Change the Course Campaign
by Sam Garchik
This just in from Michelle Vanderhoff on the “Change the Course” campaign:
We are trying to get a debate on House floor on Iraq. Quad Cities and Progressive Action for the Common Good are going to send out a joint e-mail to their members very soon, and will also organize an office visit to Jim Nussle. (Lane Evans is going to sign, so he's fine.)
The run-down on Change the Course:
DCFD has spearheaded this campaign, with DFA's help, to gather 218 signatures (we have 95 so far) for the Discharge Petition for H Res 543, which:
– will force 17 hours of general debate on the current situation in Iraq for the first time since 2002.
and
– provide a period in which any and every proposed amendment must be considered and voted upon. (This is because it is under 'open rules' many aides are not aware of this.)
We are coordinating DFA groups in several states across the country. We are asking constituents to visit and call your reps during the recess; recess being almost over, we still want to get people to call their Member's office.
We are only asking for a full and open debate, REGARDLESS of where they stood or stand on the war.
The ONLY Iowan to sign on has been Leach. Boswell signed a long time ago, and then withdrew his signature.
We want ALL Members in Iowa. Just for your reference, our Web site and some of my previous postings (with more extensive details on this) on this on Daily Kos.
Links:
www.dcfordemocracy.org/change-the-course
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/3/29/15444/4065
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/4/4/135732/9021
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/4/6/112744/9812(in this last one, several of the targets listed have signed and some have committed to, and Iowa is still a target.)
Thanks for the Heads Up. It's time to get to work.
Blog For Iowa 
Please contact Leonard Boswell(3rd cong. dist) @ 888-432-1984 (toll free) or 202 225-3806 (DC office) and Jim Nussle 202 225-2911 (DC office) or 563 326-1841 Davenport office). Urge their support for HR 543, which will allow 17 hours of House floor debate on Iraq War (first open debate since 2002). Why would a representative NOT support this. The war costs us $2 Billion per week, deaths to US troops and Iraqis without end, the administration cannot explain the war, cannot
give us a clue as to how or when it will end or what conceivably has been gained.
Both Boswell & Nussle pose enigmas on this issue. Boswell voted for this resolution, then withdrew it, why? He's a Viet Nam vet, has a tough re-election race ahead of him, the only Dem in Iowa's delegation to the House – he should be standing with Murtha on this issue. Nussle – how can the great deficit fighter(creator) defend the $ drain on the Treasury if he is not even willing to allow debate on it, leaving aside the greater human and moral issues?
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Ed:
Thanks for the more detailed info on this issue.
Would you be interested in writing more regularly for BFIA?
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