In my last
post, I spoke about running as a Democrat and winning with the support of veterans, many of whom normally vote Republican. Several folks responded with their support and one,
OrangeClouds115, asked me to state my position on specific issues. Let me do so now.
I support Jack Murtha's position on Iraq. There are no easy answers, but there is a right way to leave Iraq. We must set milestones and take concrete steps for the reduction and strategic redeployment of our troops in the mid-east. I hate to be thoughtful about this, but let me refer you to the Center for American Progress and their paper on "Strategic Redeployment - A Progressive Plan for Iraq." It's a plan I would back in Congress.
Our right to privacy and an independent judiciary are both under attack. The tragic case of Terri Schiavo is a clear example of how far we have gone in the wrong direction. We must not turn the clock back on Roe v. Wade, and we must repeal the so-called Patriot Act which is anything but patriotic. We must hold congressional hearings to investigate an administration which intentionally ignored the 4th Amendment mandate for search warrants to illegally eavesdrop on Americans, despite the lenient requirements of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).
I'm against outsourcing jobs and taxes in the name of free trade. If this administration wants to make the world safer by encouraging democracy and strong economies then they should start right here at home.
I'm for reducing CO2 emissions and requiring better gas mileage. It's been almost a third of a century since the Arab Oil Embargo "woke us up" to OPEC, yet we're still completely dependent on fossil fuels. And American automakers are still laying-off thousands of workers because they can't compete with fuel-efficient Japanese cars.
Election fraud or the suspicion of election fraud in our country is intolerable. We must have an auditable paper trail on voting machines. We are "the" superpower: I think we can ensure fair and honest elections if we make the commitment.
Now let me say something about myself and my campaign. I am a life-long Democrat raised by an Irish Catholic mother during the Kennedy era.
Another great Irish-Catholic Democrat, Former House Speaker "Tip" O'Neill, upon losing his first election, learned this advice from his father, Thomas Senior: "All politics is local." He never lost another election.
My district is home to Fort Hood, the largest active-duty armored post in the United States Armed Services. My family is a military family. My prospects for success depend on reaching out to other military families in my district on the issues that are vital to them: veterans' benefits, proper equipment for our troops and bringing them back home rapidly and with honor.
I feel passionately about these issues and I believe my party - the party of World War I Artillery Captain Harry Truman, the party of PT boat Captain Jack Kennedy, the party of Submarine Officer James Earl Carter, the party of the GI Bill, the party of the Marshall Plan, the party of the Berlin Airlift - the Democratic Party, is the party most genuinely committed to the well being of our soldiers and veterans.
The Republicans are in charge of the whole show, and they've blown it: we've got VA hospitals closing; we've got wounded troops being billed for meals while in hospital; we've got moms and dads outfitting their kids with body armor, safety goggles and boots because the stuff from the government is junk.
And for the next ten months, I'll be working to convince the military families of the Fort Hood community-my community-the place I've called home longer than any other-that the Democratic Party is the one party that will truly be there for them.
That's what you'll see on my website. That's what you'll see in my campaign. If all the Democratic challengers and supporters get together on this, nothing will stop us.