Eric Massa, NY29: "Stand up to the Corporatists"

[trillian]

Eric is live blogging over at dKos right now.

Join in the conversation.

Stand Up to the Corporatists: The Declaration of Rights Which have Been Denied Part 1


This past week, I announced my Declaration of Rights Which have Been Denied. This Declaration of Rights Which Have Been Denied is my way of expanding upon the Rights listed in FDR’s 1944 State of the Union message to Congress, which I have mentioned before here and here. I believe, andpolls support this belief, that the way forward for the Democratic Party is to confront President Bush and the Rubber Stamp Republicans for selling out to Corporate Interests and denying the People important Rights. This occasionally puts me at odds with some Beltway Insiders. But I’m not running to work for Beltway Insiders. I’m running to work for the People.

This is the first in a 10 part series where we will discuss some of the most dire situations facing our great nation, each of which has some related Right which has been denied. And then I hope you’ll stick around to chat with me about how we should address them on our Daily Kos live blog, every Sunday from 3-6pm Eastern.

#1: The People have the Right to not be Dragged into an Unnecessary War...

On March 20th of 2003, President George W. Bush, with the consent of a Rubberstamp Republican Congress, began an unnecessary war...

As we look back on one of the biggest failures of US foreign policy in history, it’s become quite clear that the President, the Vice President and their corporatist cronies decided on war with Iraq long before they even took office. According to Bush’s former Treasury Secretary Paul O’Neill, invading Iraq has always been the agenda of President Bush. After standing up to the President one too many times, O’Neill finally was fired for showing a spine. Subsequently, he told of his ]link:www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/01/09/60minutes/main592330.shtml|experiences inside the Bush White House in a 60 Minutes interview].

At cabinet meetings, O’Neill says the president was "like a blind man in a roomful of deaf people. There is no discernible connection," forcing top officials to act "on little more than hunches about what the president might think."

To have a President that plays Russian roulette with our soldier’s lives based on his "hunches" is unconscionable and I will not stand for it.

Ours is a government of checks and balances.

For four years now, we've been dragged through this misguided war and what have we accomplished? 3,364 Americans killed, over 25,000 wounded, and at least 62,805 Iraqi killed. Unfortunately, the Rubberstamp Republican Members of Congress have been right there to support George Bush’s misguided war every step of the way. Even now, the new majority Democrats still can’t push a timetable through because of Congressional yes men such as my opponent Randy Kuhl. Rather than doing the right thing by setting some deadlines, Republicans continue to play games with our military. Last month, we witnessed the death of 117 members of our Coalition Forces. This is the highest count since January 2005... are we still supposed to believe that the surge is working?

The American People have Spoken

The results of the 2006 election were just the start. Almost half a year has passed since last November’s elections, and the people of this nation are still waiting for the change in policy which they demanded. Right now, 40% of Americans say the Democratic Congress has not gone far enough to stand up to George Bush's failed Iraq policy. 62% of Americans think President Bush's recent actions in Iraq "Show he is stubborn or unwilling to admit his mistakes." 49% of Americans believe the situation in Iraq has gotten worse over the past 3 months. It’s about leadership and accountability. If our Representatives Washington won’t change their ways, then they had better change their line of work.

Leadership and Accountability

In 2008, when I represent the good people of the New York's 29th district, I solemnly promise I will always uphold the people's right to not be dragged into an unnecessary war. As a 24 year Navy Veteran, I know a thing or two about war. War is not something to be taken lightly, and George W. Bush’s failed policy has revealed this awful truth to the world. In times like these, we cannot stand idly by while our sons and daughters pay the price.

I hear you loud and clear America. The time for change is now. The time for leadership is now. The time to support our troops by setting timetables is now. It is time for Congress to stand up to the President.

Today, I ask you to join me in my cause to hold Congressman Randy Kuhl accountable for Rubberstamping his way through Congress. My campaign has always has been based on the support of the people. Together, I know we can weather this storm and stamp out the President’s Rubberstampers.

Conclusion

I need your help to make it to Washington, DC so I can represent the People and fight to reclaim the Rights which have been denied by President Bush and the Corporatists. You can read the Declaration of Rights Which Have Been Denied here. Please Join the Freedom Regiment and share this with your friends.

[Eurobabe]

1. Go Eric, he's a great guy!!

:bounce:

[The Count]

2. I do believe something was fishy in the results in 2006!

He is definitely a great guy!

[Tom Rinaldo]

3. The Republicans flooded his district...

...with Robocalls a couple of days before the vote, from very early in the morning to late at night, up to a dozen going to each household. The thing is though that the calls started out with a cheery voice saying "Let me tell you about Eric Massa" and it was intentionally designed to make most people think Eric's campaign was behind all of the harassing phone calls. You had to listen hard and long to figure out that the calls weren't coming from the Massa campaign, and there were a whole lot of people furious at Massa for Congress "calling them at all hours of the day".

BUT DON'T READ THIS HERE NOW. ERIC IS LIVE AT LOS NOW. JUST K&R THIS THREAD AND HEAD OVER!

[Adelante]

4. I love this guy

:loveya:

[ellenfl]

5. k&r eom

[Tom Rinaldo]

6. There are more R's than K's. I think Eric is still at Kos so

There's still time to get over and join the live discussion!

[Peace Patriot]

7. 1. The right to have our votes counted in a way that everyone can see and understand.

I would put that as our Number 1 right, and our highest priority for action.

It may not be such a crisis in New York as yet--and this may be why Mr. Massa doesn't mention it upfront--but Diebold/ES&S are fighting hard to get their election theft machines into New York. Getting people organized to keep them out should be the highest priority. They have infested most of the country with "TRADE SECRET," PROPRIETARY vote counting, owned and controlled by rightwing Bushite corporations.

Without transparent vote counting, we cannot stop the war, nor implement any other significant reform. Right now, we have 75% of the American people opposed to this war and wanting it ended, and they were only able to achieve a 50/50 Congress, even in the House*, all of which was up for election in '06. We improved the House--and even grabbed a slim edge in the Senate--by outvoting the machines. That may be the limit of our power until transparent vote counting is restored.


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*(The "Blue Dog" Democrats--all of whom I would suspect of being (s)elected by Diebold/ES&S--are for cutting all spending except war spending. If you count them as almost-Bushites, we don't even have a majority. The most prominent "Blue Dog" Democrat in history was Gary Condit, who voted for Bush/Cheney's first tax cut for the super-rich, on May 3, 2001, two days after one of his mistresses disappeared (Chandra Levy, whose bones were found in Rock Creek Park six months after 9/11). One of Condit's proposals was to place the "Ten Commandments" in all public buildings. That's your "Blue Dog" Democrat: corrupt, hypocritical, corporate-ass-kissing, Bushite jerks.)