Folks,

I was so pleased to get this response from my Congresswoman, Lynn Woolsey,
that I thought I would share it with you all. It’s good to know that, at
least, my leadership hasn’t completely lost its mind over Iraq, and expects
the Administration to show some accountability before handing them another
blank check to do whatever it wants to do in Iraq. "This latest request for
supplemental funds demonstrates either President Bush’s gross inability to
adequately plan for the post war stage in Iraq or his unwillingness to be
straight with the American people about the overall costs of such an
operation." THANK YOU, voice of reason!!

$150 billion and counting…looks like that $200 billion figure we first got
wasn’t that far off.

–C

—–Original Message—–
From: ima_ca06@mail.house.gov [mailto:ima_ca06@mail.house.gov]
Sent: Friday, October 17, 2003 12:52 PM
Subject: Message from Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey

October 17, 2003

Dear Mr. —–:

Thank you for contacting me regarding President Bush’s recent request for
$87 billion in supplemental appropriations. I appreciate the time you have
taken to share your thoughts with me.

This latest request for supplemental funds demonstrates either President
Bush’s gross inability to adequately plan for the post war stage in Iraq or
his unwillingness to be straight with the American people about the overall
costs of such an operation. The Administration still hasn’t accounted for
the whopping $78 billion in supplemental funds that Congress appropriated in
April, and he hasn’t made any substantial progress in soliciting financial
support from our allies around the world. We should not write another blank
check to a president who hasn’t even demonstrated why we should be in Iraq
in the first place, and that is why I voted against the FY04 Supplemental
Appropriations bill when it came before the House. Just imagine what we
could do with $87 billion. We could more than double what the
administration plans to spend on homeland security next year or close the
expected 2004 budget shortfalls of all 50 states.

We must do the right thing and give our troops the support they deserve, but
we must support them in the right way. We have a responsibility to take
care of those who selflessly put themselves in harm’s way during times of
conflict. The supplemental spending bill that passed in April allocated
$310 million to fully equip every American soldier in Iraq with vests that
are capable of stopping bullets from assault rifles, and yet inexcusably
30,000 troops still lack this life-saving technology. Many families have
resorted to sending bulletproof vests to their sons and daughters stationed
in Iraq. No family should have to pay extra to help keep their loved ones
safe; the federal government has this responsibility. We must also fairly
compensate our soldiers stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Congress
recently approved raises in Imminent Danger Pay for soldiers in combat and
Family Separation Allowance for married soldiers separated from their
husbands and wives. However, these raises were approved only through
September 30, 2004. The proposed supplemental aid package did not make
permanent these raises for our brave soldiers. It is the least we can do
for those who sacrifice and defend us during times of war.

Finally, it is essential that the president develop an exit strategy for
bringing our troops home as quickly as possible. We simply cannot afford to
maintain 130,000 troops in Iraq, either financially or militarily. It’s not
too late to develop an exit strategy that internationalizes our efforts by
coordinating Iraq’s peacekeeping and reconstruction with the United Nations.
The U.N. could accomplish what the U.S. alone cannot: a multilateral
peacekeeping effort in Iraq that effectively transfers power to local
authorities, instead of promoting an extended military presence that could
fail to produce any real stability and lasting peace. Be assured that I
will continue to fight for peace and for a sensible U.S. policy with Iraq.

Again, it’s good to hear from you. The people of Marin and Sonoma counties
are the most important voices I listen to as I serve in Congress.

Sincerely,

Lynn Woolsey
Member of Congress

PS – Visit my web site and sign up to receive e-mail updates on legislative
issues that are important to you. The address is:
http://woolsey.house.gov/SignUp.asp .

Folks,

You may recall that, upon
Ahnold’s election, I predicted that he would follow the usual Republican suit
and take this opportunity to give some big handouts to big business, especially
guys in the energy business like Enron. Well, it took just over a week for that
come true:

“New push to deregulate energy
/ Schwarzenegger electricity plan fuels fears of another debacle”

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2003/10/11/MN20927.DTL

Many Californians who supported Ahnold blamed the
problems of deregulated energy markets on Davis & Bustamonte. So what is
their hero Ahnold going to do about it? Why, deregulate them even further! Not
only that, he wants to consolidate all the local grid operators into a few
regional operators–something ONLY the energy companies want to see happen,
where all the governors and power authorities are against it–AND he wants to
let big business separately contract for power, leaving the small and
residential users to foot the bill for the billions in debt we racked up during
the 2000-2001 crisis! And, just to make it all that much sweeter, he’s going to
advocate building a bunch of new power plants in CA. Not renewable ones, mind
you, that might actually help us get off of this barrel we’re over, but just
regular old-fashioned dirty power plants that will put more money in the pockets
of guys like Enron and Reliant who build them. Oh yeah, and he “can’t remember”
ever meeting with Ken Lay at the height of the crisis.

Nice going, California. No wonder Bush is now so
warm & fuzzy toward our state. We’re about to line his dynasty’s pockets
even better than we did a few years ago.

For much, much more on the subject, here is a set
of links just from today. I am glad that this story is finally getting
noticed by the press, but it’s a damn shame it didn’t get any air time before
the election. I’ll leave you to continue tracking this one on your own.

–C

—–Original Message—–
From:
newsalerts-noreply@google.com
[mailto:newsalerts-noreply@google.com]
Sent:
Friday, October 17, 2003 11:01 AM
Subject: Google News Alert – Schwarzenegger
Ken Lay meeting energy


SCHWARZENEGGER Asked To Explain Ken Lay
Meeting
SanDiego Channel.com, CA
… meeting, what information Ken Lay
shared with you and how the meeting
has influenced your thinking on energy
issues.”. In addition to calling
on Schwarzenegger …
http://www.thesandiegochannel.com/politics/2554124/detail.html>

GOVERNOR-ELECT Schwarzenegger Should Come Clean about Ken Lay
…
U.S. Newswire (press release), DC
… In addition to calling on
Schwarzenegger to come clean about the meeting
with Ken Lay, the group
highlighted key aspects of the governor-elect’s
energy program
…
http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=134-10142003>

SCHWARZENEGGER-KEN Lay Meeting Emails Now
Online
Scoop.co.nz (press release), New Zealand
… Mr. Schwarzenegger
should come clean about what happened at that meeting
and if he shares Ken
Lay’s views on energy regulation.”. …
http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0310/S00064.htm>

ENERGY market strategy outlined
Sacramento Bee, CA
…
Heller also cited a meeting at the height of the energy crisis in
…
Schwarzenegger “took a lot more from the secret meeting he had with
Ken
Lay …
http://www.sacbee.com/content/politics/story/7598052p-8538887c.html>

CALIFORNIA’S Troubles Begin Now
Correspondences.org,
WA
… Enron) Ken Lay held a meeting … the criminal junk bond
salesman),
Ken Lay of Enron infamy, and Arnold Schwarzenegger … The topic
of discussion.the
energy …
http://www.correspondences.org/archives/000419.html>

GROPING in the dark in sunny California
Cleveland Plain
Dealer, OH
… remember. Schwarzenegger should come clean about what happened
at that
meeting and if he shares Ken Lay’s views on energy regulation.”.
…
http://www.cleveland.com/living/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/living/1065778706207531.xml>

SF Chronicle Continues to Hype the Power
Situation
ChronWatch.com
… plagued California during the state’s energy
… Chairman and CEO Ken
Lay … spring of 2001, when Lay … Schwarzenegger
has said he doesn
… t remember details of the meeting …
http://www.chronwatch.com/editorial/contentDisplay.asp?aid=4677>

ENERGY policies present challenge
San Mateo County Times,
CA
… a little (former Enron chairman) Ken … During the campaign,
Schwarzenegger
did … the governor-elect for meeting with Enron’s Lay …
the height
of the energy …
http://www.sanmateocountytimes.com/Stories/0,1413,87~11271~1689123,00.html>

NEW push to deregulate energy
San Francisco Chronicle,
CA
… Chairman and CEO Ken Lay met with … in the spring of 2001, when
Lay
… t remember details of the meeting. But supporters of
Schwarzenegger’s
energy …
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2003/10/11/MN20927.DTL>

ARNOLD’S Enron Secret
AlterNet
… biggest single
threat to Ken … reluctant leading candidate against
Schwarzenegger … Cruz
brings suit, Enron’s Lay … an emergency secret
meeting … and “solve” the
energy …
http://www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=16902>

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Folks,

As usual, Chomsky can explain the a complex subject more clearly and succinctly than just about anybody. Here he explicates the Bush administration’s neo-con agenda, its “imperial grand strategy,” very skillfully. Highly recommended reading!

Dominance and its Dilemmas


by Noam Chomsky; October 10, 2003

–C

It’s about time for some levity isn’t it?

http://www.thepeoplemustknow.com

Great stuff! Kinda fills a political void in what The Onion does.

Folks,

The material I want to send you is getting a bit backed up after several days of not sending it out, so bear with me while I do some catchup.

Read this one if you’re interested in a point-by-point discussion of how the Bush administrations lies–especially Cheney’s–have gotten us where we are today.

Lies about Iraq rise to level of the absurd

Jay Bookman – The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: 10/16/03

–C

Folks,

This has to be one of the weakest attempts at pro-war propaganda yet. It’s
amazingly stupid. I guess the military thinks the media (and us) are even
dumber than we suspected!

Newspapers sent same letter signed by different soldiers

Many soldiers, same letter

–C

Folks,

Here’s the latest from William Rivers Pitt, the Managing Editor of truthout.org. This one is mostly focused on debunking the notions that Clinton’s policies were responsible for making us vulnerable to the 9-11 attacks, and identifies how Republican obstructionism in the Congress is largely responsible for putting us where we are today. Interesting reading.

If the rest of left-leaning America is anywhere near as pissed off as he is, it should win the next election by a landslide.

The Sins of September 11

By William Rivers Pitt

t r u t h o u t | Perspective

Monday 13 October 2003