Iraq

While making a point about how veterans don't like the VA Healthcare System, Tancredo is interrupted by Markos Moulitsas of The Daily Kos, who informs Tancredo that he is a veteran and Markos throws in a little tidbit about Tancredo skipping out of Vietnam after being an activist for the war.

Well, maybe the shot about Tancredo's service was a bit of a low blow, but for Tancredo to become indignant and demand an apology is laughable. He and other Republicans use the military as little props for their own agendas, then when it comes time to support them by giving them MRAPs, more armor when in combat, or education benefits when they get home they turn their backs.

Hey Tom, this is for you - you want to talk the issue - fine. Every veteran I know (especially the ones that need it the most - those that actually served in Vietnam who are now getting older or were injured during the conflict), rave about the system. All the older vets I know keep telling me to go get my benefits. It was so confusing to set them up when I got home, I just went with my employer healthcare - I think I made a mistake. I don't know what veterans organizations you are talking to, but not one of them that I have heard about is advocating a "voucher" system. That is the same BS idea as privatizing social security. All it does is put the vast amount of money into hands that are going to squeeze it for profit. Right now, every dollar goes for overhead (much less than the private system), or healthcare. By advocating a voucher system, you are essentially asking veterans to sacrifice even more - give a little bit of the money that they are paying for healthcare to some hospital or insurance exec. Good plan genius.
 

 

Ok Tancredo, back to your cowardice. Do you have any shame? It is also insulting how gung ho you are to start and advocate wars when you get to send others. I am sensing a pattern here - you love war (an activist supporting the Vietnam war), but when asked to serve, you got a deferment for "depression". How many in the military are getting deferments for that now? If these wars are so important, why haven't you asked the rest of America to sacrifice? Many in the military are on their 5 tours or more and you can't even so much as ask for more taxes. Maybe you are like W and think that people are sacrificing enough when they have to suffer through images on the news.

My name is Dan Kaufman and I fought in Iraq from 2004 – 2005. I was in Fox Co, 2nd BTN, 24th Marines, 4th Marine division. I could stand up here and tell you my perspective of what is going on in Iraq, or why we shouldn’t be there, but we have all seen the news. We have heard the lies and seen them uncovered. We have seen betrayal with no one held accountable and we have all seen the destruction and devastation of Iraq; however, I feel it is more important to discuss what is going on in this country, or should I say TO this country. Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day because it was a time set aside to honor the nation's Civil War dead by decorating their graves. It has become a time to honor, and a day of remembrance, for those who have died in our nation’s service. It is not enough just to honor those that gave everything in the service of their country; we should also honor and remember what it is that they gave their lives to preserve. They gave everything for the idea that “all men are created equal”, that everyone deserves the freedom to live his life, and the security to speak her mind. The founding principles, that these heroes have given their lives to protect, are in danger. They are being threatened, not from some enemy far away, or some mythical boogey man named “terror”, they are being threatened from within. We, as a nation have been tricked and bullied into believing that our safety is worth giving up the principles and ideals that are the life blood of this country. A famous quote often attributed to Benjamin Franklin says it best: “Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.”

This country is not a flag that can be burned. The United States is not one building in New York; and it can not be destroyed with planes, or guns, or bombs. The United States of America is an idea; it is a principle that lives in the hearts of those willing to stand up for what is right, and what is just; and it that idea can not be destroyed – but it can be neglected; and, it can be forgotten.

I stand here before you, not as a Democrat, or Republican, not as a Liberal or a Conservative, but as an American. I stand here as an American that loves what the United States stands for, and the ideas that made her great. I signed up for the Marine Corps to protect her from enemies, foreign and domestic. Our country has made mistakes in the past, and we have worked together to fix them. I re-signed to go to Iraq because we couldn’t undo the invasion and I thought I could help make a difference. I could be part of the solution. I was wrong. I heard our Country’s call to service, but I misinterpreted it. She does not need me to stand on the front lines as a Marine, she needs me to stand up within our borders as a citizen. She needs us, as Americans, to put her on the right path. If we fail, then the ideals, principles, and foundation of this country will fade, and the American Dream will become the American Myth, a legend of what we used to be, a shadow of what we could have been. That would be the greatest injury we could do to those that we are here to honor today. 

While our backs were turned, the noble United States of America was replaced with the “homeland”. The homeland is a place where “homeland security” trumps justice and morality. Freedom takes a back seat to fear. The government wraps themselves in the flag, drenched in the blood of the truly patriotic, to justify the unjustifiable. The problem with defense, as stated by Dwight D. Eisenhower is “how far you can go without destroying from within what you are trying to defend from without?” How far can you go before you become the very thing you fear? This is not my country! My country does not sell out its covert agents or spy on its own citizens. My country does not break treaties and fund mercenaries. My country does not torture! 

Justice and morality gives us our strength. Right makes might. Just as fear and bullying weakens us. As former President and General Dwight D. Eisenhower said, “I would rather try to persuade a man to go along, because once I have persuaded him, he will stick. If I scare him, he will stay just as long as he is scared, and then he is gone”. That is the very definition of leadership. I want the United States to be a leader in the world, a shining light, and a great example, but I feel like I am failing. I hear the cry of my Country, begging for its citizens to show her the right path, but I am busy. I can’t participate this week, or that week because I have plans. It’s a friend’s birthday party, or a wedding, or a Memorial Day cookout, or I just need a break. I will write my senator or congressman tomorrow, I have some work to get done. I can’t come to the aid of my country because I am trying to get by or pay bills. These are all excuses that I use. As one day turns into the next, the American Idea begins to fade. Each day we add more to the list we have to honor on Memorial Day. I am working to improve, and to put the excuses aside; if I can’t make the time or put in the effort, how can I expect others. Just as our country should be doing, I need to lead, and hope that others follow. Even though I know this, today will turn into tomorrow, I just hope I have to strength to rise up to the call. I am glad there are plenty of people, like those from Veteran’s For Peace that work tirelessly on my behalf and work so that everyone can hear the pleas of our great nation. 

When I walk around campus and see people having a great time, I wonder if they thought about those are fighting, halfway around the world. I wonder how many have thought about Iraq today. I think about it everyday. I wonder if the few supporters left would change their tune if they didn’t know that someone else will be making sacrifices so they don’t have to. I wonder if they realize that most of those fighting in Iraq, are on their 3rd tours or more. Then it occurs to me, what have I done to inform them? What have I done lead? 

“In Flanders fields the poppies blow 
Between the crosses, row on row 
That mark our place; and in the sky 
The larks, still bravely singing, fly 
Scarce heard amid the guns below. 
We are the Dead. Short days ago 
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, 
Loved and were loved, and now we lie 
In Flanders fields. 

Take up our quarrel with the foe: 
To you from failing hands we throw 
The torch; be yours to hold it high. 
If ye break faith with us who die 
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow 
In Flanders fields.” 

 -- John McCrae, 1915

1. GET OUT OF IRAQ.
There is no guarantee that the US intervention into the affairs of Iraq will help solve their problem. In fact, the evidence seems to be mounting to the contrary. Four to six of our brave Soldiers, Airmen, Navy, and Marines are being slaughtered on a daily basis.. Not to mention the scores of Iraqis dead every day - only adding to our problem. We are creating more enemies. We are LESS secure. We have weakened our military to the point where we would be unable to handle an additional REAL threat to our country properly. Also, we are holding the Iraqis back from any real progress of fixing their country. We are "muddying" the waters, so to speak, and confusing the real issues. The Iraqis are not going to be able to address their real issues while the US is continually distracting them from their real issues. Besides that, they do not want us there. That in itself is good enough reason to leave. We supposedly gave them freedom and liberty, let\'s not be the hypocrites that don't respect their voice when they express it.

2. Publically funded elections. Normally, this would be one of those "minor" issues that I would include as bonus issues after the main problems were dealt with; however, when our politicians no longer represent the people or the best interests of this country, none of the necessary legislation or problems can be solved. A perfect example is the Webb amendment. EVERY Senator should have voted for it; however, because many of our Senators are loyal to party before country, it could not get the super majority to end the debate. 

3. Use our leverage as THE major world consumer.
Create taxes on ANY good or service that violates US labor laws. If any part in the production of ANY good is produced in an environment violates the US labor laws, then the company and/or product would be heavily taxed. Since we can not control or enforce other countries\' labor policies, we can ensure that US companies\' that want to abided by our excepted labor standards are not at a disadvantage. This would have SWEEPING positive effects, not only for the US, but for the whole world. Just think, it would not be beneficial for American companies to produce good and move factories to third world countries. Other countries would be forced to improve their conditions in order to compete in our market. Jobs would be created in the US. We would create more of our own products. We would create more wealth that would stay in the US. The United states would be restored as a leader in human rights and an example to the rest of the world. Yes, you may pay slightly more for goods and services; however, you would have more jobs, better paying jobs, an extremely increased tax revenue, our gross national product (GDP) would skyrocket as we wouldn't be exporting our raw materials to be processed elsewhere, and we can start "practicing what we preach". We would lead by example, not "do what I say not what I do". 

4. Heavily penalize companies that hire illegal and undocumented workers.
Let\'s stop criminalizing the workers who are looking for a better life. They would not be pouring into this country if they knew they could not get a job. This may look just like an immigration issue, but it is also an economic issue related to the above step. The jobs these undocumented workers are doing would be available for US citizens. That also means that these jobs would be required to live up to the US labor standards and would not be \"jobs no American would do\". It would also cost considerably less than a giant wall or fence and the necessary personnel to patrol it. Let\'s face it, if you were faced with the choice of letting your family starve, or sneaking into the United States to feed your family, what would you choose? No matter how big the fence is, no matter how many people patrol the border, desperate people will try to get in if they can get work. Let\'s stop attacking the symptoms and go for the cause. It is like beating your head against the wall and bandaging the wound every time - it is much simpler to just stop banging your head against the wall.

This is not an end all/fix all, but it addresses some of our major problems in our country. When we fix these, we can the begin to address the more complex issues as well as discuss the best way to tweak the ones we already implemented. Doing nothing, although it seems to be popular and easy in Congress, is not an option. If we wish the United States to be great because of its actions, not just because \"we say it is or we will kick your butt\", then we must begin taking the high road and lead by example, not by the business end of a sword.