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My wife and i sent this message to Senators Feinstein, Boxer, Reed and Lautenberg. Will keep sending to other Senators as well.
September 2, 2005
To: The Senate of the United States of America
As adult, tax-paying, voting, citizens of the United States of America, we are outraged at the spending priorities and gross negligence of the Bush Administration! We are calling on the U.S. Senate to take charge and immediately change the administration of the federal government and the course of our nation.
First, on the unbearable grief of 9/11 to manipulate this country into a war based on lies and diverting billions of taxpayer dollars to an immoral occupation of another country for the economic interests of the oil industry has to be one of the most costly mistakes and immoral acts in American history in terms of lives destroyed and the long term effects on American citizens. Where were these funds diverted from?—taking care of our people at home. The devastation and death brought by Hurricane Katrina directly brings home the colossal arrogance and stupidity of going to war in Iraq. The massive resources in people and money diverted to the quagmire in Iraq are now needed at home.
Today, President Bush asserted “we have plenty of resources to do both” - fight the war on terror and help the people affected by the hurricane. This man is out of touch with reality. If the money had not been wasted on military folly in the Middle East and national guard bogged down there helping Iraq become free for Islamic governance, the response with the horrible loss of life, and destitution created by Hurricane Katrina would have been far better planned and coordinate. Even Mr. Bush had to admit today the federal response was “not acceptable.” A nurse at a hospital in New Orleans just said on MSNBC “We feel totally abandoned by the government.” Who is in charge of the government? The Bush Administration. They must be held responsible and accountable.
This Administration and Congress has, on the one hand, given massive tax cuts to the most wealthy and diverted the majority of the remaining federal budget to war, and on the other hand, has cut protections at home to provide for basic health and welfare of our citizens, especially our most vulnerable citizens – children, seniors and the working poor. Clearly, funds were not spent on an emergency preparedness plan for predictably devastating hurricanes in one of the most vulnerable and poor major cities in our nation.
Mr. Bush claimed on ABC’s Good Morning America broadcast after the flooding in New Orleans “No one predicted that the levees would fail.” He simple lied. His own FEMA Administrators predicted in 2001 that New Orleans was one of three top locations in the country vulnerable to a catastrophic event from a hurricane. And, what did the Bush Administration do with that report. Prepare and fund an Emergency Preparedness Contingency Plan, fund the shoring-up of levees to withstand a Category 4 or 5 hurricane, knowing the levees around New Orleans were structured to protect against up to a Catergory 3 hurricane. This fact was well known and documented. The Bush Administration response – cut the Army Corps of Engineers budgets every year since 2001, specifically for the recommended levee upgrades. Stupidity, incompetence, arrogance or indifference all amount to the same horrible fact – the Bush Administration committed criminal negligence.
That there was no plan and the rescue has been so inept, incompetent and a miserable failure brings into sharp focus the need for immediate resignation of the entire Bush Administration and the reordering of national spending priorities. If it were only this disaster, one could understand the federal government’s failure to plan properly and respond swiftly and effectively. Yet, we have seen just in the last four years three of among the worst calamities in our nation’s 224 years. 9/11, Iraq and Katrina happened on the Bush Administration’s watch. They must accept personal responsibility for their gross negligence in all three tragedies. The only honorable thing for the Bush Administration to do is resign in disgrace.
THEREFORE, WE CALL ON THE UNITED STATES SENATE TO TAKE CONTROL OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BY:
§ DEMANDING THE IMMEDIATE RESIGNATION OF THE ENTIRE BUSH ADMINISTRATION – ELECTED AND APPOINTED
§ SETTING A NATIONAL ELECTION FOR PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT USING PAPER BALLOTS FOR A DATE BEFORE DECEMBER 31, 2005
§ IMMEDIATELY BRING OUR AMERICAN TROOPS HOME FROM IRAQ TO HELP IN THE RECOVERY FROM HURRICANE KATRINA
§ RE-DIRECT FEDERAL FUNDS ALLOCATED TO THE IRAQ WAR AND USE THOSE FUNDS TO PROVIDE MEDICAL CARE, SHELTER, FOOD AND PROTECTIONS TO THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF GULF COAST REFUGEES
§ USE THE FUNDS RE-CLAIMED FROM WAR MAKING TO REBUILD THE GULF COAST AND INVEST IN AMERICA’S FUTURE – EDUCATION, HEALTH CARE, INFRASTRUCTURE, HOUSING, FOOD PRODUCTION, AND A NEW GENERATION OF INNOVATION
The Senate is the one institution in our country that can save our nation from this nightmare. This administration’s ineptness, indifference and grotesque negligence is quite literally killing our people – our precious young people in Iraq, our seniors who must chose between life-saving prescription drugs and food, our children and working poor. We cannot tolerate having our most vulnerable people left to die on the concrete outside the New Orleans convention center or on the freeway waiting for water, food and transportation that does not come for four days. Shame, shame, shame! We are better people than that and demand a government that cares for and acts on behalf of our people.
Poverty rates have increased during this administration's watch while they gave away our tax revenues to the rich and no-bid billion dollar contracts to their corporate sponsors at Haliburton and other donor friends. Now, we are told the Navy has given a no-bid contract to Haliburton’s subsidiary KBR to clean-up the mess left by the hurricane. Seems Bush and Cheney’s friends clean-up in war and natural disasters at our expense. This is the most immoral administration in our history and must be shown the door.
Act now, our nation’s survival depends on your leadership!
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