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Friday, March 30, 2007
 This piece by Adam Isacson of the Center for International Policy is particularly revealing of the high-level links between members of the Colombian government (including military) and right-wing paramilitary groups that are included on the U.S. list of World Terrorist Organizations. CIA evidence incriminates a celebrated military commander trained at the U.S. military training center formerly called the School of the Americas. Gen. Mario Montoya's case is part of a much broader scandal unraveling at an almost dizzying pace. Of course, here in Colombia, Gen. Montoya is denying all charges, scoffing at CIA evidence, and lambasting the LA Times for being irresponsible. The Colombian government is publicly supporting the General. Might this test the cozy international relationship between these the U.S. and Colombia, two countries that so need each other, politically, at this time? Read excerpts from Isacson's piece below: The front page of today's Los Angeles Times has a huge piece of news: "The CIA has obtained new intelligence alleging that the head of Colombia's U.S.-backed army collaborated extensively with right-wing militias that Washington considers terrorist organizations, including a militia headed by one of the country's leading drug traffickers."
According to the story, a U.S. intelligence document accuses Gen. Mario Montoya of collaborating closely with paramilitaries in one of the signature military operations of President Uribe's first term.
...
Gen. Montoya's men were working hand-in-glove with the paramilitary group headed by "Don Berna" - Diego Fernando Murillo, a feared paramilitary chief whom the U.S. government wishes to extradite to face drug-trafficking charges.
This means big trouble for U.S. military aid to Colombia. Gen. Montoya has been a favorite of the United States. He was trained, and even served as an instructor, at the U.S. Army School of the Americas. He headed "Joint Task Force South," the unit that coordinated U.S.-funded military operations in southern Colombia when Plan Colombia began.
We're not talking about a rogue "bad apple" from a hard-line military faction. These allegations of paramilitary collaboration are leveled at the head of Colombia's entire army. The LA Times piece goes on to allege that Montoya's immediate superior, the head of the entire armed forces, is not beyond suspicion either.
...
These revelations are emerging at a crucial moment, as the new Democratic-controlled Congress begins to consider U.S. aid to Colombia for next year. Many of those involved in drafting the aid legislation are critics of the mostly military nature of past U.S. assistance to Colombia. Most have gone on record several times expressing concerns about human rights, and about allegations of military-paramilitary collaboration.
The U.S. and Colombian authorities have repeatedly assured these congressional critics that charges of military-paramilitary ties are (1) false or exaggerated; (2) something that happens at low levels but is not tolerated at the top; or (3) a problem that is rapidly disappearing as the armed forces improve. These arguments have come from ambassadors, generals, State Department officials, and President Uribe himself; as a result, members of Congress - even skeptics - have generally had to give them the benefit of the doubt.
The "benefit of the doubt" disappears when the LA Times' front page can report that the military's top leadership truly collaborated with paramilitaries on a recent, high-profile military offensive like Operation Orion. Key members of Congress will be left feeling that their longtime suspicions have been confirmed, and are likely to act accordingly.
The U.S. policy that began with Plan Colombia is in bigger trouble today than it has ever been.
Janna Bowman is the Documentation and Advocacy program coordinator for Justapaz, the Christian Center for Justice, Peace and Nonviolent Action of the Colombian Mennonite Church. Join Christians from across North America and Colombia in Days of Prayer and Action for Peace in Colombia, May 20-21. Learn more and find resources to participate at peaceincolombia.org.
The latest news on the House-budget, Iran-British captives, Iraq-Senate, Iraq-Saudis, Arab-Israeli peace offer, US attorney firings, immigration, Massachusetts-Sudan disinvestment, poverty-New York City, social networking, abortion, and select op-eds. Sign up to receive our daily news summary via e-mail »Full news summary:
Iraq-Senate. Senate Sets Stage For Iraq Face-Off - "Faced with his second rebuke in a week from congressional Democrats on Iraq policy, President Bush summoned Republican allies to his side in an effort to shift momentum in the escalating battle over the course of the war." Defying Bush, Senate Passes Iraq Spending Measure - "Issuing a stinging challenge to President Bush, the Senate approved a spending measure that provided more than $97.5 billion for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan but ordered troop withdrawals from Iraq to begin within 120 days and set a goal of removing most armed forces within a year." Senate: Home in 1 year - "The Senate approved a war funding measure calling for U.S. troops to withdraw from Iraq next year, and Democratic leaders warned President Bush that he risks "undermining" the troops on the battlefield if he vetoes the bill," Iraq: It may be a rough road to a Senate-House compromise - "Fresh from passing the first timelines to bring home U.S. troops from Iraq, congressional Democrats now face the daunting task of reconciling critical differences between a Senate withdrawal plan and one approved by the House."
Iraq-Saudis. Saudis Publicly Get Tough With U.S. - "Saudi Arabia has begun to play an uncharacteristically assertive diplomatic role in the region in an effort to calm potential flashpoints in Lebanon and the Palestinian territories." U.S. Feels Sting of Winning Saudi Help With Other Arabs - "American officials said that they were caught off guard by remarks by the Saudi king condemning the American intervention in Iraq as "an illegal foreign occupation" and were seeking clarification."
Iran-British captives. Navy crewman's 'apology' shown - "Iran broadcast footage of a second "confession" from one of its British military captives as Iran's president said the UK should apologise for "violating" Iranian waters." Iran raises stakes in hostage crisis - "The Iranian hostage crisis took a sinister turn when Tehran withdrew an earlier offer to release one of the 15 captive sailors and marines and issued a second, strangely-worded letter in her name calling for Britain to withdraw from Iraq." Britain and Iran raise the stakes - "Britain and Iran have raised the diplomatic and propaganda temperature in the battle over the 15 captured British sailors and marines." Security Council Voices Concern Over Iran Captives - "Britain escalated international pressure in its week-old confrontation with Iran over the seizure of 15 naval personnel, winning from the U.N. Security Council a statement of "grave concern" over the capture." Tehran Levels New Charges About Seized Britons - "Iran leveled new accusations against Britain in the crisis over 15 captured British sailors and marines, and withdrew a promise to free the only woman in the group, insisting that Britain admit fault before any captives were released."
Arab-Israeli peace offer. Heads of Arab States Prod Israel to Embrace Peace Offer - "The leaders of 21 Arab governments called on Israel to embrace a peace initiative that would have it withdraw from the land it occupied in the 1967 war in exchange for full diplomatic relations with them," Arab proposal is 'revolutionary' - "Israel's prime minister, Ehud Olmert, welcomed a land-for-peace deal offered by Arab states as a "revolutionary change", but warned that his country remained deeply sceptical about aspects of the plan." Arab League leaders urge Israel to accept peace plan - "Arab leaders urged Israel to accept a 5-year-old peace plan that they say could end the decades-old Middle East conflict, calling for negotiations with the Jewish state as the annual Arab League summit drew to a close."
US attorney firings. Ex-Aide Contradicts Gonzales on Firings - "Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales was more deeply involved in the firings of eight U.S. attorneys than he has sometimes acknowledged, and Gonzales and his aides have made a series of inaccurate claims about the issue in recent weeks," Ex-Aide Rejects Gonzales Stand Over Dismissals - "The former chief of staff to Alberto R. Gonzales testified that he had consulted regularly with the attorney general about dismissing United States attorneys, disputing Mr. Gonzales's public account of his role as very limited." Former aide contradicts Gonzales - "Despite his earlier denials, Atty. Gen. Alberto R. Gonzales was deeply involved in discussions that led to the firing of eight U.S. attorneys,"
House-budget. Democrats' Budget Plan Narrowly Passes in House - "Democrats marshaled a $2.9 trillion budget blueprint through the House, uniting a diverse coalition behind a spending plan that would increase funds for education, health care and veterans' services while aiming to erase the federal deficit within five years." House Budget Is Clear on Spending, Vague on Revenue - "House Democrats passed a five-year spending plan that offers something to almost everybody but leaves many questions unanswered - much like the plan passed by the Senate."
Immigration. GOP immigration plan favors workers over relatives - "A White House proposal for overhauling immigration laws would abandon the long-standing practice of admitting immigrants seeking to reunite with their families, instead giving preference to applicants based on the nation's employment needs."
Massachusetts-Sudan disinvestment. Patrick to push Sudan sanction - "The Patrick administration forcefully urged lawmakers to withdraw more than $100 million in state pension fund investments from foreign companies doing business in genocide-ravaged Sudan, setting the stage for the state's first major attempt to exert financial pressure on a foreign government since it pulled funds from apartheid-era South Africa more than two decades ago."
Poverty-New York City. New York City to Reward Poor for Doing Right Thing- "Seeking new solutions to New York's vexingly high poverty rates, the city is moving ahead with an ambitious experiment that will pay poor families up to $5,000 a year to meet goals like attending parent-teacher conferences, going for a medical checkup or holding down a full-time job," A cash opportunity for some of NYC's poorest families - "Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg unveiled a novel $50-million program to pay New York families cash for taking steps to lift themselves out of poverty by keeping their children in school, staying healthy and earning more."
Social networking. Grass Roots Planted In Cyberspace - "If there's a social networking site that John Edwards is not a part of, we'd like to know what it is, pronto. No one's sure exactly what role these sites -- a.k.a. socnets -- will play in the upcoming election. But whatever it is, Edwards isn't taking any chances. The man's flooding the zone"
Abortion. To foes, pregnancy sites blur the abortion picture - "a burgeoning movement of pregnancy centers set up by abortion opponents to dissuade women from terminating pregnancies. The centers usually provide free pregnancy tests, counseling, referrals to social-service agencies and material aid such as diapers and baby clothes. Although a few existed in the U.S. as far back as the 1970s, there are now more pregnancy centers than abortion providers,"
Op-Eds.
15 Britons In a Sea Of Intrigue (David Ignatius, Washington Post)- "We are in a season of skulduggery in the Middle East, with a strange series of events that all involve the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. The murky saga is a reminder that the real power in Iran may lie with this secretive organization, which spawned Iran's firebrand president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad."
Not an Election for Playing It Safe (E. J. Dionne Jr., Washington Post) - "Sometimes, taking risks is less risky than avoiding them. The front-runners for the 2008 presidential nominations are being too careful for their own good."
Civil-union bill an apt compromise (Geoffrey R. Stone, professor of law at the University of Chicago, Chicago Tribune) - "The issue of gay marriage deeply and emotionally divides the American people. But it is an issue on which compromise is possible. Last week, the Human Services Committee of the Illinois House of Representatives voted to legalize civil unions. Illinois should enact this legislation now."
Ah, you that turn justice to wormwood, and bring righteousness to the ground! ... They hate the one who reproves in the gate, and they abhor the one who speaks the truth. Therefore because you trample on the poor and take from them levies of grain, you have built houses of hewn stone, but you shall not live in them; you have planted pleasant vineyards, but you shall not drink their wine. For I know how many are your transgressions, and how great are your sins—you who afflict the righteous, who take a bribe, and push aside the needy in the gate. - Amos 5:7-12 + Sign up to receive our social justice verse of the day via e-mail
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Last week Congress started to inject just a bit of sanity and morality into the discussion about proposed trade agreements with Colombia, Peru, Panama, and South Korea. A congressional proposal, whose full text has not been publicly released, would seek to incorporate labor standards, and some recognition of environmental concerns and poor countries’ right to generic lifesaving medicines, into trade agreements. It’s a great start – but the House Ways and Means Committee Chairman, Charles Rangel, is signaling that he thinks Congress can work out a deal with the White House on those trade agreements soon, possibly as early as this week. That accelerated timetable is a spectacularly bad idea: There’s no way that the agreement texts, which are deeply flawed, can be fixed in so short a time. Here are a few reasons why: 1) In trade agreements, the devil is in the details. Who knew, when NAFTA was being considered, that a single phrase among the text’s hundreds of pages would give corporations the right to sue governments when health and environmental laws affected profits? (Hey, overworked congressional staffer – what part of “tantamount to expropriation” did you not understand?) It’s great to talk about labor, the environment, and essential medicines in a press release, but you can’t put all that in enforceable trade-agreement writing in a few weeks. 2) The congressional press release doesn’t mention many important problems with the current trade agreement model, including conventional trade agreements’ devastating effect on other countries’ small farmers (many of whom will be pushed to undocumented migration or coca farming in order to feed their families). 3) Current trade agreements are the result of a deeply flawed process, in which corporations get privileged input into negotiations, while advocates for the poor are shut out. No last-minute deal between Congress and the president can represent all the voices that need to be at the table. So keep all of those affected by trade agreements in your prayers and thoughts – and watch for Sojourners’ special issue on trade justice, released next month! (Note: Unlike normal bills, trade agreements are rejected or approved by Congress after they are negotiated by the executive branch; the fact that the president has signed the trade agreements with Colombia and Peru simply means he has sent them to Congress, not that they are a done deal). Elizabeth Palmberg is an Assistant Editor for Sojourners.
I was recently engaged in conversation with a friend who recounted an interesting dialog. He was being asked a number of questions about Islam. Since it was unclear where the questioner was heading, my friend asked. The response went something like this: “Well, I want to know if you take radical Islam seriously, which means you would have to favor U.S. military action in Iran.” My friend found this a shocking conclusion to draw. I must say that I find myself with my friend. Let’s explore why this is so. First, one has to wonder how one reads the overarching biblical narrative in such a way as to support this way of thinking. The tradition has consistently held that Jesus both provides the unsurpassable revelation of God and the concrete manifestation of the life that pleases God. How does one read the Incarnation so as to allow us to think of others (even enemies!) in this way? Or, how does one respond to the call to imitate the life of Christ and conclude that “taking radical Islam seriously” requires “military action in Iran”? Some try to separate “public” and “private” life in such a way as to negate the significance of the incarnation for “public life.” It is hard to see, though, why one would think that we can so easily avoid the call to imitate Jesus. Second, from a purely pragmatic stand point, the war in Iraq has hardly demonstrated that military action is the path one should follow in this struggle. If anything, the vast majority of studies have shown that the ability for the likes of Osama bin Laden to recruit supporters has grown as a consequence of the war. One definition of insanity is to continue to try the same techniques while expecting different results. Notwithstanding the natural human tendency to respond to perceived threats with violence, there is no reason to think there is a military solution in this case. Third, the example of Christ coupled with the quagmire in Iraq should be compelling evidence of the imperative of peacemaking and the futility of war to make peace. However, for Christians unable to embrace pacifism, any proposal for military action must, at the very least, be based in the just war theory. Would the just war criteria be met? Well, going back to the questioner’s claim, it is hard to see how the perceived threat of radical Islam could constitute a just cause for war against Iran. This movement is hardly a problem that is resolvable by attacking Iran. Even if this were otherwise, given the resistance to talks with Iran, it is very hard to see how the criteria that war only be undertaken as a last resort has been satisfied. Finally, as suggested above, the consequences of the war in Iraq make it clear that it would be very hard to make an argument for reasonable likelihood of success. If anything, experts have pointed out that war with Iran would be an significant increase in difficulty over that faced in Iraq. Finally, we Christians have to ask ourselves the extent to which willingness to embrace a military response to “radical Islam” is little more than a failure of confidence in the gospel. We seem far more willing to put confidence in our own cleverness and in our economic and military might than in the power of the Spirit. Is it remarkable how little we trust in the power of the gospel to transform the hearts and lives of those who are “other” to us. The point here is not that all will be converted to Christianity, but rather that the ability of truly evil men to recruit others can be substantially reduced. In fact, to put more trust in the power of the gospel than in our own cleverness would be to recognize that nothing has more potential for success than interacting with “others” in ways that imitates the life of Jesus. This is the longer term promise of the gospel, a thing we Christians have lost sight of and have become increasingly unwilling to even try.  Chuck Gutenson is a professor at Asbury Theological Seminary and blogs at http://www.imitatiochristi.blogs.com/
The latest news on Iran, immigration, Arab League Summit, Iraq- Congress vs President, budget, inequality rising, presidential politics, Tuskegee airmen, women in prison, religion and select editorials. Sign up to receive our daily news summary via e-mail »Full news summary:
Iran. Seized sailor's release in doubt - "Iran may delay its plan to release the only woman among 15 captured Royal Navy crew because of the UK's "incorrect attitude", an official has said." Iran could delay sailor's release - "Ali Larijani, the secretary of Iran's supreme national security council, said Tehran could even begin formal legal proceedings against the UK personnel," Iran TV shows captured Britons - "Iran dramatically raised the stakes in its tense diplomatic stand-off with Britain last night, broadcasting a propaganda video of the British sailors and marines seized last week, including a "confession" that they had entered Iranian waters." Pressure on Iran may be increased - "Mr Blair's announcement that the British response was entering a "different phase" and Mrs Beckett's announcement of the diplomatic sanctions yesterday reflects a decision that the softly-softly approach has not worked, and rising concern that time is not on Britain's side." Iran Shows Video of Britons as Dispute Heats Up - "The dispute with Iran over Britain's captured sailors escalated sharply on Wednesday when Britain froze all "bilateral business" with Iran, and the Iranians displayed some British prisoners on state television."
Iraq-Congress v. President. Bush Derides Iraq War Measure - "In his most combative comments yet, President Bush mocked Democratic lawmakers for including a deadline for troop withdrawals and "pork" projects in an Iraq spending bill, declaring that "the American people will know who to hold responsible" if funding for the war stalls." Bush, Dems vie to frame war debate - "Confronted with votes in both houses of Congress calling for timelines for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq, President Bush faces a certain showdown with the Democratic-controlled Congress that threatens to stall funding for the war." On Iraq, a showdown is all but inevitable - "With the Senate poised today to vote to restrict President Bush's ability to conduct the war in Iraq, the White House and Congress are careening toward their biggest policy confrontation in more than a decade." High-stakes face-off over ending Iraq war - "With both chambers of Congress now on record as backing a pullout date in Iraq, President Bush's fight to buy more time for American combat forces to achieve US aims there falls to him alone." Democrats Are Building on Unity Over Iraq PulloutNo one has seemed more surprised by the Democrats' success in pushing an exit strategy for Iraq than the Democrats. Their aggressiveness and unity on a major foreign-policy challenge to the president is a striking change for a party that has, on many occasions over many years, seemed to be on the defensive on national security issues.
Arab League Summit. U.S. Iraq Role Is Called Illegal by Saudi King- "The king's speech, at the opening of the Arab League meeting, underscored growing differences between Saudi Arabia and the Bush administration as the Saudis take on a greater leadership role in the Middle East," Arabs unite at summit to renew peace offer to Israel - "Arab leaders closed ranks to appeal to Israel to overcome its long-standing reservations and accept a landmark offer that could lead to a breakthrough in the Middle East peace process." Arab leaders unanimously approve Saudi peace initiative at Riyadh summit - "The plan offers Israel recognition and permanent peace with all Arab countries in return for an Israeli withdrawal from lands captured in the 1967 Six-Day War. It also calls for setting up a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital and a just solution to the issue of Palestinian refugees."
Budget. Democrats Predict Sizable Budget Surplus - "House Democrats pressed ahead with a budget plan predicting a sizable surplus in five years, but only if President Bush's tax cuts expire in 2010 as scheduled. The majority Democrats' $2.9 trillion budget outline for next year would produce a $153 billion surplus in 2012 while raising spending for veterans, education, defense and national security."
Immigration. Naturalization Up Among Immigrants - "The number of naturalized citizens in the United States grew to nearly 13 million between 1995 and 2005, a historic increase that reflects the nation's changing ethnic makeup and could increase the power of immigrants to affect public policy at the ballot box, according to a study released yesterday by the Pew Hispanic Center." The full report is at "Growing Share of Immigrants Choosing Naturalization" White House works behind the scenes for immigration reform - "The administration has been meeting with key Republican senators to devise a consensus plan aimed at garnering wide GOP support. With President Bush looking to counter a legacy increasingly marred by the war in Iraq, the White House has launched a bold, behind-the-scenes drive to advance a key domestic goal: immigration reform."
Inequality rising. Income Gap Is Widening, Data Shows- "Income inequality grew significantly in 2005, with the top 1 percent of Americans - those with incomes that year of more than $348,000 - receiving their largest share of national income since 1928, analysis of newly released tax data shows."
Presidential politics. Voices in fine tune at the 'cattle calls' - "Figuring it out is partly what the presidential "cattle call" process is for at this stage of the campaign cycle. While the crowds at the candidates' campaign events are generally enthusiastic no matter what, the forums held by these and other special-interest groups are more accurate focus groups." Antiwar theme plays well to labor group - "Democratic presidential candidates pledged their support for labor rights before a builders union, but the war in Iraq cast a shadow over the session, with union members shouting down a Republican lawmaker who backed the war and cheering Democrats who promised to get the United States out of Iraq."A 'Law & Order' Presidential Candidate? - "Law & Order" star and former U.S. senator Fred Dalton Thompson is considering a bid for the White House that would test whether Hollywood can once again launch a Republican to the world's premier political stage."
Tuskegee airmen. A Top Honor For Soaring Achievements - Tuskegee Airmen to Receive Congressional Gold Medal - "members of the famed black World War II aviation cadre now called the Tuskegee Airmen will be honored in the Capitol Rotunda for their history-making feats. … From 1942 through 1946, 994 black fighter and bomber pilots were trained at the segregated Tuskegee Army Air Field in Alabama,"
Women in prison. Women in Prison - "Some 200,000 children in California have a parent in prison, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and more than half of the women in state prisons never see their children during their incarceration. The Chowchilla Family Express -- a free bus leaving six times a month from various California cities -- hopes to change that by helping families of imprisoned women stay connected, boosting both the emotional welfare of children and the chances of success for female prisoners who are released back into their communities." See video at "Free Bus Service Will Help Kids Visit Mothers in Prison"
Religion. When can clerks refuse to serve, citing religion? - "Can a cashier or clerk wish a customer "Merry Christmas"? Must a pharmacist dispense birth control devices if his faith forbids it? Can a Muslim clerk refuse to touch a whisky or beer bottle, or a pork chop?"
Editorials
Iran vs. the world (Chicago Tribune) - "Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was scheduled for some lectern-pounding at the UN last weekend. But he canceled at the last minute, blaming the United States for a visa snafu. Too bad. After last year's bravura tour of New York, we were hoping for a new set of flimsy denials about Iran's nuclear ambitions, further evasions on its funding for terrorism and fresh explanations of its deplorable threats against Israel."
Legislating Leadership on Iraq(New York Times) - "Victory is no longer an option in Iraq, if it ever was. The only rational objective left is to responsibly organize America's inevitable exit. That is exactly what Mr. Bush is not doing and what the House and Senate bills try to do."
Great indeed is the baptism which is offered you. It is a ransom to captives; the remission of offences; the death of sin; the regeneration of the soul; the garment of light; the holy seal indissoluble; the chariot to heaven; the luxury of paradise; a procuring of the kingdom; the gift of adoption.
- Cyril, Bishop of Jerusalem (c. 315-386) from "Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril"
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"You have heard that it was said, "You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy." But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.
- Matthew 5:43-45 + Sign up to receive our social justice verse of the day via e-mail
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
 The delegation of religious leaders - including Sojourners/Call to Renewal's Jeff Carr - that recently traveled to Iran was the subject of last week's NOW. From the PBS summary: Producer Jamila Paksima revisits her birth country of Iran with American spiritual leaders hoping to promote dialogue on such explosive issues as nuclear proliferation, the Iraq war, and the holocaust. ... The 13-member team met with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, top officials in the government, and several of the ayatollahs who have a powerful influence on government policy. Can this delegation of mostly Christian leaders defuse the standoff and reopen the lines of communication between America and Iran? + Download audio (mp3)+ Watch the video (Jeff Carr appears at 7:44, 12:26, 14:48, and 17:15)
I still have another month on self-imposed blogging hiatus so that I can finish my book. But I couldn't let this pass without comment. Rod Dreher quotes Stuart Rothenberg, who shoots down the idea that Democrats can pick up votes from evangelicals by claiming that "the numbers suggest that Democratic opportunities among evangelicals are very limited." In fact, the numbers suggest no such thing. The only numbers Rothenberg cites are the meager gains Democrats made nationally among evangelicals in November 2006. But no one - and certainly not the Democratic religion consultants he criticizes in the piece - has claimed that Democrats made great strides among evangelicals nationally last year. Indeed, it would be surprising if they had, given that the party made virtually no special effort to court evangelical voters. What Democrats like Mara Vanderslice and Eric Sapp (and, to be fair, me) have said is that in the states where Democrats spent a year or two establishing relationships with evangelical leaders and voters, candidates did make significant gains. In Michigan and Ohio, for instance, the Democratic gubernatorial candidates nearly split the evangelical vote. And, contrary to Rothenberg's assertion that evangelicals won't vote Democratic because they vote based on issues (which he defines narrowly as gay marriage and abortion), those winning Democratic candidates were pro-choice and pro-gay rights. Nowhere in the rest of the piece does Rothenberg cite actual numbers to make his point. He counters evidence Sapp and Vanderslice gathered based on meetings with hundreds of evangelical leaders by simply asserting: "If you know anything about evangelicals, you know this is simply wrong." Well, Vanderslice and Sapp may not be pollsters, but they are evangelicals, so they know a thing or two about the community. And they know that while a majority of evangelicals may decide to stick with the GOP in the hopes of changing the party from the inside, it's more than possible for Democrats to pick up enough evangelical voters to put them over the top. Republicans did the same thing courting socially conservative African-American voters in 2004. It works where Democrats have tried it. So why on earth would you hold up cases in which Democrats haven't tried it as proof that it can't work?  Amy Sullivan is a Red Letter Christian and a contributing editor for The Washington Monthly.
The latest news on Iraq-Senate, Iran-UK Soldiers, Homeless in New Orleans, Iraq- war, Iran-U.S. are games, Congo, Senator Webb's gun incident, equal rights, prayers for Tony Snow, and select op-eds. Sign up to receive our daily news summary via e-mail »Full news summary: Iraq-Senate. Senate Backs Pullout Proposal - "Senate Democrats scored a surprise victory yesterday in their bid to force President Bush to end the Iraq war, turning back a Republican amendment that would have struck a troop withdrawal plan from emergency military funding legislation." Senate Backs a Pullout Date in Iraq War Bill- "The Senate went on record for the first time on Tuesday in favor of a withdrawal date from Iraq, with Democrats marshaling the votes they needed to deliver a forceful rebuke to President Bush's war policy." Senate Democrats defy veto threat, keep Iraq timeline - "Despite repeated threats from President Bush to veto any bill setting a timeline for a U.S. troop withdrawal from Iraq, the Democratic-controlled Senate for the first time signaled support for legislation calling for most troops to come home within year."
Iraq-war. McCaffrey Paints Gloomy Picture of Iraq - "An influential retired Army general released a dire assessment of the situation in Iraq, based on a recent round of meetings there with Gen. David H. Petraeus and 16 other senior U.S. commanders. "The population is in despair," retired Gen. Barry McCaffrey wrote in an eight-page document compiled in his capacity as a professor at West Point. "Life in many of the urban areas is now desperate."
Iran-UK sailors. UK reveals Iran dispute evidence - "Satellite data proves 15 navy personnel being held in Iran were 1.7 nautical miles inside Iraqi waters when they were seized, UK defence officials say." Latest talks fail in Iran-Britain standoff - "A diplomatic standoff between Britain and Iran over the capture last week of 15 British sailors and marines threatened to escalate as an intense new round of diplomacy failed to end the crisis." Blair Pushes Iran for Release of Captives - "Tensions escalated between Iran and the West over 15 Britons held by the Iranians, with Prime Minister Tony Blair warning that Britain's's campaign to free them would move into a "different phase" if they were not released."
Iran-U.S. war games. U.S. Opens Naval Exercise in Persian Gulf - "In a calculated show of force, the United States Navy began a major exercise in the Persian Gulf, a move that Bush administration officials said was part of a broader strategy to contain Iranian power in the region." War games begin in Persian Gulf = "American warplanes screamed off two aircraft carriers as the U.S. Navy staged its largest show of force in the Persian Gulf since the 2003 invasion of Iraq, launching a mammoth exercise meant as a message to the Iranians."
Congo. After Congo Vote, Neglect and Scandal Still Reign- "Congo's fledging government is now trying to stitch the nation back together, as if it ever existed meaningfully at all. But a recent 1,200-mile trip across the country - by plane, truck, motorbike, hiking boots and dugout canoe - shows the Congo-size obstacles that are not going away."
Sen. Webb gun incident. Webb Is Vague About Gun Incident - "U.S. Sen. James Webb expressed support yesterday for a top aide caught with a handgun in a Senate office building but shed little light on his role in what he described as an "unfortunate" situation."
Equal rights. New Drive Afoot to Pass Equal Rights Amendment - "Federal and state lawmakers have launched a new drive to pass the Equal Rights Amendment, reviving a feminist goal that faltered a quarter-century ago when the measure did not gain the approval of three-quarters of the state legislatures."
For your prayers. White House Spokesman's Colon Cancer Has Returned - "White House press secretary Tony Snow has often said he "felt that cancer was stalking me." Yesterday it caught up with him again. Snow, 51, who beat colon cancer two years ago, disclosed that it has returned and spread to his liver, delivering a brutal blow to his family and friends and to a White House already reeling under a relentless barrage of bad news."
Homeless in New Orleans. Surge in homeless hits New Orleans - "Already taxed to the breaking point on many fronts, the city has a homeless population that is now approximately double what existed before the storm - in a city half its previous size. Facing a severe shortage of affordable housing, displaced residents returning to the city along with an influx of construction trade workers are being forced to sleep in everything from cars to flooded-out houses to long-abandoned motels, as Katrina relief workers from across the country still struggle to fill gaping holes in the city's social services."
Op-Eds.
Bush and Democrats: Enemies who need each other (Ronald Brownstein, Los Angeles Times) - "Because neither side can set a sustainable course on its own, their choice is either to continue colliding in polarized confrontations like Tuesday's Senate vote narrowly approving a time limit for withdrawal, or to seek agreement on a strategy for Iraq that a broader coalition in Congress and the country might support."
An Antiwar Tide on The Rise (E.J. Dionne, Jr., Washington Post) - "Within three weeks, the United States could face a constitutional crisis over President Bush's war policy in Iraq. The president and his allies seem to want this fight. Yet insisting upon a confrontation will be another mistake in a long line of bad judgments about a conflict that grows more unpopular by the day."
To be a follower of Jesus means in the first place to enter by compassion into his experience, with all that it expresses of the divine and of the human. And it means in the second place to enter with him into the suffering and the hope of all human persons, making common cause with them as he does, and seeking out as he does the places of his predilection among the poor and despised and oppressed. - Monika K. Hellwig from Jesus: The Compassion of God (The Liturgical Press, 1983)+ Sign up to receive our quote of the day via e-mail
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
 Last week, Sojourners/Call to Renewal joined many other advocates in asking the Senate to take a step toward a moral budget. In a letter that went to every senator, I requested that each “make sure to prioritize poor and working families, children, and the elderly as you determine where our nation commits its energies and resources.” I continued, “ what is needed now is bold leadership and an agenda that sets clear priorities and seeks to empower families. We need to protect critical programs and increase aid, but also recommit ourselves to the notion of the common good.” But what does that recommitment look like in a budget? In line with the Covenant for a New America, I asked the senators for a $50 billion commitment for reauthorization of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), $15 billion in new spending for the Farm Bill (to be used to strengthen the food stamp program and ensure that all eligible families receive increased support), and greater support for the Millennium Development Goals through $5 billion in effective U.S. foreign assistance for poverty-reducing programs. Last Friday, because of the chorus of advocates speaking with a common voice, the Senate made some progress with the passage of its budget blueprint ( S Con Res 21), adopted by a 52-47 vote. How did it fare according to the Covenant vision? - Regarding SCHIP, the Senate resolution signaled a commitment to find the $50 billion required to expand the program and cover more kids.
- The Senate’s budget resolution also allocates $15 billion to “strengthen our agriculture and rural economies and critical nutrition programs” under the Farm Bill. Much more work is needed to make sure that those funds are actually directed to those who need them most, but this is a step forward.
- Another clear success concerned U.S. foreign assistance for poverty-reducing programs. The faith community played a pivotal role in pushing for an amendment that reversed a proposed $2.2 billion cut to the international affairs budget. In the end, a strong bipartisan group of senators publicly confirmed their support for the amendment, providing the leadership needed to result in passage by unanimous consent. The overall increase to the international affairs budget is $3.7 billion, the greatest one-year increase for global poverty-focused assistance in recent history. This money will go toward critical programs for clean water, life-saving medication, education, economic growth, as well as diplomatic programs in the world's poorest countries.
This week we have another chance to influence the process when the House votes on its budget blueprint. The Senate has taken certain steps toward the faith community’s vision with their budget resolution, but we are asking that the House cast an even bolder agenda with their 2008 budget resolution. We’ll give you a chance to ask them to support a bolder agenda soon. Our nation needs the affirmation that budgets are moral documents, and we need our leaders to commit to that vision in order to recover some of our nation’s greatness; greatness that comes from empowering families, protecting the common good, and acting upon the needs of “the least of these” among us.
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