Friday, January 23, 2009

Letter to My Senator

Dear Senator:

Thank you so much for responding to my earlier letter about the situation in the Gaza strip.

However, missing from your letter was any discussion about the Palestinian people. Of course, Israel has a right to protect its people. What about the people of Palestine? Are they to be denied food, medicine, employment, freedom of movement, and now shelter forever?

What is Israel's responsibility to the people of Gaza and the West Bank? Israel is still occupying Gaza and has never "left" the West Bank. To say that Israel withdrew from Gaza ignores the fact that Israel controls all entry and exit into that narrow strip of land, smaller than Rhode Island, including air space.

It is time for members of Congress to be honest about what is going on. We have a new African American president; as he stated in his inauguration address his father wasn't allowed to eat in a restaurant in Washington, DC 60 years ago and now his son is the President.

It is time to stop allowing Israel to treat the Palestinians as less than people, even slaves were better treated because they were property and assets, and to insist that Israel begin to obey international law. After all, the US exports our military hardware, dollars and oil to that country. What do we the citizens get in return - Israeli actions that incite terrorism in the Middle East, Europe, and the United States.

Thank you,

Saturday, January 3, 2009

Republicans and Filibustering

One of the things I haven't been able to figure out since the Democrats regained majority in the Senate, is why they don't make the Republicans filibuster.

One would think, with public approval of Congress at an all time low, that forcing the GOP to explain to the American public why they don't want to assist Americans, whether it be in domestic policy (environment, jobs, unemployment, health care) or foreign policy (Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, etc.) would go a long way towards educating Americans about what Republicans stand for and why they are dangerous.

Maybe someone can explain to me the political calculation that makes sense why this should be. I mean, everyone knows Republicans don't play fair - they don't know what that means. So there couldn't be a quid pro quo involved here. So what is it?

The Employer Free Choice Act is crucial to helping Americans regain the economic security many families have enjoyed over the past 60 years; especially families of color who worked either in the auto industry or for the government - federal, state, or local.

Make they explain why they're giving us the finger!