House Democrats Want New Afghanistan Policy

By Sarah Mamula - Talk Radio News Service

Though a $59 supplemental bill that funds continued military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan passed earlier this week, 102 Democrats voted against it. Several of them expressed their dissatisfaction with continued U.S. military presence in Afghanistan on Thursday.

“Osama Bin Laden remains at large, the terrorist threat is alive and well, [and] Afghanistan remains in the grips of crushing poverty,” said Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-Calif). “This is now the longest war in our nation’s history, and the longer we stay, the worse it gets.”

Dr. Robert A. Pape, a professor of political science at the University of Chicago and expert on terrorism and insurgency, offered a 3-year plan to end U.S. occupation in the country. The first year of the plan involves empowering local Afghan groups for self-protection while decreasing troops on the ground. In the second year, the plan places the position of forces in the North and West regions before finally withdrawing troops in the third year.

“This is the policy we should be pursuing in Afghanistan,” he said.

Rep. Michael Honda (D-Calif.) pointed out that the U.S. spent 103 months in Vietnam, and the U.S. is currently in its 105th month of military aggression in Afghanistan.

Woolsey used public dissatisfaction with the war to urge a change in strategy.

“The American people are running out of patience, and with 114 members of the House voting…against the war…Congress is beginning to catch up to the public,” she said. 

“It is time to try something new.”

House Democrats Demand Robust Public Health Care Option

By Sam Wechsler - Talk Radio News Service

The Congressional Tri-Caucus and Congressional Progressive Caucus announced Thursday that they have 53 signatures vowing not to vote for health care reform unless the legislation contains a robust public option.

Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-Calif.), Co-Chair for the Congressional Progressive Caucus, stated that many in Congress who favor a single-payer health care system have compromised to ensure a meaningful public option.

Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, voiced her support for a public option, arguing that it would guarantee coverage, give people a choice of doctors and hospitals and give private insurers an incentive to lower costs.

“Health care should not be a privilege as it has been in the past, it is a basic human right,” said Lee. She also specified that the insurance rate in the public option would be the Medicare rate plus five percent.

“We need to lower health care costs. The only way to lower health care costs is by providing competition, and the only way we can provide competition is by having a public option,” said Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-N.Y.).

Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick (D-Mich.) said she doesn't anticipate that any Republicans will vote for a bill with a public option, but added that their votes aren't necessary in order for a bill to pass.

Invest in America's Future

“At a time that President Bush is spending up to $11 billion a month in Iraq, and sometimes more, he is ignoring an economy right here at home” said Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-Calif.) at a news conference to release a new economic agenda from USAction. Woolsey and other representatives gathered to discuss what they called failed economic policies from the Bush administration, and looked forward to new policies reflecting USAction’s agenda they have named ‘Invest in America’s Future’.

William McNary, President of USAction stated that among other things, the program’s agenda emphasized reform for healthcare, education and energy policy in order to create a future for America’s working class that that provides equal opportunity and is prosperous. In addition, McNary stated that the program would be beneficial to all Americans, including business, and referred to his organization’s plan as the next ‘New Deal’.

According to USAction’s program director Alan Charney, when a poll was taken by Americans in swing-voting states, 69 percent of respondents said they approved of the ‘Invest in America’s Future” agenda. McNary closed by stating that Congress can no longer afford to continue patchwork policies, but should turn its attention to a comprehensive reform policy in 2009 that reflects his program’s agenda.