Politics Extra: Schmidt, Chabot dismiss City Council resolution

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Schmidt, Chabot dismiss City Council resolution

Cincinnati's two U.S. House members, both Republicans, downplayed a resolution passed today by the Democratic-controlled Cincinnati City Council opposing President Bush's plan to put 21,500 additional troops in Iraq.

This while the U.S. House is itself spending all week (read previous blog posts HERE and HERE) debating a similar resolution, also backed by Democrats, "disapproving" of the president's troop surge.

Said Rep. Jean Schmidt, a Miami Township Republican: "This is just another example of why, what is taking place isn't a debate about how to win in Iraq instead it has turned nothing more than political theater. With all due respect, I am much more interested in what the Joint Chiefs have to say."

Schmidt's congressional district includes the eastern half of the city and Clermont and Warren counties. The city's other U.S. House member, Rep. Steve Chabot of Westwood, who represents the city's western side, Hamilton County and part of Butler County, also dismissed the resolution.

Said Chabot: "I certainly respect the views of each individual council member, but their views don't carry any more weight than any other individual constituents of mine."

"I'm not going to second guess them, that's for them to decide, whether it's an appropriate use of their time," said Chabot, himself a former Council member.

Oh, by the way, one of the Council members voting for the resolution? None other than former Chabot challenger John Cranley, who lost a challenge to the congressman last November.

UPDATE: Read today's story in the newspaper HERE.

13 Comments:

at 6:40 PM, February 14, 2007

Anonymous said...

sadly, this is exactly why we need local governments to pass resolutions. neither chabot or schmidt are in touch with reality, having bought bushes lies and deceit hook line and sinker.

there is no credible person who believes that this fiasco in iraq can be won, and yet that is exactly what schmidt believes.

its time to start impeachment hearings and get rid of these evil monsters who have not made our world safe, who have not improved the lot of the middle class, and who believe its okay to sacrifice our sons and daughters for oil.

at 7:10 PM, February 14, 2007

Anonymous said...

Will Steve Chabot finally apologize to US troops for calling for war with Iraq immediately after 9/11, saying that Saddam was a nuclear threat to the US?

Nope, he will stay in denial.

U.S. POLICY TOWARD IRAQ

HEARING

BEFORE THE

SUBCOMMITTEE ON THE MIDDLE EAST
AND SOUTH ASIA

OF THE

COMMITTEE ON
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

ONE HUNDRED SEVENTH CONGRESS

FIRST SESSION

OCTOBER 4, 2001
Mr. CHABOT. I will keep my remarks brief so we can get to the panel.

I would like to thank the Chairman for holding this important hearing. And just from this Member's point of view, I personally believe that Iraq, and Saddam Hussein in particular, ought to be—I think he has given us more than enough reason to put him up there with Osama bin Laden in this war against terrorism. And if we are serious about ending, destroying and stopping international terrorism, we absolutely have to target Saddam Hussein.

You know, my principal concern—and I have said this to a lot of people—I have spoken to a lot of schools back in my district, and some of the kids are a bit concerned about war and the possibility of a draft and that sort of thing. What I have said, and I firmly believe, is that the loss of life that this Nation suffered just a few weeks ago in New York and here in Washington, DC and in Pennsylvania, as terrible as it was, pales in comparison to the potential loss of life next time if chemical or biological or, God forbid, nuclear weapons are used sometime in the not-too-distant future in this country. And that is why it is absolutely critical that we prevail in this war against terrorism. And I believe Saddam Hussein has to be a principal target of that war. I would urge the Administration to include him in those people that we absolutely have to get rid of.

http://commdocs.house.gov/committees/intlrel/hfa75563.000/hfa75563_0.htm

at 7:20 PM, February 14, 2007

Anonymous said...

What?

Payback for city voters OVERWHELMINGLY voting for Cranley & Wulsin.

Schmidt and Chabot barely hung on and will likely be out of a job if they continue to ignore the city.

at 7:30 PM, February 14, 2007

Anonymous said...

tweedle dee and tweedle dumb. no surprise. Chabot won his campaign on running down the city with racist ads and billboards to keep his suburban vote. and he did it. barely.

at 8:09 PM, February 14, 2007

Anonymous said...

Lets see. We have had more Ohioians killed on the streets of Cincinnati than have been killed in Iraq. I think City Council needs to address the war on their streets before the condem the actions in Iraq. Watch city council propose a cop surge to stem the violence on Cincinnati streets.

at 8:28 PM, February 14, 2007

JohnDWoodSr said...

Wow! What a surprise! A dissenting voice contemptuously dismissed. How unlike them. Oh well, they must know best. After all, THEY didn't get kicked out of office last November for supporting Bushes Iraq policies, like so many others did.

at 1:10 AM, February 15, 2007

Anonymous said...

So Schmidt has used the Maupin family constantly to boast her position and yet, doesn't think listening to constituients who don't want their children to be missing in action without expalnation and with a complete run around - is important.

at 1:19 AM, February 15, 2007

Anonymous said...

City Council continues to play politics when it should be addressing the City's problems. They care more about politics than substance, like reducing crime and getting our streets plowed. Chabot once again shows that he has more class than any other local official, giving council much more respect than they deserve.

at 7:34 AM, February 15, 2007

Anonymous said...

Dear Jean Schmidt,

In the 1920's, the British were the first foreign occupants of the country that is today known as Iraq. TWENTY YEARS LATER, when Hitler's bombs were being dropped on Britain, the British were STILL in Iraq.

We have a President who rushed into war under false (or at least mistaken) pretenses. Obvious issues relative to the "alleged" weapons of mass destruction in Iraq which should have been investigated more thoroughly prior to placing the lives of thousands of American soldiers in harm's way were ignored and our country found itself in the middle of a war without end. (A war without end to the loss of human life and a war without end to the hundreds of billions of dollars that continues to be paid by the American taxpayers.) There was no feasible plan to guarantee the safety of American soldiers or of the Iraqi citizens. There was no specfic defined objective other than to "get the weapons". The weapons, it has been proven, didn't exist. More than 3,000 American soldiers lives have been lost in this conflict and the number continues to grow by the day. Companies like Haliburton, the defense contractor that has received billions of American tax dollars to fund their efforts have posted some of the highest profits since Haliburton first existed. That company has existed for almost 90 years.

Now, we have a situation where there is talk of sending American soldiers into Iran. Years ago, the same type of language and rationale was used by the political powers that be in Washington to send our troops into IRAQ. Years ago, the same type of language and rationale was used by the political powers that be in Washington to send our troops into VIETNAM.

My name is Jim Parker and I was a Democratic candidate for US Congress. I've stood on the stage with people like Paul Hackett and Vic Wulsin. I've stood on the stage with people like Jean Schmidt, Tom Brinkman, Bob McEwen and Pat Dewine. I know two things and I know them with absolute certainty.

1) Terrorism is an evil force that does exist and it must be eliminated from the face of the earth. But we need to fight terrorism with our heads and do it in a way that will guarantee victory, not place our troops in a stalemate situation like the one that we have in Iraq right now. The value of so much as one life should have been weighed more heavily before rushing into the decisions that put American soldiers in harm's way. Osama Bin Laden was in Afghanistan - NOT IRAQ.

2) If I am ever your Congressman, I will NEVER send American troops into battle unless it is a decision of LAST RESORT. And I will NEVER blindly support the people who make wrong decisions like the one that was made to send American troops into Iraq in the first place.

Wrong, Reckless, and Rubber Stamp politicians who make blind statements like "we need to fight the terrorists on their shores so that we don't have to fight them on ours" should be required to think before they speak. Our Congresswoman said this in Adams County in her first debate against Paul Hackett. I remember. I was there.

Now, we are at a turning point in world history. If we go into Iran, there will be no turning back for at least another decade. Is this a price that the American people are willing to pay? Do we trust the people who sent us into the Middle East in the first place to lead us into the future? And where is the "NEW Congress" in the middle of all this? So many people are busy running for President that nobody seems to have time to try to solve America's problems...

I've said more than enough for one day. Everybody, ask yourself one question... We all know that history repeats itself... When do you think is the last time a member of Congress read a history book?

I pray that another American helicopter is not shot down today or that another roadside bomb does not take the lives of another vehicle full of American soldiers. These things have become a sad daily occurrence in recent years...

What this country need is leadership not a bunch of rubber stamp decision makers whose mouths water at the sight of the next political campaign contribution. I propose that defense contractors be prohibited from donating to anybody's political campaign during times of war. We can do better...

Jim Parker, MHA/MBA
Future Democratic Candidate for US Congress
Southern Ohio - 2nd District - 2005 & 2006... 2010.

Help Jim PARKER send his message to 15,000 Democratic Families who live in Southern Ohio...

http://jimparker4ad.blogspot.com/

THANK YOU.

at 9:32 AM, February 15, 2007

Anonymous said...

John did the right thing in offering this resolution

at 10:02 AM, February 15, 2007

Anonymous said...

Well, heck, it's not like anybody in the city of Cincinnati voted for these guys.

at 11:05 AM, February 15, 2007

Anonymous said...

The Resolution sounds great and looks great. Now Council Member Crowley will have to go back to his office and try to think of some more fun things to do. He just dreads dealing with any of the serious problems now facing our City.

at 8:27 AM, February 16, 2007

Anonymous said...

Next Cincinnati Council will introduce a non binding resolution to reduce crime on the streets of Cincinnati. They wonder why businesses are leaving the city and moving to the safety of Warren, Butler & Clermont County. Last one out please turn off the street lights.

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Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Schmidt, Chabot dismiss City Council resolution

13 Comments: