Open Letter to Congress

11/07/2007

An Open Letter Regarding Iraq

Minnesota First District Congressman Timothy Walz recently held forums
in the district regarding the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The
following letter was sent to our Congressman and Senators regarding
continued funding for the wars. We urge you to contact your Congress
members urging them to discontinue funding these illegal and immoral
wars.

Oct. 30, 2007
Dear Rep. Walz:

Thank you for holding the forums on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
We attended the forum in Rochester and understand the feedback from
the other sites is very similar. The most consistent message from the
various participants was utter frustrations with the fact that after
electing Democrat majorities in both houses of Congress, hoping to
change the course of U. S. aggression, these wars continue at an even
higher rate of violence. While the audiences (participants) were
generally polite, the loudest responses came from the strongest
messages sent – impeachment and "no more funds." The miserable
approval rating of Congress echoes the forums' frustration.

We, and you hopefully, anticipate a Democrat president in just
fifteen months. If these wars continue to that time they will become
"Democrat" wars. And rightfully so, since we continue to fund them
we (you) will have "bought" into them. Most disappointing is that the
three major Democratic frontrunner candidates for president have all
bought into the wars until at least 2013 according to their rhetoric.
Has the Democratic Congress done the same at a time when the citizens
show a 70% disapproval rating for continuing war? Sounds like a
formula for a 2008 defeat. Already "3rd" party organizing is
beginning.

When we last asked you to deny funding for these aggressions you gave
us the administration's line "We have to fund the troops." How many
troop deaths and injuries has this funded? We ask you to deny the
president funds for his lies, for his private mercenaries, for
corporate oil, for the privatization of a foreign nation, for funding
corruption and cronyism to previously unknown heights.

In Vietnam as the major parties traded turns with the presidency we
saw democratic hawks turn to doves and republican doves turn to hawks.

So much for principle! But, the citizens did not switch! Eventually
the war profiteers couldn't hold on any longer.

On this fifth anniversary of Paul's death, we ask you to "Wellstone"
it. Vote on principle! Vote with the vast majority of your
constituents! Vote for sanity and world citizenship!

In peace,
Joe and Elaine Mayer