From CNN World Headquarters
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Sen. Barack Obama, a possible Democratic presidential contender, introduced binding legislation Tuesday that would bring all U.S. combat troops in Iraq home by the spring of 2008.
Obama's bill would stop President Bush's plan to send more than 21,000 additional troops into the conflict-ridden country to try to put a stop to insurgent and sectarian violence there. Instead, the Illinois senator is calling for troops to begin leaving by May 1, 2007.
Obama has formed an exploratory committee to look into a possible run for the Democratic nomination for president and plans an official announcement next month.
The senator's plan caps the number of troops in Iraq at the roughly 135,000 there on Jan. 10, 2007 -- when Bush announced he was dispatching more troops -- and lays down 13 benchmarks for the Iraqi government in the areas of security, political accommodation and economic progress. Should those benchmarks be met, the plan would allow for the "temporary suspension" of the troop withdrawal. (Posted 7:44 p.m.)
Almost everybody believes that the war in Iraq is a loss. The President is holding on way too long. I sincerely hope that this passes. As was pointed out today by prominent GOP Senator Arlen Specter -- "Bush is not the only decider."
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Bill Richardson Announces Presidential Committee Formation
While considered by most to not be as exciting as a former First Lady running for President, Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico has announced he is forming a Presidential Exploratory Committee, to assess whether or not he has the popularity to become President. One thing he certain does have, though, is th experience.
Governor Richardson's political resume is something many politicians would pay to see. He was elected to Congress from the NM 3rd District in 1982, serving a little over 14 years in the House of Representatives. While Congressman, he traveled to Iraq and negotiated with Saddam Hussein for the release of two American aerospace workers. He was appointed the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations in 1997 by President Bill Clinton. A year later Clinton made him Secretary of Energy, where he stay until the end of Clinton's term. In January of 2003, he took office as Governor of New Mexico.
Richardson certainly is the man of experience, and might make a good President, or Vice President, if he doesn't win the nomination. Definitely yet another one to keep an eye on.
But like Sen. Obama says "you don't run to be Vice President."
-Adam
Governor Richardson's political resume is something many politicians would pay to see. He was elected to Congress from the NM 3rd District in 1982, serving a little over 14 years in the House of Representatives. While Congressman, he traveled to Iraq and negotiated with Saddam Hussein for the release of two American aerospace workers. He was appointed the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations in 1997 by President Bill Clinton. A year later Clinton made him Secretary of Energy, where he stay until the end of Clinton's term. In January of 2003, he took office as Governor of New Mexico.
Richardson certainly is the man of experience, and might make a good President, or Vice President, if he doesn't win the nomination. Definitely yet another one to keep an eye on.
But like Sen. Obama says "you don't run to be Vice President."
-Adam
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Hillary Clintion Expected to Announce Formation of Exploratory Committee
Breaking news hot of the presses:
Hilly Clinton, New York Senator and former First Lady, is expected to make an announcement today that she is forming an exploratory committee to test her odds at becoming President of the United States.
It has been long rumored that Senator Clinton (D-NY) would run for President in 2008, and her announcement was not expected until the end of the month; however, freshman Senator Barack Obama's (D-IL) recent internet announcement that he was forming an exploratory committee of his own may have prompted Senator Clinton to move up her announcement to sometime today. Neither her personal website, nor her official Senate website say anything about her announcement.
Senator Clinton was elected in 2000, winning 15 of New York's 62 counties. She was re-elected in 2006, carrying 58 of New York's 62 counties.
-Adam
Hilly Clinton, New York Senator and former First Lady, is expected to make an announcement today that she is forming an exploratory committee to test her odds at becoming President of the United States.
It has been long rumored that Senator Clinton (D-NY) would run for President in 2008, and her announcement was not expected until the end of the month; however, freshman Senator Barack Obama's (D-IL) recent internet announcement that he was forming an exploratory committee of his own may have prompted Senator Clinton to move up her announcement to sometime today. Neither her personal website, nor her official Senate website say anything about her announcement.
Senator Clinton was elected in 2000, winning 15 of New York's 62 counties. She was re-elected in 2006, carrying 58 of New York's 62 counties.
-Adam
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Skinny Kid With A Funny Name Explores Presidency
Barack Obama, the self-proclaimed "skinny kid with a funny name", has announced he has filed papers to form a Presidential Exploratory Committee.
In a video on his website titles "A Message From Barack", Senator Obama says that America "must change its politics" before it can address its problems.
The video can be found here.
Obama has always been publicly opposed to the war in Iraq, saying it's been a mistake since the beginning; perhaps he'll be the solution to Iraq's problems.
-Adam
In a video on his website titles "A Message From Barack", Senator Obama says that America "must change its politics" before it can address its problems.
The video can be found here.
Obama has always been publicly opposed to the war in Iraq, saying it's been a mistake since the beginning; perhaps he'll be the solution to Iraq's problems.
-Adam
Saturday, January 13, 2007
Recent Democratic News
Recent Democratic News:
Denver has been chosen to host the 2008 Democratic convention. I think them choosing Denver oven a "blue powerhouse" like New York is a good idea.
70% of Americans oppose the President's troop surge for Baghdad. As one Congresswoman pointed out, there have been numerous "troop surges", some with more than the 20,000 troops now slated to go, and they have not worked; so why will this one?
The Democrats, while somewhat divided on how to do it, have vowed to resist the surge of U.S. troops in Iraq. Hearings by the House Armed Services Committee & the Senate Foreign relations Committee have been taking place the last few days.
The House of Representatives has recently passed a bill providing government funding to stem-cell research, with a vote of 253-174. It will probably have a harder time passing the Senate, and the President, as stubborn as he is, will not sign it, simply because he refuses to do tests on embryos that are already slated to be destroyed, instead of developing cures for diseases and conditions which could save millions of lives. This is foolish; people who are currently alive should come first over embryos that are sitting in a cooler.
The Iraqi Health Ministry has put the number of Iraqi deaths in 2006 at 22, 950. That's a lot of Iraqis. If the death toll for the other years we've been in Iraq is half of that, it already blows the U.S. count out of the water.
-Adam
Denver has been chosen to host the 2008 Democratic convention. I think them choosing Denver oven a "blue powerhouse" like New York is a good idea.
70% of Americans oppose the President's troop surge for Baghdad. As one Congresswoman pointed out, there have been numerous "troop surges", some with more than the 20,000 troops now slated to go, and they have not worked; so why will this one?
The Democrats, while somewhat divided on how to do it, have vowed to resist the surge of U.S. troops in Iraq. Hearings by the House Armed Services Committee & the Senate Foreign relations Committee have been taking place the last few days.
The House of Representatives has recently passed a bill providing government funding to stem-cell research, with a vote of 253-174. It will probably have a harder time passing the Senate, and the President, as stubborn as he is, will not sign it, simply because he refuses to do tests on embryos that are already slated to be destroyed, instead of developing cures for diseases and conditions which could save millions of lives. This is foolish; people who are currently alive should come first over embryos that are sitting in a cooler.
The Iraqi Health Ministry has put the number of Iraqi deaths in 2006 at 22, 950. That's a lot of Iraqis. If the death toll for the other years we've been in Iraq is half of that, it already blows the U.S. count out of the water.
-Adam
Friday, January 05, 2007
Army Inadvertently Asks Ultimate Sacrificers For More Time
The U.S. Army inadvertently sent out letters to fallen and wounded soldiers in the War on Terror, asking them to reenlist.
A few days after Christmas, the Army sent letters to over 5,100 soldiers, who had recently left the service, to reenlist for another tour. Unfortunately, 75 of those were sent to soldiers who had been killed in action, and another 200 were sent to soldiers who had been wounded in combat. The Army apologized Friday for the accident, and said they would send personnel out to personally apologize to the soldiers and families of the fallen for the mistake.
This is a horrible mistake made by the best and most equip army in the world. Their failure to update their mailing lists is an inexcusable mistake; I can only imagine the sad feelings that are stirred up when the families opened these letters. The last thing the the government needs is the military sending out reenlistment letters to those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
I would recommend that the U.S. Army change web hosts immediately, and try to find better software for their mass-mailing list. A $135K program should compliment that $40K hammer well.
-Adam
A few days after Christmas, the Army sent letters to over 5,100 soldiers, who had recently left the service, to reenlist for another tour. Unfortunately, 75 of those were sent to soldiers who had been killed in action, and another 200 were sent to soldiers who had been wounded in combat. The Army apologized Friday for the accident, and said they would send personnel out to personally apologize to the soldiers and families of the fallen for the mistake.
This is a horrible mistake made by the best and most equip army in the world. Their failure to update their mailing lists is an inexcusable mistake; I can only imagine the sad feelings that are stirred up when the families opened these letters. The last thing the the government needs is the military sending out reenlistment letters to those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
I would recommend that the U.S. Army change web hosts immediately, and try to find better software for their mass-mailing list. A $135K program should compliment that $40K hammer well.
-Adam
Thursday, January 04, 2007
Transfer Of Power
Happy New Year everybody!
The Democrat Congressmen (and women) who seized control of Congress after the November elections were sworn in today, marking the beginning of the 100th Congress. Leading them are two ground breakers.
Nancy Pelosi is the first woman ever to become Speaker of the House of Representatives, finding herself "two heartbeats" away from the Presidency, as the media continues to remind us. Rep. Pelosi is now the most powerful woman in U.S., overthrowing the former U.S.'s most powerful woman, Madeleine Albright. New Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is the first Mormon to lead the Senate. A Muslim & two Buddhists also expand the makeup of the next Congress.
The first day of Work in the House was pretty lax, with many praises of Pelosi, the newly elected representatives, the voters, and America as a whole. Things soon changed back to normal, when the first votes, dealing with rules and ethics changes, went along party lines. But I wonder how that could be? After all, didn't the Republicans want to continue the "bipartisanship" that they had under the 12 years of GOP rule?
What's left of the first 100 hours will show that the voters hopefully made a good choice last November.
-Adam
The Democrat Congressmen (and women) who seized control of Congress after the November elections were sworn in today, marking the beginning of the 100th Congress. Leading them are two ground breakers.
Nancy Pelosi is the first woman ever to become Speaker of the House of Representatives, finding herself "two heartbeats" away from the Presidency, as the media continues to remind us. Rep. Pelosi is now the most powerful woman in U.S., overthrowing the former U.S.'s most powerful woman, Madeleine Albright. New Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is the first Mormon to lead the Senate. A Muslim & two Buddhists also expand the makeup of the next Congress.
The first day of Work in the House was pretty lax, with many praises of Pelosi, the newly elected representatives, the voters, and America as a whole. Things soon changed back to normal, when the first votes, dealing with rules and ethics changes, went along party lines. But I wonder how that could be? After all, didn't the Republicans want to continue the "bipartisanship" that they had under the 12 years of GOP rule?
What's left of the first 100 hours will show that the voters hopefully made a good choice last November.
-Adam
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