Take The Pledge

You wrote:

"Oh, you know, the single issue, my way or the highway types. The ones we're always hearing about that lost us the last election. If they don't get their way, they refuse to support Republicans.
Sometimes it's abortion, other times other the border or guns or whatnot. This time it's this resolution. I mean suppose they mostly agree with the Republican candidate and mostly disagree with his opponent but just on the basis this one disagreement they won't vote for the Republican. Well, I just hope they're happy with the result!"

I hear what you are saying, but this resolution is NOT a 'single issue'. It involves every person in this country!

I signed it because if these resolutions pass, our enemies will consider it a victory on the battlefront and will make propaganda hay out of it.

If we walk away from Iraq and do not soundly defeat our enemies there, the world will go into complete chaos.

If you don't believe me, just go and read what the enemy has been saying (especially since 1998).

While I may not agree that this resolution is a 'single issue' , I do believe that the spread of Islamic Fascism and terrorism is THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE OF OUR TIME!!

Hope this helps to clarify my view.

Senator Coleman is aleady committed to rethinking the Warner resolution. Please contact Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Senator Gordon Smith (R-Oregon) to encourage them to do the same.

Senator Collins' phone number: (202) 224-2523. She can be e-mailed here.
http://collins.senate.gov/public/continue.cfm?FuseAction=ContactSenatorCollins.Email&CFID=38239883&CFTOKEN=96780890

Senator Smith's phone number: (202) 224-3753. He can be e-mailed here.
http://gsmith.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Home

http://hughhewitt.townhall.com/g/182cf2bc-ee10-4376-8b73-2ac21aa2f1f7

NOT ONE PENNY

Robert Goodloe Harper is credited with coining the phrase, "Millions for defense, but not one cent for tribute". Taking that thought and running with it, there are a few people who are organizing a petition drive. But the pennies, in this case, are going to be denied to any Republican member of the Congress who supports any resolution, non-binding or otherwise, that criticizes the commitment of troops to the war in Iraq. (Note to Chuck Hagel, you are already cut off).

I have already signed on. I ask my readers to consider doing the same. I'll go one better on the pledge. I WILL actively work against any Republican up for reelection who votes for a resolution - like Chucky "Dead to me" Hagel did. If our politicians are too stupid to see what kind of message they are sending to the world with their grandstanding, then they do not have the best interests of this country in mind and do not deserve to stay in office. The only way to attract a politician's attention these days is to threaten their pocketbook.

Do so at once if you care about the troops.

The petition is here at least temporarily. I'll update the link if it changes.

And Chucky, I owe you some photoshops. They'll be along directly.

UPDATE: Regular readers know that I have a very personal stake in this. Unlike a lot of the well known bloggers out there, I have a son serving his second (and extended due to the surge) tour of duty in Iraq. That is not a slam on anyone, by the way, simply a fact. My son is there. And I take actions by our politicians that undermine or endanger our troops very, very, very personally. My son is doing his duty faithfully. It is unfortunate that some here at home would rather play partisan politics than do theirs.

UPDATE: Others: Democracy Project, Captain's Quarters, The Jawa Report, Riehl World View, Instapundit, Bill Hobbs, Drumwaster's Rants, Wizbang, Flopping Aces,

UPDATE: Thanks to Hugh Hewitt for the link. Do take a look around while you're visiting. Please also click this link.

http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2007/01/24/not-one-penny/

The Captain is weighing in on this one too(as well as other well known bloggers:

http://www.captainsquartersblog.com/mt/archives/009000.php

Here is a snipet:

Bloggers Have Resolutions, Too

"The Senate has two competing resolutions under consideration that intend to criticize President Bush's new "surge" strategy, especially the increase of troops in Baghdad. The Senate Armed Services Committee passed the resolution authored by Chuck Hagel and Joe Biden, while John Warner, Susan Collins, and Ben Nelson will sponsor a "softer" resolution. Hugh Hewitt and NZ Bear held a blogger conference call earlier today, which I wanted to attend but could not, and have offered a resolution of their own:......."

Worth the read!!

Good job ... hope you'll also make the calls.

Senator McConnell's phone number is (202) 224-2541.

Senator Ensign's phone number is (202) 224-6244.

"If the United States Senate passes a resolution, non-binding or otherwise, that criticizes the commitment of additional troops to Iraq that General Petraeus has asked for and that the president has pledged, and if the Senate does so after the testimony of General Petraeus on January 23 that such a resolution will be an encouragement to the enemy, I will not contribute to any Republican senator who voted for the resolution.

Further, if any Republican senator who votes for such a resolution is a candidate for re-election in 2008, I will not contribute to the National Republican Senatorial Committee unless the Chairman of that Committee, Senator Ensign, commits in writing that none of the funds of the NRSC will go to support the re-election of any senator supporting the non-binding resolution."

I signed the pledge and sent the following to my mail list...

"What does it mean to “encourage the enemy?” It means to increase their will to fight on, and their courage to do so even in the face of the arrival of reinforcements. It also means to increase –substantially—the likelihood of redoubled and retripled efforts on their part to kill American soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines. To vote for the sort of resolution that General Petraeus addressed is a profoundly wrong action."

http://www.townhall.com/columnists/HughHewitt/2007/01/25/take_the_pledge__how_victory_trumps_party

Click the following C-SPAN VIDEO LINK to watch/listen to: [G]eneral David Petraeus testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee...

rtsp://video.c-span.org/project/iraq/iraq012307_nomination.rm

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