Guest post from Garry Klein:
Yesterday a group of people including Mike Carberry and myself protested the federal budget the US Senate passed in front of Jim Leach's office. Because we were lucky enough to catch the Congressman in, we personally delivered over 90 letters from concerned District #2 voters who see the cuts to education, the elderly, the disabled, and the poor as antithetical to the values many in our area hold.
These programs such as elimination of funding for the TRIO program--which helps minority/first-generation students to college, substantial cuts to Community Development Block Grants--which helps to fund affordable housing, and nutrition and Medicaid programs for Seniors to fund $238 billion dollars in tax cuts (which will mean $136,000 to a person earning a million dollars and $650 to the middle fifth (the 20% where the median national income falls).
During the thirty minutes he spent with us, he shared a story of a conversation he had with Henry Kissenger (Kissinger wrote in his memoirs that he and then President Nixon had discussed ending the Vietnam War within a month of Nixon taking office). Leach said, when he said to Kissinger that he wondered what would have happened if they had followed through, Kissinger said that Leach didn't 'get it'--the reason it didn't happen was that the condition was to withdraw with to leave with dignity.
The same could be said of Jim Leach--his voting record for budgets that are in line with the needs of constituents in District #2 show that he doesn't 'get it' and may be time for him 'to leave with dignity'.
Congressman Leach restated his his long held concerns that the defense budget eats up a disproportionate share of funding from other programs, but also stated he would not commit to vote against the budget and specifically not, if he were the position to be the tie-breaking vote. He told us he would consider our concerns, but will he make his voice heard?
We need a voice in Congress that will not "wonder what would happen"--but will take action to protect the interests of people in our district. Go, Dave Loebsack, Go!
Meet Loebsack and visit with other Democratic Party activists (including me) tonight at The Mill. 5:30-8:00 pm. Dave Moore and Nikki Lunden will perform; free pizza and dollar draws will also be available. Suggested donation $20.
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