ProgressOhio

Don't you seriously think that it is way past time for an organization with Progress in it's logo push Ohio candidates to stand on and by their views BEFORE giving them your VOTE?
Frankly, I believe that part of this is political arrogance by Democratic candidates that they or their campaign staff do not recognized PEACE groups, especially a by-state organized grassroots movement BIG MISTAKE. I would be the first to point fingers at the Republican Party, it is a given they are ARROGANT, except at least one Republican has the humility to fill out and acknowledge these most serious state and national issues.
Given, a few candidates from all parties have already stated their positions on the issues via their online campaign websites. If that be true, at the minimum respond to Voters for Peace and tell us that.
Of note, on the Ohio State page of Voters for Peace, yes WE are a presence here; ProgressOhio is listed as one of our resources. We depend on you to answer this CALL TO ACTION.

Robert L. Hanafin, Major, U.S. Air Force-Retired

WORD TO THE WISE: During the 2004 election, right here in Ohio, because I witnessed it first hand on a Congressional Campaign staff, just because swing voters are passionately or reluctantly going to vote for the Number One individual on the ticket (Republican or Democrat Presidential Candidate, etc) does not mean that WE are going to vote straight ticket, especially if we switched parties in either direction. I strongly suggest, first doing a background check on any grassroots organization to attempt learning how many registered voters they have in OUR State, and then decide to ignore their survey.

Oh, and before I forget, while working as a John Kerry campaign staff volunteer in Iowa during 2004, I personally witnessed Veterans and Military Family Organizations in Iowa plus other primary states, including a few mainstream Vets groups, expecting the candidates during the Democratic Party Primary to fill out and sign a pledge to seriously support America's Veterans. To my knowledge only one candidate went out of his way to sign those surveys, and he got the overwhelming support of Veterans in Iowa.

 http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/

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The below CALL TO ACTION was sent to our military family by Kevin Zeese, the National Director of Voters for PEACE headquartered in Washington, DC. I want to make it clear to political candidates or most essentially their staffs, that THINK long and hard on this.

Consider the amount of $$$ that could be going to your candidate right here in Ohio if UNDECIDED VOTERS were not placing their donations in the coffers of grassroots organizations dedicated to FIXING AMERICA instead of LEAVING AMERICA. If swing voters were not dissatisfied with both established parties or the direction of the state of Ohio, and the nation, there would honestly be NO NEED to divert potential campaign funds to anti-war organizations that are becoming political voting blocks.

In previous blogs, both here and across the internet, I alleged that long time grassroots organizations like the American Legion and VFW have been able to bluff their way into Congressional clout by inflating their membership numbers.

The same could be said about grassroots organizations composed mostly of those who never served. Hardly a Veterans or Military Family Groups opposed to the Iraq War is a group member of this grassroots movement. However, when one considers the reality that Veterans and Military families, especially the younger we are, make up ONLY 1% of the American population that means that the collective we, including our extended families are only able to bring to any grassroots movement at best 2%.

POINT: An anti-war grassroots movement of even 50% of those who do not serve and that’s an optimistic estimate (not a bluff) IS NOT a percentage of Voters any candidate wants to ignore or that candidate is not qualified to hold office as local dog catcher.

Peace Voters, Send the Grassroots Netroots Alliance Survey to your Local, State and Federal Politicians State by state survey results: OHIO http://www.grassrootsnetroots.org/states/OH.cfm

Before concluding with THE PITIFUL RESULTS, I would be remiss in not informing our readers exactly what each candidate is being asked to express their stand on. Given I’m a Veteran, Military Retiree, and of course Military Family member, I’ve only included that issue most important to my military family and those who can RELATE – War and Peace.

War, Peace, and Constitutional Liberties Issue #1: War and Peace An overwhelming majority of Americans are opposed to the war and occupation in Iraq, concerned that its eventual 3-5 trillion-dollar price tag (monetary and economic cost NOT human cost) robs money from pressing domestic needs and alarmed at the idea of waging future wars for oil.

In addition, millions of voters are appalled that the annual $700 billion U.S. military budget represents 50% of the total federal discretionary spending and is equal to the combined military spending of every other nation in the world.

(Someone at Voters for Peace needs a reference for that one, I’m not sure but the security expenditure of China may be on a par with us given the People's Republic of China’s rise on the economic front thanks to the U.S.A. (Wal-Mart right a bell?)

Even that is a gut feeling by me, not any scholarly research or reference. Suffice it to say, American tax payers are footing the bill extravagantly for what -  guerrilla wars in only two small nations, and one of them a civil war.

Imagine what the bill would be IF we did get fooled into WWIII. It is a given that the American people are easily FOOLED by our government!)

Question 1A: Do you support a rapid withdrawal of all U.S. military forces and armed private contractors from Iraq & Afghanistan (within 120 days), the full restoration of [Iraqi] national control over their natural resources, including oil, and a redirection of war funding to social and environmental needs at home, as well as humanitarian and reconstruction aid to the Iraqi & Afghan people? On the local and state level, do you support Afghanistan & Iraq Peace Resolutions?

(For those Ohioans who PROMISE an exit stragety for Iraqnam, most swing voters are no longer going to fall for Democratic promises, we learned a hard, brutal lesson giving you Congress in 2006. Too many of you are too willing to collaborate with Republinazi's in the name of bipartisanship that well putting it politely screws YOU and US) 

Question 1B: Do you support a dismantling of all U.S. military bases in the region?

NOTE: What is of concern here on a non-partisan basis is that even a few Democrats have a vested interest in permanent military bases in the Middle East, either via pressure from the Israeli lobby, or campaign contributions from the Defense Industry. Those candidates only need be identified via blogging. In fact, I intend exposing those Democrats and Republicans at all levels in Ohio who are profitting off the Iraq War (WINK). We have researchers working on that NOW.

Blogging has become far easier for anyone with half their brain tied behind their back [thank you Rush Limbaugh for your advice-just joking] to do.

Question 1C: Do you support stepped up diplomacy with Iran, coupled with a "no war" pledge? On the local and state level, do you support No War with Iran Resolutions? Ditto above interpretation, for those with a law or political science degree or experience.  

Question 1D: Do you support a peaceful resolution of the Israel-Palestine conflict, guaranteeing Israelis security and justice for Palestinians?

(Frankly, being devil's advocate for the Israeli lobby, I personally do not believe that the above is a fair question without adding a guarantee of survival for the Nation of Israel. Without that the question is not only loaded but unbalanced. Regardless how I feel about the Isreali lobby, that is based on their cheerleading role in wanting Christians to protect the Holy Land. If we (American troops) are expected to maintain a presence in the Holy Land, it is only fair that a significant amount of Jewish men of draft age either volunteer for our Armed Forces in large number commenserate with the expectation of providing Isreal an extended security umbrella. That is being far from anti-Semetic to demand that more American's of Jewish or Zionist persuasion play more of a role in Israel's defense).  

Question 1E: Would you support an immediate 50% reduction of U.S. military spending and a transfer of these funds to pressing domestic needs? On the local and state level, do you support Bring the Money Home Now Resolutions?

Question 1F: Do you support the current articles of impeachment in the U.S.Congress charging President George Bush and Vice-President Dick Cheney with high crimes and misdemeanors for illegally provoking the war in Iraq and threatening to start a war with Iran?? On the local and state level, do you support Impeachment Resolutions?

NOTE: Posts on Congressman Dennis Kucinich’s heroic Articles of Impeachment have already been presented on ProgressOhio, so this is nothing new to our readers.

Question 1G: Do you support the full restoration of our Constitutional liberties, including an end to warrantless wiretapping and an immediate repeal of the Patriot Act, the Military Commissions Act, and the Detainee Treatment Act? On the local and state level, do you support Bill of Rights Defense Committee Resolutions?

Note: Listen, the above one has extremely significant ramifications on not only OUR OHIO STATE MILITIA, but also our overall Armed Forces in general. Think long and hard on this. If WE THE PEOPLE allow any political party or ideology to take our Constitutional rights away from us, folks the next step is questioning the worth of the U.S. Constitution, once our Constitution becomes a worthless piece of paper, that means our doom, because our Armed Forces no longer has a noble ideal or cause to take and oath of allegiance to.

EVEN THOSE 99% OF AMERICANS WHO DESIRE NOT TO SERVE, WOULD YOU REALLY WANT AN  ARMED FORCES LOOKING OUT FOR YOUR INTEREST THAT DOES NOT RECOGNIZE THE WORTH OF THE U.S. CONSTITUTION.

POINT: WHAT THEN ARE OUR TROOPS EVENTUALLY GOING TO TAKE AN OATH OF ALLEGIANCE TO – CAESAR? (Excuse the capital letters, I’m not YELLING, I’m making a POINT!)

Question 1H: Given that millions of Americans, 42% according to a May 2006 Zogby International poll, believe that the U.S. government and the 9/11 Commission "concealed or refused to investigate critical evidence that contradicts their official explanation of the September 11th attacks," and that "there has been a cover-up," do you support a full release of all evidence, and a new, truly independent investigation of all the events of September 11, 2001, as well as the suspicious anthrax terrorist attacks that followed 9/11, with subpoenaed witnesses forced to testify under oath? On the local and state level, do you support resolutions and ballot initiatives like the NYC 911 Ballot Initiative?

Send Survey now or Continue to Climate Issues 

As you can see by the LINK above the survey is extensive and covers more issues than what is of intimate concern to my military family.  

When you go to the LINK provided for the entire survey, you realize that Voters for Peace IS NOT a one issue movement.

Veterans for Common Sense (VCS),  Veterans for Peace (VFP), Veterans for America (VFA), Military Families Speak Out (MFSO), Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW), and so on Veteran and Military Family focused grassroots movements have a limited issue focus that which WE can relate to.

However, combine our concerns with those of a Broader MovementVoters for Peace like with a wider issue focus, plus larger membership of registered VOTERS, and low and behold BOOM – WE HAVE A GRASSROOTS VOTERS MOVEMENT that could compete with any other Congressional lobbying group that uses inflated numbers, money, and bluffs to get attention to their agenda.

http://grassrootsnetroots.org/2008platform.cfm

THE DISGRACEFUL RESULTS AND WHAT CAN YOU DO – LOTS RIGHT HERE IN OHIO!!! 

I do not care what political affiliation has convinced you they have the solutions to our nation’s problems, that’s not the point, in fact it is a distraction when they refuse to make their positions official.

However, if you are Yellow Dog Democrats, I implore you to get your candidates to go on record where they stand on these issues.

The alternative is NOT TALKING ABOUT THEM, and you’ve seen some of our views on collaboration with the Bush Regime.

Folks, silence to tyranny is collaboration. During the Nazi Holocaust consider how many of the Jewish faith collaborated with the SS in being Jewish Police helping to round up fellow Jews for deportation to death before they too were put in boxcars. Consider how many Christian churches in Germany had to close their windows to keep the stench out from burning corpses at nearby concentration camps, then told allied forces the good congregations did not know what was going down.

No folks SILENCE make us just as guilty of crimes against humanity. I use that only as an analogy NOT comparison. 

THE RESULTS FOR OHIO: 

President   Don't see your Federal/OH State politicians? Press them here!

Independent N/A Richard Olmsted

Green Party N/A Jesse Johnson

 

Green Party N/A Kent P Mesplay

 

US House   Don't see your Federal/OH State politicians? Press them here!

Republican Party OH-17 Duane Grassell

Note: Before the Democratic challenger decides to use these figure against your Republican opponent, please consider:

(1) at least Duane Grassel had the humility and pride to tell Voters for Peace where he stands on issues of intimate concern to Peace Voters, even if we did not appreciated what he had to say.

(2) it behooves Democrats to do the same, because attacking Candidate Grassell when you live in a glass house lacks credibility when Peace Voters do not know where Democrats stand.

To those arrogant enough to say, go to our campaign site for answers to these questions, I must say in all honesty, patriotism, and civil citizenship, hold the phone YOU are seek OUR VOTE, we are not seeking YOURS!!!

State Senator   Don't see your Federal/OH State politicians? Press them here!

Independent 12th Jack Kaffenberger Sr