Congressman Dennis Kucinich

Washington D.C. – Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), a leading Congressional voice calling for an immediate withdrawal from Afghanistan and Iraq, yesterday released the following statement after media reports that a U.S. airstrike on two stolen fuel transport vehicles left as many as 90 dead, including 40 civilians and a ten-year old child:

“News reports covering today’s attack by the U.S. command southwest of Kunduz province show that the good intentions of NATO forces in Afghanistan are not sufficient. If we want to avoid killing innocent civilians, we must end the war,” said Kucinich

After two fuel tankers were reportedly stolen by Taliban insurgents, a U.S. airstrike was carried out that took the lives of an unknown number of innocent Afghans.

The innocent appear to have been in harm’s way because the Taliban encouraged them to siphon off the fuel in the trucks which were immobilized in mud. The free fuel would be a natural draw to the citizens, given the level of poverty in the area. Corruption plaguing Afghanistan has ensured very little aid gets to Afghans in need.

“The NATO command claims to have checked for civilian presence before authorizing the air strike. When deadly force is used at high altitudes at high speeds, there is an even greater moral responsibility to be absolutely certain that no civilians will become casualties of military action.

“There is little hope for a truly independent investigation because the Karzai Government is compromised and NATO forces are digging in for the long term based on the Administration’s policy. The war in Afghanistan is quickly developing into a tragedy of monumental proportions. It is time for the U.S. to end this war and bring our troops home.”

Tanner-Update-on-Health-Care-0802091.mp3

Below is a transcript of Congressman Tanner’s remarks:

Hello, this is John Tanner. I want to talk to you a few minutes about the issues surrounding health care reform. As you know, the issue is consuming much time in Washington and across the country, and I wanted to try to provide you an update on where things stand.

First of all, let me stress how complicated this entire issue is. We are not working on this as citizens because the issue is fun or easy. We are working on it because the current health care delivery system is simply not sustainable.

In the United States, the quality of our medical care continues to be very good, and most of us are well-satisfied with our insurance plans, but the system through which we finance care is far from perfect. Inefficiencies, waste and ineffective payment incentives increase the costs and fail many times to reward high-quality care.

Medical costs – insurance premiums, deductibles and so on – are breaking the budgets of families and small businesses in Tennessee, as well as the federal budget. We will never be able to balance the federal budget and maintain our economic freedom if we do not somehow stem the ever-rising cost of health care.

For these reasons, most of us realize that reform of our country’s health care system is needed. It’s needed for the part that is broken, and we need to continue the part that works.

Five committees – three in the House and two in the Senate – are working on various versions of health care reform legislation. There is not yet a final bill to vote on. Many of the provisions being discussed are good ideas: incentives for higher quality; administrative simplification; coordinated care; maintenance of the employer-based system; and a clause that says patients cannot be denied coverage for pre-existing conditions.

However, we have concerns – those of us in the Blue Dogs – about the testimony of the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office, which indicated that the health reform bills that have thus far been introduced do not contain or achieve the long-term cost containment which is critical to the success of any reform effort. Because of these concerns and others, I had to vote against the current legislation during consideration in the Ways and Means Committee.

The problems facing the Congress with health care reform are as challenging as any domestic issue I have ever encountered. Everyone agrees that the overall goals of health reform should be cost containment, consumer choice, increased access and the maintenance of our high standard of quality care. Not surprisingly, not everyone agrees on how to achieve those goals, but everyone stands to benefit if we, together, can get it right.

I’m going to continue to talk with Members of Congress to produce a bill that provides accessible, affordable health care that all of us can be proud of.

In that vein, I welcome warmly any ideas that you may want to send to our offices in Tennessee or in Washington. I appreciate your time, and as this matter unfolds, I hope we can stay in touch and in contact, because this is a big deal. It affects all of us, and it is something that if we get right, all of us will reap benefits from, and our nation can hopefully be a healthier one.

Thank you very much.

About Congressman John Tanner

John Tanner represents the 8th Congressional District in West and Middle Tennessee. Co-founder of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Democrats, Tanner serves on the Ways and Means Committee, where he chairs the Social Security Subcommittee, and on the Foreign Affairs Committee. A veteran of the U.S. Navy and the Tennessee Army National Guard, Tanner chairs the U.S. delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and is serving a two-year term as NATO PA President.

WASHINGTON

“We share the concerns of many in West and Middle Tennessee about the negative impact this legislation, as passed by the House, could have on families, small businesses and farmers in the 8^th District, many of whom already face tough times because of today’s unprecedented economic challenges.

“We realize action is needed to address our country’s energy needs, lessen our dependence on foreign sources of energy, and ensure good stewardship of our environment. This legislation, however, is not the best approach and does not come at the right time. Many of us are hopeful the Senate will produce legislation that addresses these goals without the negative impact the House-passed bill could have on the 8^th District.”

About Representative John Tanner

Tanner represents the 8th Congressional District in West and Middle Tennessee. Co-founder of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Democrats, Tanner serves on the Ways and Means Committee, where he chairs the Social Security Subcommittee, and on the Foreign Affairs Committee. A veteran of the U.S. Navy and the Tennessee Army National Guard, Tanner chairs the U.S. delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and is serving a two-year term as NATO PA President.

Dr. Greg Rabidoux

Clarksville-Montgomery County just came out of an interesting election season with last years Kurita vs Barnes State Senate Campaign, and the Obama vs McCain Presidential Race. As such one would expect that the next election cycle would be well, more laid back. Well you can forget that right now. Greg Rabidoux has declared his intent to run for the Democratic nomination to face Republican Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn in the upcoming 2010 elections for the 7^th district seat. This promises to be one interesting race.

The initial exchange hints at the future intensity in store for this campaign.

According to the Memphis Commercial Appeal, Marsha Blackburn’s office released this statement:

November 2010 is a long way off. Between now and then, Marsha is focused on an ambitious agenda on behalf of her 7th District constituents.She will gladly defend her record against whomever emerges from the Democratic primary.

This is Dr. Rabidoux’s response:

I appreciate that Marsha Blackburn has already indicated that she will gladly defend her record during this campaign. We welcome her willingness to do so and will provide her with ample opportunities to defend her record. We only hope that she does not choose to defend her record solely through her spokesperson or scripted press releases. The people of the 7th District, especially in these critical economic times deserve to see for themselves, up close and personal, who is best qualified to lead them to the future.

Rabidoux is running because he feels the voters of the 7^th district deserve a Congressman who would bring a more moderate, reasonable and informed voice for the district. “We need a Congressman who will work to seek practical common sense solutions to the challenges that we face” he said.

He was most emphatic on this point, “We need a moderate voice, we need a reasonable voice, one that will bring more effective leadership, and lets face it,  to work with the majority in the House and Senate, and our President so that as Tennesseans, we are not on the outside looking in, but we have a seat and a voice at the table, when key decisions are made.”

Hollywood Politicos, Then and Now

Dr. Rabidoux is the author of Hollywood Politicos, Then and Now: Who They Are, What They Want, Why It Matters  (Rowman & Littlefield, 2009). His book takes a look at the political activism of Hollywood celebrities and associated organizations.

It covers early Hollywood unionism like the creation of the Screen Actors Guild and the Screen Writers Guild, as well as the actors and directors who organized against Nazism and Franco’s Spanish activists during World War II. The author discusses the special role that Hollywood played during the war years and then moves on to “celebrity-centered” activism, with the notable examples during the 1960s and 1970s of Charlton Heston, Marlon Brando, Barbara Streisand, Warren Beatty, and Jane Fonda. The main portion of the book profiles contemporary activism by current Hollywood stars, including Angelina Jolie, Michael J. Fox, Ashley Judd, and George Clooney. The author examines their political agendas and activism, as well as their impact on today’s American political landscape and policy-making in Washington, D.C. Using facts, figures, lighthearted commentary and trivia, this book provides a political and historical perspective on the nature of our society’s reverence for stars and what it may say about us as a democratic society. – University Press of America

It definitely should be on any politics  junkie’s reading list.

About Greg Rabidoux

The Rabidoux Family

Dr. Rabidoux is the youngest of three children. He and his wife Mara have one son, Valentin. Dr Rabidoux is currently a professor at Austin Peay State University where he teaches politics and law, and heads up the university’s pre law program. His wife Mara, a former NCAA Division I All-American tennis player, teaches Spanish at APSU.

For most of his adult life, he worked full-time while attending school at nights. He received his B.A. from the University of Connecticut in political science and journalism, his Masters degree from American University in Washington DC in public policy. He earned his PH.D from the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee in American Government, and his JD from Marquette University Law School. He has practiced law and is a certified professional mediator, having mediated for the US EEOC. After completing his M.A. degree he worked for a US House of Representatives Member and later for the United Nations in New York.

Rabidoux  writes a regular weekly column on politics for The All State Newspaper and on-line editions, and has been published in such publications as The National Jurist, USA Today and Reader’s Digest. He is a lifelong Democrat and currently a member of the Montgomery/Clarksville Democratic Party and State of Tennessee Democratic Party. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Arts and Heritage Development Council of Clarksville, Tennessee which sponsors this year’s (Summer 2009) Writers Conference and Tobacco Heritage Tour. Greg and Mara are Christian, and members of the Clarksville YMCA.

Contact the campaign

You can find more information on the Rabidoux campaign at his web site. You can email him, follow his campaign via twitter, or facebook, and make campaign contributions via his Act Blue Page. You can also contact them via postal mail:

Dr. Greg Rabidoux

Rabidoux is a faculty member at Austin Peay State University teaching law and politics in the political science department. He holds an doctorate (PH.D) in American Politics and Government and a JD (law degree) and is a certified professional mediator. He is a former staff member to a US House of Representatives Member, has worked at the United Nations and while pursuing his doctoral degree he worked full-time as a corporate trainer and manager. He is the author of Hollywood Politicos, Then and Now (Rowman & Littlefield, 2009). He, his wife Mara, and son Valentin live in Clarksville, Tennessee.

Dr. Rabidoux has declared his candidacy for US Congress and will “bring a moderate, informed, highly skilled and inclusive approach to the job” as he promises if elected to “faithfully represent the people of the 7th District and the values they hold dear”. He cites several factors for his decision to declare his candidacy now, which include the “ineffective, divisive, and increasingly obstructionist approach” of the current incumbent. He also cites the need to “work closely with the current majority in the House and Senate as well as the President to best serve the 7th District” and to “make sure they are not left outside looking in” as key budgetary decisions are made due to partisan animosity. Rabidoux says that due to his “more moderate approach and proven ability to reach across the political aisle, he would make sure Tennesseans have a strong, respected voice and a seat at the table” when such decisions are made. Greg and Mara are Christian and believe that those who “seek and serve their fellow Tennesseans in public office must advance the moral imperatives of ensuring that government work for and serve all its people, especially those most vulnerable in society.”

Those wishing to learn more about Dr. Rabidoux  and the values that will guide his campaign should visit his campaign web-site at http://www.rabidoux4congress.com/

TN House Chambers

Saying that unemployed Tennesseans should not have to chose between keeping a roof over their heads and getting skills for a new career, State Rep. Joe Pitts supported legislation to end that dilemma. House Democrats have sponsored a bill that would let laid off Tennesseans retain their unemployment benefits while they return to school to be retrained for new careers.

The legislation would allow a person receiving unemployment benefits due to losing their job to retain those benefits when they choose to return to college to get new job skills to succeed in tomorrow’s economy. The measure was approved by all present members of the Tennessee House of Representatives on Thursday.

“There are tens of thousands of Tennesseans who have lost their jobs during this economic slowdown and currently they can’t go back to school without losing the one thing keeping them from being out on the street,” said Pitts. “We should be helping these people retrain for the jobs of tomorrow, not forcing them to choose between a roof over their head or the classes they need to succeed in tomorrow’s economy.”

Under the legislation sponsored by State Representatives Joe Towns (D-Memphis), G.A. Hardaway (D-Memphis) and Henry Fincher (D-Cookeville), a person who is currently receiving unemployment benefits due to losing their job would not be denied those benefits if they choose to go back to college while they continue their search for new employment.

“We have people of every age and background no longer able to find work because their skills don’t match the available jobs,” said Pitts. “This legislation allows people to gain the skills they need without having to sacrifice the only source of income available to them.”

The bill passed the House unanimously 96-0 and will now wait on the Senate to take action on the measure. Earlier this month the bill was placed in the General Subcommittee of Commerce, Labor and Agriculture. The United States Congress is also slated to take up similar legislation later this year.

The Montgomery County State Legislative Delegation is Senator Tim Barnes, Rep. Joe Pitts, Rep. Curtis Johnson, and Rep. Phillip Johnson. Rep. Pitts may be reached at: rep.joe..gov; Rep. Curtis Johnson:  rep.curtis..gov; Rep. Phillip Johnson: rep.phillip..gov; Senator Tim Barnes: sen.tim..gov

The Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) is a dynamic lobbyist for all military retirees. Members include veterans — retired Marines, sailors, Air Force and Coast Guard personnel.MOAA is a non-profit , veteran’s association dedicated to maintaining a strong national defense and to preserving the earned entitlements of members of the uniformed services and their families.  It is vigilant in safeguarding and extending the benefits of all veterans. When MOAA speaks to Congress, they listen, and take immediate action.

Today, with a new administration, MOAA is busy developing and implementing strategies for legislation that benefits veterans ,their families  and  survivors, in recognition of the sacrifices made.

MOAA’s goal in 2009 is to be an effective organizational voice shaping relevant government policy and promoting earned benefits.  Under their guardianship, there will be no retreat or reduction of retired veterans benefits.

To effectively assist veterans, the MOAA has established the following goals for 2009:

• Sustain defense budget to meet personnel and weapons needs
• Sustain military manpower increase
• Gain additional “wounded warrior” fixes
• Resist shifting health costs to beneficiaries
• Reverse Medicare-TriCare payment cuts
• Repeal SBP/DIC offset
• Work for full concurrent receipt
• Restore military pay comparability
• Secure Guard and Reserve retirement and health upgrades
• Improve military family support

Later in their publication, another goal is added. It’s one that captured my attention and will improve survivor benefits in a small but important way in a time of grief. The MOAA is legislating for final retired pay for survivors. They are suggesting that Congress enact legislation that:

“…authorizing payment of a full month of retired pay for a service member’s death. Under current law, a prorated portion is summarily recouped from the survivor. MOAA believes it’s wrong to impose such unexpected and insensitive financial penalties on survivors at what is already the most traumatic time of their lives.”

As the policy stands, if I die on say, July 10, my survivors would receive only a ten day pro-rated portion of my pension. Under the new plan, my survivors would receive the pension for the whole month.

Just a reminder: in the military systems, pensions are suspended upon the demise of the retired veteran.

Go to bed tonight grateful for the MOAA’s vigilance.

What can we do?  According to Deng, one of the most important things we can do is to send a short note or email to our senators and representatives requesting that they take action to help the people of Darfur. Former Senator Paul Simon of Illinois said after the 1994 Rwandan genocide: If each member of Congress had received just 100 letters urging action, that would have been enough to get our political system to respond.

Deng is “living proof of slavery”. In Sudan human beings are still being bought and sold into slavery. He was abducted and enslaved when he was only 9 years old.

According to the Genocide Intervention Network:

At present (Jan. 2009) Darfur is experiencing the most intense fighting seen in the last year. For over 6 years, the most notorious genocide of the twenty-first century has devastated millions of non-combatant civilians in Darfur. Sudan continues to send its troops and Janjaweed proxy militias to systematically destroy the livelihoods of Darfurians by bombing and burning villages, looting economic resources, and murdering, raping, and torturing non-combatant civilians. Rebels in Darfur are also complicit in the recruitment of child soldiers and the commission of other acts of violence against civilians.

Senator Lamar Alexander, email
455 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

Senator Bob Corker, email
455 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

Representative Marsha Blackburn, email
217 Cannon House Office Building,
District of Columbia 20515-4207

President Barack Obama, email
The White House,
District of Columbia 20500

Hillary Clinton, email
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520

For more information:

http://www.preventgenocide.org/action/alerts/darfur/

http://www.genocideintervention.net/

http://www.uusc.org/content/contact_senators_representatives_darfur

]]> http://www.clarksvilleonline.com/2009/02/07/former-slave-speaks-at-apsu/feed/ 1 http://www.clarksvilleonline.com/2008/07/04/chris-lugo-presents-a-case-for-impeachment/ http://www.clarksvilleonline.com/2008/07/04/chris-lugo-presents-a-case-for-impeachment/#comments Fri, 04 Jul 2008 17:00:06 +0000 Christine Anne Piesyk http://www.clarksvilleonline.com/?p=5832 Chris Lugo, candidate for the Tennessee Senate, issued the following position statement:

George W. Bush is perhaps the worst American president who has ever served.  To this day it is a mystery to me how the man was able to gain the Republican nomination, steal the election, start two wars, get re-elected and then drag on a failed war for five years and drive the economy into the ground without getting impeached. 

Although the light is fading on the Presidency of Bush, it is not too late to impeach the man who lied to us about weapons of mass destruction.  As of result of the President’s deception, over four thousand American soldiers have died in Iraq and tens of thousands have been wounded, not to mention the one million or so Iraqis who have died directly or indirectly due to Bush’s interference in their country. 

Click here to view the embedded video.

The case for impeachment is strong, so strong that it has been supported by numerous Congressional representatives, most notably by Representative Dennis Kucinich of Ohio, who introduced articles of impeachment in early June.  Kucinich had the courage and the tenacity to say what needs to be said and to do what needs to be done.  President Bush has violated the will of the people, but more importantly, he has violated the Constitution of the United States of America, a document that he was sworn to uphold and defend, and for this indiscretion President Bush deserves to be impeached.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi made it clear when she was elected Speaker of the House that impeachment was not on the table, and she has been true to her word since that date, betraying the trust of the American people and showing her true colors as well as those of the Democratic party generally, except for a few brave individuals such as Kucinich.  The irony is that the Democratic Party and the left would be stronger if they called the President to account for his actions.  In any event, there are numerous candidates outside of the two party duopoly who support impeachment because we believe this should be a campaign issue.  We feel strongly about our rights as Americans and do not believe that a corrupt administration can compromise those rights.  When they try, we believe that it is time to call them to account.

Bush must be called to account for the lies he has made in order to manipulate the general public.  Bush claimed that Saddam Hussein was an immediate threat to America but the truth is that we were a real threat to Iraq.  His administration lied about the issue of significant quantities of uranium being brought into Iraq from Africa.  He lied about the connections between 9/11 and Iraq, continuously misleading the American people into believing there was a relationship.  Bush lied about Iraq and Al Qaeda, misleading the American people into believing there was a collaborative relationship between the two.  The President lied about weapons of mass destruction, insisting that there was evidence which consisted mostly of forged documents.  The United Nations found no evidence of weapons of mass destruction and intelligence services produced no credible information to support Bush’s claim.  As a result of these lies and misleading statements the United States was led into a war it could not win, spending hundreds of billions of dollars and causing the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people.

By supporting impeachment Kucinich has set in motion a process which calls to public light the terrible misdeeds of this administration.  The tide of public opinion has turned against Bush and across the nation people are calling for impeachment.  President Bush has condoned the use of torture on men, women and even boys in Iraq and at secret prisons around the world in the name of national security.  He violated the constitution by denying habeas corpus and has called for domestic spying on Americans. 

We can wait for the elections to remove Bush from office, but why wait until November? Indeed, although it is not a crime to be the worst President in the history of the United States, it is a crime to lie, mislead, deny constitutional rights, torture, spy and violate international law.  There has never been a better case to impeach a sitting President than now.  The people of Iraq, our soldiers abroad and ordinary Americans everywhere will all be better off once this criminal has been removed from office, and I say the sooner the better.