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Hawley objects to monument closures in D.C.

By Howard B. Owens

Press release:

Petty, party-line politics have halted business in Washington D.C., leaving many Americans with a distrust and disinterest in government at all levels. It is truly disheartening to see such issues casting a pall on the institution of public service, and it will take time to rebuild the trust that is eroding as we speak. There is an aspect of the federal government shutdown where no time can be wasted, however: the reopening of the monuments and memorials dedicated to the honorable men and women who have sacrificed for our country.

Over the last six years, I have had the honor of leading an annual Patriot Trip with local veterans to Washington, D.C., visiting the sites and venues dedicated to their service. Throughout the course of the trip, more than 650 veterans and family members have embarked on this emotional journey, which has featured many of the monuments and memorials currently shut down due to gridlock within the federal government. This year’s trip included veterans from the World War II, Korean and Vietnam War eras who put their lives on the line in defense of our freedom and way of life. I cannot imagine showing up with my bus full of veterans and having to tell them their government would not allow them to experience the structures specifically meant to recognize their personal sacrifice.

The mere fact that open-air venues would be closed off to the public illustrates just how far the government has gone astray. While departments, employees and entities have been deemed “non-essential” and had their operations put on hold, it’s actually taking effort to keep veterans away from these destinations. Conversely, the groups of veterans who have broken through the barricades at the World War II memorial show the indomitable spirit of our servicemen and women. As always, these veterans have shown that strength in one’s convictions and a willingness to let actions speak louder than words will always win the day. This is a lesson from which many of the people responsible for the government shutdown could stand to learn.

As Ranking Minority Member on the Assembly Committee on Veterans Affairs, I understand that government must step up to the plate to recognize and honor the sacrifice made by our courageous heroes. If government can’t get that right, then I can’t blame the American public for being disheartened. I urge the National Park Service to right this wrong and reopen these monuments and memorials at once, not only to honor our veterans, but to show that government is capable of fulfilling its most basic and essential duties.

Debbie Pugliese

WASHINGTON — Shortly after President Obama started his second term, a loose-knit coalition of conservative activists led by former Attorney General Edwin Meese III gathered in the capital to plot strategy. Their push to repeal Mr. Obama’s health care law was going nowhere, and they desperately needed a new plan.

Out of that session, held one morning in a location the members insist on keeping secret, came a little-noticed “blueprint to defunding Obamacare,” signed by Mr. Meese and leaders of more than three dozen conservative groups.

It articulated a take-no-prisoners legislative strategy that had long percolated in conservative circles: that Republicans could derail the health care overhaul if conservative lawmakers were willing to push fellow Republicans — including their cautious leaders — into cutting off financing for the entire federal government.......

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/06/us/a-federal-budget-crisis-months-in-…

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......A defunding “tool kit” created in early September included talking points for the question, “What happens when you shut down the government and you are blamed for it?” The suggested answer was the one House Republicans give today: “We are simply calling to fund the entire government except for the Affordable Care Act/Obamacare.” .....

http://www.teapartypatriots.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Tea-Party-Pa…

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.....If the reporting of Stolberg and McIntire is accurate, here is the list of organizations they cite in the article as having had some part in this plan to advocate the interests of billionaires like Koch and tell ordinary Americans looking forward to the benefits of national health insurance reform and expecting to receive federally funded services from the FY2014 federal budget to go without....

http://www.nonprofitquarterly.org/policysocial-context/23034-ny-times-c…

Oct 8, 2013, 12:21pm Permalink
Brian Graz

Pres Obama closes the WWII and Vietnam Memorials to even veterans and then allows illegal aliens to hold a rally on the "closed" National Mall!

What a disgraceful, arrogant, incompetent, America loathing, SOB we have as President. He should be exiled.

Oct 9, 2013, 12:50am Permalink
Brian Graz

Need more proof?

Citing his authority under the Arms Export Control Act, President Barack Obama last week waived the prohibition against supplying terrorist groups with arms.

Oct 9, 2013, 12:59am Permalink
Debbie Pugliese

Oh please ALL national parks were/are closed...(well except for the Muslim Museum according to Fox News).

Vets are no longer being denied access to the memorial under First Amendment grounds and I would imagine any other group (including the rally of which you speak) will also be ruled on those grounds from here on out during the shutdown.
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You should be rejoicing the end of times and thanking President Obama .. “Rather than seeing this as a negative, we need to rejoice, Maranatha Come Lord Jesus, His day is at hand,” Bachmann added. “When we see up is down and right is called wrong, when this is happening, we were told this; these days would be as the days of Noah.”

But if you choose to make base your opinion FACT instead of the ramblings of a crazy woman...

Statement by the NSC Spokesperson Caitlin Hayden on the Presidential Determination with Respect to Syria

Today, the President signed a Presidential Determination exercising his authority to waive certain restrictions under the Arms Export Control Act. This action will allow the U.S. Government to provide or license, where appropriate, certain non-lethal assistance inside or related to Syria. This includes: 1) chemical weapons-related personal protective equipment to international organizations, including the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, for the conduct of their operations; 2) chemical weapons-related life-saving assistance for organizations implementing Department of State or U.S. Agency for International Development programs to strengthen local Syrian health care providers’ ability to prepare for and respond to any use of chemical weapons; and 3) defensive chemical weapons-related training and personal protective equipment to select vetted members of the Syrian opposition, including the Supreme Military Council, to protect against the use of chemical weapons. This action is part of longstanding and ongoing efforts to provide life-saving chemical weapons-related assistance to people in need in Syria.

Oct 9, 2013, 8:14am Permalink
Brian Graz

Isn't he just so wonderful, protecting the Syrians against chemical weapons... What a dog & pony show! Why doesn't Obama do something about the fact that the gas that was recently used in Syria [still not sure by who?] was sold to Syria by our good friends Great Britain. What a crock of shit! First we give them the tools to commit an atrocity, and then when they do it we prepare to go to war against them.

'Beware the military/industrial complex'...

Oct 10, 2013, 1:22am Permalink
Debbie Pugliese

Wait so we arent going with the "See THATS what Saddam did with his WMD...they are in Syria" song and dance anymore?

So which course of action do you think we should take Brian? Some missiles, maybe send in some ground troops or perhaps we should just nuke Great Britain? Which do you prefer?

Oct 10, 2013, 6:56am Permalink
Brian Graz

I never did, GW Bushwhacker was a fraudulent puppet of the Globalist cartel and BO is simply continuing their bidding.

What course(?)... stay the hell out of everybody else business/wars. However I do like the later... we should have done that way back in 1776.

Oct 10, 2013, 11:38am Permalink

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