(ARCHIVES: February 25, 2007) Butter or Guns?

During WWII, Americans had to select between "guns" or "butter" as the war made many items scarce. We are now engaged in a new war of significant proportions and must choose the way forward.

The war and occupation of Iraq already costs $8.4 billion a month, according to the Pentagon. Expenses have already reached nearly one-half trillion dollars and total spending for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan could eventually reach $1.2 Trillion if not stopped soon…far costlier than any war except WWII.

Congress has voted several times for supplemental requests and regular Department of Defense budgets for the war and President Bush will send Congress a new almost $100 billion supplemental request (for the current year) along with his Pentagon budget request for 2007-08.

Not One Dollar More

Americans across the spectrum are frustrated with the Administration's conduct in Iraq and demanding that not a single dollar more be spent on this debacle. Congress can stop the war by cutting off funds.

It's time to End the War in Iraq

The new supplemental measure will force members of Congress to commit to ending the war or be branded accomplices to the ongoing occupation and escalation. Empty words will no longer suffice. Action is needed. Courageous members of both parties will take a stand to end the war by refusing to fund it any further.

There have already been signs that both Democrats and Republicans are serious about stopping the war. HR 508 would require U.S. military disengagement from Iraq within six months, provide for Iraq reconstruction funds and prohibit permanent U.S. military installations in Iraq, among other provisions. It will be the first serious bill to end the war.

Other provisions will certainly be proffered in both the House and the Senate, and will be closely monitored.

Wasted Dollars and Public Thieves

In the past four years, hundreds of billions of dollars have been wasted on a military effort to invade and occupy Iraq. From the "truckloads" of dollars that Paul Bremer and his cohorts can't account for and the corrupt practices of defense contractors to the depletion of the nation's military equipment reserves, almost one-half billion dollars has already been spent.

These monies could have been used to much greater good from funding domestic programs such as healthcare or to affect global poverty. A lot of money has been wasted and some members of Congress seem willing to waste more.

For example the current burn rate of $9.7 Billion spent monthly in Iraq is more than 1 ½ times what it takes to run the state of Texas.

Think of all of the good things that your elected representatives could spend these monies on instead. It's a lot of money.

The $100 billion that the President has requested for military actions - between now and August 31 - could easily cover the costs of insurance for the millions of uninsured children in America.

Even a small portion of this money would be enough for all-day pre-K and kindergarten to all 4- and 5-year-olds, reduce class sizes in Texas schools and gradually increase education spending by $2,000 per student.

The $100 billion in immediate new monies is five times the estimated costs of rebuilding New Orleans.

Monies Not Needed

At the February 8 hearing of the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, General Peter Schoomaker stated that units which are deployed to Iraq are fully equipped yet the Pentagon needs monies to replace equipment and continue the war into the future.

The House Committee on Appropriations, headed by Representative Dave Obey, is expected to schedule a vote on these monies in March. Texas members of Appropriations include: John Carter, John Culberson, Chet Edwards, Kay Granger, and Ciro Rodriguez. Most of these monies will have little to do with personnel and be categorized as "procurement" expenditures for equipment.

In testimony given on February 6, 2007 before the Senate Budget Committee, J. Michael Gilmore, Assistant Director for National Security of the Congressional Budget Office stated that according to reports of the Defense Finance and Accounting Services of the Department of Defense, " about $98 billion was obligated for military operations in Iraq and the war on terrorism in fiscal year 2006. Of that amount, almost 25 percent ($23 billion) was allocated for purposes described as 'other'. Little information was provided to suggest how those 'other' funds were obligated."

The Time Has Come

Members of Congress have an historical opportunity to stay the President's hand and end the war in Iraq. They can cut off funding and restrict the Pentagon from further engagement after the end of the current fiscal year (ending Aug. 31, 2007).

The next 30 days will be critical to helping to end the war in Iraq as both House and Senate committees take up the issue of funding. It is up to Texans to call, write, visit, and demonstrate that we want the war ended now, not in some future year.

Congresspersons can no long claim to be "against the war" while funding its continuance. The clear evidence of failure and mismanagement and the declining situation lead only to pessimistic forecasts if the U.S. remains beyond this summer. All will be held accountable for whether they end, or continue, the war.

Dick Armey is quoted as saying, "Three groups spend other people's money: children, thieves, politicians. All three need supervision." It's up to us to supervise the spending of our monies. We need to show that America wants war financing to end now!

Americans in prison camps in Taylor, TX

Texas, and the world, is waking up to the fact the the U.S. government is holding Americans, who have not been charged with any crimes, in modern day prison camps in Taylor.

These facilities were built to imprison illegal immigrants. Instead they are holding entire families, including American citizen children, in jail cells. Asma Salam of the Dallas Peace Center asked, "How could we have these inhumane detention centers in our own country?"

The Texas Civil Rights Review and a host of organizations, are shining the light onto these facilities and what looks eerily like what happened to Japanese-Americans during WWII.

Deaths in Houston Jail

A recent study showed that during the past five years, 101 inmates of the Harris County Jail in Houston died while in custody.

At least 72 of the inmates had been awaiting court hearings and had not yet been convicted of the crimes that led to their incarceration at the time of their deaths.

The study found that one-third of the deaths involved questions of inadequate responses from guards and staff, failure by jail officials to provide inmates with essential medical and psychiatric care and medications, unsanitary conditions, and two allegations of physical abuse by guards.

The Harris County jail is one of the largest in the country with more than 9,000 inmates.

Rapoport: Business with Justice

Bernard Rapoport has been a leader in Texas business, and social justice. The retired chairman and CEO of American Income Life Insurance has long supported social activism including the Texas Observer and the Texas Civil Rights Project. Rapoport is hailed as a "capitalist with a conscience".

A past member of the University of Texas Board of Regents and seen within the halls of the rich and powerful around the sate, Bernie nevertheless understands well the impacts of poverty and the need for social justice.

Texas Tomorrow Fund $3 B Short

The Texas Tomorrow Fund's prepaid college tuition program, that was originally created to help Texans, but later capped to those who were already in it, is severely underfunded and could be short as much as $3.3 billion to meet its obligations over the next two decades.

Now the state Comptroller is asking taxpayers to pump money into the program that only serves the few who were able to get in while it was open. With about $1.6 billion in assets, the program is one of the state's largest investment funds and has paid out more than $150 million in tuition and fees over the last four academic years.

Last month, the Texas Sunset Advisory Commission suggested that the prepaid tuition plan could be reopened in a "tuition deregulated environment" if the Legislature approved certain changes to make it more financially sound.

(ARCHIVES: February 7, 2007) "Victory" won't come easy

This week Texans went to Washington, D.C. to stop the war in Iraq. From the Panhandle to the Valley of Texas concerned citizens marched on Washington and walked the halls of Congress, visiting all 34 members of the state congressional delegation.

Demands were simple but clear:
1. No additional funding for the Iraq war (neither for supplemental nor the 2007-08 Defense appropriations).
2. Withdraw all U.S. military and paramilitary forces from Iraq within 6 months.
3. Rescind the 2002 authorization of war or otherwise prevent President Bush from launching a new war with Iran.

Texans Standing Tall

"We won't stop until we end this war," said Rose Lynn Scott, of Fort Worth. "My grandchildren are going to be dealing with problems that are being created today," she said. On Saturday, Texans joined more 100-500,000 people from all over the U.S. standing together against the war and marching for peace. Under sunny skies and with Texas flags flying, veterans, business leaders, retirees, children, musicians, and others gathered and gave interviews to press from around the world in addition to seasoned reporters from Cox News/Austin Statesman and the Fort Worth Star.

This Texas mission to D.C. wasn't just answer the call for a "surge" or saying "pull out" but to present Congress with clear strategies to stop escalation and plan troop withdrawals. "The violence will continue to escalate as long as we continue to occupy Iraq," predicted Charlie Jackson, who has visited Iraq three times on peacemaking missions.

Coffee with Cornyn

Both Republican and Democratic legislators were chosen to receive message, photos and facts on the current situation from Iraqis and U.S. soldiers on the ground in Iraq. While some appeals were emotional, they were backed by specifics from military and civilian sources that show a clearly worsening situation despite White House propaganda to the contrary.

On the Senate side, John Cornyn met briefly with the group for "coffee" and photos, but he stated that he supports Bush's plan providing the Iraqi government "makes substantial progress toward meeting the commitments it has made." His staff had met previously with Texans for Peace and Code Pink Austin during the past few weeks to discuss the specifics of the occupation and recommendations for change.

Kay Bailey Hutchison, whose offices in Dallas have been picked every week for months, had her chief of staff meet with the Texas delegation. He listened patiently to the pleas to stop sending Texas youth to die on the battlefields of Iraq and said he would relay the provided information and comments to the Senator.

Making the House into a home for peace

In the House, peacemakers met individually with only a handful of the 32 congresspersons and with many more staff members. Materials were dropped off in offices where appointments were unable to be scheduled.

Staff members at the offices of Reps. Sheila Jackson-Lee and Ron Paul, found themselves receiving thanks and warm greetings for their consistent stance to end the war. Both of these members have pledged to vote against further funding and to support H.R. 508 the "Bring the Troops Home and Iraqi Restoration Act", a comprehensive bill that was drafted with the help of several national peace organizations.

President Bush is asking for almost $300 billion more for the war and Americans, regardless of their view on the war, are fed up with the waste, fraud, and misery. Congress can stop him by cutting off funding.

Meetings with at other congressional offices were mixed.

Richard Hudson, chief of staff for Rep. John Carter, R-Round Rock, told Cedar Park resident Linda Daniels-Hernandez that "if the commanders in the field are telling us they need more boots on the ground, we're going to give them those." He disagreed with her arguments that most experts, including generals who have retired from the Iraq war, have said the presence of U.S. troops is actually making the war worse.

A delegation of six from Austin visited with Rep. Lloyd Doggett who, while articulating against the war in his speeches, has not yet committed to stopping funding.

Doggett said several stepts need to be taken first to isolate President Bush and look towards the 2008 elections… a premise that Texans for Peace, a non-partisan group that does not get involved in elections, pointedly rejects. "All the words and resolutions saying you are against the war, without congressional action that really puts a stop to the president, will mean nothing," said Charlie Jackson.

Ralph Hall from the 4th District (birthplace of Dwight D. Eisenhower, the first Texan to become President) met briefly with Stephen Spacek, listened and was very friendly to the peace activist. However, "I'd support most anything you'd bring me, but on this, I cannot go along with your side," said the representative.

In a meeting with Rep. Michael McCaul, district voter Fran Hanlon said that the staff was frank and asked thoughtful questions. While McCaul disagrees with the analysis of the peacemakers, his staff appears to be willing to learn more and know they must listen to constituents. "Even though Representative McCaul has supported this war from the beginning, he is here to represent everybody that lives in his district. It's our obligation to let him know that there are a lot of people in his district who do want our troops to come home, and he needs to hear from us," said Hanlon.

Rep. Ciro Rodriguez, who recently won a new seat in Congress after being redistricted out by Tom Delay is still moving into his office. Although Rodriguez wasn't in, his staff welcomed the delegation and news about Iraq and peace efforts.

"He seems willing to play politics with the lives of Texas boys and girls," muttered one delegate after leaving the office of another House member.

Only one representative's staff (in Rep. Mike Conoway's office) expressed hostility towards the peace delegations. That individual went so far as to express the sentiment that if a soldier dies in Iraq, that it's his/her own fault; a given result of one's choice to serve in the military.

Overall, most of the meetings were cordial if not downright supportive.

"Keep it up," and "we're with you" was whispered by more than one encouraging staff member as the peace delegation visited various offices. A noticeable number of these employees, Republican and Democrat, also chose to wear pink (the color of Code Pink) throughout the days of lobbying.

Back home in Texas, hundreds more marched or vigiled throughout the state over the weekend. In Weslaco, residents gathered together
More than 1,000 people marched in Austin to demand that the President be impeached or step down.

Ending it in Texas

Efforts to persuade members of Congress to end the war will continue now that Texans have returned home. Since a Texan got us into this war, it is only appropriate that Texans end the war.

A coalition of organizations has launched the Occupation Project - a campaign of sustained nonviolent civil disobedience, with plans to "occupy" congressional offices.

The premise is simple, congressmembers either pledge to vote against any further funding of the war, such as the President's supplemental, or find themselves branded as "war accomplices" and find Americans taking back their government by occupying these offices. Volunteers are currently being recruited to risk going to jail in order to stop the war.

Some have already started to pay the price to live in a democracy.

Diane Baker (in Photo above), a grandmother and chaplain, spent Tuesday in minus-20 degree weather sweeping the streets of Washington.

She was arrested last September after she crossed a police line to sit on the steps of a Senate building. She was sentenced to do community service but the U.S. Attorney General's office would not consider letting Diane do counseling at a hospice or returning veterans. He said it was picking up trash or trial. Such heavy-handed tactics by the government usually only backfire and stregthen the peace movement. As Ganhdi formulated, "First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win”.

Organizers throughout Texas continue to gather signatures on petitions to end the war, produce forums to educate the public, contribute to the End the War in Iraq website, assist returning soldiers and their families and plan other actions.

In addition to working on these, Texans for Peace will host a delegation of Texans to visit Amman, Jordan in April to meet with Iraqi women and their families. We are also inviting spouses of Texas congressional members and leaders of women's political groups around the state to join the delegation in the hope that all will become better informed about the war.

There's plenty to be done, but we need your help. Texans for Peace is entirely volunteer-led and your time, talents and resources are what makes these programs successful. Whether you make one phone call to your congressperson's office, help with a petition drive, or donate money for an entire billboard, each thing you do helps to bring us one step closer to ending war.

"We are the people who run this country. We are the deciders. And every single day, every one of us needs to step outside and take some action to help stop this war," wrote Molly Ivins, just before she died on Wednesday. Let's live up to her words.

Houston to take on polluters

Houston is trying to become the first place in Texas to set a standard for hazardous air pollutants, a move that would make the city stricter than the state and federal government in policing the amount of cancer-causing substances in its air.

If passed, a new nuisance ordinance would put Houston, and White, at odds with the state environmental agency, some local legislators and industry, which despite studies showing Houston has high concentrations of some air toxics have opposed previous efforts to establish hazardous air pollutant standards at the one in 1 million risk level.

Heavy-handed government, light on taxing profits

The heavy hand of Texas government hit Texas this week. First, by decree Governor Perry ordered vaccinations for all Texas girls for a disease that can only be transmitted through sexual contact and kills relatively few - 400 - Texans per year. Then, the Attorney General ruled that all prisoners can be compelled to be tested for AIDS. The Legislature wants to force all Texas cities and towns to restrict smoking, a local decision. The Governor is also discussing privatizing the Texas Lottery, enabled by a vote of the people in 1991.

This, along with the privatizing of highways, fast-tracking of coal-burning power plants, building super corridors throughout the state (to give gas and oil companies cheap right-of-way), and "economic development" giveaways to multi-billion-dollar corporations.

Since when did the people of Texas allow a single person, or an oligarchy to have such powers?

The reason for these decisions isn't public good. Rather it is about corporate money, and new profits to be made by the sale of vaccinations (Merk), drug tests, and state control of health decisions.

But, when it comes to actually taxing these corporate entities, the state falls short and continues to push for business tax abatements.

Exxon-Mobil, headquartered in Texas, posted the greatest profits of any company in the history of the world. Many other large corporatations also generate great wealth but, like Exxon, pay a meager share of taxes to support the public good of their home state. Most taxes arevregressively paid by wage earners, families and homeowners.

Molly Ivins: "Raise hell!"

Humorist, peace activist, and humanitarian Molly Ivins was mourned in many circles after losing her battle with cancer this week.

Right up until her death, Molly was fighting.

Her last editorial stated, Stand Up Against the Surge, was written just before the national peace march in D.C. Molly wrote, "We are the people who run this country. We are the deciders. And every single day, every single one of us needs to step outside and take some action to help stop this war. Raise hell. Think of something to make the ridiculous look ridiculous. Make our troops know we're for them and trying to get them out of there. Hit the streets .. We need people in the streets, banging pots and pans and demanding, "Stop it, now!"

Texans prepare to meet Iraqi women

Texas business women and entrepreneurs are planning to meet with their Iraqi counterparts in Amman, Jordon in April.

Texans for Peace is organizing a week-long delegation to create bridges between the two countries with a focus on practical economic actions that can build towards peace. This is part of the Women's Business Center of Baghdad (WBCB) project that was started in 2004.

The cost for each delegate is $2,600 and includes airfare, hotel, meals, meetings and all other expenses. Interested delegates must complete and submit an application by February 20.

Rally at Ft. Hood for true patriot

US Army Lieutenant Ehren Watada is the first commissioned officer to publicly refuse deployment to Iraq. He is facing 6 years in prison and a military court martial in February. Lt. Watada is standing firm in his conviction that the war in Iraq is illegal.

There'll be a support rally for him at the East Gate of Ft. Hood in Killeen, Texas on Sunday, Feb. 4. Peace activists from around the state are encouraged to participate. For additional information contact your local Code Pink or Veterans for Peace chapter. If more soldiers follow Watada's example, the war would be ended.