Obamarama
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Sun Nov-30-03 09:17 AM
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My letter to the editor re: Bush's request for us to help troops... |
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After nearly 5 months away from DU, I'm back...as feisty and upset as ever over how this adiminstration is ruining our country. Here's the text of my letter to the editor of my local paper in response to Bush's request of the American people to help the troops. Feel free to copy, sign your own name and send to you own local papers. We cannot remind too many people too many times of how insidious this administration is...
Text of letter:
Following his Thanksgiving public relations exploit disguised as a top-secret trip to visit troops in Iraq, George W. Bush asked Americans to “volunteer to help military personnel and their families’ during his Saturday, November 29 radio address.
I keep hoping one day I’ll cease being amazed by the contradictions and absurdities this man articulates. While I support any measure that would provide assistance, encouragement and aid for both active and veteran military personnel and their families, I am appalled that Mr. Bush had the chutzpah to ask the American public to do what his own administration will not. Thankfully, our troops can rest assured that as a society we will collectively do what we can to support them while our president seemingly turns a blind eye to their fate.
Our troops are still facing death and danger in Iraq, months after Bush swooped Top Gun-style onto an aircraft carrier and declared victory under a “Mission Accomplished” banner. Meanwhile, this is what Mr. Bush and his administration has been doing for our troops:
- Slashed nearly $200 million to programs that provides assistance to public schools serving military bases, disproportionately reducing education funding for the children of soldiers fighting in Iraq.
- Bush's latest tax cut failed to extend a child tax credit to nearly 200,000 low-income military personnel.
- Bush’s 2004 budget will result in cuts of $1.5 billion in funding for military family housing, child-care centers, barracks, hangars and office buildings. House Republicans voted down a proposal by House Democrats to restore $1 billion of those cuts.
- Bush’s administration has proposed cuts totally at least $14.6 billion over the next ten years in benefits paid by the Veteran’s Administration.
- The administration resisted support of the recently passed TRICARE legislation that prevents National Guard reservists from being cut off from health care benefits 30 days after being de-activated.
- The Bush administration waited until the 11th hour to sign a bill that kept imminent- danger pay being reduced from $225 to $150 per month, and family separation pay being reduced to $100 from $250 for soldiers being shot at in Iraq.
It’s bad enough that Mr. Bush committed American troops to fighting and dying in a fruitless war that has accomplished little more than to destroy what little infrastructure existed in Iraq, further de-stabilize an already fragile region, and put us at diplomatic odds with the rest of the globe. What’s worse is that his administration can’t – or won’t – properly provide for the men and women it has put in harm’s way.
He’s apparently leaving that up to the American people themselves. It’s a pity he and his handlers couldn’t have seen fit to do the same with the 2000 election.
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Military Brat
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Sun Nov-30-03 09:22 AM
Response to Original message |
1. My ABB position is my platform for supporting the troops |
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Edited on Sun Nov-30-03 09:24 AM by Military Brat
The rest of it, such as donating things the troops need, is understood as an American duty, and I do so absolutely willingly, and I don't need a reminder from the chickenhawk demander-in-chief.
bush needs a dope-slap up the side of his head if he thinks he needs to point out ways to support the troops to "ordinary" Americans.
:wtf:
Edit: Welcome back!
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ayeshahaqqiqa
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Sun Nov-30-03 09:30 AM
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Hope many people read your letter, because it is right on.
And the Shrub didn't have to tell us to support the troops. My husband has given up days of work so the Guardsman who works with him can get in extra jobs before he's deployed Dec. 8 (they are both mechanics and work on commission basis, not an hourly wage, and work is slow this time of year). I have donated to the local support group for Guardsmen as well, and have asked how they are doing. I laugh as we do this, because we both protested the war back in the winter, and were called all kinds of names. The name callers haven't been around lately to help the troops, as far as I can tell.
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Obamarama
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Sun Nov-30-03 09:36 AM
Response to Reply #2 |
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Great quote you've got there...I think Sam Waterston is a excellent actor. Obviously highly articulate as well.
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newyawker99
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Sun Nov-30-03 01:18 PM
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Obamarama
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Sun Nov-30-03 02:56 PM
Response to Reply #9 |
10. Thanks, Newyawker99.... |
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Glad to be back.
I got hooked on DU while I was out of work last year for 51 weeks. Needless to say, I spent a hell of a lot of time on here. I finally found myself back at a desk in August and just needed to focus on the new job (which is REALLY cool and in my chosen profession...I didn't have to settle for a McJob to get by).
I'm back now, my batteries are re-charged and I'm ready to stick up my dukes and fight for what's right.
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GCP
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Sun Nov-30-03 09:33 AM
Response to Original message |
3. Excellent letter. This should be on the front page |
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of all the nation's newspapers, written by what used to be called journalists.
It should also be trumpeted out on shows like 48hrs, 20/20, 60 minutes etc.
The huge majority of the population are in complete ignorance of these facts you've enumerated.
The media are to blame for a lot of the mess we're in, IMHO.
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Obamarama
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Sun Nov-30-03 10:59 AM
Response to Reply #3 |
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I'm not sure about front page placement, but for good measure I did forward it to USAToday to be considered in their opinion forum...we'll see what happens. I would have forwarded to the NY Times, but their word limit is 150 words.
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Kolesar
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Sun Nov-30-03 09:42 AM
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5. Don't send exact copies to the editor! |
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Paraphrase, rewrite it a bit instead. Editors will never publish another letter by you if you send in form letters instead of personal letters. It is considered bad form.
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Obamarama
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Sun Nov-30-03 09:45 AM
Response to Reply #5 |
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You are right.
I haven't had the required amount of java to get the synapses firing correctly this morning. I wasn't thinking that several people from the same area might try to submit the same letter to the same local newspaper. DUH! I'm obviously having a "Bush moment" this morning....
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Kolesar
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Sun Nov-30-03 09:54 AM
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7. GOOPs got burned for mailing identical "letters from the troops"months ago |
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They were all written by a Lt. Colonel who specializes in misinformation--such as misreporting WMD finds.
Lt. Col. Dominic Caracillo, I recall.
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proud patriot
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Sun Nov-30-03 03:00 PM
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11. You came back with positive energy |
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A very need thing :hi: Welcome Back :D
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neebob
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Sun Nov-30-03 03:12 PM
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12. That's an excellent letter |
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I hope it gets published. My local paper seems to prefer letters under 250 words, which tends to exclude a lot of specifics like you've listed. I was sickened by that statement about volunteering to help the troops. There's no end to the Evil War Chimp's hypocrisy.
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