From Jerry: "After the Iraq vote: A time for courage, vigilance and action"

This is a time for courage.

This morning, you woke up to the unfortunate news that a "compromise" bill was passed in Congress last night giving President Bush a blank check to continue waging the war in Iraq.

As you may know, this supplemental funding bill did not include:

1. Enforceable benchmarks.

2. A reasonable timetable for withdrawal.

3. Any requirement to initiate a diplomatic strategy to end this conflict (a primary recommendation of the Iraq Study Group).

4. Provisions to ensure that our soldiers are prepared, rested, and ready to wage this war as safely as possible until it is brought to an end.

Without these fundamentally important conditions, I could not vote for this bill. With a heavy heart, I voted "No" because I cannot, in good conscience, grant President Bush another blank check.

Beyond my insistence on the necessity for diplomacy and the proper care and protection for our troops and veterans, I have consistently called for real benchmarks and a reasonable redeployment timetable. This bill provided neither. That's why it was a blank check to the President.

This is a time for vigilance.

While you may be disappointed, as am I, in the failure of this legislation to hold President Bush accountable and move in a new direction in Iraq, I also believe now is the time to recommit ourselves to our community's resolve to end this conflict as soon as possible and as responsibly as possible.

We owe it to the men and women, the sons and daughters, the brothers and sisters, the fathers and mothers who are laying their lives on the line every day, halfway around the world.

Last night, by voting "No" on this historic bill, I exercised the solemn power you helped give me by electing me to Congress. Now, I want to encourage you to exercise your power to make a profound difference yet again.

This is a time for action.

On Memorial Day, I will be emailing you with a very important request -- a request that I know will have a deep impact on the very people who are willing to sacrifice their lives in service to our country.

Please open the email you receive from me on Memorial Day (or when you return from the holiday weekend) and, together, let's do something truly significant to contribute to the healing of our nation.

Thank you, again, for everything you continue to do.

P.S. If you would like to express your opinion on my vote against the Iraq supplemental funding bill, please post a comment on my blog. I really enjoy hearing your feedback, so please consider sharing your thoughts with me and our community by clicking this link. I will be sure to read your comments when I return to our district this weekend. 

Comments

[Joseph Hearst]

Well Done!

[Steve Pollaine]

Way to go, Jerry, I'm glad you voted against the bill - you took a stand for what is right.

[mediapolitic]

While I too am disappointed in our Congress in its failure to hold the administration accountable, I was pleased with your vote.

Getting out of Iraq, along with alternative energy actions that reduce our dependence on enemy-provided oil are my biggest priorities and you are a leader on both fronts. As a result, I donated additional money to your re-election campaign (I know its early) but I believe that positive actions speak louder than negative words.

[Terrence A. Beard]

I am bitterly disappointed in Congress' performance, and the fact that the slaughter in Iraq will continue, enabled by Democrats who are either too stupid, corrupt and/or ignorant to stand up for what a majority of the American people want - and end to the occupation.

Congratulations to Jerry for having the courage to vote against this toxic bill.

[Jim Hannon]

Thank you for trying to hold the President accountable and not giving him a blank check.

You voted the only reasonable way you could.

Thank you!
Jim

[Robert Becker]

Good show, Jerry! You are staying the right and moral course to end the war. You are fighting the true enemies of peace here -- so we don't have to fail fighting the wrong enemy over there. You are supporting democracy here -- rather than the illusion of it in Bushland, aka Iraq.

I appreciate that you do not see one vote as simple winning or losing, but stages on the path to abandoning the madness of targeting victory in Iraq. Until we overcome Bushthink, the terrorists will continue to count the victories. It's amazing what our stupidity hands vicious terrorists on a plate.

Keep the faith as you have kept ours.

[Joy Montgomery]

Thank you for voting against another blank check, Jerry. We need to elect more people who have the courage to say "NO!" when they see wrong being done.

[david]

Thank you for your "no" vote on funding for Iraq. Public opinion is solidly against continuing this conflict, where we are creating new enemies faster than we can defend against them. I applaud your moral and political courage.

[Karenna]

Thank you, Jerry, for walking your talk (And voting NO on the Iraq bill). THank you, that's all.

[Forrest Tanaka]

I often hear that Americans voted for change in November 2006, and it was certainly true for me, a political conservative who has felt betrayed by the Republican party. Yet aside from holding people like Alberto Gonzales accountable for their past actions, I see little change, and this is confirmed by this latest action by congress. I completely support your voting against this legislation, and appeal to you to continue to vote for what's right over what's politically expedient. I hope that Speaker Pelosi will one day see her that political expediency does not pay, or will pay for not seeing this.