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One Of Our Own Is Going to Take Down McConnell
As an Iraq war veteran, today is pretty exciting for me and all the other vets I talk with. Today, one of our own took the first step towards knocking off Senator Mitch McConnell in 2008. Iraq War Veteran Andrew Horne jumped into the race.
Andrew Horne, who had to step down as a Senior Advisor to VoteVets.org to run this race, not only has a good shot to beat McConnell, he has a tremendous shot. That's got us Iraq veterans pumped because not only will we have a voice in the Senate that comes from our own ranks, but we're also going to take down the guy who is the single most responsible person in Congress for the war in Iraq, as well as the defeat of pro-troop, pro-veteran legislation.
Let's take just a small walk through the record of Mitch McConnell (Warning: Hold your nose):
• He led the filibuster of the Webb-Hagel "Dwell Time" amendment that would have given our exhausted troops as much time at home as in the field.
• He led the all-night filibuster of legislation that would have set us on a real change of course in Iraq, that would have allowed us to give Iraqis more responsibility, while freeing U.S. forces to take on the real threat to America -- al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
• He consistently worked his side of the aisle against the same veterans he's been fighting tooth and nail to keep in Iraq, beating back amendments to ensure a funding stream for veterans' health care, increase Veterans' medical services by closing corporate tax loopholes, and guarantee full-funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs.
• And, most recently, he callously quipped that we ought not feel too bad about those who died in Iraq, because, afterall, "remember, these are not draftees, these are full-time professional soldiers."
Andrew Horne is going to serve Kentucky well. I've known Andrew for a couple of years now, and he's one of the brightest, toughest guys I've ever encountered. But, more importantly, he's fiercely loyal. At any point over the last couple of years, he could have broken away from the veterans movement and tried to make a name for himself. But, he didn't. He felt a profound sense of responsibility to those he was fighting alongside, something that we all feel in the military. Kentucky can trust that he's never going to abandon them and "go Washington" like Mitch McConnell.
But, more importantly for the readers on here, Andrew's candidacy represents the best shot beat the largest obstruction to veterans care and responsible use of the military that Congress has ever seen.
For all McConnell has done to hurt troops and veterans, how sweetly ironic it is that it's going to be an Iraq War Marine that sends him packing.
That's why, today, I'm truly, truly excited.
Read more about Andrew and consider making at donation at www.AndrewHorne.org
Follow Jon Soltz on Twitter: www.twitter.com/jonsoltz
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Add to your list: his wife is Elaine Chao, W's Secretary of Labor. Which accounts for the sorry state of our labor force today.
Thanks, Jon.
Brick
McConnell has immense personal power and will fight the dirtiest fight in history to preserve it. Just note how Bush has rewarded the loyal senator by appointing Mrs. McConnell, Elaine Chao, Secretary of Labor. Betwixt them both, you see, they're licking the platter clean. McConnell does not plan to lose.
America, the leader of the free world and the champion of democracy, is like what we get today. lie telling president, promotion of invasion, corrupt government, legalized torture, covering up lawless activities, privatizing a war of nonsense, deficit built up by uncontrolled spending, making Americans the enemy of the world by twisting the term of patriotism, and scaring Americans as well as the world through projecting a WWIII scenario by a bunch of military service dodgers who are beneficial from war and wars.
Do any other nation listen to Americans again after that ugly reality observed by the rest of the world? It can't be a true democracy like that. So, why bother to spread it as Bush wants to do. Self serving, ignorance, dumb bell, or may be crazyness. With bush and his cronies good luck Americans!!!!!
phoney Veteran "charities"
"The Washington Post reported on December 13th that:
Eight veterans charities, including some of the nation's largest, gave less than a third of the money raised to the causes they champion, far below the recommended standard, the American Institute of Philanthropy says in a report. One group passed along 1 cent for every dollar raised, the report says. Another [Autumn note: Help Hospitalized Veterans] paid its founder and his wife a combined $540,000 in compensation and benefits last year, a Washington Post analysis of tax filings showed.
There are no laws regulating the amount of money charities spend on overhead, fundraising or giving. But the institute's report suggests that 20 of the 29 military charities studied were managing their resources poorly, paying high overhead costs and direct-mail fundraising fees and, in some cases, providing their leaders with six-figure salaries.
12 charities rated as failing by the institute -- including the Military Order of the Purple Heart Service Foundation, the AMVETS National Service Foundation and the Freedom Alliance -- collected at least $266 million in the past fiscal year.
The Navy Times lists out the12 charities receiving failing ratings from the American Institute of Philanthropy:
- American Ex-Prisoners of War Service Foundation
- American Veterans Coalition
- American Veterans Relief Foundation
- AMVETS National Service Foundation
- Disabled Veterans Association
- Freedom Alliance
- Military Order of the Purple Heart Service Foundation
- National Veterans Services Fund, NCOA National Defense Foundation
- Paralyzed Veterans of America
- VietNow National Headquarters
- Chapin's Help Hospitalized Veterans/Coalition to Salute America's Heroes.
The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform held a hearing on December 13th on the subject, where Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) stated:
This morning's hearing is about deceit and a sickening betrayal of our most fundamental values. And I hope it is the first step in fixing an intolerable fraud.
As a disabled veteran, I couldn't agree more with Rep. Waxman's characterization of this Veterans Charities' situation as a "sickening betrayal of our most fundamental values" -- as well as a sickening betryal of our nation's homeless and wounded veterans."
http://www.pamshouseblend.com/frontPage.do
First I have heard about this. Best wishes to our Iraq Vets! Sounds like the Senate, and our nation, would be a lot better off without McConnell!
Mitch McConnell:
Gime a break. They're hired help.... OK?
(Back door little men.)
Revenge would be so sweet... McConnell is on the far side of despicable. He is the Republican Party's Congressional face of shameless corruption and should be among the first to be thrown out of office by an enraged electorate.
How about someone to replace Dianne Feinstein!
She should be easy to beat with her voting record!
We need ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES that will represent their constituents!
That's good news. I live in Kentucky, and we've been trying to get rid of that lipless know-nothing for quite some time. Each election cycle we get a little closer, but we haven't gotten rid of him yet. Maybe Andrew Horne is the man to do it. I really know very little about him, but he can't be as bad as Mr. Elaine Chao.
"remember, these are not draftees, these are full-time professional soldiers."
That is callous.
Makes me think that there may be a slave owner somewhere in McConnell's family tree who, after unintentionally beating a slave to death, uttered the words "Damn...he was expensive, too.".
I realize our military had no filter in place to insure wild-eyed uneducated liberals were prevented from serving in Iraq...but having done so, what about their radical Muslim hatred of Israel and Christianity do you not understand? Why do you not comment on their slogan "First comes Saturday,and then Sunday" which means first we destroy all Jews, and then all Christians who refuse submission to Sharia law (not to mention moderate Muslims)? How can you have such anathema for truth...to the point that you refuse to answer and seek to destroy another soldier for asking you to respond to a truthful point at the KOS panel you escorted him out of, John? Tell me about a war in which everything went perfectly! War sucks. But it is better than defeat, surrender and apathetically sleepwalking into a slaughter house.
You aren't fighting for what is right if you have to run from the truth--EVER. So stop running from the realities of our challenges and start being willing to listen to the few ex-terrorists who have seen the light of their evil upbringing (which teaches all Muslims to hate, lie, steal, kill and destroy) and chose to change.
Start with Walid Shoebat (Shoebat.com) and Brgitte Gabriel (americancongressfortruth.com)
It's too easy for you to simply DETRACT, John. Step up with a solution or can it.
--cf
I beleive McConnell is much worse than just a lap dog for the Bush admin and not caring for Vets. He has been the worst member of the Senate for over 30? years and is probably responsible for the deaths of thousands from tobacco use. He sold his soul to the devil(big tobacco) a long time ago. He deserves much worse than losing an election. I hope the people of Kentucky wake up and see him for the evil he has wrought.
NEOCON 'War" heroes
Senator Richard Shelby, did not serve
Jack Kemp, did not serve (was fit enough for pro football, but "failed" the physical?)
Dan Quayle, avoided Vietnam service, got a slot in the journalism unit of the Indiana National Guard when the unit was at 150% capacity
Eliot Abrams, did not serve
Richard Perle, architect of Gulf War II, did not serve.
Rudy Giuliani, did not serve
Michael Savage, did not serve
Ann Coulter, did not serve
George Will, did not serve
Bill O'Reilly, did not serve
Sean Hannity, did not serve
Bill Bennett, did not serve. Didn't want to gamble on fate?
Pat Buchanan, did not serve, lots of bar fights though.
Pat Robertson - did not serve, apparently used Daddy's connections to get off the ship in Tokyo while his buddies went on to combat in Korea. Praise the Lord!
To defeat Mitch McConnell It would be wise for those who support Horne to follow the money trail of support for McConnell.
There has been millions of dollars poured into states to help many Republican Senators and Representatives get elected.
The people of Kentucky (all over) should be
asked to vote against McConnell just because he has done nothing for them and he has not been a friend of Veterans of which I believe Kentucky has many.
McConnell has to go!!!!!
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