Congressman John Murtha of PA has died at the age of 77:
Pennsylvania Democratic Rep. John Murtha, the first veteran of the Vietnam war to enter Congress and one of the House’s most powerful lawmakers, died Monday afternoon at Virginia Hospital Center after complications from gallbladder surgery. Murtha was 77.
“Congressman John P. Murtha (PA-12) passed away peacefully this afternoon at 1:18 p.m. at Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington, Va. At his bedside was his family,” read a statement from his office.
No one who has read this blog for the last couple of years will be surprised that I didn’t particularly like Rep. Murtha. His actions over the last several years have been divisive, unhelpful (to America, at any rate), and needlessly abrasive. I have no compunction in saying that I believe America is far better without him in our legislature. None of which makes me happy he’s gone. I especially don’t like to hear of someone passing while in the midst of a difficult career. If I had a wish for the Congressman, it would have been that life could have allowed him to take some time to be with his family full-time; that he could have simply enjoyed their presence and had them enjoy his. I’d wish that his most important meeting be watching his grandkids at some sporting event or school function or whatever.
No, Mr. Murtha and I agreed on precious little and it would be hard for me to stomach having to listen to him in the same room. But that’s all past now. Now, I have just one thing to say about him…
Grant unto him eternal life, O Lord, and let your face shine upon him. Welcome him into your presence and grant his family the strength to endure without him.
Amen.
February 8th, 2010
Posted by
ricjames |
Human Interest, Politics |
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I wonder how Rep Murtha’s (D-PA) constituents feel about his volunteering to import known terrorists into their neighborhoods.
Rep. Jack Murtha, D-Pa., says he’d be willing to house prisoners from Guantanamo Bay in his congressional district if President Obama makes good on a plan to close the U.S. prison there.
As one of his first acts in office, the president circulated a draft Wednesday that would shut down Guantanamo Bay within a year.
Murtha only has a minimum security prison in his district. But he says he’d have no reservations about holding detainees there in a maximum security prison.
“Sure, I’d take ‘em,” said Murtha, an outspoken critic of the Iraq war. “They’re no more dangerous in my district than in Guantanamo.”
Well, that’s just a load of drivel. There are no Pennsylvania towns at Gitmo and should these terrorists escape their confinement there’s no where for them to go but the sea. Not so in PA’s 12th District. Major interstate highways span this area and there’s a damn sight more civilians they can prey upon in the Keystone State than in the US base in Cuba. Objectively and obviously speaking, they are considerably more dangerous in Murtha’s district than in Guantanamo.
Of course, Murtha could be just angling to get the feds to build a shiny new maximum-security prison in his district. If that’s the case, I think a year to close Gitmo is going to be as fast as they can go. If they use the same crews to build the prison as they’ve been using to do highway maintenance, it could take longer than that. Still, smells like grandstanding to me.
January 21st, 2009
Posted by
ricjames |
GWOT, Politics |
one comment
With the sideshow for the Kos Kids and the MoveOn crowd barely out of the way, the Democrats are already showing they can’t be trusted to take the war or our national security seriously. Exactly as he promised to do, President Bush vetoed the silly funding bill Congress sent him that contained troop withdrawal deadlines. As was clear from the outset, there were insufficient votes to override that veto. The House vote on the matter was 220-203 for an override, far short of the 2/3rds majority required. Joe Biden’s promise to “shove [the veto] down his [the President's] throat” was just so much hot air and everyone who was paying any attention at all knew it from the moment he uttered such nonsense.
With all of that theater out of the way it was time get to some serious, adult action on the matter of funding the troops engaged in combat against an enemy who has sworn, on numerous occasions to attack and kill Americans everywhere. So what item was so important to the Democratic leadership that it warranted a specific mention when talking about the bill they intend to craft? What specific military funding issue takes center stage in putting together a bill to provide funding to our soldiers engaged in battle?
Why, the minimum wage increase, of course. Take it away, Steny Hoyer:
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said before the vote that he hopes to have a new bill passed in the House in two weeks, with a final measure sent to the president before Memorial Day. “We’re not going to leave our troops in harms way … without the resources they need,” said Hoyer, D-Md.
Hoyer would not speculate on exactly what the bill might look like, but said he anticipates a minimum-wage increase will be part of it. He said the bill should fund combat through Sept. 30 as Bush has requested, casting doubt that Democratic leaders will adopt a proposal by Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., to fund the war two or three months at a time.
Emphasis all mine. Can someone explain to me what the hell the minimum wage has to do with funding our troops? Actually, don’t bother: you can’t. You can’t because it has precisely nothing to do with the matter. The Democrats campaigned on the issue and are getting heat now that we’re months into their control of Congress without their even bringing the issue to a vote, much less passing it. And you gotta love Murtha’s suggestion. How long did it take them to get a bill onto the President’s desk that they knew would be vetoed? We’re supposed to believe they can handle the task of getting the funding to the troops every 2-3 months on schedule?
Please. Murtha’s just dying to force a withdrawal by cutting off the funding, just like his Democrat ancestors did with Vietnam, but he lacks the fortitude to actually advance such a bill. He wants the results, but he lacks the courage to actually stand up for what he claims is the right thing to do.
Elections have consequences, fellow Americans. These are the people the majority of us voted into power and they’ve proven what people like Hugh Hewitt and others said time and again before the election: they cannot be trusted with the reigns of power where our security is concerned. They’re proving it again. I hope the majority of us are paying attention this time.
May 3rd, 2007
Posted by
ricjames |
GWOT, Military, Politics |
no comments
It is no secret to anyone who reads this blog that I’m a supporter of the basic strategy of the GWOT. It is a losing proposition to address terrorism as a law enforcement issue, to think that terrorism is somehow our fault and that appeasement can get us back to the peace we enjoyed before islamic extremists decided that blowing us up was great fun, and – most importantly – that pulling out of the fighting and hunkering down at home will provide all the necessary protection we need.
Terrorism is an act of war, not a crime. There is no wrong or offense that justifies the use of terrorism against innocent civilians. The islamic extremists who make use of terrorism have no interest in engaging in any dialog that does not involve our surrender and have no interest in negotiating a peaceful coexistence. The best defense – in the end, the only defense – against these terrorists is to go on the offensive against them, attack them where they live, and neutralize their ability to bring terror attacks against our nation, our people, and our allies.
People whose lives are improving, who feel empowered to speak their minds secure in the knowledge that – so long as they are not advocating violence against their neighbors – they won’t be killed or imprisoned for it, and are free to live their lives as they see fit (again, so long as they’re not doing so at the expense of their neighbor’s freedoms) don’t engage in terrorism. They don’t tolerate terrorists in their midst. They’re busy making their investments in the future and they realize that when they’re better off, their neighbors become better off and vice versa. The one and only form of society and government that has achieved this state for extended periods of time has been that of a democracy, representative or otherwise. It is in America’s best interests to have, as neighbors and friends, as many democracies as there can be.
To those ends, I support the war efforts currently underway in Afghanistan and Iraq. After yesterday’s vote in the House on the despicable concept of setting the stage to hamstring and, ultimately, derail the President’s execution of wartime strategy it has become clear that the overwhelming majority of Democrats in the House do not share my support of the war effort. In spite of repeated denials, it is also clear that they do not support the troops in the field and, specifically, their commander General Petraeus. Now, given the rhetoric over the past 5 years, this does not surprise me. After the elections in November, I stated my beliefs that the new Democratic majority in Congress would introduce measures to pull funding for the military. Yesterday’s vote was the groundwork laid for that eventuality and I’m still within my 60-day window for that to occur. The Dems have proven a bit more canny in holding back on those measures, but just listen to people like John Murtha and you’ll hear it coming. Soon.
While the MSM shouts to the sky that the GOP in the House “sent a rebuke” to the President and paints a picture of mass defection from the President, the simple fact is that only 17 Republicans voted for the measure. That amounts to about 9% of the House GOP. Hardly a rebuke. However…
When this type of bill was being considered in the Senate, I and 30,000+ like-minded folks signed a pledge that stated, in no uncertain terms, that if the NRSC didn’t explicitly state that they would not use their funds to support any GOP Senator who voted in the affirmative on a resolution like the House just passed, we would provide not 1 penny of donations to the NRSC. Apparently, the NRCC didn’t get the hint. Radio host, author, and blogger Hugh Hewitt has had on his show literally every member of the GOP’s leadership in the past several days and every one of them has made it clear that both the NRSC and the NRCC will provide funds to any incumbent, regardless of their position on these resolution.
So be it.
With the House’s vote yesterday and the NRCC’s stance on their funding of Representatives who voted in the affirmative, I will now give precisely zero to the NRCC until either their stance changes or every one of those GOP House members who voted for the resolution are gone. The resolution passed in the House did nothing but lay the groundwork for a precipitous withdrawl, let our troops know that the House has no faith in their mission nor in their ability to complete it successfully, and – most dangerously – gives our enemies a real hope that they can just wait us out. The losses in the elections in 2000 and 2004 hopelessly poisoned the Democrat’s attitudes toward the response we need to give to terrorists. The GOP members of the House have no such excuse and their vote yesterday was simply another move on their political chessboards. They don’t deserve the party’s support when it’s clear they’ll desert the party when it suits them.
To that end, a new caucus has risen – The Victory Caucus. Comprised, I am sure, of a significant part of those who signed the NRSC Pledge, the purpose of the Caucus is to support the cause of victory and to oppose those who would repeat the mistakes of the past by undermining the war effort. From a post at the Caucus by N.Z. Bear:
So the House vote is over , and the Democrats have had their day and their defeatist, non-binding resolution. So what do we do now?
We begin organizing in earnest to ensure that in November 2008, voters will have a slate of strong candidates who believe in Victory.
This will be a long and serious effort, but it starts now. We have established a team within the site that will focus on identifying strong candidates — veterans, ideally — as well as teams devoted to identifying White Flag Republicans and their antimatter opposites, the Blue Dog Democrats. These three groups will be at the forefront of our efforts to identify the districts where we can do the most good: whether that is to replace a defeatist Democrat with a new Republican victory candidate — or to help a Blue Dog Democrat who is strong on the war take down a White Flag Republican. Here, party comes second: victory — and country — come first.
Emphasis mine. It’s my belief that Republicans, in general, have been more serious about winning this war we’re in but it’s clear that there are Republicans who aren’t. It’s also clear that there are Democrats who are. While other issues do come into it, and I won’t be supporting a Democrat who’s right on the war and wrong on everything else, being a supporter of victory carries a lot of weight with me. I’ve joined others who feel the same.
If you’d like to know more, follow the Victory Caucus link over there on the right side of this page.
Technorati Tags: Victory Caucus, GOP, GWOT
February 17th, 2007
Posted by
ricjames |
GWOT, Politics |
no comments
John Murtha, now engaged in a very public and very natural (for the Dems, anyway) fight over political power has complained that his opponents are using “swift-boat style attacks” against him.
What? They’re offering rational, supported arguments that Murtha’s not fit for the position? Because that’s the definition of anything purporting to use the term “swift boat” in its description. Pelosi isn’t even holding the gavel yet and she’s already stirring up a shitstorm in the House. This is her style and Murtha’s style is to bleat about unfairness while slandering our troops in the field. Pay close attention, folks. This is what we decided we wanted for the next 2 years. And lest anyone think that they’ll suddenly calm down after the next Congress convenes… well, don’t hold your breath. This is how they’ve always done business and it’s how they’ll continue.
November 14th, 2006
Posted by
ricjames |
Politics |
no comments
Seems to be a lawsuit blogging streak I’m on, but that’s just what keeps coming up. This time it’s the well-known former Marine Congressman John “Cut-and-Run” Murtha that’s on the receiving end. The Marine staff sergeant in charge of the squad that Murtha claims murdered innocent civilians (on purpose, mind you, after cracking under the pressure when they lost a comrade to a roadside bomb) has filed a defamation suit against the Congressman over Murtha’s comments.
A Marine Corps staff sergeant who led the squad accused of killing two dozen civilians in Haditha, Iraq, will file a lawsuit today in federal court in Washington claiming that Rep. John P. Murtha (D-Pa.) defamed him when the congressman made public comments about the incident earlier this year.
Attorneys for Frank D. Wuterich, 26, argue in court papers that Murtha tarnished the Marine’s reputation by telling news organizations in May that the Marine unit cracked after a roadside bomb killed one of its members and that the troops “killed innocent civilians in cold blood.” Murtha also said repeatedly that the incident was covered up.
Murtha’s office, of course, isn’t releasing any comments, now. Should be interesting to see how Murtha responds to this. I mean, after he blusters that he’s protected by his elected-official status from being liable for anything he says. Once that argument goes out the window, Murtha’s going to start squealing on whichever Marine commander provided him with his info so Murtha can save his own arse. Then we can get to the bottom of who fed him the lines.
August 2nd, 2006
Posted by
ricjames |
Law, Military, Politics |
no comments
I managed to get on-line a bit tonight to see what’s up and there are some doozies. Here’s the stuff that caught my eye, in no particular order:
New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin has won re-election, confirming the perspective that people are all too happy to blame someone else’s politicians for whatever ails them but never holding their own accountable for the mess they have to deal with. I recall when Marion Barry was re-elected in DC after being busted in a hotel room with a woman not-his-wife and doing drugs. I said then that DC now deserved anything they got as a result of that clown’s idiocy. New Orleans now occupies the same bench, in my book. (Thank you, Instapundit, for the link to Brendan Loy.)
The Democrat’s “Culture of Corruption” meme and PR campaign took a major hit today as news of videos in the possession of the FBI showing Democratic Congressman William Jefferson (of Louisiana, no less) accepting $100K in bribes. Damn, that’s gotta hurt. There seems to be renewed interest in the story that he commandeered National Guard troops and transport during Katrina to “check on his belongings.” Wonder how much cash you can carry in 3 suitcases? (Thank you Power Line.)
Captain’s Quarters is reporting that those Able Danger documents supposedly destroyed have been referenced in a Freedom of Information Act request as available and possibly relevant to the request. Hmmm.
Jack Kelly over at Irish Pennants has something to say about Congressman Jack Murtha‘s comments on the Marines in Iraq. Jack’s a way better writer than I am – go have a look.
That’s plenty for tonight. We’ll see y’all in the morning.
May 21st, 2006
Posted by
ricjames |
Uncategorized |
no comments
There's been quite a bit of commentary on Congressman John "Pull 'em Out" Murtha's conclusion that US Soldiers massacred Iraqi citizens in Haidtha several weeks ago. The investigation is still ongoing into what happened and the Pentagon isn't prepared to say, yet, whether it was revenge or an honest response to getting attacked. That hasn't stopped Murtha from concluding what it was, however:
Rep. John Murtha, an influential Pennsylvania lawmaker and outspoken critic of the war in Iraq, said today Marines had “killed innocent civilians in cold blood” after allegedly responding to a roadside bomb ambush that killed a Marine during a patrol in Haditha, Iraq, Nov. 19.
The incident is still under investigation by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service and Multi-National Forces Iraq.
The Marine Corps originally claimed that a convoy from the Camp Pendleton, Calif.-based Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, hit a roadside bomb that killed Lance Cpl. Miguel Terrazas, 20, of El Paso, Texas, and the ensuing firefight killed 15 Iraqi civilians — casualties the Corps at first claimed were killed in the bomb blast — including seven women and three children.
A March 27 Time magazine report published claims by an Iraqi civil rights group that the Marines barged into houses near the bomb strike, throwing grenades and shooting civilians as they cowered in fear. The report prompted calls for a Pentagon probe.
“It’s much worse than was reported in Time magazine,” Murtha, a Democrat, former Marine colonel and Vietnam war veteran, told reporters on Capitol Hill.
“There was no firefight. There was no [bomb] that killed those innocent people,” Murtha explained, adding there were “about twice as many” Iraqis killed than Time had reported.
The Marine Corp has said they have no idea where the Congressman is getting his information since the investigation hasn't made any such determination. Gets better:
Murtha said combat stress prompted the Marines’ alleged rampage.
“It’s a very serious incident, unfortunately. It shows the tremendous pressure that these guys are under every day when they’re out in combat,” he said. “One man was killed with an [improvised explosive device] and after that they actually went into the houses and killed women and children.”
Congressman Murtha just accused US Soldiers of deliberately walking into a houseload of non-combatants and gunning them down because they were pissed, not because anyone in the house posed a potential threat. He's accused them of murder, war crimes, and an atrocity. And all that without the benefit of actual evidence to support his claim.
The Marine Corp may feel honor bound to consider Congressman Murtha a Marine forever based on his past service. I am under no such constraint. Murtha is a disgrace to the Corp, a near-perfect exemplification of the honorless backstabber more interested in making headlines than in supporting the troops, as he has claimed in the past. Whether or not the investigation concludes the actions of the marines were warranted – and that investigation may certainly conclude the marines opened fire on civilians, knowingly – Murtha has seen fit to smear them and any other soldier, airman, seaman, or marine now serving in Iraq. He has painted every one of them with the same "war criminal" brush that John Kerry did to Murtha's fellow Vietnam vets those many years ago. A man who had lived through that should know better.
And I believe he does. He just doesn't care. Murtha and his friends in the fever-swamp left have belligerently screamed their outrage when someone "questions their patriotism." Of Murtha's patriotism, I have no question. He has none.
Lots of commentary on this one at Confederate Yankee, Michelle Malkin, Hugh Hewitt, Captain's Quarters, and many, many more.
May 19th, 2006
Posted by
ricjames |
Politics |
no comments
If you missed the report from Senator Joe Liberman regarding his 4th trip to post-war Iraq, you could be forgiven. While the media has focused all its efforts in elevating to near-sainthood Rep. Joe Murtha who advocated an immediate pullout from Iraq, Liberman’s comments were studiously ignored. Have a look at this post over on Power Line for the reason why. Funny, I never viewed Liberman as a neocon. I guess when you’re as far left as the media’s management is, true liberals look like neocons.
December 5th, 2005
Posted by
ricjames |
Uncategorized |
no comments
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