Impeach cobbler anyone? Taste of UA is here!

News from the front lines of the grassroots!

Volume 4, No. 5 • www.uaprogressiveaction.com
August 12, 2007

Upfront

UAPA's End the War Campaign: Our Position

It's not a "cut and run" policy or a "let's-just-get-out" state of denial. Rather we are promoting a public outcry to force our political leaders to adopt political (not military) strategies that will bring our troops home without leaving chaos behind.

Over the past two years, President Bush has ignored alternative plans that would aid in resolving the war in Iraq: political strategies such as the Iraq Study Group proposed by a bipartisan committee; the Strategic Redeployment Strategy by the Center for American Progress; and The Way Forward Plan by Sen. Joe Biden and Leslie Gelb. All of these strategic plans were embraced in large part by members of Congress on both sides of the aisle. At the end of 2006, President Bush squandered opportunities to listen to the majority of Americans, his top military commanders on the ground at the time in Iraq, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Isolated in the world and at home, President Bush committed more troops just as members of the dwindling "coalition of the willing," including our most reliable ally, Great Britain, made plans to reduce their forces significantly. As a result, the United States has a record number of at least 170,000 troops in Iraq this summer trying to quell multiple conflicts while risking the destruction of the all-volunteer U.S. Army.

President Bush can no longer ignore the realities in Iraq and around the region, and Congress and the country can no longer allow him to do so.

As a community of concerned citizens we need to raise our collective voices to a deafening level to end this war. We need to force our leaders, Rep. Deborah Pryce specifically, to find a political solution that will lead us out of Iraq so we can restore America's strength and good name in the world, and reset our national security priorities on the real terrorist threats to our country.

UAPA, with the help of the Iraq Summer organization, has been busy placing signs in yards all over the city this weekend. The signs proclaim that we need to "Support the Troops - End the War." Sign up to have a yard sign delivered to your house.

We are reminded of the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., "There is a time when silence is betrayal." We can no longer afford to be silent anymore. Please join your voice with ours!

News Bits

A whopping UAPA success, thanks to you!

Our garage sale event last Saturday was wildly successful thanks to you, the UAPA community! How successful was it? Read on. But first:

Friends of UAPA,

Thanks to you for donating items,
lending us a location,
picking-up donated goods,
pricing and readying items,
phoning people about the sale,
organizing and staffing,
buying stuff at the sale,
passing the word on to others,
and for supporting this effort in so many other ways!

The idea was suggested and the project undertaken because, frankly, UAPA needed the money. During last year’s election, we incurred some debt, and are in need of funds to grow our membership & get ready for the 2008 campaigns. So, with lots of help, we hastily pulled together the August 4th garage sale.

Agnes and Roy Butler generously let us use their home for this event—a prime corner location to attract Saturday sale-goers. All of our combined work, plus good weather, gave us results beyond our expectations.

This worked so well for UAPA -- and de-cluttered a few houses, too -- that we want to plan another one next for summer. So won’t you please designate a garage sale corner in your home and save your unneeded household goods? We’ll be even more organized next time, and we’ll raise even more funds to help our candidates win in 2008.

Curious about why we’re so happy with the garage sale? Click here to find out—and let us know if you’d like to participate in next year’s event.

With much appreciation,

Jody
President, UAPA

Come join us for “A Taste of UA” on Tuesday

Imagine each of your favorite foods from local restaurants combined into one big picnic. The annual Taste of UA event, held at Northam Park, draws a crowd of more than 12,000 people as it showcases local restaurants and businesses. This year's Taste of UA will be August 14th from 3:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Northam Park. Admission is free.

UAPA will have a booth at the event. Be sure to check out the Cool UA materials and inventory to help turn your home and our community green.

There will be food-judging contest in the categories Appetizer, Entree & Dessert as well as People's Choice and Children's Choice. Tony Bova, a new UAPA contributor, offered these suggested menu items:

• Desserts: Missing Yellowcake, Alberto Gonzales fudge, Dick Cheney Energy Policy Bars (we won't show you the ingredients), Impeach cobbler, Policy upside-down cake, Zero-emission no-bake cookies
• Entrees: Congressional Pork chops, Baloney a la Bush, King George salmon, Meatless sausages called "fake links to 9/11"
• Appetizers: "Left" wings, with your choice of sauces, served next to "Right" wings with no choice of sauces

If you would like to volunteer to work the event, please drop us a link at volunteering@uaprogressiveaction.com or sign up online for a hour time slot. We hope to see you there!

First Cool UA town meeting slated for Wednesday

Cool UA is inviting all residents concerned about addressing the current climate crisis to join state and local government officials, school board members, and energy efficiency experts at its first town meeting on Wednesday, August 15 at 7:00 p.m. at the Upper Arlington Municipal Center, 3600 Tremont Road.

The meeting is being called to encourage local officials to sign the Mayors Climate Protection Agreement and develop a “Green Team” to conduct an energy audit and provide recommendations for local schools, municipal buildings and city owned vehicles. Presenters will describe how cities that follow the principles of the Mayors Climate Protection Agreement are saving taxpayer money while making their cities cleaner and healthier.

Cool UA is committed to helping make Upper Arlington a more energy efficient and safe environment for future generations. Across America more than 500 cities have already become “Cool Cities” and are addressing the climate crisis by conducting energy audits to determine the most efficient and effective way to reduce energy consumption of carbon emissions. We hope to see you all on the 15th!

Op-Ed: The Need To Know

The New York Times
Editorial
August 11, 2007

Like many in this country who were angered when Congress rushed to rubber-stamp a bill giving President Bush even more power to spy on Americans, we took some hope from the vow by Congressional Democrats to rewrite the new law after summer vacation. The chance of undoing the damage is slim, unless the White House stops stonewalling and gives lawmakers and the public the information they need to understand this vital issue.

Read the rest of the editorial.

May We Suggest...

The online edition of Bill Moyers Journal from July 27 in which Moyers talks with West Point Instructor, Brian Fishman, and Middle Eastern and International Affairs Professor Fawaz Gerges. Recent polls suggest that President Bush has had some success in linking Islamic militants in Iraq with the al-Qaida terrorist movement; Gerges and Fishman discuss how large a role al-Qaida really does play.

NPR's Robert Siegel traveled to Columbus, Ohio for some great audio interviews in a piece called "Polling the People on Qualities of a Good Leader". Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland, Republican U.S. Rep. Deborah Pryce, college football great Archie Griffin and Nationwide CEO Jerry Jurgensen were among those interviewed.

And, finally, Cheney explains why invading Iraq is a bad idea.

Funnies

Paid for by Upper Arlington Progressive Action and not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. UAPA, P.O. Box 21224 Columbus, Ohio 43221.