Michigan residents are launching a new campaign today working with local veterans and advocacy groups to pressure Grand Rapids area Congressman Vernon Ehlers to take a stand and bring an end to the war in Iraq. The campaign, part of the larger nationwide "Iraq Summer" campaign, plans to turn up the heat on Ehlers for his opposition to setting a timeline to bring a responsible end to the war in Iraq. Over the next ten weeks, a barrage of events, letter writing campaigns, volunteer activities, internet organizing and resolution efforts directed at Ehlers will call on the lawmaker to reject President Bush's failed policy of endless war and vote for the safe, responsible redeployment of American troops out of Iraq.
"Iraq Summer" is a nationwide campaign organized by Americans Against Escalation in Iraq, which is dispatching nearly 100 organizers to the home states and districts of Republican Senators and Representatives who have opposed setting a timeline to end the war in Iraq. The program is modeled on the "Freedom Summer" civil rights project. Organizers will be in fifteen states from Nevada to Maine, a total of 40 congressional districts.
"I am encouraged by the fact that Senators Lugar and Voinovich have turned against the president's policy of endless war in Iraq. I hope Vernon Ehlers will follow suit," said Joseph Carmody of the West Michigan Justice and Peace Coalition.
"Through cutting edge online organizing, rallies, grassroots events, volunteer operations, sign waving and bird-dogging, we will force [Target] to make a choice: continue to support President Bush's policy of endless war in Iraq and face the political consequences or side with the majority of Americans and vote to responsibly end the war," said Tammara Rosenleaf, State Director/AAEI spokesperson.
With reports that President Bush's policy has failed to quell violence in Iraq, Americans Against Escalation in Iraq aims to turn the growing nation-wide opposition to the war into intense political pressure to end the war responsibly. By mobilizing thousands of outraged citizens, AAEI will demonstrate that continued support for the war in Iraq is both bad policy and bad politics. A Pentagon report has shown that the President's escalation in Iraq has failed, and a recently released New York Times/CBS poll indicates that 63% of the public wants a timetable for withdrawal in 2008.
"We need Vernon Ehlers to represent the majority of the people and exit Iraq. We are not currently serving the interests of Americans or Iraqis," said Shirley Kallio of Democracy For America.
Americans Against Escalation in Iraq is a major, multi-million dollar national campaign to oppose the President's escalation of the Iraq war and work for the safe, responsible redeployment of American troops out of Iraq. AAEI's broad coalition is made up of SEIU, MoveOn.org Political Action, VoteVets.org, Center for American Progress Action Fund, USAction, Win Without War, USSA, Working Assets, Americans United for Change, Campaign for America's Future, Campus Progress Action, and millions of Americans across the country.
Click here to get in contact with the Grand Rapids campaign.
