The War in Iraq

In the latest issue of St. Anthony Messenger, an editorial called An Endless War, supports the idea that it is indeed patriotic to ask for the safe return of our men and women in uniform. The entire editorial can be read at the April 2007 Issue of St. Anthony Messenger Magazine Online. Here are a few excerpts:

...This has never been a popular war. From the beginning, one of its most vocal critics was Pope John Paul II. Always mindful of Christian-Muslim relations, the pope urged the president to forgo an invasion.

The president and his administration didn’t listen. So the pope spoke a little louder....

....Many in this country and abroad felt a deepening unease. The Iraq Study Group, also known as the Baker-Hamilton Commission, was a bipartisan panel of 10 former judges, politicians and executives. This group was appointed by Congress on March 15, 2006, to assess the problems in Iraq. Their 79 recommendations were published online in December of 2006.

The report asserts: “Sustained increases in U.S. troop levels would not solve the fundamental cause of violence in Iraq. A senior American general told us that adding U.S. troops might temporarily help limit violence in a highly localized area. However, the violence would simply rekindle as soon as U.S. forces are moved to another area.

“As another American general told us, if the Iraqi government does not make political progress, ‘all the troops in the world will not provide security.’”

The president, yet again, ignored advice and pressed on. With this move, our country’s stock with the rest of the world plunged lower than his stateside approval ratings...

...to be an armchair critic is a freedom that we enjoy, not from the declarations of a president, but from the labors of our soldiers.

And nowhere is the tragedy of war felt more urgently than by the brave and battered men and women who are embedded in a fight they did not start, waging a war for reasons no longer apparent, battling an enemy with no clear face.

To insist upon their safe return is a commendable—and, yes, patriotic— outcry. What better way to support our troops than to speak the words that are so richly deserved and painfully long-overdue: “Welcome home.”

That is a very powerful message coming from a highly respected Catholic publication.

Meanwhile, an update from Iraq Coalition Casualties:

U.S. Deaths Confirmed By The DoD:	3244
Reported U.S. Deaths Pending DoD Confirmation:	2
Total	3246

Also, the following news story is from Iraq Coalition Casualties from the AP and Yahoo News:
The U.S. military death toll in March, the first full month of the security crackdown, was nearly twice that of the Iraqi army, which American and Iraqi officials say is taking the leading role in the latest attempt to curb violence in the capital, surrounding cities and Anbar province, according to figures compiled on Saturday.

The Associated Press count of U.S. military deaths for the month was 81, including a soldier who died from non-combat causes Saturday. Figures compiled from officials in the Iraqi ministries of Defense, Health and Interior showed the Iraqi military toll was 44. The Iraqi figures showed that 165 Iraqi police were killed in March. Many of the police serve in paramilitary units....

Oh, no! Not more election fraud!

Our local newspaper, the Columbus Dispatch, revealed something in a trade magazine that most people in central Ohio did not know-----they laid off their local staff to send their work overseas. This is from an opinion piece in the Lake Sun Leader:

...A few months ago, the Columbus, Ohio Dispatch announced in a newspaper trade magazine that it had entered into a relationship with a company in India to produce the local ads that it publishes. The Dispatch faxes advertising copy to the Indian firm each evening and the Indians e-mail finished ads back by morning. The Dispatch said it was able to lay off 90 ad design staffers as a result.

I'm sure this involved a considerable savings, but I can't see the overall good of it. The Columbus newspaper's ad sales are predicated on a healthy local retail market. It's hard to see how throwing 90 Columbus residents out of work improves the local market....

Isn't that a real kick in the pants? The local newspaper has cut local jobs, reduced the taxes they paid to state and local government, and improved their profit by sending work overseas. Why didn't we hear about it? How can they claim be be a "local" newspaper? Perhaps the newspaper should be renamed to The Columbus-India Dispatch.

*Meanwhile, up in Cuyahoga County, Franklin County resident and head of the Ohio Republican Party, Robert Bennett, has still refused to resign his appointed post on the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections.

*Oh, no! Not more election fraud in Ohio!!!! Yes. Columbus Free Press:
...Meanwhile, another GOP county election official is also under intensifying fire. Lisa Schwartze, executive director of the Hocking County BOE, has been charged with allowing an unmonitored manipulation of electronic memory drives before the 2004 recount could be completed. A memo purportedly written by Schwartze also directs poll workers to recount a precinct chosen deliberately by Schwartze, rather than at random, as the law demands. Two Cuyahoga County poll workers have been convicted of felonies for similar behavior, and have each been sentenced to 18 months in prison.

Schwartze's offenses, however, may not stop there. According to sworn affidavits from Sherole Eaton, former Hocking County DOE assistant director, Schwartze publicly bragged of having held Republican Party fundraisers in her executive director's office, a clear illegality. Schwartze may also have organized the fundraisers while being paid by the county to do her allegedly non-partisan job as executive director.

Schwartze may also have supervised the shredding of voter registration rolls leading up to the 2004 election. Eaton's under-oath testimony strongly indicates this destruction of vital public records may also have been illegal.

Like Bennett, Schwartze has long been a high-profile associate of Blackwell's, and apparently played a key role in delivering Ohio's electoral votes to George W. Bush in 2004. Whether she did so illegally remains to be seen.

But the fire Jennifer Brunner has set in Cleveland now seems very likely to spread to the rest of Ohio's 88 counties. Hocking's Schwartze is almost certain to join Bob Bennett among those feeling the heat.

It may take awhile to clean out the Republican corruption in Ohio, but Jennifer Brunner is doing a great job to protect the integrity of our votes.

Ohio's Republicans

* Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce (OH-15) is skipping less votes. Although she still has missed votes (33 votes: 15.9%), it looks like she is at least attending more voting sessions. However, her voting record shows that she continues to go by the beat of the Republican leadership and the White House.

* It appears that Sen. George Voinovich continues to support President Bush's war without end policy in Iraq. Voinovich plans to vote against anything that promotes a timeline for withdrawal of troops from Iraq. Citizens should continue to put pressure on Voinovich to change his mind: (202) 224-3353 or http://voinovich.senate.gov/public/index.cfm

* The Toledo Blade has an interesting editorial that points fingers at Taft and Voinovich for the problems at the Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation.

***The Brad Blog has a fantastic piece on Ohio GOP chair and Cuyahoga County Board of Elections member, Robert Bennett. Here are some excerpts:
One more of the Cuyahoga County (Cleveland), Ohio, Board of Elections directors, Republican Sally Florkiewicz, has stepped down this afternoon. Her resignation leaves just one member, the board's chairman, Bob Bennett, left to fight the demand by Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner that all board members resign in the wake of a years-long string of elections disasters, two criminal convictions related to the recount of the 2004 Presidential Election, and a new criminal investigation which was launched last week into newly-revealed administrative election improprieties and irregularities in the county.

The resignation of Florkiewicz from the board of Ohio's most Democratic county leaves only Bennett --- who is the chair of both the Election Board and the state's Republican party --- to fight the order by Brunner. A hearing will be held next Monday concerning the complaint filed along with the SoS's resignation demands, after which Brunner is free to fire Bennett directly, according to state law. As ever, the members of Ohio's supposedly "bi-partisan" boards of election have always served at the pleasure of the SoS, who, for years, was the highly partisan right-winger and co-chair of Ohio's Bush/Cheney 2004 committee, J. Kenneth Blackwell.

Brunner replaced Blackwell last November after the former SoS was thoroughly rejected by Ohio voters in his bid for Governor.

"Regrettably, the lone board member who has refused to resign will face removal," Brunner said in a statement posted to the SoS website late this afternoon.....
.....Brunner's statement today also calls for applicants to the newly vacated board. She notes that "applicants must be a qualified elector (voter) of Cuyahoga County."
Given that Bennett, as chair of the board, was nonetheless a resident of Columbus --- at least an hour's drive from Cuyahoga's Cleveland --- one wonders just why he would have been appointed to such a post, heading the state's most Democratic area, in the first place. We suppose only Blackwell and the state's Republican party would be able to answer that one. We'll leave you instead to speculate to your heart's content.....

In case you are interested, Bennett's drive to Cuyahoga County's Board of Elections from Columbus would take him just a little over 2 hours to drive. It is obvious to me that Bennett was "placed" at the BOE to "handle" the vote count. He must have done a good job because the Republican candidate for President won and the GOP and Bennett celebrated. Now Bennett refuses to give up his position. Here are some ideas for Brunner: 1. Empty Bennett's desk at the BOE and put his belongings in boxes. 2. Change the lock to his office.

Bennett needs to wake up and smell the coffee. Either Bennett can leave with dignity and resign on his own, or he can be thrown out with the trash.

Why vote against this security?

Why did Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce (OH-15) vote against a bill to improve transportation security? According to the Washington Post, Pryce voted against HR 1401-Vote 201 (Title: To improve the security of railroads, public transportation, and over-the-road buses in the United States and for other purposes.) Is she against extra security or is she just following the orders of Republican leaders like Boehner, Hastert, Blunt, and other big machers in the GOP?

**The scandal-plagued Cuyahoga County Board of Elections keeps churning up more news stories. From the Cleveland Plain Dealer:

Cuyahoga County elections board member Sally Florkiewicz resigned Tuesday, leaving only the board chairman to fight removal by Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner....

...Board Chairman Bob Bennett said Tuesday that he has no intention of resigning. Instead, he requested that the county prosecutor's office defend him against charges leveled by Brunner that board members violated state election laws and failed to properly administer elections....

Bennett, who also serves as head of the Ohio GOP, does not appear to be ashamed of the fact that he and his fellow board members thoroughly screwed up the elections. With 2 election workers already going to jail for rigging the 2004 election, the board offices need to be purified to get the stench of scandal out of the air. However, Robert Bennett would rather stay in power than restore public trust to the voting process in Cuyahoga County. It appears that Bennett thinks its all about him and not the good people of Cuyahoga County.

Yo! People in Connecticut!

I don't live in Connecticut but I wonder how the citizens of that state feel about Sen. Joe Lieberman. Lieberman voted with Republicans in the U.S. Senate and voted against a timetable to withdraw troops from Iraq. Do you think that Lieberman really represents you? Don't you think he is playing a game with all of you? As an observer from Ohio, I am extremely disappointed in Lieberman's turncoat behavior. I offer the citizens of Connecticut my sympathy.

Fixing Things

Ohioans have had enough of the Republican scandals. In a recent audit of the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (the Tom Noe "coingate" scandal), the facts have been revealed about the misuse of power. Here is an excerpt from the Port Clinton News Herald:

A state audit has confirmed the key elements of a scandal that tore through the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation over the past two years, including abuse of power by its chief financial officer, and a lack of proper oversight and internal checks and balances.

State auditors also found during the routine review of operations for 2005 and 2006 that some key financial documents had been destroyed. State Auditor Mary Taylor is asking the bureau to review the situation.

The audit was released today by Taylor, a Republican whose party was toppled from power amid the scandal at the bureau over lost investments....

The audit found:

• Former chief financial officer Terrence Gasper entered into inappropriate relationships with financial managers by accepting cash and other benefits in exchange for business with the bureau, which provides benefits to injured workers. Gasper pleaded guilty in June to accepting bribes in exchange for doling out agency business, and awaits action as he cooperates with authorities.

• Bureau private equity investments were not properly monitored by management, allowing external investment managers to make improper investments. The review found the ability to accurately track investment activity and determine its value was seriously compromised.

• Rate-setting policies for employers seeking injured workers’ insurance were inadequate and lacked oversight. An override policy at the bureau that allowed staff members to change the rates of employers at the behest of some lawmakers is under investigation.

• Communication was lacking between the bureau’s legal and financial staffs, allowing omissions in financial reporting requirements....

Ohioans are outraged by the actions of the Republicans under the Taft administration. Our elected officials owe us honesty. It is time to clean things up in every single Ohio government office. Gov. Strickland and his team have had a great beginning and they need our continued support.

The Story Continues

>Ohio GOP chairman, Robert Bennett, who is on the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections, still has not resigned despite demands from the Ohio Secretary of State, Jennifer Brunner, and concerned citizens. You should visit the Bennett's Ohio GOP website to see how Democrats are portrayed. How can anyone expect Bennett to be objective in his post on the Board of Elections?

>Have you noticed the audiences that go out to see Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain? They appear to be mostly white and in their 70's. McCain's supporters do not appear to be very enthusiastic. If you look at a typical rally for Sen. Obama, you see enthusiastic people from all different groups. I think the McCain bandwagon is slowly running out of gas and funding.

>It appears that members of the Republican Party are feeling the heat from the public over their continuing support of Bush's war in Iraq. According to the New York Times:
Senator John E. Sununu knows that his political future could hinge on the war in Iraq, try as he might to change the subject.

For weeks, Mr. Sununu and Republican colleagues who face re-election next year have trudged through an on-again, off-again Iraq debate in Congress. So the annual Lincoln Day Dinner that he attended here Saturday evening, with its friendly audience, might have been expected to offer a respite from the realities of Washington.

But even among the ladies and gentlemen of the Carroll County Republican Committee, more than a few of whom wore elephant neckties and broaches to celebrate the symbol of their party, the vexing issue of Iraq was the real elephant in the room....

...Senator Gordon H. Smith of Oregon, who is also up for re-election in 2008, is the only Republican who has supported setting a date to bring troops home. Senator Norm Coleman, a Minnesota Republican who is up for a second term next year, opposes a deadline but said Congress must reach consensus on a policy to change course in Iraq....

Even though a large majority of Americans want troops home now, Bush and his Republican lapdogs continue to ignore the will of the people. The Republicans may find out how much Americans hate this war at the next election. Ohio Republican Sen. George Voinovich should also be feeling the pressure from Ohio voters because anti-war sentiment is growing in the state.

Still Haven't Gotten the Message

Re: House Vote 186. HR 1591
The following members of the House of Representatives voted against this bill which could bring the troops home sooner.
From OHIO..

John Boehner, Steve Chabot, Paul Gillmor, David Hobson, Jim Jordan, Dennis Kucinich, Steven LaTourette, Deborah Pryce, Ralph Regula, Jean Schmidt, Pat Tiberi, Michael Turner

The number of U.S. Casualties from Ohio who have died in Iraq: 142

From Florida:

Gus Bilirakis, Ginny Brown-Waite, Vern Buchanan, Ander Crenshaw, Lincoln Diaz-Balart, Mario Diaz-Balart, Tom Feeney, Ric Keller, Connie Mack, John Mica, Jeff Miller, Adam Putnam, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Cliff Stearns, Dave Weldon, Bill Young

Number of U.S. casualties from Florida: 131

From Texas:

Joe Barton, Kevin Brady, Michael Burgess, John Carter, Michael Conaway, John Culberson, Louie Gohmert, Kay Granger, Ralph Hall, Jeb Hensarling, Sam Johnson, Kenny Marchant, Michael McCaul, Randy Neugebauer, Ron Paul, Ted Poe, Pete Sessions, Lamar Smith, Mac Thornberry

The number of U.S. casualties from Texas who have died in Iraq: 292

From Virginia:

Eric Cantor, Tom Davis, Thelma Drake, Randy Forbes, Virgil Goode, Bob Goodlatte, Frank Wolf

The number of U.S. casualties from Virginia who have died in Iraq: 91

This is just a sampling of some of the representatives who voted against the bill to start bringing troops home. These people still haven't gotten the message that Americans want the troops home. If your representative is listed above, call them. If you don't see you state listed above check this Washington Post link. To see the names of those who have lost their lives in Iraq, listed by state, visit ICASUALTIES.ORG.

We Want the Troops Home!

We want the troops home. Unfortunately, some people don't get it. If your congress member voted against HR 1591, call his/her office and tell them you are disappointed in their vote. It is time to do something to end our country's involvement in Iraq's civil war.

H.R. 1591: (excerpts from Library of Congress):

U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Health, and Iraq Accountability Act, 2007 - Makes emergency supplemental FY2007 appropriations for specified activities related to the global war on terror to the Departments of Agriculture (including food aid to Africa and Afghanistan), of Justice, of Defense (Military, including funds for Iraqi and Afghan security forces), of Defense (military construction and base closure), of Energy, of Homeland Security, of Veterans Affairs (particularly veterans' health programs), and of State (including international peacekeeping operations), and related agencies as well as the House of Representatives.

Provides funds to enable military commanders in Iraq and Afghanistan to respond to urgent humanitarian relief and reconstruction requirements.

Specifies conditions for assistance to Lebanon.

Prohibits the use of funds under this Act to deploy any unit of the Armed Forces to Iraq unless the chief of the military department concerned has certified to the congressional appropriations committees in advance that the unit is fully mission capable. Sets a maximum number of days for deployment in Iraq for military units. Authorizes the President to waive such prohibition and deployment limits on a unit-by-unit basis for reasons of national security.

Directs the President to transmit to Congress by specified dates certain determinations and certifications with respect to conditions to be met by the Government of Iraq. Requires redeployment of the armed forces from Iraq if any of such conditions is not met.

Directs the President to appoint a Coordinator for Iraq Assistance, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.

Declares that Congress will fully support the needs of members of the Armed Forces who the Commander in Chief has deployed in harm's way in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, and their families....

Who voted against this bill? I'm glad you asked! Washington Post:

Republicans:

Robert Aderholt, Todd Akin, Rodney Alexander, Michele Bachmann, Spencer Bachus, Richard Baker, J. Barrett, Roscoe Bartlett, Joe Barton, Judith Biggert, Brian Bilbray, Gus Bilirakis, Rob Bishop, Marsha Blackburn, Roy Blunt, John Boehner, Jo Bonner, Mary Bono, John Boozman, Charles Boustany, Kevin Brady, Henry Brown, Ginny Brown-Waite, Vern Buchanan, Michael Burgess, Dan Burton, Steve Buyer, Ken Calvert, Dave Camp, John Campbell, Chris Cannon, Eric Cantor, Shelley Moore Capito, John Carter, Michael Castle, Steve Chabot, Howard Coble, Tom Cole, Michael Conaway, Ander Crenshaw, Barbara Cubin, John Culberson, Geoff Davis, David Davis, Tom Davis, Nathan Deal, Charles Dent, Mario Diaz-Balart, Lincoln Diaz-Balart, John Doolittle, Thelma Drake, David Dreier, John 'Jimmy' Duncan, Vernon Ehlers, Jo Ann Emerson, Philip English, Terry Everett, Mary Fallin, Tom Feeney, Mike Ferguson, Jeff Flake, Randy Forbes, Jeff Fortenberry, Vito Fossella, Virginia Foxx, Trent Franks, Rodney Frelinghuysen, Elton Gallegly, Scott Garrett, Jim Gerlach, Paul Gillmor, Phil Gingrey, Louie Gohmert, Virgil Goode, Bob Goodlatte, Kay Granger, Sam Graves, Ralph Hall, J. Dennis Hastert, Doc Hastings, Robin Hayes, Dean Heller, Jeb Hensarling, Wally Herger, David Hobson, Peter Hoekstra, Kenny Hulshof, Duncan Hunter, Bob Inglis, Darrell Issa, Bobby Jindal, Tim Johnson, Sam Johnson, Jim Jordan, Ric Keller, Steve King, Peter King, Jack Kingston, Mark Kirk, John Kline, Joe Knollenberg, Randy Kuhl, Ray LaHood, Steven LaTourette, Doug Lamborn, Tom Latham, Jerry Lewis, Ron Lewis, John Linder, Frank LoBiondo, Frank Lucas, Daniel Lungren, Connie Mack, Donald Manzullo, Kenny Marchant, Kevin McCarthy, Michael McCaul, Thad McCotter, Jim McCrery, Patrick McHenry, John McHugh, Buck McKeon, John Mica, Jeff Miller, Candice Miller, Gary Miller, Jerry Moran, Tim Murphy, Marilyn Musgrave, Sue Myrick, Randy Neugebauer, Devin Nunes, Ron Paul, Stevan Pearce, Mike Pence, John Peterson, Thomas Petri, Chip Pickering, Joe Pitts, Todd Platts, Ted Poe, Jon Porter, Tom Price, Deborah Pryce, Adam Putnam, George Radanovich, Jim Ramstad, Ralph Regula, Dennis Rehberg, David Reichert, Rick Renzi, Thomas Reynolds, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Mike Rogers, Hal Rogers, Mike Rogers, Dana Rohrabacher, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Peter Roskam, Edward Royce, Paul Ryan, Bill Sali, Jim Saxton, Jean Schmidt, Jim Sensenbrenner, Pete Sessions, John Shadegg, Christopher Shays, John Shimkus, Bill Shuster, Michael Simpson, Adrian Smith, Christopher Smith, Lamar Smith, Mark Souder, Cliff Stearns, John Sullivan, Tom Tancredo, Lee Terry, Mac Thornberry, Todd Tiahrt, Pat Tiberi, Michael Turner, Fred Upton, Timothy Walberg, Greg Walden, James Walsh, Zachary Wamp, Dave Weldon, Jerry Weller, Lynn Westmoreland, Ed Whitfield, Roger Wicker, Heather Wilson, Joe Wilson, Frank Wolf, Bill Young, Don Young

Jo Ann Davis

Democrats: (Washington Post)

John Barrow, Dan Boren, Lincoln Davis, Dennis Kucinich, Barbara Lee, John Lewis, Jim Marshall, Jim Matheson, Michael McNulty, Michael Michaud, Gene Taylor, Maxine Waters, Diane Watson, Lynn Woolsey

Voting Rights

Why doesn't Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce (OH-15) want to give the right to vote to those living in Washington, DC? Pryce, according to the Washington Post, voted against legislation that would grant voting rights to residents of the District of Columbia.

The drama continues at the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections. With 2 elections workers already convicted and being sent to prison for rigging the counts in Cuyahoga County, the scandals continue. Ohio GOP Chair, Robert Bennett, refuses to resign his post on the election board. He still doesn't get the fact that his post is a conflict of interest. According to the Zanesville Times Recorder, Robert Bennett and Sally Florkiewicz still refuse to resign. Here is an excerpt from the Times Recorder article:

Complaints against Cuyahoga County election board members The following five complaints have been made against elections board members in Cuyahoga County by Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner. Complaints 1-4: Misfeasance and nonfeasance regarding the 2004 recount; financial management; voting problems in 2004, 2005 and 2006; and voting-machine performance oversight. Complaint 5: "Good and sufficient cause for removal" over lack of public confidence. SOURCE: Ohio secretary of state

Don't you think it is time for Bennett and Florkiewicz to resign? Call the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections (216) 443-3200 or e-mail them ( ElectionInfo@cuyahogacounty.us) and tell them to resign IMMEDIATELY!

Ohio Politics and Cuyahoga County Board of Elections

Does anyone else think it a little suspicious that the most heavily Democratic area of Ohio, Cleveland and Cuyahoga County, had voting problems AND that the head of the Ohio GOP (Robert Bennett) serves on the Board of Elections for that area? I know what you are thinking. How could such a coincidence happen? Bennett has a real conflict of interest and it is shameful that he continues to serve on the board. The Republicans in Ohio are disgusting, corrupt, buffoons who will do/say anything to retain power even while they screw the citizens of the entire state.

Now we have word that even though they have been told to resign, 3 people on the Cuyahoga Board of Elections have refused to resign
(2 GOPers and 1 Dem). Fort Wayne Journal Gazette:
Three of four elections board members in Ohio’s most populous county defied a demand by Ohio’s chief elections officer to resign by Wednesday.

Only Edward C. Coaxum Jr., a Democrat, resigned from the Cuyahoga County board in compliance with Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner’s demand that they step down. The county has been troubled by recount rigging charges and voting machine problems.

Republicans Robert Bennett, the board chairman and head of the GOP in Ohio, and Sally Florkiewicz said at a board meeting that they wouldn’t resign.

Democrat Loree K. Soggs said after the meeting that he also would stay on the board.

Brunner said her office was prepared to begin removal hearings against those who refused to resign....

I hope that Brunner changes the locks on the doors! It is time for the people of Ohio to get these people out. Call the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections at (216) 443-3200 and demand that Robert Bennett, Sally Florkiewicz, and Loree Soggs, resign. The people of Cuyahoga County deserve a better board than these fools: (216) 443-3200.

Big Events Today?

We are all still recovering from the "decider's" announcement yesterday. Somehow Bush hasn't gotten the news that the Democrats hold majorities in the House and the Senate.

There are several things that might happen today----
THE HILL: Dissatisfied by the White House’s offer to grant congressmen private interviews with administration officials, conducted with neither oaths nor transcripts, Democrats yesterday vowed to move forward on subpoenas of Karl Rove and other senior aides linked to the firings of eight U.S. attorneys.....
....The House Judiciary subcommittee with jurisdiction over U.S. attorneys is slated to vote today on whether to subpoena Rove, former White House counsel Harriet Miers and two of their deputies, while the Senate Judiciary panel has scheduled its vote for tomorrow. Subpoena authorizations allow the Judiciary chairmen, Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.), to hold off on issuing the summonses until their standoff with the White House reaches a point of no return....

“There is absolutely no reason or precedent I’ve ever heard of that the persons we’ve asked for could not be interviewed [freely],” Conyers said, adding that calling Democrats disappointed by the offer “may be an understatement.”

Beacon News: Republicans and Democrats alike sternly warned the FBI Tuesday that it risks losing its broad power to collect telephone, e-mail and financial records to hunt terrorists because of rampant abuses of the authority.

The threats were the latest blow to the embattled Justice Department and Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, who is already on the defensive and fighting to keep his job over the firings of federal prosecutors.

The warnings came as the department's chief watchdog, inspector general Glenn A. Fine, told the House Judiciary Committee that the FBI engaged in widespread and serious misuse of its authority to issue national security letters, which resulted in illegally collecting data from Americans and foreigners......

San Francisco Chronicle:

Al Gore wowed moviegoers and Hollywood elites with his Oscar-winning documentary on global warming. Today, he faces a far tougher audience in Congress.

The 2000 Democratic Party presidential nominee will testify about the urgency of addressing climate change in two appearances on Capitol Hill before panels that include skeptics of the sort that Gore probably hasn't encountered on the red carpet.

For instance, Sen. James Inhofe of Oklahoma, senior Republican on the Environment and Public Works Committee, once called global warming "the greatest hoax ever perpetuated on the American people." The other witness scheduled to appear at the House Energy and Commerce Committee is Bjorn Lomborg of the Copenhagen Business School, who asserts that global warming is real but argues, "The trouble is that the climate models show we can do very little" about it.

Gore's appearance is part of an ambitious Democratic effort to elevate energy as a top-tier domestic policy cause, alongside health care. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco created a special Select Committee on Climate Change when Democrats took over in January. Several bills related to climate change have been introduced in the Senate in the past two months.....

This might be a good day to watch C-SPAN and MSNBC News.

Pryce's Attendance Record

According to the Washington Post, Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce (OH-15) missed 3 votes on Monday, March 19, 2007. She also missed 3 votes on Monday, March 12, 2007. Does Pryce have something better to do than work for the people of Ohio's 15th district? If Pryce would rather not work, she should resign now so that we can get a true representative who will go to work for us.
Washington Post:
Deborah Pryce (OH-R)

Votes: 33 votes missed (20.9 percent of 158 total votes)

Pryce: Blah, Blah, Blah.

Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce (OH-15) who survived re-election by only 1,000 votes is trying to be very careful. She won't say anything that could be used against her in a future election. Here is Pryce's quote about how the world views the U.S. after the Iraq War (Columbus Dispatch):
"We have damaged ourselves to some degree," said Rep. Deborah Pryce, R-Upper Arlington. "The extent of that can never be known until we know the future of Iraq. Minds can change and be unchanged depending on where we end up."

Why won't Pryce say the war was a mistake and it continues to be a mistake? Why won't Pryce say that it is time to end the war? She will not utter a word that has not been approved by the White House, Karl Rove, and the Republican Party. While her constituents call and e-mail her to vote to end the war, Pryce speaks and votes as a puppet of the GOP.

According to http://icasualties.org/oif/:

U.S. Deaths Confirmed By The DoD:	3204
Reported U.S. Deaths Pending DoD Confirmation:	14
Total	3218

It is time to let the Iraqi create their own future. It is time to bring our troops home. Four years later, and Ohio has lost 142 (http://icasualties.org/oif/Statecity.aspx) of our best and brightest:

Akron	Brownfield, Andrew D.	Corporal	18-Mar-2004
		Alliance	McVicker, Daniel M.	Lance Corporal	06-Oct-2005
		Ashland	Ellis, Joseph J.	Sergeant Major	07-Feb-2007
		Atwater	Murray, Jeremy E.	Sergeant	16-Nov-2005
		Austintown	Kuhns Jr., Larry R.	Sergeant	13-Jun-2005
		Beavercreek	Biggers, Ethan J.	Specialist	24-Feb-2007
		Bellaire	Bates, Todd M.	Sergeant	10-Dec-2003
		Bolivar/Newcomerstown	Hardy, Richard Allen	Specialist	15-Oct-2005
		Broadview Heights	Worster, James R.	Sergeant	18-Sep-2006
		Brooklyn	Knight, Timothy A.	Corporal	26-Jan-2005
		Canal Fulton	Barkey, Michael C.	Sergeant	07-Jul-2004
		Canton	Ramey, Richard P.	Staff Sergeant	08-Feb-2004
		Canton	Crabtree, Daniel	Sergeant 1st Class	08-Jun-2006
		Canton	Buryj, Jesse R.	Private 1st Class	05-May-2004
		Canton	Warner, Heath	Private 1st Class	22-Nov-2006
		Chagrin Falls	Kashkoush, Michael M.	Sergeant	23-Jan-2007
		Cherry Fork	Hawkins II, Omer T.	Staff Sergeant	14-Oct-2004
		Chillicothe	Reed, Aaron H.	Lance Corporal	03-Aug-2005
		Chillicothe	Clemmons, Brad A.	Master Sergeant	21-Aug-2006
		Cincinnati	Miller IV, James H.	Private 1st Class	30-Jan-2005
		Cincinnati	Kreuter, David Kenneth J.	Corporal	03-Aug-2005
		Cincinnati	Dyer, Christopher Jenkins	Lance Corporal	03-Aug-2005
		Cincinnati	Pummill, Richard T.	Staff Sergeant	20-Oct-2005
		Cincinnati	Swisher, Tyler B.	Captain	21-Oct-2005
		Cincinnati	Rogers, Gregory S.	Sergeant 1st Class	09-Apr-2006
		Clayton	Johnson, Adam R. "A.J."	Private	31-Oct-2005
		Cleveland	Bowen, Samuel R.	Private 1st Class	07-Jul-2004
		Cleveland	Garmback Jr., Joseph M.	Specialist	08-Jul-2004
		Cleveland	Dowdy, Robert John	Master Sergeant	23-Mar-2003
		Cleveland	Sloan, Brandon Ulysses	Private	23-Mar-2003
		Cleveland	Eckfield Jr., Robert F.	Lance Corporal	27-Oct-2005
		Cleveland	Mendez Ruiz, David A.	Lance Corporal	12-Nov-2005
		Cleveland	Wiggins, Michael J.	Staff Sergeant	23-Jan-2007
		Columbus	Zimmer, Nicholaus E.	Private 1st Class	30-May-2004
		Columbus	Dixon, Christopher R.	Private 1st Class	11-May-2005
		Columbus	Wilkins III, Charles L.	1st Lieutenant	20-Aug-2004
		Columbus	Schroeder II, Edward August	Lance Corporal	03-Aug-2005
		Columbus	Mendoza Jr., Ramon J.	Major	14-Nov-2005
		Columbus	Ott, Kevin C.	Private 1st Class	25-Jun-2003
		Columbus	Van Dusen, Brian K.	Chief Warrant Officer	09-May-2003
		Columbus	Derga, Dustin A.	Corporal	08-May-2005
		Columbus	Knox, Adam L.	Sergeant	17-Sep-2006
		Columbus/Westerville	Spann, Jacob D. "Jake"	Private 1st Class	06-Feb-2006
		Cuyahoga Falls	Large, Bryan W.	Sergeant	03-Oct-2005
		Cuyahoga Falls	Walsh, Justin T.	Sergeant	11-Oct-2006
		Dayton/Montgomery	Gilbert Jr., Richard A.	Corporal	26-Jan-2005
		Deer Park/Fairfield	Hines Jr., Timothy J.	Private 1st Class	14-Jul-2005
		Defiance	Ramsey, Joshua A.	Private 1st Class	12-Dec-2004
		Delaware	Hoffman, Justin F.	Sergeant	03-Aug-2005
		Delhi	Roos, Timothy D.	Corporal	27-Jul-2006
		Dresden	Harper, Bradley J.	Sergeant	03-Aug-2005
		Dublin	Davids, Wesley G.	Lance Corporal	11-May-2005
		East Liverpool	Butler, Tyler	Private 1st Class	01-Feb-2007
		Elyria	Shepherd, Daniel Michael	Sergeant	15-Aug-2004
		Elyria	West, Robert H.	Master Sergeant	14-May-2006
		Euclid	Schamberg, Kurt D.	Sergeant	20-May-2005
		Fairborn	Solomon, Gordon George	Staff Sergeant	24-Aug-2006
		Fairfield	Prazynski, Taylor B.	Lance Corporal	09-May-2005
		Fairfield	Cifuentes, Michael J.	Lance Corporal	03-Aug-2005
		Frankfort	Colburn, Gavin J.	Private 1st Class	22-Apr-2005
		Gahanna	Miller, Ryan Edwin	Private	03-Sep-2006
		Gahanna/Franklin	Messmer, Nicolas E.	Private 1st Class	08-May-2005
		Galion/Crawford	Ivy II, Kendall H.	Staff Sergeant	11-May-2005
		Galloway	Williams, Andre L.	Corporal	28-Jul-2005
		Grove City	Bernholtz, Eric J.	Lance Corporal	03-Aug-2005
		Hamilton	Rockhold, Marlin T.	Private 1st Class	08-May-2003
		Hamilton	Webb, Charles Joseph	Sergeant	03-Nov-2004
		Hamilton	McGinnis, Ricky L.	1st Sergeant	26-Oct-2006
		Howard	Anderson, Nathan R.	Corporal	12-Nov-2004
		Huber Heights	Fitzgerald, Dustin R.	Lance Corporal	18-Aug-2004
		Huber Heights	Brown, Nicholas P.	Specialist	22-Jan-2007
		Ironton	Ford IV, David H.	Specialist	16-Sep-2005
		Jefferson	Smith Jr., Michael J.	Lance Corporal	17-Apr-2004
		Kent	Emch, Luke	Hospitalman	02-Mar-2007
		Lima	Pintor, Dennis L.	Captain	12-Oct-2004
		Malta	Mitchell, Curtis A.	Staff Sergeant	12-Dec-2005
		Mansfield	Vandayburg, Allen Jeffrey "A.J."	Specialist	09-Apr-2004
		Mansfield	Souslin, Kenneth C.	Private 1st Class	15-Dec-2003
		Mansfield	Stover, Michael D.	Major	03-Jun-2006
		Mansfield/Shelby	Lyons, Christopher P.	Lance Corporal	28-Jul-2005
		Marietta	Nolan, Allen	Specialist	30-Sep-2004
		Massillon	Seesan, Aaron N.	1st Lieutenant	22-May-2005
		Maynard/St. Clairsville	Morgan Jr., Richard L.	Staff Sergeant	05-Oct-2004
		Medina	Grella, Devin J.	Private 1st Class	06-Sep-2004
		Mentor	Smykowski, Mark T.	Sergeant	06-Jun-2006
		Middleburg Heights	Squires, Brad D.	Corporal	09-Jun-2005
		Milford	Taylor, Bryan N.	Lance Corporal	06-Apr-2006
		Mineral City	Barnett, Jeremy D.	Sergeant	24-Feb-2007
		Mogadore	Conte, Matthew G.	Hospitalman	01-Feb-2007
		Monroeville	Sparks, Jason L.	Private 1st Class	08-Sep-2004
		Mount Vernon	Martin, Ryan A.	Private 1st Class	20-Aug-2004
		Mount Vernon	Laymon, Benjamin J.	Sergeant	24-Jun-2006
		Muskingum County	Godwin, Todd J.	Corporal	20-Jul-2004
		Nankin	Kingman, Jonathan P. C.	Sergeant	20-Jan-2007
		Niles	Baragona, Dominic Rocco	Lieutenant Colonel	19-May-2003
		North Royalton	Christian, Brett T.	Sergeant	23-Jul-2003
		Ohio City	Gurtner, Christian Daniel	Private 1st Class	02-Apr-2003
		Ottawa	Wobler, Zachary Ryan	Staff Sergeant	06-Feb-2005
		Plain City	Prince, Kevin William	Corporal	23-Apr-2005
		Pomeroy	Jones, Joshua D.	Corporal	27-Aug-2006
		Reynoldsburg	Reese, Aaron T.	Staff Sergeant	10-Dec-2003
		Reynoldsburg	Mattingly, Matthew C.	Captain	13-Sep-2006
		Ridgeway	Hodge, Jeremy M.	Sergeant	10-Oct-2005
		Rossford	Christoff Jr., David	Sergeant	22-May-2006
		Sabina	Wightman, William Brett	Lance Corporal	03-Aug-2005
		Sandusky	Odums II, Charles E.	Specialist	30-May-2004
		Seven Hills	Boskovitch, Jeffrey A.	Corporal	01-Aug-2005
		Seven Hills	Andres Jr., Joseph J.	Master Sergeant	24-Dec-2005
		Somerset	Neighbor, Gavin L.	Private 1st Class	10-Jun-2003
		Somerville	Shepherd, Adam R.	Private 1st Class	17-Jan-2006
		South Euclid	Nowacki, Andrew W.	Lance Corporal	26-Feb-2005
		Springfield	Smith, Kevin S.	Lance Corporal	21-Mar-2005
		St. Louisville	Seymour, Devon Paul	Lance Corporal	09-Jun-2005
		Stow	Tomci, Joseph A.	Corporal	02-Aug-2006
		Strongsville	Keeling, Thomas O.	Lance Corporal	09-Jun-2005
		Sylvania	Eckert Jr., Gary A. "Andy"	Sergeant	08-May-2005
		Tallmadge	Deyarmin Jr., Daniel Nathan	Lance Corporal	01-Aug-2005
		Thompson	Landrus, Sean G.	Staff Sergeant	29-Jan-2004
		Tiffin	Shock, Jeremy S.	Lance Corporal	19-Nov-2006
		Toledo	Benford, Jason A.	Staff Sergeant	27-Sep-2005
		Toronto	Rock, Nathaniel S.	Sergeant	01-Aug-2005
		Union	Scott, David A.	Master Sergeant	20-Jul-2003
		Wadsworth/Huron	Finke Jr., Michael W.	Sergeant	26-Jan-2005
		Warren	Carr, Robert M.	Sergeant	13-Mar-2007
		West Chester	Bell Jr., Timothy Michael	Lance Corporal	03-Aug-2005
		West Jefferson	Swaney, Robert A.	Private 1st Class	30-Jul-2005
		Western Hills	Weber, Robert	Corporal	30-Sep-2006
		Westerville	Kinslow, Anthony D.	Specialist	13-Jun-2005
		Westerville	English, Shawn L.	Captain	03-Dec-2006
		Westerville	Pomante III, Vincent J.	Specialist	06-Dec-2006
		Wheelersburg	Etterling, Jonathan Edward	Lance Corporal	26-Jan-2005
		Williamsburg	Erdy, Nicholas B.	Lance Corporal	11-May-2005
		Williamsfield	Gordon, David W.	Sergeant	08-Sep-2006
		Willoughby	Montgomery, Brian P.	Lance Corporal	01-Aug-2005
		Willowick	Knop, Allen J.	Specialist	23-Nov-2005
		Wilmington	Conover, Steven Daniel	Specialist	02-Nov-2003
		Worthington	Oberleitner, Branden F.	Private 1st Class	05-Jun-2003
		Worthington	Meyer, Harrison J.	Private 1st Class	26-Nov-2004
		Youngstown	Bourdon, Elvis	Staff Sergeant	06-Sep-2004
		Youngstown	Pratt, Daniel J.	Sergeant 1st Class	03-Nov-2005
		Zanesville	Kinney II, Lester O.	Staff Sergeant	27-Jan-2004
		Zanesville	Armstrong, David C.	Private 1st Class	01-Feb-2007

Call Pryce at (614) 469-5614 or (202) 225-2015 and tell her ENOUGH!