Jerry McNerney's website

The War

The 2000^th American death in Iraq is the 2000^th reason for the people of this country to force the Commander-in-Chief to set down a clear and definite exit strategy for the War in Iraq. Many people, including this commentator, believe that Bush intentionally distorted intelligence to convince the American people that Iraq had Weapons of Mass Destruction and was involved in the tragic attacks of 9/11, but this charge will be impossible to prove. Regardless of his motives, that he pursued this war with no good evidence to implicate Iraq on either charge is sufficient reason to remove him from office. Either he intentionally mislead the American public and the Congress, or his office is incompetent when it comes to the gravest decisions. However, now that we are engaged in the war, we must chart a plan under conditions that leave poor options. On the one hand, every day we remain creates new innocent Iraqi casualties that can ultimately be blamed on our intervention, and hence creates new terrorists. On the other hand, if we pull out, there is a risk of civil war that could widen into a regional war. It’s gratifying to know that President George H. W. Bush’s advisors were right in keeping us out of Baghdad.

This Administration has had success in setting and keeping deadlines in Iraq. It is time for Bush to take advantage of this credibility and set a public deadline for leaving Iraq. There are other things that must go with this, such as renouncing permanent military bases in Iraq, insuring that Iraq has control of Iraqi oil, allowing the UN to award rebuilding contracts, and most importantly – coordinating the disengagement timetable with training of Iraqi police and military officers in appropriate countries outside Iraq, such as Germany and Pakistan, so that they have the professional skills to catch criminals and terrorists inside their own country so they will have a fighting chance to maintain order once we leave. The right wing is fond of the saying that freedom isn’t free. I agree completely. Freedom is not free, nor can we give it away to others. Any people must be willing to stand on their own feet and demand freedom and accept nothing else. It’s time to put Iraq on notice, and if they aren’t willing to take freedom for themselves, then no one can give it to them. We have learned this in Vietnam after losing more than 50,000 American lives. It’s time to set a public timetable Mr. President, and we accept nothing less.

- Jerry McNerney

Our nation has lost one of its greatest citizens

Rosa Parks symbolizes raw courage and is an inspiration in accomplishing the seemingly insurmountable. A slight young woman, all alone, stands up for individual rights knowing that the brute force of a nation was against her. I pray that my soul can measure up to a fraction of Mrs. Parks's courage.

Rosa Parks's achievement affected the lives of all Americans, opening the doors not only for Africa Americans but an entire nation that was chained by its own hatred, prejudice and racism. Every human being deserves a chance to achieve success that will ultimately be used to make life on this planet better for everyone.

We as a nation must not kid ourselves; we have not achieved the ideals that were fought for during the Civil Rights era. We must acknowledge how important those efforts were or we will inevitably fall backward.

Rosa Parks unknowingly became the mother of this movement. She is a national treasure.

- Jerry McNerney

"We all live in Richard Pombo's district"

Kid Oakland writes:

One of the reasons that Manhattan and Austin and Madison and Santa Monica are such "hot beds" of liberal campaigns and causes is that we already have good representation in Congress. I mean, if we all lived in Richard Pombo's district the first thing we'd all do is work to kick the bastard out. Well, as true as that may be, I've got some bad news:

We all live in Richard Pombo's district.

As long as the GOP holds the House of Representatives it's as if guys like Richard Pombo and Tom DeLay are in our backyards having a barbeque with their cronies. Polluting the air. Gutting environmental regulation. Putting a steady stream of pro-corporate, anti-gay, anti-woman legislation before the nation. As it stands, there's nothing we can do about it. They own the House, and as long as they do, everything else we do politically in this country is like putting a band-aid on an artery.

The single most progressive thing any of us can work on is to win back the House. The House is the slam dunk of American politics. It rewards simple majorities and party discipline. It really is like setting up a barbeque in the other person's back yard. And, currently, friends, they do the cooking and we do the looking.

(Hat tip: SNAPnotes)

Report on Jerry's Announcement

Last night in Tracy, Jerry gave a talk to a crowd approaching 100 gathered at the Tracy Democratic Club. And a powerful speech it was. He announced his candidacy for Congress for the 11th District. I've been helping the campaign, starting with the phone calls for the write in votes and the recount in the four counties. Jerry always has had his head on straight -- focused on what is right for CD 11 district but after meeting with so many people in the district and with practice, he is so much more able to articulate his positions.

The entire nation would benefit if McNerney replaced Pombo and there are legions of us out there who will help to make that happen.

- Claire Nelson

McNerney Enters Race to Unseat Pombo

A Pleasanton Democrat who unsuccessfully tried to unseat Rep. Richard Pombo, R-Tracy, last year declared yesterday his intention to try again in 2006.

...

“Since 2004, it has become even more obvious to the people in our district that instead of working for the needs of hardworking families, Richard Pombo is using his position of trust to enrich himself and his cronies,” McNerney told dozens of supporters last night at a meeting of the Tracy Democratic Club.

McNerney also addressed audience members’ concerns about the war in Iraq, saying President Bush has committed “impeachable offenses” in misrepresenting intelligence during the run-up to war two-and-a-half years ago.

Link: Tracy Press, Tracy CA.

Link: Lodi News, Lodi CA.

Link: Tri-Valley Herald.

My first entry

Here goes, my first blog entry ever.  I want to thank Dan for ruthlessly setting this blog up. I'm running for the US Congress because I look into the eyes and listen to the voices of people I know and people I meet every day and see and hear concern about where our nation is going. Our predecessors have handed down a great nation, and now it's time for us to do more than just suck the life out of the system. We need to give back. I need to give back, so that our traditions of liberty continue to inspire people around the world. I was a complete novice at politics when we ran last year, and we made some powerful mistakes, and yet, my supporters were there to help us pick up the pieces, I believe because they saw more than an ambitions individual, they saw themselves and their own hopes and dreams. I will do everything I can to live up to that ideal.

Jerry McNerney

McNerney to challenge Pombo

TRACY -- Jerry McNerney is expected to announce his plans to run for Congress against Rep. Richard Pombo, R-Tracy. McNerney's announcement is expected Wednesday during a Tracy Democratic Club meeting at Sarvey's Shoes. McNerney, a Pleasanton mathematician, ran against Pombo in 2004, garnering more than 104,000 votes -- nearly 40 percent -- in the general election. After his loss, McNerney and others started on a new campaign to unseat Pombo in 2006. McNerney won the Democratic primary in 2004 as a write-in candidate. Pombo's district includes most of San Joaquin County, as well as parts of Alameda, Contra Costa and Santa Clara counties. McNerney says he will focus on three issues: energy security through innovation and conservation; access to affordable health care for all Americans; and education.

Link: The Record, Tuesday Oct 11.

Environmentalists grow anxious as the Senate gears up to reform the Endangered Species Act

There's been much wailing and gnashing of teeth in the environmental community since Rep. Richard Pombo, R-Calif., pushed his overhaul of the Endangered Species Act through the House of Representatives last week. All eyes are now on the Senate to see whether Pombo's bill -- described as "so toxic it's radioactive" by Jamie Rappaport Clark, who oversaw implementation of the ESA during the Clinton administration -- will make it through that august body and onto the desk of President Bush, who's indicated his support.

Link: Salon.com | Muckraker.

Alaskan oil companies donate $13K to Pombo

In the month before he continued to push to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling, Rep. Richard Pombo, R-Tracy, took about $13,000 from donors in Alaska for his political action committee, campaign finance records show.

Last month, Pombo used his position as chairman of the House Resources Committee to further his longstanding goal of leasing land for oil drilling in part of ANWR, which spans 19 million acres of northeast Alaska. The committee is expected to include a provision to open ANWR in a budget reconciliation bill later this month.

Link: Tracy Press, Tracy CA.