The Republican-controlled U. S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce voted yesterday to cut as much as $10-million in federal funding for San Francisco AIDS patients. More than 15,000 HIV+ San Franciscans will suffer. Their quality of life will decline, more treatment plans will be interrupted or terminated and, as result of this vindictive vote by this Congressional committee, more San Franciscans will die.
The smiling bastard in the photo is Joe Barton, the Congressman from Texas who is a buddy of fellow good-old-boy George W. Bush. Barton is Chair of the Energy and Commerce Committee and is the son-of-a-bitch most directly responsible for this reprehensible vote.
The Republican Party and the Bush Administration detest San Francisco and, most particularly, they cannot tolerate gay and lesbian liberal San Franciscans. This vote is a clear attempt to punish and penalize the people of San Francisco because we refuse to follow the Red Republican banner and support their inept president. It's payback ... Republican style.
And make absolutely no mistake about their intention. The Texas Bush Republicans are well aware that this is a death sentence for HIV+ gay and lesbian San Franciscans. It is an orchestrated attack on gay and lesbian San Franciscans by a hateful and homophobic renegade band of Republicans who are doing the bidding of their jackass leader, George Bush. It is our punishment for failing to obey the will of that goddam warmongering Texas idiot.
It is almost unbelievable that fellow Americans, be they Republican or not, would crawl so low as to put the lives of American's in jeopardy because of partisan politics. The Republican Party is rotten to the core. They have become an anathema to the world and a malediction to freedom.
James Loyce, Director of AIDS Programs for the San Francisco Department of Public Health warned that "nothing will be untouched by this loss, if it happens."
Yes ... that's IF it happens.
Senators Barbara Boxer and Diane Feinstein have swung into action to block this horrific action. Nancy Pelosi, leader of the Democrats in the House has vowed to fight the committee decision with full and unlimited vigor. Mayor Gavin Newsom is using the power of his office to do everything possible to forcefully lobby against the bill.
But, what are you doing?
Here's what you can do to help. Contact our legislators by U.S. Mail and also by telephone. Emails do not carry the same "weight" as letters sent through the postal service or personal phone calls. For this extremely urgent issue, take the time to write three letters and put them in the mail. Also, take the time to make three phone calls and talk to a staff person personally.
Don't put it off. Do it now!
Here's who to contact ...
Nancy Pelosi, Democratic Party Leader, U.S. Congress
San Francisco office:
450 Golden Gate Ave., 14th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94102
Washington, DC office: 2371 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515
Barbara Boxer, U.S. Senator from California
1700 Montgomery St., Suite 240
San Francisco, CA 94111
Washington, D.C. office
12 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Diane Feinstein, U.S. Senator from California
San Francisco Office
Jim Molinari, State Director
One Post Street, Suite 2450
San Francisco, CA 94104
415/393-07077
TTY/TDD: 415/249-4785
Washington, DC office
331 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone:
Fax:
TTY/TDD:
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1 comments:
Dear Sam,
I see you did your homework on Prop 87, but do you know the whole story about Joe Barton?
You know that Barton is Chair of the Congressional Energy and Commerce Committee. Do you know he is also a former high-paid consultant to Atlantic Richfield Oil Company? However, that's not surprising for a Texas Republican.
The Washington Post reported that "Since 1997, oil, gas, electricity, nuclear, coal and chemical companies have contributed $1.84 million to Barton, more than to any other House member." [Washington Post, 4/14/05] This is also not surprising for a Texas Republican.
Barton denies that global warming exists. Fellow legislators of both parties also have criticized Barton's approach as "misguided and illegitimate" and "a transparent effort to bully and harass climate change experts who have reached conclusions with which you disagree." Again, not unusual for a Texas Republican.
Is Joe Barton a bastard as you suggest? Is he a son-of-a-bitch as you suggest? Well, I don't really know. But I do know that he is a homophobe and, once again, that is nothing unusual for a Texas Republican.
Damn those Texas Republicans!
signed: a California Democrat
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