Rep. Tom Price Dead Wrong on Iraq
Georgia’s sixth district Republican congressman, Tom Price, labels as traitor any person who dares question our Iraq strategy. Yet he and some other Republicans in congress offer no solutions and refuse to perform even the most basic oversight of President Bush and his failed war policies. All this while some of Tom Price’s contributors have made many millions of taxpayer dollars off the war and, in some cases, provided shoddy work.
Meanwhile, the Democratic leadership cannot seem to accept that—regardless of how we got there—we are in Iraq. They have not made a convincing case that an arbitrarily phased or date-certain troop withdrawal is in the best long-term interest of the United States. Rather, they seem to think that withdrawal will undo the decision to have gone to war. Rubbing President Bush’s nose in Iraq’s difficulties is also a priority.
We need bipartisan leadership that represents our country, not a particular political party. Republican Senator Brownback (R-KS) and Democratic Senator Biden (D-DE) have demonstrated their willingness to put solutions before politics. Brownback said recently that the Bush administration and Republicans are not doing enough politically in Iraq and that he and Senator Biden may introduce a bill that would call for partitioning Iraq into three states, which I strongly support.
Town Hall Challenge
Tom Price owes his constituents a thorough explanation as to why (1) he supports President Bush’s open-ended commitment to Iraq, without oversight or benchmarks, and (2) why any American who disagrees with him is guilty of treason.
David Chastain, chairman of the Georgia Libertarian Party, has generously agreed to sponsor a Town Hall, for which they will extend invitation to Rep. Price, a Libertarian, a Democrat, and me; questions from the audience will, of course, be requested.
Please call (770-565-4990) or email Congressman Price and demand that he accept the invitation to a face-to-face talk with the residents of his district, not just his corporate donors.
Please let me know your reaction to my strategy for Iraq (see below). Mine—unlike Tom Price’s open-ended commitment—addresses important political realities and long-term American interests.
Some Truths
1) Iraq is having a civil war between the Sunnis and Shiites. The Kurds will certainly join, if attacked. It may not look like a civil war, because they don’t have tanks, helicopters, and infantry; but they are fighting with what they have.
2) Vast oil revenues are a significant factor behind the fighting. Yes, there are religious and cultural differences—but concerns about how the oil revenue will be split among the three groups make the problem worse.
3) Most Iraqis support partitioning Iraq into Shiite, Sunni, and Kurdish regions. (Their current arrangement resulted from a pen stroke during the British occupation, not some organic alignment.)
4) Most citizens of the Middle East who support groups that kill and terrorize civilians—such as Hezbollah, Hamas, or al Qaeda—in part because of their aggressive stance against Israel and the United States, but also because they provide much needed social services, such as building schools.
5) Both Republican and Democratic administrations have spent decades doing business with the tyrants who run the Middle East in exchange for oil and cheap labor. This has been the one of the rallying calls of Bin Laden and Hezbollah—that we support tyrants who abuse people for profits. In fact, our latest trade deals with Oman and Jordan actually promote child and slave labor; it’s so bad the State Department had to issue warnings about rampant child trafficking in those countries.
6) Iran is using the instability in Iraq to enhance its political stature in the region. Leaving Iraq without a government that can stand up to Iran would be very destabilizing to the region and the world.
From the U.S. perspective, this is all mostly about energy. As things stand, a serious oil supply disruption would devastate our economy, threaten our security, and jeopardize our ability to provide for our children.
New Directions
Success in Iraq and the Middle East in general requires us to work in three areas simultaneously: (1) fostering a more stable Middle East region, including Iraq, (2) pursuing alternative sources of oil, and (3) developing alternatives to oil. To these ends we must:
1) Insure that the oil revenues are fairly and transparently split among all three groups: Shiite, Sunni, and Kurds based on population.
2) Allow each group to have a much stronger role in self government by creating three virtually-autonomous regions. Forcing a united Iraq down their throats is not working. Our military would then be there in support a solution that people want, rather than one they are resisting.
3) Become a genuine force for positive change, thus denying extremist groups much of their leverage. Driving a fair two-state solution to the Israeli/Palestinian problem should be our first priority. We should also engage in projects that both help the average Middle Easterner and Americans, such as supporting schools that are an alternative to the ones that teach hate and recruit terrorists. We should also stop participating in trade deals that promote child and slave labor by insisting on deals that include livable wages and basic labor rights.
4) Declare a “Marshal Plan” to end our Middle Eastern energy dependency with a compromise between exploring for new sources, reducing consumption, and developing of alternative energies. For example, we should re-establish normal relations with Cuba so we can beat China to Cuba’s off-shore oil. We should also redirect existing tax breaks for Big Oil into loan guarantees for alternative energy companies. Click here for more information.
Once we no longer need so much oil from the Middle East, we can begin winning over its people by using our oil purchases to reward positive and peaceful behavior from their leaders. This would ultimately reduce tensions and encourage prosperity in the region.
We will have to live with the threat of Islamic radical terrorism forever; but these solutions are a start to reducing the threat. Both parties have to put politics aside and put together an honest and reasonable plan that the American public understands.
Caroline
Senator Durban admitted the Senate had the information and they could not say anything due to clearance. He said that is why he voted against the war. I saw it on C-Span a few days before the Tenet story broke.
CSPAN has no record of him saying that. You claimed before that he said it on CNN. You obviously didn’t hear what he was saying since it wasn’t on either place where you claimed it was.
caroline
You did not look to hard!
A google search brings up your source as Fox News not CNN or CSPAN. So he’s now saying that the information the intelligence committee had was different from what everybody else had?
caroline
5 Democratic Senators voted from the intelligence committe for the war.BTW I am sure they could of given the heads up to other Senators. Also Hillary would of Known via Bill this was a bad idea from the reports.
BTW Edwards was on the committe.
John,
Once again you are trying to shift blame. ALL the Republicans on the intelligence committe voted for the war-one of them being your hero Saxby Chambliss. Are the Republicans too stupid to realize what they were doing but the Dems somehow should have had ESP?
caroline
I give no break for Republicans on this. In fact I have said in public Marshall would make a better Senator than Saxby.
Marshall
caroline
FYI
OK, so no one can come up with any reason why America has the right to partition Iraq.
.
Next solution, please.
To Caroline, How can you think I am “hysterical” ? Have you heard about the Islamic “sharia” law in the U.K? While the parliment still has laws it follows, Sharia law is being practiced albeit under the auspices of “a charitable” or “religious” court. It is recognized in the U.K and we are next, open your eyes. America could very well be islamic in 30 decades. That is what the radicals want. To prey upon our “political correctness” and our rights. Did you hear about the foot baths being placed in the Kansas City Air terminals and it is being proposed in a Wisconsin University? WAKE UP, they are here and working our system. We cannot lose without losing all.
“And somebody please provide details of the perfectly fought war.”
Reagan’s finest moment… Grenada.
If you’re going to pick a fight, pick one with a nation that has absolutely no chance of winning.
David,
85% of the Country is already separated. The groups want self rule. Would you recommend that Israel and Palestine have an election and whoever wins is in control?
We are the ones forcing a strong federal Government with groups that have been killing each other since 7oo AD
Linda,
Yes, I have heard of sharia but the fact that you think that all of a sudden we are going to become an Islamic state is just plain foolish. Yes, we are headed in the same way but as a fundamentalist Christian state which is very similiar to an Islamic state. You seem to have no concern for that. Really, you should be for separation of church and state and that would solve a lot of these “concerns” you have. Your fellow travelers like Bush, Falwell and Robertson are the ones who have supported these laws. Now the Islamics are coming along and using the same laws to benefit themselves? Well, you reap what you sow.
If you guys are so freakin concerned about “islamics taking over our country” then why don’t you guys act like it? Why don’t you start reinstating the draft? Why don’t you ask for an embargo on middle east oil? Why don’t you scream about Osama being let go? Why do you support handing our ports over to the friends of Osama? Why aren’t you kicking W’s sorry butt from here to Timbuktu for instating Sharia law in Iraq? You see, the actions you guys put forth belie the hysterical screeching. You just want to run around and scream and blame someone else.
John,
How is Marshall going to convince that he’s better than Saxby. The selling point seems to be that he’sl like Saxby. On the Iraq War, the issue no. 1 in 2008, his voting record is exactly like Saxby’s. I would think that he would have a hard time making a case for change. I think we need something like a Jim Webb to knock off Saxby not someone who has a smilar voting record.
caroline
He is very different on trade, immigration, tort -reform,enviorment and spending. As far as not supporting a time certain pull out with no plan does not mean he supports President Bush’s plan.
John,
His voting record has been pro Bush on the Iraq War. He has voted for everyone of those bills the GOP leadership put forth. I’m sure that he represents his district well with that voting record. That being said, I don’t see him being able to make the case. According to the polls, most Georgians AREN’T social conservatives but they haven’t been voting on social issues.
Then why do we have a Republican Governor,Senators and almost every STATE WIDE OFFICE!
Do you think that the GOP has been a success? You are advocating for Saxby to have a second term then? I answered your question-people who are anti social conservatve have not been voting on social issues. If you read the numbers back in 2004, 25% of the people that voted for Bush were anti-social conservative. Fact is, a lot of people don’t think that the GOP will really instate social conservatism. Eh, they’ve been fooled haven’t they? Have you looked a the numbers for the GOP in GA? They aren’t good. That isn’t to say that the GOP can’t win because they always play to the lowest common denominator. Besides, GA has shown that it is politically behind a lot of other states. It’s just the way it is.
caroline
Marshall takes the social conservative question out. So now it comes down to trade, immigration, healthcare and enviorment.
I do think Marshall would beat Saxby on all the above issues!
John,
You are I are going to have to disagree. I think that his pro Bush voting record would make it hard to advocate for change. I’m sure that Saxby would use it wouldn’t he? Those issues will probably be minor compared to Iraq. Why are you willing to give Marshall a pass on Iraq when you don’t give Hillary one?
Marshall has not been all over the place on Iraq like Hillary.
And Marshall is right about trade and the emviorment and Hillary is a sell out.
You cannot be for Nafta and WTO China and be for cleaning up the enviorment, immigration & trade reform.
Okay, it’s back to your personal litmus tests. You still haven’t really made a case for Marshall. And you are saying that he is weak on the biggest issue for 2008.
caroline
That is why Cherokee, East Cobb and North Fulton have no Democrats holding office.
BTW that is why the Democrats are doing so bad State wide.
Unless Democrats support candidates like Marshall they will not make any in roads in Georgia.
BTW I have made that point to Democrats when they ask me if I would run. I told them I was too conservative for Democrat leadership to accept.
Steve Sinton told me he had a chance if I endorsed him and 50% of the people would follow who supported me. And I told Steve he would have to change his position on some issues. The problem is more people in the 6th district are closer to my views than yours and Steve on social issues.
I also did not back the Murtha plan for Iraq. As you know I was for the Brownback and Biden plan. At the time I did know about their plan but it ended up being close to what I said about the war.
I think Steve was better than Tom Price on immigration, trade and spending. Yet his social views would not fly in the sixth district. I also think coming from Air America a failed left wing radio show did not help.
I do think Steve is a bright guy and I do not blame him for the failure of the radio station, but the timing was bad.
All said Steve would do better in a bluer district. He was very good speaker and debater. I wish him the best, unlike Price he was a real gentlemen to me even though we disagreed on some issues.
John,
You are absolutely crazy. Love your quotes from supposed letters that you’re receiving. Who would want to waste their time attending a town hall meeting with you in it. There is no logic in your rants. There is no point to your crazy figures and non quotes. You lost the Congressional race by a landslide. Quit wasting good internet space and get on with your life.
Tracy
Tracy
As usual the Price and Bush supporters on the war have no facts and just insults. Why not try to argue the solution?
BTW The NEOCONS like you now are down to 28% support on blindly following Bush! You are fast to slam any of us who question lawmakers like Price who blindly told what a great job Bush is doing while providing no oversight to the 9 billion in cash lost in Iraq, WALTER REED, Halliburton taking our money and doing work for IRAN…..
Look in the mirror and ask yourself why you think lawmakers like Tom Price care about soldiers more than their campaign donors?
Do not worry many of us already left! LOOK AT THE POLLS!
John,
You act like GA is the only state in the union. Why should anyone support Marshall when he has the same agenda that Saxby does? What you are advocating does not work. Why vote for a fake Republican when you can vote for a real one? You are advocating that Dems become fake Republicans in order to win. I think we should convince the voters that we are right. As far as Cherokee county goes-it’s full of fundies-even you admit that you have to pander to them. I think that we should convince them that our ideas are better.
John,
PS if the Dems in VA had listened to you we would have lost that race against Allen. You would have said that a social liberal couldn’t have won. I think that what we need is a Jim Webb type candidate to beat Saxby-one that has no legislative record of being a Bush supporter.
caroline
Marshall is different on Immigration and trade, environment, spending and tort-reform.
If you think pro-life Democrat are not welcomed in your party than do not complain when they do not support your candidate.
For you to make the comments that you cannot see the difference between Marshall and Saxby I do not get.
You may not agree with him because of his views on trade, immigration, spending… But he is different!
Jim Webb had a big advatage in that he was a Republican for years!
And he ran on a Lou Dobbs type platform!
John,
What are you talking about not being welcome? You only want Dems who campaign against the party apparently. Is it too much to ask that they support the candidate? Republicans all support the candidate don’t they? Look at them now, all of them are still supporting a candidate with a 28% approval rating!
My beef with Marshall is that he pretends that he isn’t a Democrat. I believe in the “loud and proud” theory. Marshall is all about winning in his district, which is fine but I don’t think that’s the kind of candidate we want to run statewide. Why would we want another Zell Miller who works for the opposition? That’s what you’re advocating. I don’t mind if they don’t agree with everything I say but why should we spend time and money on someone who wants nothing better than to get Republicans elected?
The Republican party is now the southern fundamentalist party. It’s not a national party and if we want to run a national race, we don’t want to run on southern fundamentalism. There’s a whole big country out there that doesn’t like fundamentalism.
Is Lou Dobbs a social liberal?
Jim Webb completely repudiated his republicanism in his campaign. He also used to be a Democrat so you could say that he went back to his roots.
caroline
Jim Webb did not “repudiate hid republicaism”
He ran as a consrvative Democrat!
John,
He did repudiate his Republicanism or he wouldn’t have run as a Democrat. He said that the GOP is the party of radicals. He isn’t a conservative, he is what you would call a liberal populist. A conservative populist would be Pat Buchanan.
http://www.ontheissues.org/Senate/James_Webb.htm#Immigration
He supports Roe v. Wade
Opposes consitutional ban on gay marriage
supports civil unions for gays
supports alternative energy
supports fair trade
against warantless wiretapping
for allowing illegal immigrants a path to citizenship.
belives in public education.
supported Kerry in 2004.
Now does that meet your definition of a conservative?
caroline
I do think Webb could not win in Georgia.
Webb is a NRA member and is strong on gun owners rights
Webb is strong on spending and entitlement reform
Webb is for secure the border before anything else and cracking down on employers..
• Secure the border first; them deal with other aspects. (Oct 2006)
• Tamper-proof ID card; stricter enforcement against employers. (Jun 2006)
This issue can cut both ways I also opposed the ban based on State rights!
Opposes constitutional ban on gay marriage
I also think gay people should have legal rights but I oppose gay marriage.
Trade also breaks both ways
Would call Duncan Hunter and Pat Buchanan a liberal on this issue since they do not support poorly negotiated trade deals?
Support Public Education I do not get how that is liberal or conservative?
Pat Buchanan wrote an essay on how someone could support Bush because of how Bush had down such a bad job. Would you call Pat a liberal?
Bob Barr and Ron Paul also spoke out against warantless wiretaps. Would you call them liberal?
John,
I was talking big picture. You apparently no longer believe Webb is a conservative I guess? Like I said, Webb would be called a “liberal populist” while Buchanan would be called a “conservative populist”. A conservative populist would have a social conservative agenda which Hunter and Buchanan do but Webb does not.
Conservatives don’t support public education. They want to do “vouchers” or some other crony program.
Roy Barnes would be a better candidate for Senate than Marshall.
So if you support vouchers and charter schools you think the person is against public schools.
I would suggest for you to talk to a parent stuck in an inner city school and tell them what you think!
John,
The vouchers do nothing to help that parent. Most of the private schools don’t have buses that pick up the kids. Besides, can you explain to me how a $2500 voucher is going to pay a $7,000-$10,000 tuition bill? You see, it’s not really about helping that parent so much as handing out checks to cronies.
caroline
Private school cost less than public school when you factor in new buildings. The Cherokee budget per kid is around 17 to 18 k with building cost. The cost is close to 10k without building which close to the national average.
Would it not be more efficient and environmentally conscious to fill all the private schools in the area before building new schools?
BTW private schools do that on average with a much lower student teacher ratio. Why work with Home schools and private schools instead of fighting them. The overcrowding is one of the issues driving up cost!
Call any commissioner and they will verify my numbers.
Then the cost here in Cherokee is being created by the builders. Have you checked into the private schools in Cherokee? First of all, they are already full so it wouldn’t solve the overcrowding problem at all. Secondly, only one is good-the one where the tuition is $10,000. The academics at the others are poor. You still haven’t explained how $2500 is going to pay tuition. Are you advocating that the school district pay $10,000 to each private school? It’s still going to cost money to build more schools. There aren’t enough private schools to handle the overcrowding. Some of the private schools aren’t even accredited! If it’s not accredited, the diploma from the school isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on. A lot of colleges won’t take diplomas from nonaccredited schools.
caroline
The problem is 35k homes are already approved. I do think if the private schools and facilities as well as home schools were used to capacity it would slow down building needs.
Would it not be cheaper than 17k per kid? BTW without building it is around 10k per kid!
The reason it is cheaper is the administrative cost is less. I do think Charter schools would also help and increase quality and lower cost.
As far as quality the scores are higher for home school kids and private schools. Also they could be used for special needs.
The key is getting everyone to work together and not against each other!
Do you understand public schools does better spending even 5 to 7k on a voucher than the expense of teaching the kid?
Well, the scores used for home school kids is old. They are now falling behind from what I read. I don’t care is someone wants to homeschool. I know people who do but they are pretty radical fundies. According to the Cherokee county website, they spend no where near $10,000 per kid. It’s more like $5,000 per kid. You still haven’t answered my questions. I have nothing really against charter schools but you complain about NCLB rewarding lobbyists and publishing companies-well charter schools do the same-they are run by for profit corporations who are looking to latch onto a gravy train. Don’t fool yourself-every solution conservatives come up with is to reward their cronies and campaign donors.
caroline
Capital Outlay – defined on Page 14 as the building of new schools and modification of existing schools. It states that CCSD receives 81% ($228.2 million) in local funds and 19% ($53.6 million) from the state for a total of $281.8 million. Divide this by 33,000 students as found on Page 3 and the capital outlay per student number is $8,539.
Operating Expenses – if you take the Total Revenue from Page 15 at $378,558,054 and reduce it by the Total Capital Outlay of $281,800,000, you should have remaining funds available of $96,758,054. If you assume no surplus, you could divide this by 33,000 and come up with $2,932 per student. I don’t see a surplus mentioned in the document. However, it appears probable that the Capital Outlay Fund is included in the Total Revenue because Total Revenue states “All Funds.” It does say Budgeted, not Actual.
Combination – Total of both per student is $8,539 plus $2,932 equals $11,471 per student.
John,
Private schools are full. If we do what you want, they are going to have to do capital outlays too. Do you somehow think that they will hire all illegal labor so their costs will be less?
Your solution is really moot. You are wanting some kind of fantasy to happen. Perhaps a building moratorium would be best-that way capital outlays for buildings would go down
BTW, your party is advocating taking all ability to raise taxes in the local area away from the school boards. They want the fundies in Atlanta to be making all the decisions.
caroline
That is not true I know for a fact AHA has space!
The capital outlay includes the price! As I said the difference is administrative cost. They do not have to follow NO CHILD, KATHY COX MATH 123……
caroline,
I have used private schools and public schools. I also support home schools. We need to think out of a box to solve the problem. The biggest issue is the more the federal and State government gets evolved cost goes up and quality goes down!
The math issue is a classic example. Dr, P gifted math program is one of the best in the nation. So what does Kathy Cox want to do throw it away and put in a new program where the books cost more than twice as much! WHY Follow the money!
BTW the NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND has been riddled with scandals like this. I do not want Kennedy, Bush, Kathy Cox, Tom Price… talking to lobbyist who give them campaign donations and then mandate policy that puts money back in the pockets of their campaign donors!
If you do not like your school vote out the board and get a new superintendent! And why not give parents a choice to use home school or private with a voucher if it is cheaper than what the public school is doing?
Well, if you have a problem with lobbyists then you should have problem with charter schools as they are run by lobbyists.
I have no problem with the superintendent. Why are you making things up? Where did I say that?
Look John, I told you the voucher thing is a joke. It’s nothing but rampant cronyism and really only subsidizes people who are already sending their children to private schools. What happens if you get a voucher but the school refuses to accept your child? They can do that you know. You guys just want to cut checks to your cronies and say “problem solved.!” I do think out of the box. My church has started two schools lately that offer FREE tuition to low income students and gives them hope for the future! Not cronyism! The problem I have with what you want is that you want to have it both ways.
caroline
Why do you say charter schools are run by lobbyist? As far as the money you could make a direct pay to the private school to limit fraud.
A direct pay to the private school? No accountability again?
Charter schools are run by corporations who have lobbyists just like the publishing companies.
There is no one solution. It takes everybody working together-parents teachers etc. to solve the problems.
caroline
If they are cheaper and do a better job why do you not like them?
I DISAGREE WITH BIDEN ET.AL. BIDEN AND YOU ARE DEAD WRONG. USA NEEDS TO REMAIN IN IRAQ TO CONFRONT THE NUTTY TERRORISTS AND, EVERYONE WHO ENCOURAGES AND LOUDLY REQUESTS OUR TROOP REMOVAL IS ASKING FOR THESE IDIOTS TO COMMIT A REPEAT ‘911′. NONE OF YOU WILL EVER UNDERSTAND HOW CRUCIAL IT IS TO BE THERE –THERE ARE A MULTITUDE OF VALID REASONS WHY WE ARE THERE AND, SHOULD REMAIN THERE. THAT AREA OF THE WORLD HAS ALWAYS BEEN UNSTABLE AND, HAD DANGEROUS REGIMES –AND WE MUST MONITOR THAT AREA, ALWAYS. ALL THAT DISAGREE WITH WHY WE ARE THERE ARE CLUELESS.