A group of 93 Legislators – all Democrats except for one independent – signed a letter to Maine’s congressional delegation opposing the escalation of the war in Iraq, but some peace activists say the gesture doesn’t go far enough.
Republicans, who didn’t sign on, said they were happy just a letter was proposed because a resolution would have been inappropriate. The letter was sent on the eve of a vote on a non-binding resolution against the war in the U.S. House.
Rep. Thom Watson, a Democrat from Bath and a veteran of the Vietnam War, led the rally at the Statehouse last Thursday, where the letter was officially announced. Watson, a decorated Navy airman, was joined by three other retired Navy men now serving in the Legislature, who spoke out against President George Bush’s surge in troops in Iraq.
“This letter is not about bravery or cowardice, patriotism or protest,” Watson said. “It’s about billions of tax dollars,” that could be better spent on services at home and the redeployment of National Guard troops, who already have served. This escalation means that the brave men and women of Maine, who serve in our Guard or our reserve, are facing their second and often their third deployment. These men and women have done their part. It’s time to stop,” Watson said.
Sen. Peter Bowman, D-York County, whose last assignment in the Navy was commander of the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, alluded to the question of whether a letter, versus a full-blown resolution requiring a vote, was enough.
“If you’ve got the choice of doing something, no matter how small, or doing nothing,” he said, “You’re always better going with something.”
Bowman then went on to praise the Maine Legislature – and the advocacy work of Democratic Sen. Ethan Strimling of Portland – for taking the vote in 2003 against the war in Iraq.
“We got in the Iraqi campaign based on false information and the current situation is untenable,” he said. “We were right then and we are right now.”
Strimling sent out a press release “applauding” the letter, adding, “I am proud of the fact that four years ago we were the first state to go on record opposing the war, even before the bombs fell.”
Bruce Gagnon, a member of a peace group organizing a funeral procession to the Portland office of Democratic U.S. Rep. Tom Allen this week to urge him to cut funding for the war, said the Legislature’s letter doesn’t go far enough.
“I’m disappointed that they didn’t bring it to a vote and have a debate,” said Gagnon. “To me the debate was really more important than the vote.”
Gagnon, who is a member of Bath-Brunswick Occupation Project Affinity Group, representing people who belong to Maine Veterans for Peace, Peace Action Maine and PeaceWorks, said he was happy the Legislature did something, but believes a resolution where people had to vote would have had more meaning.
Like the legislators who spoke in favor of the letter, key to Gagnon is how much the war is costing and the money it is taking away from social programs at home. He cited statistics saying each month the U.S. occupation of Iraq costs Americans $8.5 billion.
Republicans, on the other hand, were pleased the Democrats had just pushed the letter – a gesture apparently designed to keep peace among legislators, who have promised more bipartisan cooperation.
“I want to commend the Democratic leadership for moving the Iraq resolution out of the chambers of the Maine House and Senate,” said Republican Sen. Jon Courtney, R-York County. “This is a gesture that shows the members are concerned with working together.”
Sen. Richard Rosen of Hancock and Penobscot counties, the assistant minority leader, said he personally didn’t sign the letter because he thought it was inappropriate to tie the war to the funding of federal programs.
“I think it’s insensitive to talk about federally funded programs in a letter about the war. It diminishes the importance of the issue,” Rosen said. “It diminishes the level of sacrifice and commitment we are seeing displayed by the soldiers of Maine and their families.”
In the letter, Democrats ask the congressional delegation to oppose the escalation of war in Iraq, saying:
“We share the concerns of many prominent leaders in Congress and the Armed Forces that the president’s proposal for troop escalation is not an appropriate measure in bringing an end to America’s presence in Iraq. We have further concerns about the impact such a move would have on the people of Maine, as the federal budget continues to shift away from vital services for Maine people, and our servicemen and women continue to shoulder a disproportionate weight in service to our country. As the cost of maintaining our presence in Iraq escalates, it is our most vulnerable citizens who feel the pain of this continuing dramatic shift in priorities for our tax dollars.”
Rep. Stan Gerzofsky, D-Brunswick, the co-chairman of the Governor’s Task Force on Homeland security, said he signed the letter to help bring home the National Guard troops.
“They joined the National Guard to help protect Americans in America,” he said. “They should be home.”
Letter signers
Rep. Walter Wheeler – Kittery – Retired U.S. Navy
Sen. Peter Bowman – York County – Retired U.S. Navy
Rep. Thomas Watson – Bath – Retired U.S. Navy
Sen. Joe Brannigan – Cumberland County – Retired U.S. Navy
Rep. Timothy Carter – Bethel – Retired U.S. Army
Rep. Ray Pineau – Jay – Retired U.S. Army
Rep. Charlie Priest – Brunswick – Retired U.S. Navy
Rep. John Tuttle – Sanford – Retired U.S. Army
Rep. Lance Weddell – Frankfort – Retired U.S. Army
Sen. Beth Edmonds – Cumberland County – Senate President
Rep. Glenn Cummings – Portland – Speaker of the House
Sen. Phillip Bartlett – Cumberland County
Sen. Lynn Bromley – Cumberland County
Sen. Bruce Bryant – Oxford County
Sen. Dennis Damon – Hancock/Knox counties
Sen. Barry Hobbins – York County
Sen. John Martin – Aroostook County
Sen. Elizabeth Mitchell – Kennebec County
Sen. John Nutting – Androscoggin County
Sen. Joe Perry – Penobscot County
Sen. Peggy Rotundo – Androscoggin County
Sen. Elizabeth Schneider – Penobscot County
Sen. Ethan Strimling – Cumberland County
Sen. Nancy Sullivan – York County
Rep. Herb Adams – Portland
Rep. Chris Babbidge – Kennebunk
Rep. Chris Barstow – Gorham
Rep. Paulette Beaudoin – Biddeford
Rep. Seth Berry – Bowdoinham
Rep. Richard Blanchard – Old Town
Rep. Patricia Blanchette – Bangor
Rep. Lawrence Bliss – South Portland
Rep. Andrea Boland – Sanford
Rep. John Brautigam – Portland
Rep. Mark Bryant- Windham
Rep. Emily Cain – Orono
Rep. Marilyn Canavan – Waterville
Rep. Alan Casavant – Biddeford
Rep. Gary Connor – Kennebunk
Rep. Jill Conover – Oakland
Rep. Margaret Craven – Lewiston
Rep. Patricia Crockett – Augusta
Rep. Cynthia Dill – Cape Elizabeth
Rep. Tim Driscoll – Westbrook
Rep. Robert Duchesne – Hudson
Rep. Michael Dunn – Bangor
Rep. Robert Eaton – Sullivan
Rep. Jane Eberle – South Portland
Rep. Sean Faircloth – Bangor
Rep. David Farrington – Gorham
Rep. Edward Finch – Fairfield
Rep. Jeremy Fischer – Presque Isle
Rep. Stan Gerzofsky – Brunswick
Rep. Carol Grose – Woolwich
Rep. Charlie Harlow – Portland
Rep. Anne Haskell – Portland
Rep. Teresea Hayes – Buckfield
Rep. Dawn Hill – York
Rep. Jon Hinck – Portland
Rep. George Hogan – Old Orchard Beach
Rep. Troy Jackson – Allagash
Rep. Bryan Kaenrath – South Portland
Rep. Ted Koffman – Bar Harbor
Rep. Jacqueline Lundeen – Mars Hill
Rep. Bruce MacDonald – Boothbay
Rep. Elaine Makas – Lewiston
Rep. Boyd Marley – Portland
Rep. Edward Mazurek – Rockland
Rep. Elizabeth Miller – Somerville
Rep. Janet Mills – Farmington
Rep. David Miramant – Camden
Rep. Jacqueline Norton – Bangor
Rep. John Patrick – Rumford
Rep. Peggy Pendleton – Scarborough
Rep. Ann Peoples – Westbrook
Rep. Leila Percy – Phippsburg
Rep. Don Pilon – Saco
Rep. Hannah Pingree – North Haven
Rep. John Piotti – Unity
Rep. Benjamin Pratt – Eddington
Rep. Anne Rand – Portland
Rep. Peter Rines – Wiscasset
Rep. James Schatz – Blue Hill
Rep. Kimberly Silsby – Augusta
Rep. Deborah Simpson – Auburn
Rep. Nancy Smith – Monmouth
Rep. Patricia Sutherland – Chapman
Rep. Sharon Treat – Farmingdale
Rep. Pamela Trinward – Waterville
Rep. Linda Valentino – Saco
Rep. Richard Wagner – Lewiston
Rep. David Webster – Freeport
Rep. Richard Woodbury – Yarmouth
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