 |
 |
|||||||
|
||||||||
|
Event Report Coalition for Democracy Meeting with Congressman Michael Arcuri’s staff24 April 2007 Present: Ed Lentz chaired the meeting and began with introductions, a description of the Coalition, and a summary of the two issues of environment and election reform, since they were not to get a fuller discussion in the half-hour meeting today. He had passed around an agenda for the meeting and a copy of the Feb. 19 letter from the Coalition to Congressman Arcuri setting out in brief the positions of the five workgroups. 1. Healthcare Sandy Twang told the story of her brother, whose inability to receive health insurance led to his early and tragic death. She also read a letter from her neighbor about a son’s difficulty in getting drugs for his seizures. Mary Breuninger noted that one-sixth of Americans have no insurance and another 16 million have insufficient insurance. The US ranks sixth among industrialized nations in infant mortality and 23rd in life expectancy. The Coalition supports a single-payer national health care system and asks that the Congressman co-sponsor Rep. Conyer’s U. S. National Health Care Act, HR 676. 2. Accountability Adrian Kuzminski gave the Congressman’s staff a copy of the Daily Star with a front page article about the public meeting in Cooperstown on impeachment. He also handed them the resolution signed at the meeting by some 100 people. He then talked about the need for sustainability so that we don’t need oil from the Middle East or agricultural produce from afar that can be grown here. Later in the meeting he read from the UN Charter, a document we are pledged to support, against preemptive war, noting the parallels between the Fascists’ manipulation of events in the 30’s and the Bush administration’s today. He urged the Congressman to support legislation that would implement investigations that might lead to an impeachment trial. Sandy pointed to the credibility problem the Bush administration faces in her small upstate community. 3. Iraq/Iran Paddy Lane began by thanking the Congressman for his speech on the House floor against a non-binding resolution on Iraq and his support for accountability for war spending. She made clear that, in the face of the President's expected veto of the Iraq supplemental funding legislation, the Coalition reiterates its desire that no more funding for the war be approved and that the troops be brought home as soon as possible. the Coalition expects the Congress to stand firm against a Bush veto of the supplemental bill. She said that members of the Coalition were disturbed by reports that the “Blue Dog” caucus of Democrats (Arcuri is a member) is responsible for equating funding for the war with support for the troops and also for removing a resolution requiring the President to get congressional approval for an attack on Iran. Jonathan Collett observed that with much warning of a Bush veto, the Democrats have obviously worked out a strategy for next steps and asked what the party’s and the Congressman’s position would be. Joe Johnson said he would have to get back to us on that because he didn’t want to speak for the Congressman on the strategizing that is going on now. In the open discussion that ensued, Joe Johnson observed what a difficult time it was to be in Congress now. The issues are urgent and complex, requiring the Congressman’s full attention. He flies home on Friday nights and has very limited time to get around his district. CfD members pointed also to the necessity of fund raising and talked of support for public financing of election campaigns. Sandy reported on seeing a clip on YouTube of Hillary Clinton saying in a speech before AIPAC that nothing should be taken off the table in regard to Iran. And Congressman Arcuri supports her. Pete Scalise remarked that a clip on YouTube might well present statements out of context and noted that Senator Clinton has said that if she were President, the troops would already be home. Congressman Arcuri feels the same way. Sandy then corrected herself and explained that the clip was actually on Democracy Now, a reputable news source. Dave said that the CfD and its predecessor organization, Citizens' Alternative Voice, have a track record going back several years, including bringing speakers to the area early on who warned about the situation in Iraq and the buildup to the war. The CfD does careful research, would like to help in any way it can, and wants a continuing dialogue with the Congressman and his staff. The staff appreciated this offer.
|
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- updated 7/19/07 |