McDermott - Congressional Record - 7/9/03

[UpInArms]

http://www.yourcongress.com/CongRecLookup.asp?section_id=853318&keyword=Graves

Congressional Record
7/9/03

House

Mr. McDERMOTT. Mr. Speaker, last fall I stood out in front of the Cannon Building and said I believed that we might indeed be misled by our leaders in the stampede to go to war against Iraq. When I was in Iraq a few weeks later, I was interviewed by ``ABC This Week'' and asked if I stood by that statement. I said I did. I got death threats for saying that.

Well, folks, it is time to face the facts. The American people were misled and Members of Congress were misled. But who misled us? Apparently we were misled by the White House speechwriters. I do not know.

I do not question that the motive was to do what they sincerely believed would be the best thing for our country. I do not question that they believed and still believe going to war against Iraq was the right thing to do.

But for those who would not have supported this war save for the official dossiers and intelligence and information they relied on, my friends, you were misled.

...more...

[The Blue Flower]

1. Also on C-SPAN today

He was saying this when I turned the tv on this morning. A true profile in courage.

[ChadCoffman]

2. McDermott makes me proud

I shook his hand at the Seattle gay pride parade 2wks ago. Told him I was proud of his effort.

It feels good to be represented by someone like him.

[ChadCoffman]

3. not entirely related, but amusing nonetheless

CLOWN CAR TAX POLICY -- (House of Representatives - June 03, 2003)

GPO's PDF
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(Mr . McDERMOTT asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr . McDERMOTT . Mr. Speaker, the Leave-No-Child-Behind President recently signed into law the third largest tax cut in history. But the tax bill was really like one of those clown cars you see at the circus. Because of the budget gimmicks, the Republicans squeezed nearly a trillion dollars in tax cuts into something that only looked big enough to hold $350 billion.

The whole tax bill was a big masquerade and the Congress participated in the party. While pressing for these tax cuts, President Bush declared, My jobs and growth plan will reduce tax rates for everyone. Everyone, I emphasize, who pays income tax. That is wrong.

In fact, 8.1 million lower- and middle-class Americans who paid billions of dollars in income tax will receive no tax reduction whatsoever; 36 percent of American households, 50 million households, in the United States will receive no benefit whatsoever.

Now, if I wonder where the next clown will pop up, maybe it will be in the White House.