Obama Supporters, ACTION NEEDED

I've come alot closer to my full support of Obama, I just don't ever make total decisions when elections are months away, I also don't just look at the single person trying to give their resume, I look at how they present themselves, smear and slam are big no no's, and I look at who they bring close to them in their campaigns and try and figure out, if they win, who will they surround themselves with while in office ( and I hit the nail on the head, which I do for a living, as to the bush crowd, not exactly reading the future but seeing alot of what was to come do so! ), especially as to Federal Representation and the Presidential Office, more towards my Representation on who I would Hire.


I have been more than impressed with Obama's stance on Veterans, me being one but not needing the much needed enhancements across the board, I fight for my brothers and sisters who do.


But recently something very disturbing has given rise to the huge question of Why?!


I can't figure out why he, and his campaign folks, are seemingly dodging a call by Military Families, Military Personal, Veterans and Veterans Groups as well as other groups coming under the same umbrella of help for those serving and veterans!


This Obama Won’t Commit to Event at Military Base is what's got me not only puzzled, but asking questions and wondering why he would need a nudge in the right direction.

A coalition of military groups is planning a nationally televised town-hall-style meeting with the presidential candidates near Fort Hood, Tex., the largest active-duty military installation in the country. But so far, only Senator John McCain of Arizona, the presumptive Republican nominee, has agreed to attend.

His actions and statements, compared to McCain's, a Veteran, have been showing he understands better than most, including McCain, exactly what is needed as to the Veterans but also should have been well in place before we sent troops into occupations of choice and not playing catchup, like we did during and after 'Nam, as these years have passed. Playing the political games that shouldn't even be involved when it comes to those who serve the Country not the Political Parties!


Carissa Pichard, of Military Spouces For Change, and who's husband, a blackhawk pilot who just left for a tour in Iraq, is the Managing Director of the 2008 Fort Hood Presidential Town Hall Consortium, which includes:

Organizers include American Veterans, Disabled American Veterans, Military Order of the Purple Heart, Veterans for Common Sense and Military Spouse Corporate Career Network.

And many others.


I've placed a few replys, in mine and others posts, after Carissa first sent out the Press Release about this Townhall Forum. Everything is set up including CBS saying they will host it, a tentative date has been given but as Carissa says:

"I'm having extreme difficulty getting the Obama campaign to commit to this event, and we do not understand why," said Ms. Picard, whose husband is deployed in Iraq. "We made it very clear to them that if they would commit to the event, we would work with them on dates."

Which seems to be the Obama Campaigns main reason, right now, for the dodge, the tentative date first given.



A recent, today the 13th, article about the Townhall gathering:


Bell vets want Q&A with Obama & McCain

If you had access to the bookings calendar of the Bell County Expo Center and turned the pages to Aug. 11, you might read something like this: McCain and Obama need seating for about 6,000. In reality, the booking has been penciled in, with staff awaiting confirmation of a town hall forum put on by a consortium of military groups.


The consortium's managing director and spokeswoman, Carissa Picard, is excited that Sen. John McCain has accepted the invitation to speak at the forum, and holds out hope Sen. Barack Obama will do the same.

The gathering would give military men and women, their families and their communities the chance to get some questions answered, Picard said.

"CBS has agreed to broadcast the meeting live to the nation on Monday, Aug. 11," she said.

Carissa adds, in a recent e-mail:

If there is one more debate or town hall before the general election, it should be before an audience composed of the men and women whose service and sacrifice ensure that these events continue through their defense of our country and of our Constitution; particularly after six years of war.

This is the Press Release Carissa sent on the 10th:

MEDIA ADVISORY

Military and veteran advocates Invite senators McCain and Obama to Fort Hood Texas

Presidential Town Hall to Focus on Military and Veterans


For Immediate Release:

Contact: Carissa Picard, Managing Director, 2008 Fort Hood Presidential Town Hall Consortium, 254.554.1513, hoodtownhall@gmail.com.


2008 Fort Hood Presidential Town Hall

Monday August 11, 2008, 9:00 pm (EST)

Bell County Expo Center

301 West Loop 121

Belton, Texas 76513

Hosted by the 2008 Fort Hood Presidential Town Hall Consortium

To be carried live on the CBS Television Network.

A diverse group of non-profit organizations dedicated to serving active military, veterans, their families and their survivors has come together to invite the Republican and Democratic presidential candidates to Fort Hood, Texas, for an in-depth discussion of the increasingly complex issues facing America's military and veteran community. The CBS television network has agreed to produce and broadcast the town hall meeting in prime time that evening.

Fort Hood is the largest U.S. military installation in the world and deploys the most soldiers to Iraq and Afghanistan as part of our continuing Global War on Terror. Consequently, the Consortium cannot imagine a more appropriate audience—or a more compelling location—for this event.

This Consortium represents organizations that provide services and support to our service members, veterans, wounded warriors, and their families. "We believe if there is one more debate or town hall before the general election, it should be before an audience comprised of the men and women whose service and sacrifice ensure that these events continue through their defense of our country and of our Constitution," said Carissa Picard, lead organizer and military spouse.

"This forum is NOT about being for the war in Iraq or against the war in Iraq. This is about the fact that there is a war in Iraq, as well as Afghanistan, and there are consequences to that war—consequences for our service members, for their families, for our country. These candidates are asking to be elected the next Commander-in-Chief and we believe that our audience, as well as the American public, will be extremely interested in knowing what they have to say about these issues."

In November 2004, the President was elected by a majority of 126 million votes. Today, approximately 27 million American adults are veterans. If we assume half are married, then there are approximately 40 million voters intimately aware of the issues affecting veterans and their families. Meanwhile, there are approximately 2.6 million Americans currently serving in our Armed Forces, either full or part-time. If you include their spouses, then we will have an additional 4 million voters sensitive to the needs of our veterans, wounded warriors, and military families.

In all, the veteran and military communities total approximately 44 million Americans—almost a quarter of the overall voting population and more than one- third of the total voting participation in 2004.

"The sacrifices these families endure are not abstract; they are borne out in illness, injury, post traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, economic hardship, the daily agony of separation from family and friends; and finally, the ultimate sacrifice of our Gold Star families. Furthermore, those citizens who are not themselves members of the military and veteran community are eager to see that those who shoulder the enormous strain of wartime service are afforded the meaningful thanks of a grateful nation." adds Amy Fairweather, director of the Coalition for Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans, a group of organizations dedicated to improving services for military, veterans, families and survivors, many of whom have joined to invite the candidates to this historic forum.

The Consortium includes a diverse group of veteran and military service organizations including Disabled Veterans of America, the Brain Injury Association of America, and Sentinels of Freedom. These groups are working in partnership with the military, the Department of Veterans Affairs, state and local governments, and faith and community based organizations to deliver services and support to our military, veterans and families.

Picard adds that, "We sincerely hope the candidates will accept our invitation. We hope this event will remind American voters in November that his or her choice will have a significant impact on the lives and well-being of millions of service members, veterans, wounded warriors, and military families—including children."

Look around you, much of what you see and hear about what has been going on in this country is a Direct Result of our Occupations, mostly of Choice, of especially Iraq but also Afganistan.


But I will add my thoughts here, if 9/11 had never happened, and the power that really is still managed to get this Cabal into place, much of that which is happening in the economy, education, health, gas prices, you name it, probably would still have happened. These Corrupt People were out for One Thing, Wealth off the Backs of the Entire Country, Anyway They Could Get It, entrenced power was a big side want but not the leading want!


Just look at our Foreign Policy and the decimated State Department thus leading to a Total Lack of any Coherant Foreign Policy as people around the World see this and are Shunning any Attempts to even make it look like we have any policy!


I'm putting out a Shout Out to Any and All Obama Supporters to make contact, in the form you choose, with their Campaign and Request, actually more than request, that the Senator Agree To This Important Townhall Gathering, with all the false, or lack of, rethoric these last years, and continuing recently in the press and campaigns.


The Military Personal and Their Families, as well as the Veterans of this Country, Need Direct Face To Face Answers to the Many Questions on Exactly where these two Candidates stand on a number of issues concerning them, Especially as these Occupations are showing No End and ramping up, as to Afganistan and not much better as to potential in Iraq!


Others have brought up either a Debate or a Townhall in New Orleans, I Agree Wholeheartedly with that Call as well!


But the Military Townhall is the Most Important to me, and if there is one in New Orleans another Townhall Format should be the way it should take place, to much can be played with in these so called Modern Debate Forums as we've seen over and over!!

New group wants a Presidential debate - Military Spouses for Change

Lets give these military spouses a Big Hand and Pass this to your E-Lists as well as posting on your sites!

Take 'testvets' request, last sentence of posting, and make some contacts, Make It Happen!!

Or debates on Iraq, Military and Veterans Issues

by testvet6778
Fri Nov 23, 2007 at 04:33:00 PM EST

I ran across this website today, Military Spouses for Change and I agree that a debate on these issues should be held. Both partiesshould agree since they are going to keep utilizing the five militaryforces of this nation occupied in Iraq or Afghanisatn or both and maybenew ones during the next term of office.
Some numbers to think about active duty 1,380,082 number of living veterans 26,403,703 and the number drawing veterans benefits are 2,735,559 these are voting age people, that usually DO vote. Most are married andhave children many of them have adult children, like myself I have 3voting age children, and you all better believe I tell them myopinions. Does that mean they will vote that way, NO, but they willlisten to me and I will have an influnce on their decisions, becausewhat affects me affects them. That means there is a potential 100million Americans directly affected by policies these candidates canpossibly impact in their lives, veterans benefits, home loans, old agecare, medical care, etc.

This is their message about the desired debate and the purpose behind it,because it DOES affect them, personally and up close, they are the ones either going into harms way or waiting at home for their loved ones,the candidates should be able to face them, their questions and debate the future about the military, with them in the audience, and all of us as Americans might learn more about the people that was to be the'Commander in Chief' of the Armed Services in addition to their duties as President of the United States.

As much as individual presidential candidates talk about health care plans or personal values, the fact remains that we are electing a war president. We are electing a president who will probably spend the bulk of his or her first term managing military conflicts and performing extensive foreign policy damage control. In 2008, the next President will inherit at least two wars and the costs of those wars,internally as well as internationally, will continue to grow long after the last service member comes home.
Consequently, Military Spouses for Change[1] is inviting the presidential candidates from both parties to Fort Hood, Texas(Killeen), on February 1st, to talk about foreign policy, our military,our veterans, our wounded warriors, and our military families.
Fort Hood is the largest military installation in the United States.There are almost 46,000 soldiers assigned to Fort Hood and more than24,000 spouses. On any given day, at least a third of these soldiersare deployed to Iraq and every week at least two soldiers from FortHood (on average) are killed in Iraq. (I am 34 and I know more widowsthan my mother knows.)
This kind of event has never been done before and it needs to be done now. Not only because Americans on both side of the aisle need to be reminded (before Super Tuesday) that we are electing the next Commander-in-Chief, but also because our service members and their families deserve to be addressed and heard by the people who wish to be elected in that position.
We also think this country’s large veteran community should know which candidates truly value the military and veteran vote (if not for moral reasons, then for practical reasons). There are approximately1.4 million active duty service members in America and 1.2 million inthe National Guard/Reserves. If you include the spouses, that comes toa total of 4.1 million votes.
Meanwhile, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, 1 in 8 adults wereveterans (26.4 million) in 2003. If we assume that at least half ofthose adults were married, then we have approximately 39 million vetcouples giving us a total of almost 43 million American adults who arecurrently serving in the military, have served in the military, or aremarried to someone serving or who had served. That is not aninsignificant number.
As an organization and as military spouses, clearly U.S. foreignpolicy is important to us. But the American public has an interest inthis as well, not only for fiscal reasons (e.g., we have spent 447billion dollars on the war in Iraq alone), but for national securityreasons.
Furthermore, what about the depletion of our states' National Guardand reserve units? How are we going to replenish those units so thatindividual states can respond to a natural disaster or, heaven forbid,another 9/11?
So far 1.5 million service members have been deployed to Iraq orAfghanistan. What are the candidates’ positions on the possibility ofreinstating the draft if, for example, we become engaged with Iranbefore he or she enters office?
Since September 11, 2001, the Department of Defense has reportedmore than 64,000 wounded and 4,000 killed in Iraq or Afghanistan. TheDepartment of Veterans Affairs, however, has reported treating 250,000Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans, including 95,000 for mental healthconditions.
Meanwhile, an estimated 700,000 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans areexpected to seek care from the VA within the next ten years, at aprojected cost of 7 to 9 BILLION dollars. A recent DoD taskforceassessing the mental health capabilities of the military announced: 'The system of care for psychological health that has evolved overrecent decades is insufficient to meet the needs of today's forces andtheir beneficiaries, and will not be sufficient to meet their needs in the future.' ( MHTF Report Final in PDF )
What do the candidates propose to do for our returning wounded warriors and their families? How do we effectively identify their mental, physical, social, and financial needs and how do we effectively meet those needs?
The suicide rate is the highest in almost 30 years and the propensity to serve is at a 20 year low. Consequently, the Army and Marine Corps are relying on reenlistment and recruiting bonuses that will cost nearly 2.5 billion dollars next year.
Iraq is the defining electoral issue of 2008. Nothing can be done domestically until we have settled our foreign affairs in such a way that does not require a large military presence in hostile countries. Yet because Texas is not an early primary state, it does not warrant the attention of the Presidential candidates. Nonetheless, we cannot imagine an event more powerful than these candidates answering questions posed to them by the very people whose service and sacrifice allow forums such as these to exist.
Shouldn't we as certain which candidates are the most qualified (from both parties) to lead our nation and our military prior to SuperTuesday? And shouldn't this be done in front of an audience of service members, veterans, wounded warriors, advocates, and their families?
If you have any questions or are interested in being involved, please contact:
Carissa S. Picard
President
Military Spouses for Change

Please contact the campaigns of the people you support and ASK themto please commit to this group and see if we can enable a debatebefore Super Dooper Tuesday.