PDA stands with Congressional Progressive Caucus and Out of Iraq Caucus
May 9, 2008, Washington, DC
May 8, 2008--PDA national team members Tom Pallow and Mike Hersh stood with Congressional Progressive Caucus and Out of Iraq Caucus members at a press conference calling for a halt to war spending. California Representatives Maxine Waters, Lynn Woolsey, Barbara Lee-known as “the Triad”-as well as Rep. Dennis Kucinich (OH), Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (TX) and Rep. Jerrold Nadler (NY) were joined by Shawn O'Donnell, former PDA-endorsed Virginia congressional candidate and Peace Action's Political Director Paul Kawika Martin to demand the House leadership appropriate funds only for the safe and orderly return of U.S. Troops and contractors-not continuation of the war and occupation.
Rep. Waters, the chair of the Out of Iraq Caucus, welcomed her colleagues and peace activists to the early-morning press conference on the Cannon Office Building Terrace, making a stand against the Congressional Democratic leadership's plans to appropriate another $108 billion for the war. She recognized Congressional Progressive Caucus co-chairs and PDA board members Lee and Woolsey, who recounted their sustained opposition to the war from before its inception. Rep. Lee pronounced the war a failure and called for a diplomatic solution. Rep. Woolsey observed that when she first spoke out against the war most Americans chose to listen to George W. Bush instead, but now by far most agree with us and oppose the war.
Rep. Kucinich asked a series of pointed questions that established the context Congress should consider before further authorizing the Bush Administration's military operations in Iraq: After the rationale and reasons for war were revealed to be false, why are we still in Iraq? No links to 9/11, no WMDs, why are we still in Iraq? After the deaths of 4,000 American troops and countless Iraqi deaths, why are we still in Iraq? Now that most Americans understand the war is wrong, the Bush policies aren't working, why are we still in Iraq?
Rep. Nadler--whose district includes the Ground Zero/World Trade Center site-echoed these sentiments. At times appearing exasperated, Nadler stressed that this war keeps killing more Americans and Iraqis, even though our presence in the middle of what has become a civil war only exacerbates the situation. Asked what policy the next president should follow regarding Iraq, Rep. Nadler explained the announcement of a rapid and complete withdrawal of troops and contractors, and then concluding that withdrawal within six or ten months-however quickly the military can transport them. He said, absent a timeline for ending the occupation, the Iraqis will not make the hard choices necessary to end the war.
Speaking on behalf of PDA, Shawn O'Donnell explained that when 47 million Americans lack health care, we simply cannot afford to spend tax money on the Iraq war and occupation. Highlighting the themes of PDA's
Healthcare NOT Warfare campaign, he called upon Congress to join the leaders for peace in opposing any further war funding. Paul Kawika Martin also spoke strongly against the House authorization bill currently under consideration. Voting on the authorization, expect to be this week, has been delayed, but press reports suggest the House leadership is eager to make a deal with the Bush/Cheney Administration.
The Associated Press reports: “House and Senate Democrats disagree over how much to add to Bush's $108 billion war request in the face of a White House veto threat. House Democrats, led by Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California and Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey of Wisconsin are pushing to avoid a veto, while Senate Democrats continue to press add-ons. 'We would rather just save time and get it over with right from the start,' Pelosi told reporters Thursday,” according to the wire service's May 1, 2008 article: “
Democrats struggle over war funding bill.”
PDA is working for a progressive Congress, one that will make Healthcare NOT Warfare its top priority. Please
put your Congress member on alert--tell your member of Congress you are taking the message of Healthcare NOT Warfare to the streets in your district, working for progress one neighbor at a time.
On May 17 and May 24, PDAers across the nation step away from the computer and join in the Healthcare NOT Warfare canvass, mobilizing voter support for Congressional candidates whose top priority is Healthcare NOT Warfare. We'll join our endorsed candidates hitting high Democratic-propensity precincts, knocking on doors, and distributing HNW flyers. Order your neighborhood canvass kit,
here and get ready to walk for peace!
Then, watch your mailbox for the kit, and your email box for updates. Contact
Mike@pdamerica.org to sign up for a canvass in your district. If you don't live near an endorsed candidate, you can still canvass your neighborhood. We're working from now through Election Day to elect a progressive majority to Congress. Then, we'll work to support their priorities--our priorities--until every troop and contractor is safely home and every American has healthcare.
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