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ESHOO RATES IRAQ AS 'BLUNDER,' DEFENDS REFUSAL TO IMPEACH BUSH
Written by Peter Burke
Scotts Valley Banner, CA
Oct 16 2007
Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Palo Alto, admits extreme frustration with the
administration's handling of the war in Iraq ....
Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Palo Alto, admits extreme frustration with the
administration's handling of the war in Iraq.
"I think this is going to go down as the worst public policy blunder
the country has every made," Eshoo said in Scotts Valley Saturday,
Oct. 13, pointing out the $10 billion the United States spends on
the war every month.
But, despite his handling of the war, she won't vote to impeach
President George Bush, she said.
Eshoo wants a timeline for removing U.S. troops and has voted
against funding the war. "We're far from cutting our troops short,"
she told the 80-member Town Hall audience. "There is enough money in
the pipeline to last well through spring and possibly into next June."
Some, including three men who stood up and asked loudly, inquired about
why she isn't pushing to impeach the president since she opposes the
war policy.
"I'm not willing to bring everything to a halt," Eshoo said. She
experienced the process when President Bill Clinton was impeached in
1998. "It tears the country apart."
Eshoo said she is unwilling to halt progress that Congress has made
in the 30 weeks since Democrats came to majority power because of
their accomplishments, she said.
The congresswoman voiced pride that Congress raised the federal minimum
wage for the first time in 10 years and made the largest investment in
student aid since the G.I. bill passed during World War II. Congress
cut interest rates on federal student loans in half to help students
pay for college without facing daunting debts after they graduate,
she noted.
Eshoo is fighting unwarranted surveillance by the administration.
"Some people will give up their freedoms for security," Eshoo said.
"We don't need to. I can tell you, we don't need to. We cannot tolerate
the warrantless surveillance of Americans."
Eshoo reported on the Blackwater contractor scandal in Iraq, saying
that it would haunt the U.S. for a long time, but Congress is taking
the proper steps to find out the facts and make sure it doesn't
happen again.
As for Resolution 106 that labeled Armenian deaths during the time
of the Ottoman Empire as "genocide," Eshoo did not find the bill
menacing as the Turks have claimed.
"I seriously doubt that the relationship (between the United States
and Turkey) is seriously damaged because of something that happened
100 years ago."
Congress also passed new lobbying and ethics guidelines and Eshoo is
pushing for the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)
to cover an additional 5 million uninsured children, despite a
presidential veto earlier this year.
Eshoo voted for new veteran's benefits bill, the largest so far, and
pay-as-you-go rules that force Congress to identify funding sources
for a bill before it can pass.
The congresswoman voted for a hate crimes prevention bill that passed
and the Genetic Information Privacy Act which will protect the results
of tests from insurers who might use genetic predisposition against
applicants when setting their rates.
Eshoo, whose 14th District covers much of Silicon Valley and reaches
into Scotts Valley, San Lorenzo Valley and Bonny Doon, said she
was pleased to see a large crowd, comparing the scene to a Norman
Rockwell painting.
"It means a great deal to have constituents that come out and care,"
she said with a smile.
Written by Peter Burke
Scotts Valley Banner, CA
Oct 16 2007
Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Palo Alto, admits extreme frustration with the
administration's handling of the war in Iraq ....
Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Palo Alto, admits extreme frustration with the
administration's handling of the war in Iraq.
"I think this is going to go down as the worst public policy blunder
the country has every made," Eshoo said in Scotts Valley Saturday,
Oct. 13, pointing out the $10 billion the United States spends on
the war every month.
But, despite his handling of the war, she won't vote to impeach
President George Bush, she said.
Eshoo wants a timeline for removing U.S. troops and has voted
against funding the war. "We're far from cutting our troops short,"
she told the 80-member Town Hall audience. "There is enough money in
the pipeline to last well through spring and possibly into next June."
Some, including three men who stood up and asked loudly, inquired about
why she isn't pushing to impeach the president since she opposes the
war policy.
"I'm not willing to bring everything to a halt," Eshoo said. She
experienced the process when President Bill Clinton was impeached in
1998. "It tears the country apart."
Eshoo said she is unwilling to halt progress that Congress has made
in the 30 weeks since Democrats came to majority power because of
their accomplishments, she said.
The congresswoman voiced pride that Congress raised the federal minimum
wage for the first time in 10 years and made the largest investment in
student aid since the G.I. bill passed during World War II. Congress
cut interest rates on federal student loans in half to help students
pay for college without facing daunting debts after they graduate,
she noted.
Eshoo is fighting unwarranted surveillance by the administration.
"Some people will give up their freedoms for security," Eshoo said.
"We don't need to. I can tell you, we don't need to. We cannot tolerate
the warrantless surveillance of Americans."
Eshoo reported on the Blackwater contractor scandal in Iraq, saying
that it would haunt the U.S. for a long time, but Congress is taking
the proper steps to find out the facts and make sure it doesn't
happen again.
As for Resolution 106 that labeled Armenian deaths during the time
of the Ottoman Empire as "genocide," Eshoo did not find the bill
menacing as the Turks have claimed.
"I seriously doubt that the relationship (between the United States
and Turkey) is seriously damaged because of something that happened
100 years ago."
Congress also passed new lobbying and ethics guidelines and Eshoo is
pushing for the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)
to cover an additional 5 million uninsured children, despite a
presidential veto earlier this year.
Eshoo voted for new veteran's benefits bill, the largest so far, and
pay-as-you-go rules that force Congress to identify funding sources
for a bill before it can pass.
The congresswoman voted for a hate crimes prevention bill that passed
and the Genetic Information Privacy Act which will protect the results
of tests from insurers who might use genetic predisposition against
applicants when setting their rates.
Eshoo, whose 14th District covers much of Silicon Valley and reaches
into Scotts Valley, San Lorenzo Valley and Bonny Doon, said she
was pleased to see a large crowd, comparing the scene to a Norman
Rockwell painting.
"It means a great deal to have constituents that come out and care,"
she said with a smile.