Congressional Support Growing For Cindy

[paineinthearse]

Blogged by JC on 08.10.05 @ 10:22 PM ET
http://www.conyersblog.us/

Congressional Support Growing For Cindy
Letter Signed by 38 Members Delivered Today

Today I submitted a letter to the White House signed by 38 Members calling on the president to meet with Cindy Sheehan and to protect her constitutional right to petition her government. Buzzflash (among others) has a copy of the letter. The number of signatories has grown from a half dozen on the first day, to 16 yesterday, to 38 today. This is a quite encouraging number given that we are on recess, and many Members are out of pocket.

I think Congressional support is quite important since the White House and the right wing attack machine are gearing up to discredit Cindy. Today Maureen Dowd had an excellent piece in the New York Times - http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/10/opinion/10dowd.html?oref=login&pagewanted=print
- detailing this latest hypocrisy by the Administration. She also explains how the White House is attempting to taint this courageous mother: "The Bush team tried to discredit 'Mom' by pointing reporters to an old article in which she sounded kinder to W. If only her husband were an undercover C.I.A. operative, the Bushies could out him. But even if they send out a squad of Swift Boat Moms for Truth, there will be a countering Falluja Moms for Truth." Media Monitors has another good piece on the "Plaming of Cindy." http://usa.mediamonitors.net/content/view/full/17653

This story and Cindy's bravery are not going away, and I'm sure much more will be coming in the coming days and weeks.

On a slightly unrelated note, I noted that recently that I partcipated in an excellent Harpers magazine forum a few weeks ago on the Ohio election scandal and the need for reform. The full audio can be accessed here, and is worth a listen. http://www.harpers.org/WhatWentWrongInOhio.html

http://www.buzzflash.com/alerts/05/08/ale05114.html

pdf version - http://www.buzzflash.com/alerts/05/08/images/pressheehanltr81005.pdf



John Conyers, Jr.
George Miller
Maxine Waters
Corrine Brown
Dennis Kucinich
Carolyn Maloney
Jim McDermott
Jim McGovern
Barbara Lee
Zoe Lofgren
James Oberstar
John Lewis
Bernard Sanders
Bob Filner
Mike Honda
Raul Grijalva
Jan Schakowsky
Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick
Frank Pallone
Major Owens
Xavier Becerra
Lynn Woolsey
Danny Davis
Jerrold Nadler
Elijah Cummings
Hilda Solis
Gwen Moore
John Olver
Pete Stark
Sam Farr
Julia Carson
Sheila Jackson Lee
Diane Watson
Chris Van Hollen
Lloyd Doggett
Betty McCollum
Henry Waxman
Peter DeFazio

[Patchuli]

1. Lord I love that man!!!

Go John, Man of the People!!!!

[Triana]

3. I was just gonna post that myself...

..God I love Conyers! Does he ever STOP working? He runs circles around other Dems in DC. They could ALL take some lessons from him in how to represent and work for THE PEOPLE.

[katinmn]

2. Glad to see 2 MN reps on the letter!

been writing them every day.

[magellan]

4. There's just not enough good can be said about John Conyers

He's everything a Democratic Congressman should be...and then some. If only they all took their jobs as seriously as he does.

[Catchawave]

5. Good Work Pain....

..though I don't recognize MOST of those names who signed, I think Sen George Allen (R-VA) is leading a bipartisan effort to get this resolved also? Of course he has a re-election next year and doesn't want to go down as "opposing Gold Star Moms" I'm sure <snork>.

I'm also surprised the MSM hasn't caught on to this Bushco created mess-a-palooza.

[dbt]

6. Congressman Conyers reminds us all how the word

Honorable came to be associated with our elected representatives. And he shames, for example, the entire Arkansas delegation.

[existentialist]

36. "Honorable"

Somehow I don't think the term "honorable" came to be applied to our congressional representatives because they actually were honorable--far from it. Perhaps to remind them that they have a duty to try to be honorable, or perhaps as the flattery needed in dealing with them because they were not honorable!

However from the beginning of our republic the founding fathers recognized that not all of those in power would ever be honorable. The whole system of checks and balances was set up to try to keep the corruption in check--not to prevent it, which the founders recognized as impossible, but merely to limit it in such ways that it would not endanger the republic.

They clearly did not contemplate the dangers posed by today's neoconservatives and a corporate owned media.

[frictionlessO]

7. 38! Thats all!?! WTF!!! Where are the rest of them????

Where is Louise Slaughter?

Are they all in the shower and no one can get a hold of 'em?

38 is a great start, but there should be hundreds...

[Ian David]

9. I'm gonna get on the phone and call my congress-critters.

I already emailed them, but maybe I need to call, too.

[frictionlessO]

16. As suggested below, maybe pay their office a visit?

If you're close enough that is.

[paineinthearse]

32. Bring drums

:P

[paineinthearse]

12. "This is a quite encouraging number given that we are on recess."

Your Representative, if not already signed, is in his/her district office. Pick up your phone, make an appointment, and pay a visit.

[frictionlessO]

15. That my friend is exactly what I plan on doing since my email and call

didn't do the trick.

Like I said, good start but still longing for my signatories.

[rodeodance]

34. I think there was only 18 two days ago. so progess--slow but progress.

[TayTay]

8. Nice work in posting this.

John Conyers is a Dem Party icon.

[papau]

10. Excellent - now to ask the folks that have not signed "why not?"

:-)

[GreenPartyVoter]

11. Exactly

[paineinthearse]

14. Suggested action - meet your Representative!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=106&topic_id=21243&mesg_id=21243

[papau]

17. I contacted Barney Frank's office and sent email - I'm sure he will

endorse the letter.

[sepia_steel]

13. Bless you, John Conyers

If only they were all like you.

[Independent_Liberal]

18. This is excellent!

Nice to see more and more Congressional Democrats jumping on board. Maybe a few Republicans will have a heart and join in.

I'm tellin' ya, Conyers is the MAN!

[paineinthearse]

19. DU's John Conyers group is at risk of being closed

Ref today's admin notice that groups having little participation are at risk of being closed. With all the work John Conyers is doing, it would be a shame of losing it.

Please visit it daily to find links to his latest news releases and discuss related topics. Go to http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=340

[Tinoire]

22. The reason would be that Conyers is so popular and beloved that

a small group is too restrictive imo... Not to worry if the group closes... Conyers has made it to the big time with the majority of DU :)

[paineinthearse]

25. One purpose the Conyers group serves.....

I generally post his blog pieces in GDP, then cross-post a link in the JC group. Makes finding past DU discussions that much easier.

It's also a good place to visit to find the latest discussion thread(s).

[Nothing Without Hope]

20. Very positive articles in the LA Times and the NY Times, good coverage on

CNN, coverage by Olbermann on MSNBC tonight. Right now Cindy's vigil is the 2nd of 3 featured US stories on the front page of Google News.

No, it's not going away. And I believe that attempts to smear Cindy a la Swift Boat Liars will backfire ...BADLY. It will show the heartless, lying cowards for what they are

The thread on the LA Times story includes the wonderful photograph that accompanied the front-page story on Cindy Sheehan, a must-read:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2000891
Thread title: LA Times:"Mother's Protest at Bush's Doorstep Raises the Stakes" GOOD!!!

http://www.latimes.com.nyud.net:8090/media/photo/2005-08/18916035.jpg

Caption:
2 SONS LOST: Cindy Sheehan with Bill Mitchell at a Crawford, Texas, vigil. Both have lost sons in the fighting in Iraq.
(Jason Reed / Reuters)

And then there are the editorial cartoons. Sort of hard to come back after beng hit with Oliphant's magnificent and indelible interpretation (image make take a few extra seconds to display):

http://us.news1.yimg.com.nyud.net:8090/us.yimg.com/p/uc/20050810/lpo050810.gif

(discussed in this thread: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4312023)

Recommended. Conyers is honorable and has human feelings. It's past time the country insisted on that in its leaders and policies.

[paineinthearse]

21. Faux

Yesterday afternoon, I watched faux news for 3 hours. Nothing.

Today I've been watching since * impromptu press conference. Nothing.

Think they could send a camera crew 5 miles down the road? Ha!

[Nothing Without Hope]

28. Poor lil' Bushbots. Maureen Dowd highlighted their problem in her column

on Cindy Sheehan, which ran under different titles in the New York Times, the Houston Chronicle, and presumably lots of other places:

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/10/opinion/10dowd.html?th&emc=th
It's getting harder for the president to hide from the human consequences of his actions and to control human sentiment about the war by pulling a curtain over the 1,835 troops killed in Iraq; the more than 13,000 wounded, many shorn of limbs; and the number of slain Iraqi civilians - perhaps 25,000, or perhaps double or triple that. More people with impeccable credentials are coming forward to serve as a countervailing moral authority to challenge Mr. Bush.

What can the poor KoolAid dispensers at Faux do? Tsk-tsk. :evilgrin:

[paineinthearse]

29. In JC's words

"I think Congressional support is quite important since the White House and the right wing attack machine are gearing up to discredit Cindy. Today Maureen Dowd had an excellent piece in the New York Times detailing this latest hypocrisy by the Administration. She also explains how the White House is attempting to taint this courageous mother: "The Bush team tried to discredit 'Mom' by pointing reporters to an old article in which she sounded kinder to W. If only her husband were an undercover C.I.A. operative, the Bushies could out him. But even if they send out a squad of Swift Boat Moms for Truth, there will be a countering Falluja Moms for Truth.""

[Nothing Without Hope]

30. I do think that the efforts to smear Cindy Sheehan are going to backfire.

And we will help make sure that they do.

I keep coming back to Oliphant's cartoon (may take an extra few seconds to load):

http://www.allhatnocattle.net.nyud.net:8090/ol8115.jpg

I do think the usual smear and blowhard tactics, if they are aimed at this obviously honest, grieving mother, are going to show the American public what the neocon toads and their Poodle Press mouthpieces are really like.

[Tinoire]

23. My list of acceptable Dems just keeps dwindling and dwindling

That's very sad considering my list wasn't very long to begin with after witnessing their disgraceful co-habitation with the Bush regime.

[Larkspur]

24. What are the odds of Lieberman and any pro-war Dems signing this letter?

I'm glad that these Congress people have signed a letter supporting Cindy.

[paineinthearse]

26. As with all prior JC letters/petitions

They have been signed exclusively by Representatives, no Senators.

:shrug:

Congressional protocol?

[Wizard777]

27. We need more cars on this freight train.

Once we get it all hooked up and rolling full tilt boogie. It'll be time to light the torches.

[Nothing Without Hope]

31. This needs one more vote for the Greatest Page, where it should be.

:kick:

[faithnotgreed]

33. nominated for sure

sorry paine but this was posted early in the am for me so thanks for posting it

on edit: paine paine paine
got it

[rodeodance]

35. and nominated again

[Imagevision]

37. Perhaps Cindy will bring the show to you Mr. Conyers in DC.!!

[bvar22]

38. The Peoples voice in the Democratic Party:

John Conyers, Jr.
George Miller
Maxine Waters
Corrine Brown
Dennis Kucinich
Carolyn Maloney
Jim McDermott
Jim McGovern
Barbara Lee
Zoe Lofgren
James Oberstar
John Lewis
Bernard Sanders
Bob Filner
Mike Honda
Raul Grijalva
Jan Schakowsky
Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick
Frank Pallone
Major Owens
Xavier Becerra
Lynn Woolsey
Danny Davis
Jerrold Nadler
Elijah Cummings
Hilda Solis
Gwen Moore
John Olver
Pete Stark
Sam Farr
Julia Carson
Sheila Jackson Lee
Diane Watson
Chris Van Hollen
Lloyd Doggett
Betty McCollum
Henry Waxman
Peter DeFazio



Seems like the same bunch Leading the Charge every time!

[paineinthearse]

39. I see Jim McGovern's on your list

Great post about a forum last Monday night - http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2002366

I'm thinking of starting a DRAFT MCGOVERN FOR SENATE '08 movement!

[paineinthearse]

40. JC's latest blog is about the Patriot Act - he asks your input

see http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2003018

[Nothing Without Hope]

41. I've added this thread to my bookmark list called "Dems: good ones

and bad ones." We must encourage and support the good ones and hold the DINOS and outright corrupt ones accountable.