what it's like to have a cool senator (Stabenow-MI)

i just got an email from Debbie--unsolicited, except as far as i have written to her more than once to express my concerns about various and sordid ("sordid" is intentional--i know it's "assorted!" ;-) ) issues over the past several months. so maybe now she has me on a list? i dunno--but i was pleased as punch to get this letter from her today:

July 17, 2003

Dear Mrs. xxx:

As someone who I know cares about this issue, I wanted to share with you
the statement I gave yesterday on the floor of the United States Senate.

I will continue to closely monitor this situation. As always, please let
me know if ever I can be of assistance to you or your family.

-- Debbie Stabenow
United States Senator

Ms. STABENOW. Madam President, I rise to . . . commend our service men and
women who have served us so well in Iraq, as well as around the world.

We join in our pride and gratitude for their courage and their service.

However, I must rise today to express my deep concern about revelation
after revelation of the fragile nature of the facts presented to the
American public and the world about the reasons we had to preemptively,
unilaterally attack Iraq.

Those misleading words in the President's State of the Union Address this
past January have brought into question the credibility of our Government.
This is extremely serious. It hurts our country because Iraq is not the
only threat to our Nation, as the Senator from New Jersey indicated. We
continue to be threatened by terrorists in emerging nuclear countries such
as Iran and North Korea. In order to win the war on terrorism and
ultimately disarm Iran and North Korea, we are going to have to work with
NATO and other allies to protect American citizens.

Unfortunately, the misleading statements about Iraq attempting to purchase
uranium from Niger will make building such coalitions even more difficult.
This means our homeland will be less safe and our American citizens less
secure. This is a deep concern of mine. I wish the misleading statements
about Iraq and Niger were the only statements in question that the
President and his administration have made to the American people.
Unfortunately, there have been others.

First, let's go through what transpired with the statements on Iraq and
Niger. Before the State of the Union referencing Iraqi purchases of
uranium from Africa, the administration, at the direction of the CIA, took
out a nearly identical line in a speech the President gave in Cincinnati
last October justifying the use of force in Iraq. Then, the African
uranium purchase was back in the State of the Union Address, although we
were told now this was a mistake by the CIA director George Tenet. Then,
the African reference was dropped from Secretary of State Powell's
presentation on Iraqi weapons capabilities to the United Nations just 8
days later. Then, Saddam's nuclear weapons came back with certainty when
Vice President Cheney appeared on Meet the Press in March and said, "We
believe he has, in fact, reconstituted nuclear weapons.''

This was one of the main assertions used that took us to war, and I
believe the American people have a right to know which it is. If it was
good intelligence, why the constant change of mind? Either Iraq had
nuclear weapons or it didn't. If it was bad intelligence, who kept pushing
to use it in the administration speeches and interviews? We need to know
the answers to these questions. It is important for the credibility of our
country and for the trust of the American people in our Government.

It does not end there. We heard much about specially-made aluminum tubes
that could be used to build centrifuges to create weapons-grade uranium.
In the same State of the Union where he referenced uranium purchases from
Africa, President Bush also said: Our intelligence sources tell us that he
has attempted to purchase high-strength aluminum tubes suitable for
nuclear weapons production.

But, in fact, an unclassified intelligence assessment back in October
stated some intelligence specialists "believe that those tubes are
probably intended for conventional weapons programs.''

Last February, Secretary of State Colin Powell told the U.N. Security
Council that "we all know there are differences of opinion,'' and that
``there is controversy about what these tubes are for.''

However, the International Atomic Energy Agency, after conducting its own
study, concluded the uranium tubes were not for uranium enrichment.

Which is it? Enough time has gone by; we should have and are entitled to
answers. We are entitled to the truth. Most importantly, the American
people are entitled to the truth. Although we now have more than 140,000
troops in Iraq, we have not yet found chemical or biological weapons or
even the plants needed to make them. We have not found evidence of
al-Qaida training camps, although in the run-up to the war the
administration not only said they were there in Iraq but that they knew
precise locations.

Again, this administration has taken us into a new age, an age where we
claim the right to unilaterally, preemptively strike another nation
because we believe our national survival is at stake. In such a world, the
intelligence used as proof for striking first has to be unassailable, has
to be totally credible, or the American people and our allies will be
deeply suspicious of any future claims.

The claims led to decisions to put American men and women in harm's way
and in too many instances have led to the loss of life. We need to find
out the truth behind the various claims and questions, legitimate
questions that have arisen, questions that have been asked by colleagues
on both sides of the aisle, questions that have taken us into the deserts
of Iraq and put our men and women in harm's way.

The only way we can get to the bottom of this is to set up an independent
commission to get the facts, a bipartisan commission, a way to objectively
look at what happened so it does not happen again.

There is nothing more serious than a potential nuclear threat to our
people. If there was ever a need for an independent commission, it is now.
We now face potential nuclear threats from Iran, from North Korea. We
could face more in the future. American families and our American troops
deserve answers to the questions that have been raised. We all deserve
answers. We all deserve the truth.

I hope my colleagues will join in support developing this independent
commission. I believe nothing less than the credibility of our country is
at stake. I hope we all join in supporting the Corzine amendment.

I yield the floor.

--------

the only thing i want to write back is to tell her it's okay with me if she calls bush* a liar! ;-)

and, of course, Debbie voted against the war.

than that jackass, federalist society, currently giving the reins of the energy dept. away to the utility industries, fired one term Senator Spence Abraham?

It renews my faith that there are people who believe in the literal definition of "public service". I love Edwards, he's mine, but of course he voted for the war and for the patriot act. I prefer to just forgive him and go on. The Dems are becoming more outspoken because of us, we, the constituents are getting louder and speaking out more.

Instead of being a couple of people who went with Bush on whatever he wanted. Oh well at least my Rep is one of the best. And from a right leaning Suburban district no less.

And I think he's pretty cool!

From MoveOn email received yesterday:

Dear friends in MoveOn,

We're writing to thank you, and to ask for your help.

Three weeks ago, you began asking Congress to make the President tell the truth about his case for war. Since then, even more disturbing facts have come to light regarding the President's truthfulness. In the major media and around the country, we hear a growing concern that the Bush administration may have misled us in the rush to war.

We want to thank you for your willingness to take a stand on this issue in a climate in which taking a stand is sometimes labeled unpatriotic. You know as well as we do that true patriots do what's best for our country, and for the legacy we'll leave our children, not just for their political party. We're proud to tell you that the Democrats in the Senate have heard your concern: we're taking a stand too.

That's why we need your help. Very soon, probably today or tomorrow, the Senate will vote on whether to create an independent commission to investigate the President's possible deception. The vote will come in the form of an amendment to the Defense Appropriations bill, which is being debated now.

We'll need every last vote to win. Please take a moment right now to call your Senators and tell them how important it is that we get to the bottom of this with an independent investigatory commission.

With your support, Democrats are now coming together to demand answers. Yet President Bush and his officials are still showing that they're not willing to level with the American people.

Please call our colleagues in the Senate today, and ask them to push for a full, independent investigation of the President's claims on Iraq. By joining our efforts on Capitol Hill with your activism across America, we can make sure that the truth comes out.

Sincerely,
Senator Jon Corzine & Senator Debbie Stabenow

:thumbsup:

and I live in Oregon!

How'd she get my e addy???

:shrug:

maybe you've been made an honorary michigander (or michigoose, as the case may be). ;-)

win back the senate. Democrats who have previously made contributions are likely on their mailing list. :shrug:

We have some of the coolest Senators (IMHO). The Levin Brothers both are fighting the good fight in the House and Senate. Unfortunately the Repukes still hold the State Senate. But we got rid of Engler. Its a battle here between the rural and urban zones.

We have some of the coolest Senators (IMHO). The Levin Brothers both are fighting the good fight in the House and Senate. Unfortunately the Repukes still hold the State Senate. But we got rid of Engler. Its a battle here between the rural and urban zones.

We have some of the coolest Senators (IMHO). The Levin Brothers both are fighting the good fight in the House and Senate. Unfortunately the Repukes still hold the State Senate. But we got rid of Engler. Its a battle here between the rural and urban zones.

...and I'm in Virginia. I use to be a Michigander...and I think I saw her speak at the Church of Today...in 2000...during one of my visits.

She's great!!!!