Texas: Iraq

The Honorable John Cornyn
517 Hart Senate Office Bldg.
Washington, DC 20510
Main: 202-224-2934
Fax: 202-228-2856

Dear Constituents,

This week I voted against an amendment to a defense bill that would prohibit mandatory binding arbitration clauses involving rape for any contractor receiving federal tax dollars. I would like to explain my vote.

The amendment was a result of a case involving a KBR employee, Jamie Jones. Jones was gang-raped by coworkers while working in Iraq but because of KBR's arbitration clause, she could not bring a suit against KBR to a jury trial. What many do not understand is that arbitration is a good policy for rape victims.

Police to be furloughed? No, but according to Isiah Carey, Fox 26 Houston, it may happen, key word "may". The City of Houston will be facing a steep deficit for the year 2010, that at least seems to be true. From Isiah's blog (that is a perfect example of a poorly designed blog):
Sources have said and we've confirmed through the City Controller's office - Houston faces a $103 million budget shortfall for the fiscal year of 2010. Janice Evans with the Controllers office tells the Insite Annise Parker will announce the big hole this Tuesday and Wednesday to council members.
Unfortunately what was not confirmed and clearly speculation on Isiah's part was the furlough of city workers.

The republican party and the insurance industry are out in force with their scare tactic talking points including rationing of health care, death squads for seniors, out of control spending, yada yada. But before you put your health care in the hands of the republicans just remember:

These are the same guys who:

1. Told you Iraq had weapons of mass destruction
2. Told you to buy duct tape and plastic before the invasion of Iraq (and many of you did)
3. Have spent nearly $1Trillion of your money on invading the wrong country
4. Scared you with talk about a "mushroom cloud" before the invasion
5. Told you that tax cuts for the richest Americans would help you, the little guy
6. Turned a $250 surplus into a $450 deficit
7. Nearly doubled our debt to other countries
8. Put the country in the worst recession in it's history
9. Attempted to privatize social security right before the wall street crash
10. Said tort reform in Texas would lower our insurance rates
11. Who deregulated electricity in Texas with the help of Ken Lay resulting in higher rates
12. Who deregulated insurance in Texas resulting in the highest rates in the nation
13. Who deregulated college tuition Texas which resulted in skyrocketing costs
14. Who was in charge of this country for 8 full years and did nothing about immigration

Before you trust a republican with your health care, pull your head out and smell their deception.

Actually, I have no doubt that leaders of the party of wingnuts are sincere in saying they are sorry about the shooting of Dr. Tiller yesterday by a 'pro-life' activist. The rational and decent outliers in the party are rapidly finding out they're associated with raving maniacs, and leaving. There were enough people of goodwill to elect President Obama, and polls show that the majority deplore U.S. war on Iraq, torture, and fiscal irresponsibility and associate them with the maladministration just past. They.Did.It.

The dilemma of trying to keep the red meat base while working towards a majority of the U.