Save Your Children and Save the World

If you have a son or daughter who is 8 - 13 years old you need to be prepared for what may happen to them and to you.

Bush’s has said his move to increase troops levels will be to help stabilize Baghdad and only temporary in order to give the Iraq army time to be trained and take over. Iraqi troop training? Get real, how long have we heard that at least two years or more? Additional troops in Iraq only sever as targets for the expanding civil war combatants. Eighteen year old recruits who will go there would have been 15 years old when this war started. The Afghanistan war began in Oct. 2001 making the 18 year old recruit today, only 13 when that war started.

We are already fighting two wars at the same time, one in Iraq that we are not winning and a war in Afghanistan that we may not be winning soon. Now there are rumblings of a third war being a real possibility with Iran. Bush is considering deploying a second aircraft carrier and supporting ships to the Persian Gulf as a show of force against Iran. The administration has repeatedly declined to rule out the use of force against Iran. One incident involving these deployments, and we are in another Middle East war. We know how easy that can be made to happen, remember the gulf of Tonkin incident in Vietnam which started that war in earnest and it lasted for 11 years.

Army officials say they hope to reach that authorized total troop strength of 514,000 by next year and would like to make that a permanent floor, not a ceiling. In other words they want to keep increasing the number of soldiers and marines to have enough troops to continue to fight in Iraq, Afghanistan and/or Iran & any other section of the world that the warmonger Bush decides. Where will the men and women needed for this come from? Recruiters will soon be a lot busier trying to entice 17 and 18 year olds to join, but how long will that suffice? I feel a draft on the way, after all the Selective Service System is still in place http://www.sss.gov/ and ready. How long will these wars last, 5, 10, or 15 years? Will your children’s children be recruited or drafted? Demand that our leaders stop this insanity. Implore them to stop Bush from making yet another mistake or starting yet another war with out just cause. Let them know that your children and your grandchildren or not available for Bush’s unlimited or preemptive wars. The Iraq war has solved no problems, only created a civil war and demonstrates the futility of this type of warfare. Bush’s ideological reasons for war will not allow him to negotiate for peace or modify policies that will promote peace and justice, winning a war is his only answer. Peace is not possible with Bush in office. Act now insist upon his impeachment. Save your children and save the world!

Email
Sent: Monday, December 11, 2006 8:18 AM
Subject: Stop the Fast Track for the Coal Powered Power Plant
December 11, 2006

The Grayson County Commissioners Court
100 W. Houston St.
Sherman, Texas 75090

Dear Honorable Sirs,

You must work to stop the fast track of permitting pulverized coal power plants in Texas. Your constituents must come first and right now there are too many unanswered questions about whether TXU is advancing the cleanest possible energy source. Important questions, such as what are the threats to our children's health, to the environment, to the elderly, to wildlife, to underground water, to lakes and streams, to plant life, and to those who suffer with asthma, COPD, & emphysema. You have a duty to the people of Texas to make sure that these and other questions are fully answered. The only sensible way to do that is to stop the fast track and let the normal process for granting permits occur. The people deserve at least that. For the sake of our future you should work to stop the fast track so more of your constituents can be involved in the process. The majority of people in our county want clean affordable energy without sacrificing the environment and the people’s health. You would be wise to listen to them. Spend enough time and resources to determine what type of power plant will improve the human condition or do the absolute least harm.


Sincerely,

Glen & Christina Johnstone
Gunter, Texas

Please take the time to send an email to the Commissioners Court regarding the fast track for the coal powered power plant in Fannin county. Also send emails, letters or fax to State Rep. Larry Phillips and State Senator Craig Estes.
mcgrawt@co.grayson.tx.us
shortg@co.grayson.tx.us
crispj@co.grayson.tx.us
whitlockd@co.grayson.tx.us
http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist62/phillips.htm
http://www.estes.senate.state.tx.us/

Toys for the Kids of Our Troops

The Grayson County Democratic Women have sent a shipment of new toys to Santa’s Work Shop at Fort Hood, in Killeen Texas to help in their effort to make sure that the children of needy military families have a Merry Christmas. The shipment contained a total of new toys with an estimated total value of $500.00. The toy drive named Toys for the Kids of Our Troops began on November 27th with a collection point at the Kroger Supermarket in Sherman with a subsequent collection point at Kroger’s in Denison on December 2nd. Toys and donation were also accepted at the Grayson County Democratic Headquarters in Sherman through December 9th. The Group also participated in the Christmas Parades in Sherman on Dec. 1st and Denison on Dec. 7th, promoting the toy drive.

Christina Johnstone the organizer of the event, said, “Our toy drive was very successful, and especially considering that it was an impromptu effort special thanks you go to, Laura Bass, Marie & Mickey Allen, Glenn & Alexander Melancon, Sara Jackson, and Glen Johnstone who donated their time & talents. Ms. Johnstone also thanked, “All the citizens of Grayson County who donated toys and money so generously in this effort as well as Kroger Supermarket for hosting collection points and the UPS Store in Sherman for discounting the shipping cost. The toys will bring a smile to many children & their parents.”

EPA May Drop Lead Air Pollution Limits

More disturbing news concerning the environment. The Bush administration in all it's wisdom is considering dropping the requirement for lead free gasoline. The ban put in place by the Carter administration has reduced lead emissions by 90% . Bush wants to give his oil buddies more money by dropping the requirement now that the environment is less contaminated with lead . How stupid is that, because something is working let's stop doing it. You will note that since this is a FOX article that one of their quoted sources blames the Democratically controlled Congress that hasn't been installed yet. Typical FOX spin.
Glen J

EPA May Drop Lead Air Pollution Limits By JOHN HEILPRIN, Associated Press Writer>>>> Click on the URL below for the rest of this story:> http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2006Dec06/0,4670,EPALeadPollution,00.html>>>

Wanna Be Blue Wants to Know Your Opinion

Re: "New Virginia senator snubs Bush at White House reception – Democrat replies testily to president's inquiry about son in Iraq," Wednesday news story in the Dallas Morning News.

President's concern warranted a thank you ...
I was disappointed to read Sen. James Webb's sharp reply to President Bush's informal show of interest in the well being of Mr. Webb's son, a U.S. Marine serving in the Middle East. Mr. Webb's reply to the president was not only rude and unkind, but it was unjust in that the president, as the commander in chief, is the ultimate constitutional military commander of Mr. Webb's son, and as such, has a legitimate interest in him in that capacity. Also, the reply was uncalled for in that the president was showing concern for the young man and did not deserve any rebuke, but rather, a thanks.
No matter how the senator considers the president's policies or even character, he wrongly displayed public disrespect for the office of the president of the United States, which always deserves the utmost respect due in large part to the storied history and nature of our great nation – a nation that helps institute and preserve personal liberty here and abroad.
Murray Rossini, Richardson

... but what else can we expect from Democrats?
Sen. James Webb's rudeness toward President Bush for him asking about his son is so typical of the Democrats. And the media wonders why this presidential administration has not worked with them. The Democrats, from top to bottom, have made no effort to come together.
Troy L Scoggins, Plano

Sen. Webb simply refused to be intimidated
It takes courage to speak truth to power as Senator Elect James Webb did by refusing to be intimidated my Bush and that’s what the President was doing. Bush wasn’t concerned about Mr. Webb son, he was mad that Mr. Webb had the spine to not have his picture taken with the person who placed his son in harms way for no reason. You can expect this of us who refuse to drink the Kool-Aid being offered by Bush. I encourage like minded individuals to send a message to Mr. Webb like I did:

Thank you for having the backbone to stand up for what you believe in. I have long wanted to have the opportunity to ignore Bush and his condescending and arrogant manner. After reading what happened at the recent meeting at the White House between Bush and you I’m satisfied that someone like yourself did what so many of us have wished we could and I doubt that any of us could have displayed the same class in the way you did.

With Much Respect,
Glen Johnstone
Gunter, Texas

A Message to Governor Rick Perry

You must stop this threat to our children's health, to the environment, and those who suffer with asthma, COPD, & emphysema. Crushed coal fired power plants in Texas to increase energy without the latest environmental protection only serves the power companies’ profit margin. While they get richer, we the people, the earth and future generations will suffer and die from increased green house gases. Instead of trying to constantly improve the economy of the rich why not spend time and resources to improve the well being of the human condition and benefit to all the people rich and poor.

Finally, this argument that these fast tracked power plants will lower energy prices is ridiculous. In the history of the world has this ever happened with energy prices? Of course not, in the 1956 gasoline sold for $.25 a gallon. Get real, prices only fluctuate but over the long term never decline.

Glen & Christina Johnstone
Gunter, Texas

Send your own message to the Governor go to:http://www.stopthecoalplant.org/index.php
For CORE info. go to: http://groups-beta.google.com/group/citizens-organizing