Remembering Pearl Harbor

US. Navy photo of U.S.S. Arizona burning
December 7, 1941 “A Date Which Will Live In Infamy”

Op-Ed “Democrats See Opportunity in Obstacles” by Gov. Jack Markell

Democrats See Opportunity in Obstacles

By Governor Jack Markell

While most called with congratulations, more than a few people offered their condolences last November when I was elected Governor of Delaware.

With the nation in the middle of its largest and longest recession in decades, unemployment steadily climbing and state budget shortfalls surging, this was going to be, they said, a terrible time to be a Governor.

Many of those pessimists thought they had been proven right during this last year, when the consequences of that national recession and the effects of the housing bubble’s burst were felt in state capitals around the country.

They watched as Governors made difficult choices about painful cuts to balance their state budgets.

But they were wrong to suggest this is a bad time to be Governor. At no point in my lifetime have the decisions made by the people in public office seemed more critical. Only a few times in our nation’s history have we had the opportunity to make a more lasting difference. The need for new ideas to help deliver real change has rarely been greater. If you want your work to matter, this is a great time to be a Governor.

That is why I am so excited to lead the Democratic Governor’s Association this year. We have Governors and candidates across the country that are seizing the opportunity to get our fiscal houses in order, to rebuild our nation’s economy, to stand and fight for hardworking taxpayers, to strengthen our nation’s schools and give our children every opportunity to reach their potential.

Admittedly, history’s headwind is working against us. Since 1978, the President’s party has traditionally lost an average of five Governor’s offices during the first mid-term election. And though Republicans may outspend us, the DGA is better prepared than at any point in our history to help our candidates. We helped recruit strong candidates around the country and are making early investments in key states.

In fact, we are starting some of those investments today, with a new effort to put our opponents on notice. The DGA will hold them accountable for any attempt they make to block our nation’s return to greater prosperity. This new initiative, The GOP Accountability Project, will remind people in critical states that the same Republicans who are pledging progress now helped create the national recession which we have had to work so hard to reverse.

Efforts like this to help educate voters need to start now because the stakes have never been higher. In the 2010 election cycle, four out of five Americans will see an election for Governor in their state. In the next two years, 42 out of 50 governors will play a major role in deciding what their state’s political lines will look like for the next decade.

Our country is at an inflection point that could shape our economy and political landscape for a generation to come. There could not be a clearer contrast between our party and the other side. While so many Republicans happily attack, deride and derail some of the progress we are making, our candidates and our Governors know that we are stronger when we pull together and work together.

The members of the DGA understand that helping working families recover from the national recession requires a shared commitment.

Ensuring our children can compete and win against any students anywhere in the world demands people come together with new ideas to strengthen our public schools.

To better protect our senior citizens or help those who worked hard and played by the rules but still lost their jobs in this recession, we need to work together to make government more efficient, effective, responsive and responsible.

By putting ourselves in the shoes of those who create the jobs and prosperity in the first place, we will improve the economic climate in each of our states.

We cannot afford to say that anything government does must be wrong simply because it is the government doing it.

Most importantly, the members and candidates who will gather at the DGA conference today share an abiding optimism about the challenges we face. The chance we have been given to serve is a blessing in these defining times.

Jack Markell is the Governor of Delaware.

“A Plan In Need Of Clarity” Deserves Answers

Note:  The following is an op-ed penned by Virginia’s Senior Senator, Jim Webb … since his election in 2006 he has provided an important voice on the proper use of our military … and was the legislator most responsible for getting our men and women in uniform a 21st Century GI Bill … it’s good to see him asking Afghanistan strategy questions and the American people deserve answers and clarifications prior to any toop deployments …be sure to check out the section devoted to making our military into highly maneuverable forces to combat terrorist activities anywhere in the world … the op-ed appeared in the Washington Post …

A plan in need of clarity   By Senator Jim Webb December 4, 2009

I have great regard for the careful process the Obama administration employed in its efforts to define a new approach for the long-standing military commitment in Afghanistan and to put an operational framework in place for our responsible withdrawal. I intend, nevertheless, to continue to call on the administration to clarify to the American public and Congress how it defines success and how we reach an end point.

Since early 2009, I have said repeatedly that the U.S. strategy for Afghanistan must proceed based on four considerations: (1) the fragility of the Afghan government; (2) whether building a national army of considerable scale is achievable; (3) whether an increased U.S. military presence will ultimately have a positive effect in the country, or whether we will be seen as an occupying force; and (4) the linkage of events in Afghanistan and Pakistan . In the coming weeks I intend to examine the administration’s plan to see how it addresses these criteria and how it will affect our troops.

Since the president’s address Tuesday, there has been much discussion of the date that the United States will begin to draw down military forces and transfer security responsibility. Just as important is a focus on creating the conditions to enable this transfer of responsibility. The administration has not defined them with sufficient clarity. Our strategy is sound only if framed with clearly defined and attainable goals, an understandable end point and a regional perspective. We must also avoid the inherent risks of allowing our success in Afghanistan to be defined by events that are largely beyond our control.

When U.S. troops entered Afghanistan in 2001, no true central government had existed in that country since 1979. The agreements reached in Bonn , Germany , in December 2001 led to a new constitution, an interim government and the national election of 2004. The agreements also gave considerable power to a central government in a country that is very disparate and historically far removed from the concept of central governance. The result today is a weak, fragile government in Kabul whose power on paper is far greater than in reality. It is plagued by a lack of capacity and rampant corruption. Many observers say that power needs to be devolved to a more decentralized form of governance consistent with tribal realities to achieve the Afghan government’s long-term viability.

We are ramping up deployment to about 100,000 troops, along with tens of thousands of American contractors and civilians, to implement a counterinsurgency strategy in Afghanistan . This greatly enlarged presence runs the risk, well rooted in Afghanistan ’s history of resisting foreign influence, that the United States will be perceived as an occupying force instead of a presence seeking to assist Afghans in improving their stability and development.

Another key question that remains to be answered is: How do we define our enemy in Afghanistan ? When we talk about the Taliban, we interchange terms that aren’t particularly interchangeable. Three different types of actors are associated with the Taliban. First came those in a vicious government that the United States assisted in removing. Second, there is an ideologically charged group that operates principally in Pakistan , associated with the forces of international terrorism. Third, we have a separate group, presumably growing with the greatest speed, that is viewed by many Afghans as something of a regional militia defending local interests and that doesn’t particularly want to threaten U.S. interests outside Afghanistan .

I have said consistently that countering international terrorism requires highly maneuverable forces able to strike an intrinsically mobile enemy. The departure of al-Qaeda from Iraq and, in large measure, from Afghanistan demonstrates why more maneuverable U.S. forces are to be favored against mobile international terrorist movements. In each instance, al-Qaeda relocated to other areas, including Pakistan and the Horn of Africa. Our military must retain the same maneuverability.

On the personnel front, our active-duty military has been deployed repeatedly for combat operations since 2001. Guard and reserve components also have deployed at levels not envisioned when the all-volunteer force was introduced. We are in uncharted territory in terms of the long-term effects these deployments are having on the well-being of our men and women in uniform, especially the Army and Marine Corps. I introduced dwell-time legislation nearly three years ago to ensure that we achieved a better balance in deployment cycles with a minimum interval before follow-on deployments. The new commitment of some 30,000 U.S. troops will put additional strains on our forces and their families. I plan to press the administration on this point to ensure that we are more vigilant in safeguarding the welfare of our men and women in uniform.

The writer, a Democrat from Virginia who was secretary of the Navy in the Reagan administration, serves on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the Senate Armed Services Committee, where he is chairman of the subcommittee on personnel.

When Will Virginia’s Closed Rest Areas Reopen?

When Virginia closed 19 of its 42 rest areas … including the one pictured above … the GOP candidate for Governor … who is now the Gov.-elect … pledged to reopen the rest stops within 90 days of taking office … just a friendly reminder

Flu.gov Offers Up To Date Information

Note: The Flu.gov website contains a tremendous amount of information brought to you by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services … it even takes on “Myths vs. Facts” and has an “Ask the Flu Experts” section … check it out

Get Well Wishes for Congressman Jim Moran

November 24, 2009 – Congressman Jim Moran, Northern Virginia Democrat, had successful total knee replacement surgery on both knees today at the Anderson Orthopedic Clinic located at Inova Mount Vernon Hospital. The surgery was conducted by specialist Dr. C. Anderson Engh.

According to the Attending Physician’s Office in the U.S. Capitol, Rep. Moran will become only the second member to have both knees replaced during the same surgery. The first was Rep. Sonny Montgomery, a long time Democratic member from Mississippi who served from 1967 to 1997.
Congressman Moran’s recovery period is expected to last 6-8 weeks. He will be recovering at home on bed rest during this time. Given the difficult recovery associated with a double knee replacement, he is not expected to be able make votes on the floor of the House of Representatives during the month of December.

In lieu of flowers or gifts, the Congressman has requested well-wishers make donations to their local food pantry or homeless shelter.

Happy Thanksgiving 2009

As you gather around the table with family and friends to give thanks for all our blessings … don’t forget those less fortunate and most in need … I urge you to consider making some contribution to your local area food bank …

Are Virginia Democrats Behaving Like This Turtle?

The turtle wasn’t going anywhere … it had walked part way across the road and had stopped moving … it had pulled in it’s legs and was hiding in it’s shell … is this what happened to Virginia Democrats in 2009?

Arlington Grave of “Unknown US Solider”

Veterans Day 2009

Veterans Day is a day we honor all Americans who have answered our nation’s call to service in our military.

On this Veterans Day, 2009 we especially remember the recent losses of life … the 4,362 in Operation Iraqi Freedom, the 910 in Operation Enduring Freedom and the 13 who were murdered in the violence last week at Fort Hood in Texas