Dexter's speech

WE ARE GATHERED HERE TO HONOR DEMOCRACY
by Dexter J. Kamilewicz

This is the text of Dexter's speach for those who were going to Washington.

We are gathered here in Portland, Maine on this very cold night to participate in the most sacred rights that America once honored and protected: namely, the freedom of assembly, the freedom of speech and the freedom to petition the government for redress of grievances, all without fear of reprisal as guarantied by our Constitution.

There is one overwhelming concern that we share and want addressed by our elected representatives in Congress: We demand an end to the illegal, immoral, cruel invasion and occupation of Iraq. We demand that the Congress revoke the war powers act that is used as an excuse to occupy Iraq , that they vote to cease the funding for the occupation of Iraq, and that they order the President to bring all American troops home from Iraq immediately.

We further call upon the Congress of the United States to reverse or eliminate the laws and practices that are connected to and are excused by the destruction of the World Trade Center. We demand that Congress nullify the U.S. Patriot Act, reverse the Military Commissions Act, reinstate of the right of the writ of habeas corpus, rehabilitate the freedom from unlawful search and seizures, and put an end to signing statements by the president.

The United States spends almost 600 billion dollars annually on the military. That is almost as much as what the rest of the world combined spends on the military. China, the nation in second place with four times the population, spends about 80 billion dollars annually, a little over 10 % of what the U.S. spends on the military. The U.S. has over 460,000 troops in 144 foreign countries. The U.S leads the rest of the world in nuclear weapons by many thousands and arms sales to other governments. The United States has become a military garrison while ignoring the needs of its citizens.

America has suffered too long from slick politics. No more.

It is time to measure politicians by what they do and not by what they say. There is a huge gap between reality and the rhetoric.

We are approaching 100 days since the national elections, and we have just witnessed the timidity and slick propaganda of the first 100 legislative hours. The House of Representatives hastily passed an agenda that was not substantive nor will most of it ever be enacted in law based on the preliminaries.

Well paid and well funded Congressmen should have the integrity to eliminate all forms of gifts and perks from any source. All money bills should have clearly labeled sponsorship to determine who the primary beneficiaries of earmarks are. The minimum wage is not a living wage, but serves as a form of servitude favoring business. PAYGO refuses to acknowledge how broken the budget process is and how it favors the wealthy over everyone else.

Who pays for this? Ordinary Americans do. Americans do not have universal health care and lag much of the world in life expectancy and lead in infant mortality, and the only programs before Congress are those that will guaranty higher costs and fewer services to ordinary Americans. The wealthy continue to get huge tax breaks while the rest of us pick up the shortfall. There is no energy or environmental policy.

This weekend, we are carrying a message - again - to our elected representatives that it is necessary to redress our grievances seriously, substantively, and speedily. If there is no progress, we pledge to continue to bring those messages again and again until our elected representatives listen and act responsibly. There is a point that, we, the people, have the right and duty to recall and impeach an unrepresentative government. Many of us are prepared or are preparing to do just that beginning with the impeachment of the President and his key aides.

Beware of the Ides of March!

We are gathered here tonight on this very cold night in Portland, Maine to bear witness that all is not right in America and that there are ordinary citizens who are prepared to make it right again.

	WE ARE GATHERED HERE TO HONOR DEMOCRACY by Dexter J. Kamilewicz This is the text of Dexter's speach for those who were going to Washington. We are gathered here in Portland, Maine on this very cold night to participate in the most sacred rights that America once honored and protected: namely, the freedom of assembly, the freedom of speech and the freedom to petition the government for redress of grievances, all without fear of reprisal as guarantied by our Constitution. There is one overwhelming concern that we share and want addressed by our elected representatives in Congress: We demand an end to the illegal, immoral, cruel invasion and occupation of Iraq. We demand that the Congress revoke the war powers act that is used as an excuse to occupy Iraq , that they vote to cease the funding for the occupation of Iraq, and that they order the President to bring all American troops home from Iraq immediately. We further call upon the Congress of the United States to reverse or eliminate the laws and practices that are connected to and are excused by the destruction of the World Trade Center. We demand that Congress nullify the U.S. Patriot Act, reverse the Military Commissions Act, reinstate of the right of the writ of habeas corpus, rehabilitate the freedom from unlawful search and seizures, and put an end to signing statements by the president. The United States spends almost 600 billion dollars annually on the military. That is almost as much as what the rest of the world combined spends on the military. China, the nation in second place with four times the population, spends about 80 billion dollars annually, a little over 10 % of what the U.S. spends on the military. The U.S. has over 460,000 troops in 144 foreign countries. The U.S leads the rest of the world in nuclear weapons by many thousands and arms sales to other governments. The United States has become a military garrison while ignoring the needs of its citizens. America has suffered too long from slick politics. No more. It is time to measure politicians by what they do and not by what they say. There is a huge gap between reality and the rhetoric. We are approaching 100 days since the national elections, and we have just witnessed the timidity and slick propaganda of the first 100 legislative hours. The House of Representatives hastily passed an agenda that was not substantive nor will most of it ever be enacted in law based on the preliminaries. Well paid and well funded Congressmen should have the integrity to eliminate all forms of gifts and perks from any source. All money bills should have clearly labeled sponsorship to determine who the primary beneficiaries of earmarks are. The minimum wage is not a living wage, but serves as a form of servitude favoring business. PAYGO refuses to acknowledge how broken the budget process is and how it favors the wealthy over everyone else. Who pays for this? Ordinary Americans do. Americans do not have universal health care and lag much of the world in life expectancy and lead in infant mortality, and the only programs before Congress are those that will guaranty higher costs and fewer services to ordinary Americans. The wealthy continue to get huge tax breaks while the rest of us pick up the shortfall. There is no energy or environmental policy. This weekend, we are carrying a message - again - to our elected representatives that it is necessary to redress our grievances seriously, substantively, and speedily. If there is no progress, we pledge to continue to bring those messages again and again until our elected representatives listen and act responsibly. There is a point that, we, the people, have the right and duty to recall and impeach an unrepresentative government. Many of us are prepared or are preparing to do just that beginning with the impeachment of the President and his key aides. Beware of the Ides of March! We are gathered here tonight on this very cold night in Portland, Maine to bear witness that all is not right in America and that there are ordinary citizens who are prepared to make it right again.

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