Washblog

More and more groups that send me regular email missives joined the call.  So, I went to see who signed up for Washington State on http://www.democrats.com/, saw the long list of groups supporting Iraq Town Hall, and found this post:

Iraq War funding- Town Hall for Seattle?
Submitted by kfrevert on March 26, 2008 - 12:03pm. Hot Topics Iraq Town Halls WA07
Please write to kfrevert@gmail.com if you were interested in helping initiate a Seattle Town Hall meeting regarding April's vote on more Iraq war funding. WA07 district

Katie

I waited a bit and felt slightly guilty because, after all,  Progressive Democrats of America http://www.pdamerica.org/, has signed up for this campaign.  But, I'm pretty cynical and bummed since the fifth anniversary of this atrocity has passed.

Finally, I connected with Katie.  Connected her with SNOW.  She's just an individual who raised her hand and volunteered.  So happens she's gotten some great advice and support from Bill Moyer.  Katie is not one of the "usual suspects" in the center of one of the organizations that we all know and love.  She's just networking with the other folks around Washington State who also 'raised their hands'.

Here is the message she sent me to pass along:

How do we measure the costs of war?..... now there is an emotional and philosophical question for you.... one that gives us all pause.
I am writing to ask you to focus some energy and effort in the next three weeks on the financial aspects of our current Iraq Occupation.

My name is Katie,    my email is kfrevert@gmail.com

I am one of the people from Washington State who replied to a request for citizens to organize an Iraq Town Hall about the upcoming congressional approval for another $102 Billion emergency allocation to see current war effort through 2008. (http://www.democrats.com/iraq-town-halls)

The words that persuaded me (and a handful of others to act were these........
In April, Congress will vote to give George W. Bush and Dick Cheney another $102 billion for Iraq - unless we finally persuade our Representatives to Just Say No. One of the best ways to persuade a Representative is to hold a town hall meeting and fill the hall with people who care and are willing to speak passionately. (Another way is to turn out a crowd for a town hall that your Representative is already scheduled to attend.) So we're asking YOU and the 500,000 members of Democrats.com to organize Iraq Town Halls in all 435 Congressional districts on any day in April.)

My opinion......there are massive numbers of American voters who feel our country in not moving in the right direction in Iraq (republicans, independents and democrats). We are more than ready for our representatives to stand firm and use their primary power... the power of the purse! In fact it is what we expect of them. Our representatives NEED to know the voters in their district will back them as they take a stand.

WHAT IS COOKIN' in WASHINGTON?  Bipartisan Town Hall Events....

1. There is a planning meeting for interested persons at the Wayward Coffee House at 8570 Greenwood Ave N, Seattle WA 98103 on April 16th at 7pm    http://www.waywardcoffee.com/

2.  We have a people ready to activate a town hall in:
   

Inslee's district  (WA01)  we are confirming the Shoreline Town Hall day and place right now (late April or 1st week of May)
Larson's district (WA02)  nothing formalized yet
Smith district (WA09)  There is a tentative date set for Town Hall on May 4th
Baird district (WA03)... nothing formalized yet but one voice of interest
Reichert (WA08)... nothing formalized yet
Dicks (WA06)- Dicks is on the appropriations committee!!!!
McDermott (WA07)- No meeting at this point because we are targeting congress people who are still voting to fully fund .. w/o strings attached.
We would welcome your help and ideas!

Please feel free to write me from any district!!. We are trying to mobilize interest, it is our intention to keep the momentum going, to ultimately change our current course in Iraq via the...  $$ Bottom Line- Vote NO on Appropriations w/o ties to Redeployment

Thanks,
Katie

At the risk of repeating the message that has likely already filled your inbox, this week is key.  Put pressure on Congress.  We have some friends in Congress that are again  working to stop this funding, but the bill will be pretty set in stone by May.

From http://www.unitedforpeace.org/:
'Call the Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask to be connected to your representative's and senators' offices.'

Military Families Speak Out are putting the pressure on Obama and Clinton. http://www.mfso.org/

Even though we are told that the US people are 'more concerned' about the economy, the war is what is costing us in both economic and, most heartbreakingly, human terms.  Check out some of the tradeoffs: http://www.nationalpriorities.org/

Finally, if you work with an anti-war group, know other people or groups that should be hooked into Iraq Town Hall, want to get involved, please contact Katie.  Don't assume your local peace group is subscribed to Democrats.com, Backbone, PDA or any of "our" usual suspects.  

And, even though the 7th CD is not a focus for this particular forum, check out http://www.snowcoalition.org/ if you are in Seattle.  There is a great series under the Phinney Neighbors link, including 'COMING HOME: TODAY'S VETS FACE HARSH REALITIES' on May 14.