E-Bow the Letter

Open Letter to Senator Herb Kohl:

Dear Senator Kohl:


Please welcome this as a letter from one of your constituents.

One who is an unabashed Democrat and Liberal, and has proudly supported your candidacy and tenure as my Senator.

With great dismay, I’ve learned of the voting in the past week undertaken in that Senate; particularly your vote on the bill to condemn an ad.

As Democratic Senators, you and your associates have given a free pass the the Republicans on matters of habeas corpus and providing adequate downtime for our ailing military by not requiring them to actually filibuster these bills, allowing the mere threat of a filibuster to keep the Majority from bringing them to the floor.

Matters of some urgency, if I might make a qualitative statement. Restoration of a critical piece of our battered Constitution, and provision of recuperative time for our soldiers, who are already stretched woefully thin and ailing from being sentenced....yes SENTENCED... to overly extended periods of duty in the line of fire.

But you join with the ranks of these Rubberstampers to decry a political ad.

Why, sir?

General Petraeus lost any exemption he might have had when he allowed President Bush to insert him into the political realm as cover for the failed Bush War policies. In contravention of a sacrosanct division between the military and political in America, the general was transformed into a mere political operative - one who, during the same political PR tour, hinted at his own political ambitions.

I’d like to point out, sir, that the American Public was not fooled by this political ploy, and I find it dismaying that one of my Senators was. Much as this Administration may wish it was not (and regardless of the efforts they are taking to make it so) political speech is still PROTECTED speech in this country. MoveOn made valid points in a political ad, aimed at a political target. The ad itself contained no disrespect for the military as such, merely one of its members. I am aware that Mr. Bush regards it as critical of the military as a whole, but let’s face it; Mr. Bush has never demonstrated a high level of reading comprehension.

I encourage you to view Keith Olbermann’s Special Comment of September 20, 2007, taking Mr. Bush to task for the response to the ad. It is available online in several locations, as well as a transcript available at http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/

The Republicans have no compunction about maligning military personnel when it suits them, as they showed with John Kerry in 2004, Max Cleland, General Abizaid, and even one of their own, John McCain in the 2000 election. Joining them in this condemnation is contrary to the ideals of free speech, not to mention providing undeserved approbation to the Republicans’ blatantly political and self-serving motivations.

I would like point out that the Republicans and the Bush Administration are viewed with historic levels of unfavorability by most of the country right now; primarily for the poor execution of the War, but also for their poor handling of every aspect of government. They are due little deference at this point.

Need I also remind you of how you were treated as a minority when they held the Senate? You were not allowed the freedom of even threatening a filibuster; in fact, they promised that if Democrats had the temerity to even try one, they would enact the ‘nuclear option’ (even if it was likely to bprove an unconstitutional move and would require changing the rules of the Senate) removing the ability to use it at all.

This current incarnation of Republican have no interest in bipartisanship at any level, unless it serves their own interests only. It’s a one way street, and you, along with twenty some other Democrats, have backed right into it.

Finally, and regrettably, I feel I need to inform you that I have begun to feel buyer’s remorse, as well as some bit of shame, for my previous votes on your behalf. I am an optimist, however, and still hope you eventually do yourself, the Senate, and our Party and Country, honor in these critical issues.


Ruefully, I remain,

[billy pilgrim]

Write your Senators.