Feingold on Afghanistan

I wanted to take a moment to share my thoughts on President Obama's plan for Afghanistan with you. I do not support the president’s decision to send additional troops to fight a war in Afghanistan that is no longer in our national security interest. It’s an expensive gamble to undertake armed nation-building on behalf of a corrupt government of questionable legitimacy. Sending more troops could further destabilize Afghanistan and, more importantly, Pakistan, a nuclear-armed state where al Qaeda is headquartered. While I appreciate that the president made clear we won’t be in Afghanistan forever, I am disappointed by his decision not to offer a timetable for ending our military presence there. I will work with members of both parties and both houses of Congress to push for a flexible timetable to reduce our troop levels in Afghanistan, as part of a comprehensive strategy to combat al Qaeda in the region and around the world.I will continue to speak out in favor of a flexible timetable for withdrawal, and I’m counting on you to help spread the word. If you haven't already done so, please take a moment and sign my petition supporting a flexible timetable for withdrawal. I’ll keep you updated on the next steps, and what you can do to make sure our message is heard.

Sincerely,

Russ

AFSCME Healthcare Call

Please pick up the phone right now and call 1-888-460-0813. This is AFSCME's special toll-free hotline to the U.S. Capitol switchboard. Ask to be connected to Senators Feingold and Kohl and use this script as a guide:

Hello, my name is ------ and I’m calling from -------.
I’d like to speak with the person in the office who works on health care reform.
I support real health care reform — but I want to see it done right.
I am asking Senator _____ to support a strong public option and employer mandate, and to get rid of the tax on middle-class health care benefits that’s in the Senate plan.

The goal of health care reform should be to make it more affordable and accessible.
We can do that through competition from a public option. Taxing the benefits of middle-class Americans is a terrible idea.
Can I count on Senator _______ to support a strong public option and oppose the tax on middle class health care plans?

Please make a call to Senators Feingold and Kohl this week and let them know how important Healthcare Reform is to the economy of the United States.