NEWS
Board members unhappy with war
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- UW takes part in national war protest (October 24, 2002)
by Keegan Kyle
Friday, February 2, 2007
Members of the Dane County Board of Supervisors are urging a United States troop withdrawal out of Iraq in a letter signed at their meeting Thursday.
Eighteen supervisors signed the anti-war letter addressed to Wisconsin legislators and President George W. Bush.
Citing the war's financial costs, the letter urges Bush to abandon his new strategy that would commit 20,000 additional troops to Iraq. According to the letter, the war in Iraq has cost Dane County $1.8 billion or approximately $4,000 per person.
"The nation's investment in this war is hampering federal, state and local governments' ability to address critical priorities at home," the letter reads. "What could Dane County buy with $1.8 billion?"
Supervisor Barbara Vedder, District 2, said she proposed writing the letter because the message needed to be sent immediately. She chose to center around the war's cost because some legislators — including U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis. — are proposing legislation to restrict the war's funding.
"It's cool that's happening at the same time we're sending this letter," Vedder said. "If [Bush] doesn't have the money, he can't go forward with his plans."
Vedder said she expected to collect more signatures at Thursday's bi-monthly meeting from conservative board members but felt Supervisor Duane Gau's comment opposing the letter encouraged others to abstain.
"This could be taken as the position of the Dane County Board of Supervisors" because the letter brands the county crest, Gau said. "I do not mind that we are going to be doing something in that fashion, but we should put it to the floor and debate it … and put forth a resolution."
A letter from the county represents the opinions of select board members, whereas a resolution represents the entire board because it must be approved by a majority vote.
Vedder said the board could have passed a majority vote — considering 18 of 37 district supervisors signed the letter — but it would have taken longer.
"We needed to get this out right away," Vedder added.
The letter will be sent today to the White House and three Congressional delegates: Feingold, U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl, D-Wis., and U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis.
Feingold introduced legislation Wednesday calling for Congress to restrict funding to the war in Iraq after six months of the bill's approval.
"Congress must not allow the president to continue a war that has already come at such a terrible cost," Feingold said in a Jan. 31 statement. "We have the constitutional authority and the moral responsibility to end our involvement in Iraq so we can refocus on those who attacked us on 9/11."
Supervisor and letter co-author Brett Hulsey, District 4, said the document will help the legislators argue against funding the war.
"We're trying to give them ammunition in the debate," said Hulsey, who once handed a letter to Laura Bush concerning Madison's anti-war referendum. "[Bush] wasn't a good listener the first time — maybe he'll listen better a second time."
Anonymous (February 2, 2007 @ 4:04am):
Oh. My. God. Stop us from getting MUGGED ON LANGDON STREET. Attention student journalists. ANYONE, is ANYONE listening? Will, ANYONE do ANYTHING to make our ELECTED OFFICALS RESPONSIVE TO OUR ISSUES? HELLO? TAYLOR HUGHES? MAC VERSTANDIG? ANYONE? CAN ANYONE PRESSURE THOSE IN POWER TO FIGHT FOR US?
Anonymous (February 2, 2007 @ 8:08am):
Madison and Dane County should just be wiped off the map. The liberals here have no understanding of the real world except for the the liberal haven that they live in.
Anonymous (February 2, 2007 @ 10:29am):
It isn't the Board's business.
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