well I'm not going to get into a name-calling match with somebody who has a 9 percent approval rating. Instead I am going to spend my time working to change course in Iraq. Tell George Bush:
Listen to the American people - don't veto the Supplemental Appropriations Bill
A veto will deny our troops the resources they need, and send exactly the wrong message to Iraq's political leaders. After more than four years of a failed policy, it's time for us to change course.
Both the House and Senate have passed a Supplemental Appropriations Bill that fully funds our troops and provides a plan to responsibly end the war.
George Bush has repeatedly threatened to veto this bill. However I know that you and the majority of Americans support our legislation. We only have a few days to get that message through to the President. Tell George Bush:
Listen to the American people - don't veto the Supplemental Appropriations Bill
The President has put our troops in the middle of an endless Iraqi civil war. That's why a majority of Americans, a bipartisan majority in Congress and the Iraq Study Group believe that this war cannot be won militarily and the current path is not sustainable.
George Bush and Dick Cheney know their strategy has failed and they are now desperately grasping at straws, attacking anyone trying to responsibly bring our troops home. Instead of debating policy or working towards consensus, the Bush administration has resorted to name-calling. For example several days ago Dick Cheney came up to Capitol Hill and accused me of "defeatism."
Well I'm not going to get into a name-calling match with somebody who has a 9 percent approval rating. Instead I am going to spend my time working to change course in Iraq. Tell George Bush:
Listen to the American people - don't veto the Supplemental Appropriations Bill
A veto will deny our troops the resources they need, and send exactly the wrong message to Iraq's political leaders. After more than four years of a failed policy, it's time for us to change course.
I wanted to share a speech I delivered today:
Read More
We are at a critical point in the Iraq war and in the Iraq debate here at home. I am proud of the role the Senate and the House are playing in this historic debate. It is a constructive - and long overdue - effort to put some spine in our policy.
The very existence of this debate has already helped. The President's own Defense Secretary, Robert Gates, said that debate is essential to progress, that our efforts have been helpful to communicate to the Iraqis that American patience is limited.
Secretary Gates is right: American patience is limited. As the peoples' representatives, our patience is also limited.
Back in December, the Iraq Study Group said that "the situation in Iraq is grave and deteriorating." Unfortunately, since then nothing has changed.
And yet the President on Friday used the word "progress" no fewer than ten times when he gave his Iraq update.
He said that while there were still horrific attacks in Baghdad - and I quote - "The direction of the fight is beginning to shift." In describing his escalation of American troops - what he calls a surge - he said, "so far the operation is meeting expectations."
The White House transcript says the President made those remarks in the State of Michigan. I believe he made them in the state of denial.
These are the facts on the ground, the hard truths facing our heroic troops on the front lines:
-- American casualties are increasing, not decreasing. Four coalition troops have been killed each day this month, making it one of the deadliest months in the war in over two years. My home state of Nevada has lost 27 since the war began, and hundreds remain in harm's way, facing some of the most violent days since the war began.
-- Untold thousands of Iraqi civilians have died, while over two million more have fled the country as refugees.
-- The President used to talk a lot about establishing benchmarks for the Iraqi government. Yet despite our surge in troops and spending, they have failed to take meaningful steps toward achieving them.
-- Militias have not been disbanded and continue to cause terror. And now the Iraqi government itself, once the Bush Administration's greatest pride, stands on the brink of chaos.
-- Progress on amending the Constitution in order to ensure minority rights has languished, giving further fuel to the sectarian infighting.
-- Power, clean water and oil production - all of which are critical to establishing any kind of economic stability - are still not meeting minimum targets - leaving millions in despair.
-- 70% of Iraqi children are suffering from trauma like nightmares, bed wetting, stuttering and fear -- that some say could paralyze an entire generation that we had been counting on to harvest the seeds of democracy.
-- And to make up for shortages of combat-ready troops, tours of duty have been extended, recently from 12 to 15 months, with many soldiers now on their third or fourth tour.
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