Blue Dogs or Red Dogs, Part II

Today is the day to take action on H.R. 5740.  As I outlined on Friday:

It's time to draw a line in the sand. There are forty-seven members of the Blue Dog Democrats, and we need to know which ones support the U.S. troops who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan and which ones agree with Rep. John Tanner that they are nothing more than deficit-enhancing debris. This is what Mr. Tanner had to say when announcing the plan by a segment of the Blue Dogs to block a vote on the GI Bill of Rights:

Some of us oppose creating a new entitlement program in an emergency spending bill, whether it’s butchers, bakers or candlestick-makers.

A group that has voted time after time to support George Bush's war, at a cost of over $500 billion dollars, now dismisses the men and women who risked their lives as candlestick-makers who don't deserve money to go to college? The Blue Dog's reason? Because their budgetary rule of pay-as-you-go has "been ignored one too many times." Yes, these champions of fiscal responsibility are fine with George Bush's twice-a-year $100 billion "supplementals," they are fine with billions going to Halliburton and Blackwater, but when it comes to providing a benefit to the people who fought in the war that the Blue Dogs supported, well, to hell with the troops.

This week House Democratic leaders will once again to try bring the Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 up for a vote and we need to know which Blue Dogs plan to join John "candlestick-maker" Tanner in blocking educational benefits for the men and women who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.  

Bear in mind, the only reason to block this vote is because they are too cowardly to stand up and publicly oppose this bill.  If they don't want to support the troops, they should have the guts to come out and say so instead of trying to hide behind a procedural maneuver.  

So please, take a few minutes to call a Blue Dog and ask if they intend to block H.R. 5740 or if they will support educational assistance for veterans.  And tell them that supporting the troops isn't just a slogan...at least it shouldn't be.

And for more action items, go to Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA).

Mike Arcuri (NY): [phone]
Joe Baca  (CA): [phone]
John Barrow  (GA): [phone]
Melissa Bean  (IL): [phone]
Marion Berry  (AR): [phone]
Sanford Bishop  (GA): [phone]
Dan Boren  (OK): [phone]
Leonard Boswell  (IA): [phone]
Allen Boyd  (FL): [phone]
Dennis Cardoza  (CA): [phone]
Christopher Carney  (PA): [phone]
Ben Chandler  (KY): [phone]
Jim Cooper  (TN): [phone]
Jim Costa  (CA): [phone]
Bud Cramer (AL): [phone]
Lincoln Davis  (TN): [phone]
Joe Donnelly  (IN): [phone]
Brad Ellsworth  (IN): [phone]
Gabrille Giffords  (AZ): [phone]
Kirsten Gillibrand  (NY): [phone]
Bart Gordon  (TN): [phone]
Jane Harman  (CA): [phone]
Stephanie Herseth Sandlin  (SD): [phone]
Baron Hill  (IN): [phone]
Tim Holden  (PA): [phone]
Steve Israel  (NY): (202)  225 3335
Nick Lampson  (TX): [phone]
Tim Mahoney  (FL): [phone]
Jim Marshall  (GA): [phone]
Jim Matheson  (UT): [phone]
Mike McIntyre  (NC): [phone]
Charlie Melancon  (LA): [phone]
Michael Michaud  (ME): [phone]
Dennis Moore  (KS): [phone]
Patrick Murphy  (PA): [phone]
Collin Peterson  (MN): [phone]
Earl Pomeroy  (ND): [phone]
Mike Ross  (AR): 1-800-223-2220
John Salazar  (CO): [phone]
Loretta Sanchez  (CA): [phone]
Adam Schiff  (CA): [phone]
David Scott  (GA): [phone]
Heath Shuler  (NC): [phone]
Zack Space  (OH): [phone]
John Tanner  (TN): [phone]
Gene Taylor  (MS): [phone]
Mike Thompson  (CA): [phone]
Charlie Wilson  (OH): [phone]