My letter to Senator Gordon Smith (R-Oregon)

[neverforget]

As a constituent of yours, I am deeply disappointed but not surprised that you would vote to kill debate about the Iraq War resolutions. Not too long ago you called this war almost criminal, yet yesterday, you voted to kill debate. You talk a good game but when it comes time to put your vote where your mouth is, you vote with the President. How typical of today's Republicans and how wrong! The Iraq War hangs above this country like the Sword of Damocles because of people like you who will not stand up to the President. You have put loyalty to your party above loyalty to your constituents and Armed Forces. The Founding Fathers encouraged debate on matters of National Security but not today. Only blind obedience to the President is allowed. He is President, NOT KING! Debate the Resolutions! Debate does not "embolden our enemies"! Without any debate, it seems the insurgents are pretty emboldened now because about 3100 Americans and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis have been killed so far.

And, as expected from the previous times I've written you, I don't expect a reply. It seems that I'm not worthy of a response even though I am your constituent. You can also expect me to fully support whoever runs against you in 2008. I will do everything I can to get you out of office and into retirement. This war is going to end when men and women of courage stand up and stop it. You obviously don't have that courage. I'll vote for whoever does.

As an aside why isn't the Iraq war worthy of a topic in the drop-down menu of this web-form?

[fooj]

1. Well said.

:thumbsup:

[zeemike]

2. You are not a big donor to his campaign chest

So it does not hurt him to ignore you.
And unfortunately that is how it is in this political system. Money does equal speech.

[neverforget]

4. "Money does equal free speech" you got that right! The more money

you have the more speech you have with our politicians.

[Greyhound]

9. It seems that now money supersedes speech.

"Todays campaign rules are nothing more than legalized bribery" - Bill Moyers

[tblue]

3. Good for you. Thank you for letting him know your views. Damn good letter, too.

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

5. I phoned him today.

Thank you for sending the letter. The Oregon Homeward Bound Act is a resolution calling for congress to oppose the troop escalation. Call your local state reps. to support it.

[pdrichards114]

6. I have written him like 6 times in as many weeks

I have not received any kind of reply, and like you I even stated that in my correspondance. Gordon Smith's reign as a "moderate republican", which is on back of the work Ron Wyden has done, is almost at an end. And like you I'm not sure why it isn't worthy of a drop-down topic. I loathe G. Smith. Can't wait until he is out of office.

[neverforget]

10. It's obvious he doesn't care about us. This so-called "moderate"

Republican" has to leave. I'm with you in that I can't wait until he's out of office.

[oasis]

7. 2008 campaign slogan suggestion: Gordon's Gotta Go. (eom)

[PsN2Wind]

8. I'd like to see Pete DeFazio

parking his old Dodge Dart in the Senate parking lot.

[gratuitous]

11. Called it exactly right

"You talk a good game but when it comes time to put your vote where your mouth is, you vote with the President."

And it's time that the people of Oregon were reminded of this over and over again. I suggest putting this in a letter to the editor of the Oregonian. It will probably never be published, but even unpublished letters sometime trigger a response in the editorial offices.

[w8liftinglady]

12. great letter-now modify and send to your local paper

[neverforget]

13. I will submit a modified letter to the Oregonian later today. Thanks

to you and Gratuitous for the suggestion.

[pdrichards114]

14. Definitely send to the Oregonian.

He's definetly not a moderate, and needs to be exposed to Oregon for the Reich-Winger he is. Question is, will the Oregonian print it? They love him. However, I think Oregon is fed up with the ultra-conservative right. We have a Dem state house, senate, gov. and hopefully soon, full Dem representation to senate. Smith is a Miss-America right winger, pick one issue to be liberal about and stick with it. He chose to be liberal about one issue, suicide, when it happened to his family. Other than that he's voted with the BFEE about 85% of the time. TIME FOR SMITH TO GO!!

[neverforget]

15. Here's the letter to The Oregonian I sent tonight:

In December, Senator Gordon Smith had this to say about the Iraq War: "I, for one, am at the end of my rope when it comes to supporting a policy that has our soldiers patrolling the same streets in the same way, being blown up by the same bombs day after day. That is absurd. It may even be criminal." So what does the good Senator do when it’s time to stand up to the President? He votes to kill debate about the Iraq War resolutions. So when it came time to put his vote where his mouth is, he sides with the President and the same old failed policy. It doesn’t sound to me like he’s at the end of his rope. This war is going to end when men and women of courage stand up and stop it. Senator Smith obviously doesn’t have that courage.

Hopefully they will print it, but I doubt it.

[gratuitous]

17. Good letter

Short, sweet, to the point. Will it get printed in the Oregonian? Hard to say, and I would guess probably not. But as I said before, even letters that don't get printed sometimes cause a change in editorial policy.

Good job.

[neverforget]

16. selfless kick

:kick: