Hon. Dennis Kucinich / US House of Representatives – 2010-07-27 01:00:45
http://kucinich.us/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=28867&Itemid=1
Dennis Kucinich Announces Two Important House Votes
Click here to view video
CLEVELAND, Ohio (July 26, 2010) — Congressman Dennis Kucinich announces that he and Congressman Ron Paul are joining in a cause focused at compelling the removal of US military forces from Pakistan. Later this week, Congressman Kucinich will also support ending the War in Afghanistan by cutting off funding for the war.
Transcript follows below:
Hi everyone, Dennis here.
This week we have two very important votes for the future of this country and the future of the world. The first deals with Pakistan — House Concurrent Resolution 301, and the second deals with supplemental funding which will provide another 33-billion dollars to keep the War in Afghanistan going. I would like to speak to you briefly about both of those votes.
The first vote is likely to occur this Tuesday on House Concurrent Resolution 301, sponsored by myself and Congressman Ron Paul of Texas. This resolution aims to cause the United States to withdraw from Pakistan. Now, it’s not generally known that we have at least 124 Special Forces troops on the ground inside Pakistan. It is absolutely urgent that we take a stand to stop spreading war in Pakistan. To nip in the bud the US ground presence.
We already know the US has had missile strikes inside Pakistan since March of 2005 with a lot of innocent villagers killed. All that we can do is to expand the war into Pakistan, destabilize that government and have the United States fighting on still another front. We have to get out of Pakistan and that’s why Ron Paul and I have come together, for the first time, to force a vote on this question.
Later in the week we’ll be faced once again with the question whether to continue to fund the War in Afghanistan. The New York Times and other news agencies have taken WikiLeaks reports and have released this news globally. And what we’ve learned in the last 24 hours is that there is another secret war going on in Afghanistan. A war of failure. A war of our troops getting undermined by people that we think are working with us.
This is occurring in Pakistan, it’s also happening in Afghanistan. The Afghanistan government is a cesspool of corruption. There is no plausible way that anything even remotely resembling a democracy can be established there. Our presence there is an occupation fueling an insurgency.
We have to get out of Afghanistan. We owe it to our troops. We owe it to our national security. We owe it to our budget. We owe it to the American people who hope for a better life here at home.
So, again, this week, two important votes: one tomorrow to get out of Pakistan and, later this week, end the War in Afghanistan by cutting off funding. I’ll be in touch with you as matters progress.
I appreciate your on-going support. I need your help to continue to serve in the United States Congress.
Thank you, very much.
88 Politicians Who Would Vote Against War Funding
Coalition Against War Spending http://caws.us
(July 25, 2010) — The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have cost Americans over $1 trillion in direct costs, and over $3 trillion altogether.
At a time when our national debt exceeds $13 trillion, we can no longer afford these wars.
It’s time for Congress to reject any funding except to bring all our troops safely home.
SIGNED BY 90 CANDIDATES AND 31 ORGANIZATIONS:
Candidates include Greens, Democrats, Libertarians, Independents, Republicans, Socialists, and Peace and Freedom Party members.
Candidates for US House of Representatives:
Ken Adler, AR-01, Batesville, Green
Nick Coons, AZ-05, Tempe/Scottsdale, Libertarian
Rebecca Schneider, AZ-06, Phoenix, Democrat
Richard Grayson, AZ-06, Apache Junction, Green
Carol Wolman, CA-01, northwest corner, Green
Clint Curtis CA-04, northeast corner, Democrat
Ben Emery CA-04, Nevada City, Green
Eugene E Ruyle, CA-06, Marin/Sonoma, Peace and Freedom
Larry Allen, CA-09, Oakland, Peace and Freedom Party
Dave Heller, CA 09, Berkeley, Green
Jeremy Cloward, CA-10, Pleasant Hill, Green
Mark Williams, CA-12, San Carlos, Libertarian
Mary V. Larkin, CA-17, Monterey, Libertarian
Les Marsden, CA-19, Yosemite/Mariposa, Democrat
Randall Weissbuch, CA-26, Arcadia, Libertarian
Richard R. Castaldo, CA-30, Peace and Freedom Party
Marcy Winograd, CA-36, Los Angeles, Democrat
William Hedrick, CA-44, Riverside/San Clemente, Democrat
Ken Arnold, CA-46, Orange and L.A., Democrat
Mike Paster, CA-49, Fallbrook, Libertarian
Tracy Emblem, CA-50, San Diego, Democrat
Michael Benoit, CA-52, San Diego, Libertarian
Lisa Ann Green, CA-53, Venice, Green
Gary Swing, CO-01, Denver, Green
Jerell Klaver, CO-05, Manitou Springs, Libertarian
G. Scott Deshefy, CT-02, New London, Green
Doug Tudor, FL-12, Riverview et al, Democrat
Marleine Bastien, FL-17, North Miami, Democrat
Regina Thomas, GA-12, Savannah, Democrat
Matt Reichel, IL-05, Chicago, Green
Bill Scheurer, IL-08, Lindenhurst, Green / Independent
Simon Ribeiro, IL-09, Evanston, Green
Rodger Jennings, IL-12, Alton, Green
Doug Marks, IL-14, Carpentersville, Libertarian | Statement
David Gill, IL-15, Democrat
Sheldon Schafer, IL-18, Peoria, Green
John Duncan, IN-04, Libertarian | Statement
John Wayne Cunningham, IN-08, Terre Haute, Libertarian
James E. “Jim” Holbert, KY-05, London, Democrat
Philip Dunkelbarger, MA-09, Westwood, Independent
Peter White, MA-10, Cape Cod, Independent
Charlie Shick, MI-03, Wyoming, Green
Anna Janek, MI-09, West Bloomfield, Republican
Diana Longrie, MN-04, Democrat
Michael Cavlan, MN-05, Minneapolis, Independent Progressive
Kevin Craig, MO-07, Springfield, Libertarian
William OBrien, MO-09, Mexico, Libertarian
Thomas Hill, NC-08, Fayetteville, Libertarian
Lon Cecil, NC-12, High Point, Libertarian
Anthony Gronowicz, NY-07, New York City, Green
Jonathan Tasini, NY-15, New York City, Democrat
Emin Eddie Egriu, NY-28, Buffalo, Democrat
Marc Johnston, OH-02, Blue Ash, Libertarian
Chris Henry, OR-01, Portland, Green
Michael Meo, OR-03, Portland, Green
Chris Lugo, OR-05, Oregon City, Green
Ebert G. Beeman, PA-03, Lake Erie, Libertarian
Vernon Etzel, PA-05, Oil City, Libertarian
Ed Bortz, PA-14, Pittsburgh, Green
Jake Towne, PA-15, Nazareth, Independent
David Segal, RI-01, Providence, Democrat
Robert A. Dobbs, SC-01, Myrtle Beach, Green
Eric Schechter, TN-05, Nashville, Democrat
Christopher J. Claytor, TX-03, Plano, Libertarian
James Arthur Strohm, TX-21, Austin/San Antonio/Kerrville, Libertarian
Steve Susman, TX-22, Houston, Libertarian
Martin Nitschke, TX-23, El Paso to San Antonio, Libertarian
John Jay Myers, TX-32, Dallas, Libertarian
Claudia Wright, UT-02, Salt Lake City, Democrat
Gail Parker, VA-01, Independent Green
John Kelly, VA-03, Independent Green
Janet Murphy, VA-04, Independent Green
Floyd Bayne, VA-07, Independent Green
Ron Fisher, VA-08, Arlington, Independent Green
David Gillis, VA-11, Independent Green
Larry Kalb, WA-02, northwest corner, Democrat
Diana McGinness, WA-02, Bellingham, Democrat
Roy Olson, WA-09, Olympia, Green
Natale Straccuzzi, Washington DC, Green
Candidates for US Senate:
Duane Roberts, CA, Green
Gail K Lightfoot, CA, Libertarian
Marsha Feinland, CA, Peace and Freedom Party
John Finger, CO, Libertarian
Bob Kinsey, CO, Green
Richard A. Weir, NC, Green
Cecile Lawrence, NY, Green
Dan La Botz, OH, Socialist
Rick Staggenborg, OR, Green
Mel Packer, PA, Green
Bob Burr, WA, Democrat
Ben Masel, WI, Democrat (2012)
Organizations:
American Homeless Society
Backbone Campaign
BuzzFlash
Campaign Corner: A Home for Progressive Populist Candidates
Campaign for Peace and Democracy
CODE PINK: Women for Peace
Consumers for Peace
The Democratic Activist
Democrats.com
End US Wars
Environmentalists Against War
Global Exchange
Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space
Green Change
Global Peace
Independent Green Party of Virginia
Jobs for Afghans
Justice Through Music
Liberty Tree
Maine Bring Our War $$ Home Campaign
Military Families Speak Out
National Education Association Peace and Justice Caucus
Peace Majority Report
Progressive Democrats of America
Progressive Push
Proposition One Campaign
Rethink Afghanistan
Smirking Chimp
Velvet Revolution
Veterans For Peace
Voters For Peace
War Criminals Watch
WarIsACrime.org
READ ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS FROM SIGNERS.
• WATCH VIDEOS FROM SIGNERS.
NB: The candidates and organizations listed here are not endorsing each other and many strongly disagree with each other on many issues. But all fully support the statement at the top.
Want to support these candidates? ACT BLUE has created a page to fund all the Democrats on this list. But that misses the spirit of this coalition. We want to support the candidates that will end the wars, regardless of parties, because citizen loyalty to party breeds candidate loyalty to party, and no candidate loyal to the leadership of a successful party in our corrupted system will ever end wars.
So, please create a page to fund all of these candidates, or go to their websites and support them directly.
