I still stand by what I said then and by my actions. Now, what if Mr. Murtha proves me wrong? Well, in that case, there's always the next election, and my next ballot my look different.
I am generally conservative, but I am not a Lemming. I will not follow crowds or succumb to ideological peer pressure. I will not vote on a single issue other than pro-Life. I'll vote based upon the big picture.
You may agree with me, disagree with me, etc., but this is the nature of the beast. I followed my conscience. You disagree? Fine. Follow your own.
Like Forrest Gump said, "That's all I have to say about that." =================
In the end, Jack Murtha got my vote
BY PEDRO O. VEGA
I voted to re-elect John Murtha to Congress. It was not an easy decision and my support comes with strings attached. Let me share with you how I reached that decision, and what my expectations are now.
Diana Irey came as close as anyone in the past 32 years to defeating Murtha. She did take one-third of the ballots, and that’s respectable. But it soon became obvious to me that the GOP gave her only token support. The party wrote her off as unelectable.
Then, there were the errors in Irey’s campaign. Although lucid and telegenic, Irey was unable to articulate what she would do differently from Murtha in the district.
Also, although Irey expressed many of the same objections and fears I had about Murtha’s “redeployment” plan from Iraq, she failed to explain how she would increase congressionally mandated accountability in the war and rein in runaway spending.
In the end, Irey’s message sounded shallow and one-dimensional.
Murtha also did something that took me by surprise and made me rethink my support of his candidacy: He reacted to my Oct. 8 column (“This voter is yearning for the Murtha of old”) and sent me a personal letter, along with an information package detailing his positions.
I think he sensed that I expressed the misgivings of a section of the electorate who had been his unconditional supporters, but who were skeptical of his Iraq War stance.
The fact that he took the time to explain himself to me increased my estimation of him and, although I was not entitled to any explanations from Irey’s camp, I half-expected a similar note and explanations from her addressing my misgivings regarding her candidacy.
None came.
Lest anyone think that I felt so flattered by Murtha’s attention that I voted for him, let me say that I wasn’t. I read all of his material and, aside from a very sobering assessment of the critical state of the Army – and that’s an argument that I can readily understand – none of the other writings and transcripts he provided really addressed the issue of how a unilateral, unconditional retreat from Iraq would serve our long-term national interest.
Is an Islamic Republic of Iraq in our national interest? Will the countries in the Middle East be happy to receive a flood of refugees from a massive civil war? Would Iran and the Iraqi Shiites form a political union? Will they then be able to control the price of oil in a whim?
Would other countries in the region then follow their lead? Will an assertive, imperial Iran be in a position to challenge the United States and the West militarily and economically? Will Iran bet on American weakness and lack of credibility to impose its will upon us?
Do Murtha and the Demo-cratic Party leadership believe that a unilateral retreat would hold no such lasting consequences?
Doesn’t Murtha even ask himself these questions?
So why did I vote for him?
Look. Irey’s momentum fizzled early in the race. But even if she had been elected, she would have had very little influence in Congress, while Murtha appeared to be heading to a senior leadership position from which he would be able to influence both the prosecution of the war and our region’s recovery.
I reasoned, too, that, if I caught his attention once, I may be able to catch it again and perhaps influence him through respectful reason and dialogue, as I had been trying to do.
It seemed to me that my own credibility to ask him the tough questions would be enhanced if I could speak to him as a supporter rather than as an adversary.
Thus, I voted for him.
My vote also represents an act of faith in Murtha as a person. I fully expect that he will moderate his opposition to the Iraq War by working with President Bush on a solution that tends both to the welfare of our troops and to our long-term interest in the Middle East.
I expect Murtha to enhance our ability and power to face down Islamic fascism and terrorism worldwide, and not to undermine our credibility by even giving the impression that we are “cutting and running.”
And please, no more photo-ops and flesh-pressing with the Code Pinkers. OK?
Mr. Murtha, I gave you my vote. Now, I’ll have to hold you accountable. I trust you want to do the right thing.
But when and if I perceive that you are not, I’ll be here to remind you of the fact.
Congratulations, sir, on your re-election to Congress.
I am not a Lemming
OK, how about a kool-aid drinking quisling?
sent me a personal letter, along with an information package detailing his positions.
Any cash in that info package?
I was not entitled to any explanations from Irey’s camp, I half-expected a similar note and explanations from her addressing my misgivings regarding her candidacy.
None came.
Geeez, if I had known all it would take is a "personal" note from Diana to get your vote I would have penned one for her to sign and send to you.
But it soon became obvious to me that the GOP gave her only token NO support. The party wrote her off... BECAUSE THE PA "PARTY" CHAIRMAN, ROBERT GLEASON, JR, IS IN BED WITH al murthawi!
In the end, Irey’s message sounded shallow and one-dimensional.
Oh, I see...you are deaf. I'm sorry.
She did take one-third of the ballots
Now I see why you chose to writing as your life's work.
Math is not your forte. 1/3 does not = 40%
You're a self-important gasbag and a traitor.
How's that for "rhetoric," Pedrito...?
Yes, I wrote that piece.
You've got guts!
As you said, you voted your opinions.
I hope that we've got the luxury of two whole years before the bill comes due for them.
And that you can manage such Olympian detachment if you happen to wind up paying your own way for a change.