Dump Mike Ferguson (NJ7)

Here is a description of Deb Huber's meeting with Mike Ferguson at last week's Open House:

Yes, I got my 5 minutes with Mike and Marcus.

I said my top issue is PEACE. I said we had long ago lost the hearts and minds of the people of Iraq. Thus, the war is lost. I complained that the $2B per week for war is bankrupting the country. I said China holds so much of our debt that we can't afford to criticize anything they do. I commented that it seemed that only impeachment would stop Bush from bombing Iran back to the stone age. I said I thought Mike had misrepresented his view of the surge; recent news reports in Hunterdon papers said he was not convinced the surge would work. In one story he said he had not yet seen the text of the anti-surge resolution, so he couldn't say how he would vote on it. After reading this, I heard Mike on the WBAI evening news, saying he supported the surge, and would vote against the anti-surge resolution.

So Mike replied that even Pelosi does not support impeachment. He said he had not given up hope for success in Iraq. He took offense at my accusation of misrepresentation of his views. He tried to say what an upstanding guy he is.

So I told him that last fall his campaign workers trashed the political signs on my property and put up a Ferguson sign.

He said he has no control over his campaign workers.

So much for my 5 minutes.

After we shook hands, I went to the rest room and washed my hands with soap. Then I joined the protest outside, where my blue peace flags greatly enhanced the visibility of the protest. The wind made it a great day for flags; lousy for signs.

Mike followed up by sending me a letter which includes the complete text of his pro-surge speech.

My favorites in this are that Ferguson took offense (!) that someone noted his flip-flopping on the surge, and that he has no control over his campaign workers. Ferguson doesn't have to have control over them but he does have to take responsibility for them, not something he is very good at.

Posted by admin at 07:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Mike Ferguson was initially opposed to the escalation in the Iraq War, saying he "needed to be convinced" Bush's plan was the way to go. That was back in January.

During the debate last week, he changed his tune and stridently supported the escalation: "It may also be, I believe, our last chance for victory. The President knows this, and I believe the Iraqi government and its people know this, too."

Now he needs to answer these questions: "What convinced you the plan you initially questioned is the right one? Was it new information from the Pentagon you have not shared with constituents? Was it political pressure from the Bush White House?"

Congressman Mike Ferguson is holding an open house at his office this Saturday, February 24, from nine a.m. to 11 a.m. at his Warren office [map]. This is our opportunity to make our feelings known about his continued support for the escalation of the War in Iraq.

Please join us in visiting his office at 9 a.m. to tell his staff how you feel about the Iraq War, and that he is not representing his constituents' view. We will -- politely and respectfully -- go into his office a few at a time to express our views as citizens, and then gather by the road as a group to show how many folks oppose the war.

Please make a sign or two to hold at the rally that says something like, "Out of Iraq Now" or "Ferguson, Bush and Iraq: Perfect Together." We'll be deep in a very red area of the district, so more sedate but blunt messages are probably best.

Ferguson is scared after that election last fall, and is working hard to shore up the base he lost. We have less than two years to keep the heat on and let the people of NJ's 7th district.

Posted by admin at 07:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

From PBS' Washington Week With Gwen Ifill, an excellent comparison of Congressman Mike Ferguson (R-NJ) and Congresswoman Louise Slaughter (D-NY) with regard to the Iraq War Resolution that passed the House last week.

ANNOUNCER: Once again, live from Washington, moderator Gwen Ifill.

MS. IFILL: Good evening. Explaining Iraq, defending Iraq, connecting Iraq to everything else on Washington's agenda and everything that is not -- that's what been consuming lawmakers, diplomats, and presidents this week and it's what we'll talk about tonight starting on Capitol Hill, where the debate leading up to this afternoon's House vote revealed how deep the splits are and how hard they will be to bridge. Case in point -- the widely divergent views of New Jersey Republican Mike Ferguson and New York Democrat Louise Slaughter.

REP. MIKE FERGUSON (R-NJ): Members are being cynically asked to vote on a resolution that does not address victory or success. It does not offer a pathway toward the peace and the prosperity that are vital to the region. It simply plays politics with the war and in so doing, does our troops and their families here at home a terrible disservice.

REP. LOUISE SLAUGHTER (D-NY): The simple reality is that two- thirds of the American public, including myself, do not trust the president's judgment when it comes to the war. It's a conflict that has been defined by mismanagement and misinformation since before it began. Why would we help our enemies by refusing to change course?

Posted by admin at 07:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Nothing more to say here than, The New York Observer says:

Mike Ferguson, a conservative Republican who was re-elected to his suburban New Jersey seat by less than two percent of the vote last year, just announced that he would vote against the resolution condemning the escalation of the war.

The youthful and ambitious pol, who engaged in some rather embarrassing district-shopping before winning his 7th District seat in 2000, nearly saw his political career collapse last November, when Democratic Assemblywoman Linda Stender mounted a strong challenge by criticizing Ferguson's loyalty to the House GOP leadership.

She is considering challenging him again next year -- and his vote against this resolution now figures to feature prominently in that campaign.

Posted by admin at 09:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here are some annotated highlights of Mike Ferguson's take on the Iraq War resolution passed last week by the House. His comments are in italics, with ours in plain text.

I am disappointed that the strategies employed thus far have not been more successful and that our progress in Iraq has been too slow, and I am saddened that those who have drafted this resolution are offering no alternatives of their own for our mission in Iraq. Indeed, they are prohibiting consideration in this Chamber of any alternative.

Yes, Mike, the debate is limited because this debate is about a specific proposal to add 21,500 more troops to Iraq, continuing the failed policy the Bush administration has attempted at least four times (in Fallujah twice, in Baghdad twice). I also find it difficult to accept your desire to debate alternatives in Iraq when you were in the majority for the first three years and ten months of the war and prohibited any debate during that entire time! Why is it only now that you are in the minority you want open debate?

Even better, your claim they are prohibiting debate on alternatives is a load of cow manure. You were given five minutes to say anything you wanted. So was every single member of the House of Representatives. No one said you may not bring up alternatives to what you admit is a failed policy. You chose to do that on your own, and then blame the Democrats. If you had an alternative, you could offer one. But you've been steadfast in just lockstepping behind the President and refuse to change your tune even as you see the situation imploding.

Continue reading "Mike Ferguson Supports Escallation of Iraq War" »

Posted by admin at 09:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here are some annotated highlights of Mike Ferguson's take on the Iraq War resolution passed last week by the House. His comments are in italics, with ours in plain text.

I am disappointed that the strategies employed thus far have not been more successful and that our progress in Iraq has been too slow, and I am saddened that those who have drafted this resolution are offering no alternatives of their own for our mission in Iraq. Indeed, they are prohibiting consideration in this Chamber of any alternative.

Yes, Mike, the debate is limited because this debate is about a specific proposal to add 21,500 more troops to Iraq, continuing the failed policy the Bush administration has attempted at least four times (in Fallujah twice, in Baghdad twice). I also find it difficult to accept your desire to debate alternatives in Iraq when you were in the majority for the first three years and ten months of the war and prohibited any debate during that entire time! Why is it only now that you are in the minority you want open debate?

Even better, your claim they are prohibiting debate on alternatives is a load of cow manure. You were given five minutes to say anything you wanted. So was every single member of the House of Representatives. No one said you may not bring up alternatives to what you admit is a failed policy. You chose to do that on your own, and then blame the Democrats. If you had an alternative, you could offer one. But you've been steadfast in just lockstepping behind the President and refuse to change your tune even as you see the situation imploding.

Continue reading "Mike Ferguson Supports Escallation of Iraq War" »

Posted by admin at 09:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here's Rep. Mike Ferguson trying to have it both ways about the President's plan to escalate the War in Iraq with another 21,500 troops.

"I'm not yet convinced about President Bush's plan to increase U.S. forces because the longer we bear the chief burden for Iraq's security, the longer it delays Iraqis from making the hard decisions about dealing with the terrorists," said Rep. Mike Ferguson, R-Warren.

Not yet convinced? Just a few months ago he was 100 percent behind the President and the Stay The Course plan. I guess the election and his win by less than 1.5 percent sent a message.

Posted by admin at 07:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The following letter was published in the Courier News on December 26, 2007.

Ferguson must change Iraq stance

In the recent elections for Congress, the voters of New Jersey's 7th U.S.Congressional District narrowly chose Mike Ferguson to represent their views in national government. Let's hope Ferguson starts his new term by representing our views on the Iraq war.

A new NBC/Wall Street Journal poll shows that 80 percent of Americans disapprove of George Bush's handling of the war. If the opinion of District 7 voters approximate that of the national population, than the vast majority of us also disapprove of Bush's war management. Constant unrelenting pressure seems to be the only tool remaining to force Bush to change direction in this terribly misdirected war.

This pressure must come from our elected representatives to Congress -- like Mike Ferguson. Apparently supportive of the Iraq war until now, Ferguson needs to change his stance and publicly compel the president to change direction. The majority of his constituents want a new direction and it is time for Ferguson to act on their behalf.

Should Ferguson fail to represent our views, then in 23 months, his constituents will have another opportunity to elect someone who will.

BILL BARR
Martinsville

Posted by admin at 06:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The following letter was published in the Home News Tribune on October 23, 2006:

Stender is best choice for 7th CD

Democrat Linda Stender is clearly the best choice for our state and our nation in New Jersey's 7th Congressional District. She would provide needed checks and balances against the corruption of the Bush administration.

Stender disagreed with Bush's decision to go to war in Iraq, but supports our troops and would pressure Bush for an exit strategy that brings soldiers home safely. Incumbent Rep. Mike Ferguson, R-7th Dist., however, has repeatedly given the Bush administration a free pass on oversight and accountability when it comes to Iraq and even voted to keep the troops there indefinitely.

Stender supports stem-cell research, which provides the best hope of curing many illnesses plaguing our nation. Ferguson, while claiming to be for stem-cell research, voted against it in Congress.

Stender supports a path toward energy independence. She would stand up to the big oil companies and would not allow price-gouging. She favors progress toward better and cleaner energy sources, which would reduce oil demand and reduce prices as well as protect the public.

I encourage voters to elect Stender. She would block the radical Bush agenda and help get our country back on course.

Charles Versfelt
RARITAN

Posted by admin at 07:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The following letter was published in the October 19, 2006 Independent Press:

Elect Stender to Congress

To the editor:

George W. Bush won't be on the ballot Nov. 7, but there is a way for us to register our anger over his administration's policies and principles. We can reject one of the individuals who has been a Bush Administration enabler, Republican Congressman Michael Ferguson.

For those who are appalled by the invasion and occupation of Iraq, abuses of human rights and civil liberties and countless other actions of this imperial president, we must take the only opportunity we have in the 2006 election and return Mike Ferguson to private life.

Linda Stender, the Democrat candidate in the Seventh Congressional District is an excellent choice to replace Ferguson. She believes in an orderly ending of our tragic adventure in Iraq, supports stem cell research, overturning tax breaks for the wealthy and the end of warrantless wiretapping of American citizens.

It's time to elect Linda Stender and a Democratic Congress.

Paul C. O'Shea
Summit

Posted by admin at 07:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Congressman Mike Ferguson says he wants to stay the course with the Bush administration's policies in the Iraq War, as opposed to finding a new strategy that could lead to victory and fewer American and Iraqi deaths. Here's what Stay The Course gets us:

Nearly one in five soldiers leaving the military after serving in Iraq and Afghanistan has been at least partly disabled as a result of service, according to documents of the Department of Veterans Affairs obtained by a Washington research group. ...

"The trend is ominous," said Paul Sullivan, director of programs for Veterans for America, an advocacy group, and a former V.A. analyst. Mr. Sullivan said that if the current proportions held up over time, 400,000 returning service members could eventually apply for disability benefits when they retired.

Supporting the troops means protecting them, and a 20 percent disabled rate is outragous.

Posted by admin at 06:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The following letter was published in the Courier News on Friday, September 29 2006.

Republicans sink in unethical mire

Yes, I am a Republican of long standing, and it is not easy to write this letter. I have had enough of the rape of this country by Washington and Big Business.

However, with unethical liberal Democrats and ethical conservative Republicans I am truly concerned. In my mind, ethics has to do with power, control, lying, cheating and stealing by individuals, government and business. The greatness of our country was the strong, honest, hard-working middle class. Yes, the economy is booming for the haves and the upper middle class. The rest of the country is faced with lower incomes, unreasonable prices, debt, usury, identity theft, taxation and health costs.

If we sit down and tally the money those unethical Democrats have gobbled up, we will find it is peanuts compared with that involving ethical Republicans. The Republicans, including Mike Ferguson and Tom Kean Jr., support business, the bigger the better, and favors for the haves. They will be asked to support President Bush's ill-conceived plan to return control of world oil to Houston as it was until the '70s. Yes, they may get us a piece of pork such as removing the mercury, which may never happen, or finish the Green Brook flood control, like New Orleans.

We had a famous middle-of-the-road Republican, Mrs. Whitman. We are assured that Tom Kean Jr. and Mike Ferguson will be of the same ilk. Mrs. Whitman reduced the income tax, a tax dedicated to education. The responsibility for education was transferred to the homeowners with questionable assessments. Education spending for status and parity has grown leaps and bounds to the point of taking small homes to increase tax receipts.

Utilities are billed in such a way as to make the poor, the elderly and those trying to conserve pay more per gallon of water, water that may not be fit to drink, than the haves pay. The interest on a small debt can be more than 60 percent APR, while large favored debts are about 20 percent or even less. There are discounts and rebates for some, but not all.

Now there is a big problem. For some time, all people were encouraged to register and vote, and register they did. How does the minority party solve the problem? Rig the ballot boxes, of course. Mind you, not by a lot, just enough to claim victory. It could easily happen here.

If I were you, I would keep my eye on the ethical Conservatives this go-round. Most likely, I will return to the party when it gives up carrying the Bible in one hand and death-dealing cluster bombs in the other while making large profits for big business on others' suffering.

CHARLES B. MOBUS
Warren

Posted by admin at 07:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The following letter was published in the Thursday, September 21, 2006 Cranford Chronicle.

Stender is the right choice for Congress

To The Chronicle:

One should agree with John Cantilli and Andrew Bucko about their negative views of our present Congressman. A common-sense change for the better is surely Linda Stender.

Linda Stender is running for Congress in this upcoming election. Linda is the former mayor of Fanwood, and she is currently serving her third term in the State Assembly.

She believes in bringing the troops home from Iraq safely within a year and focusing the government's policy on real homeland security. Linda wants to enact a bold energy policy to make us energy-independent and wants to put an end to the billions of dollars in tax breaks given to the big oil companies. She strongly supports stem cell research, a woman's right to choose, and allowing the federal government to negotiate with drug companies for low cost prescription drugs for senior citizens.

Linda Stender deserves our vote if we want a person who is not out of step and is not a rubber stamp for the Bush Administration's failed policies. She is the one who we should support on Tuesday, Nov. 7 for a seat in Congress.

MADELINE SPITZ
Cranford

Posted by admin at 09:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Well, apparently all we have to do is wish for things and they appear! Here is Linda Stender's new television ad about her campaign against Mike Ferguson here in New Jersey's 7th Congressional District. Enjoy:

Posted by admin at 11:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Linda Stender is hitting back at Mike Ferguson with mailings, a radio ad and -- from what I hear -- a television ad up on cable. I haven't seen it, but if you have put it in the comments. These three posts are the current pieces going out in the mail.

The second is about Ferguson's unlimited support for President George Bush's policies both domestically and internationally. You can click on either image to get to a pdf of the piece and mail it to your friends.

Front

Back

Posted by admin at 10:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Linda Stender is hitting back at Mike Ferguson with mailings, a radio ad and -- from what I hear -- a television ad up on cable. I haven't seen it, but if you have put it in the comments. These three posts are the current pieces going out in the mail.

The first is about Ferguson's unlimited support for President George Bush's Stay the Course strategy on the Iraq War. You can click on either image to get to a pdf of the piece and mail it to your friends.

Front

Back

Posted by admin at 09:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The following letter was published in the Home News Tribune on August 28, 2006.

Ferguson's claim rings hollow

My wife received a letter from our congressman, Rep. Michael Ferguson, R-7th Dist., in which he cites a "troubling development in the current conflict between Israel and Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon."

In substance, he concludes that the United States should blindly support Israel's position. While I have no particular position regarding the matter cited, though I would be interested in his position on the U.S. war in Iraq. Mr. Ferguson, after making a number of pronouncements for which he offers no support, concludes by stating, "I have written to Secretary Rice raising my strong objection (emphasis added) to the United States advocating that Israel withdraw from the area or negotiate with Lebanon over its future."

He goes on to say, "America's role in the current conflict should be to stand with Israel as it defends itself against terrorists. I will keep you posted when I receive a response from Secretary Rice . . ."

Given Ferguson's record, how can such a transparent attempt to distance himself from the Bush administration be seen as anything else? A strong objection? Come on. I for one not only would like to see his "strong objection," which was pointedly omitted from his campaign letter, but am certainly awaiting his "keeping his constituents posted" on Secretary Rice's response. Holding my breath.

Robert Ross
CRANFORD

Posted by admin at 07:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

If anyone had any worries that Linda Stender was just going to take what Mike Ferguson dished out and not fight back hard, the new radio ad she unleashed today [mp3] should change that notion! Ferguson tried to be clever in his ads calling his opponent, "Linda Stender is a Spender" but the fact is that in Congress Ferguson has voted for record spending, record deficits and record debt.

Linda isn't afraid to point this out, or the fact that Ferguson is trying to hide his record behind clever attack ads. And that gas prices and gas company profits have risen while Ferguson gave tax breaks to oil barons. It's good to hear a competitor like Linda get on the air early and aggressively.

These ads cost a good bit, so be sure to help Linda out by contributing to her campaign on our NJ7 ActBlue page today!

Plus, help spread the word by forwarding the .mp3 of the ad out to all your friends.

You can help keep the pressure on by writing letters to the editor on this and other issues related to Mike Ferguson. The Courier News is at letters@c-n.com, the Home News Tribune at letters@thnt.com, the Star Ledger at eletters@starledger.com, or the New York Times at letters@nytimes.com. More local and weekly publications can be found at Dump Mike Letters.

Posted by admin at 05:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

The following letter was published in the August 3, 2006 in the Courier News.

Make Bush pay by ousting Ferguson

Our nation put two oilmen in the White House, and six years later the price of gasoline has tripled and the oil companies are reaping outlandish profits. Is anyone surprised?

Our nation was attacked by Osama bin Laden, and President Bush responded by pursuing his personal grudge against Saddam Hussein, triggering a civil war in Iraq from which there appears to be no honorable way out.

Bush's war and his other profligate spending have put our nation deeply in debt to China and other foreign powers. His unilateralism and intransigence in the pursuit of unwise policies have cost America a large measure of respect worldwide. Remember when America was admired abroad? It was not that long ago.

Bush would not have been able to pursue his wrongheaded agenda without followers such as Mike Ferguson in Congress. Ferguson has consistently supported the war in Iraq and the ruinous fiscal policies of the Bush administration. In lockstep with his party leaders, he voted last year to provide $10 billion in new subsidies to the oil industry, and he recently voted against legislation to punish oil companies that engage in price gouging.

In fact, Ferguson votes the Bush line more than 90 percent of the time.

We can't vote Bush and Cheney out of office this year, but we can change the Congress to slow the advancement of their policies. This is how our system of checks and balances is supposed to work.

Those who have had enough of George Bush have a duty to unseat his minions in Congress, and the undistinguished Mike Ferguson should be at the top of the list.

CLIFFORD C. WILSON JR.
Skillman

Posted by admin at 08:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

The following letter was published in the July 31, 2006 Star Ledger:

End the occupation

Your July 20 editorial "The ugly reality of Iraq" decries the growing death toll there, the inability of Iraqi security forces to protect the populace, the incredibly rosy prognostications by the Bush administration even though the Iraq is in a virtual civil war and the fact that Iraq is likely doomed to years of chaos. This just does square with your June 20 editorial "Wisdom on the war" extolling the judgment of Congress for passing House Resolution 861, which rejected an "arbitrary" date for the withdrawal of troops.

You can't have it both ways. You may claim that rejecting a deadline for withdrawal is not an endorsement of President Bush's "stay the course" failures, but how is it not an endorsement when you offer no other remedy? You are free to continue wringing your hands, but it is to be hoped that voters are more focused in their thinking on the war this November and oppose those New Jersey Republicans who supported the resolution to continue the occupation of Iraq as long as their boss Bush sees fit. Their names are Frank LoBiondo, James Saxton Chris Smith, Scott Garrett, Michael Ferguson and Rodney Frelinghuysen.

-- W. Rosenthal
Maplewood

Posted by admin at 08:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Found this video today from the Linda Stender for Congress campaign linking Mike Ferguson to George Bush's failures. It's really not hard to do. Click to watch the video.

UPDATE: This video is not from the Stender campaign. In fact, it has no disclaimer so we do not know where it comes from. If you know, please put it in the comments!

Posted by admin at 05:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Congressman Mike Ferguson likes to act tough when it comes to homeland security. He's always ready to stand by a firefighter or local Republican politician and announce a grant, but his votes on funding anti-terror activities show a lack of concern for his constituents and the threats we face.

Last year, Ferguson voted for a budget bill that slashed homeland security funding for the states by $700 million, a 30 percent cut in money for first responders and security. Now it turns out that, due to that cut in funding, New Jersey will see significantly fewer homeland security dollars than in the past. According to the Star Ledger, New Jersey

will receive less federal money for anti-terror and disaster preparedness programs this year, as the Bush administration cut the state's overall security funding by $8 million to $51.9 million.

New Jersey was hit hard by the 911 attacks, with 694 Jerseyans losing their lives. Some of the 911 terrorists lived in New Jersey. Two weeks later New Jersey was attacked again when letters containing weaponized anthrax were mailed from Hamilton, NJ to politicians in Washington, D.C. We have some of the largest ports in the nation, a huge international airport.

Yet Mike Ferguson's vote to cut Homeland Security funding cut our security money by almost 16 percent.

It's worse when you consider that while Union and Middlesex County are in the corridor where the majority of New Jersey's funding will go, the towns where it will go will not be in the 7th district. Target ports in Elizabeth, Perth Amboy are out of district, along with sensitive areas like Plainfield and Hillside. Somerset and Hunterdon Counties -- almost half of the district -- will share $18 million with 15 other counties.

In short, Mike Ferguson has voted to slash funding for local homeland security, and the Republican administration has made it even worse by sending money to other states with fewer targets. The result is less money, less security and more evidence that Mike Ferguson is not the right person to represent the 7th district.

Contact Mike Ferguson's office and tell him you want him to stop cutting our homeland security funding, and go back to fighting for the people he's supposed to be representing.

Warren, NJ: (908) 757-7835 (v) or (908) 757-7841 (f) or e-mail
Washington, DC: (202) 225-5361 (v) or (202) 225-9460 (f) or e-mail
Campaign Office: (732) 560-4700 (v) or (732) 560-4790 (f) or e-mail.

Also, please write letters to the editor on this and other issues related to Mike Ferguson. The Courier News is at letters@c-n.com, the Home News Tribune at letters@thnt.com, the Star Ledger at eletters@starledger.com, or the New York Times at letters@nytimes.com. More local sites can be found at Dump Mike Letters.

Posted by admin at 07:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

This letter, which notes that Congressman Mike Ferguson's staff is once again unwilling to answer a simple question about his stance on the issues, was published in the Courier News on March 10, 2006:

Ferguson should explain war stance

I was born in 1941 into a Polish immigrant community in Linden. Perhaps my earliest childhood memory is of riding past the town theater and seeing their repulsive billboards advertising the movies on tap. The billboards featured macabre images -- large ones -- of Japanese soldiers. I had never seen an Asian person and didn't ask my parents what these representations were all about. I know now this was a predictable outcome of government propaganda calculated to manipulate a malleable public to support the country's involvement in the Second World War.

My grandparents, parents and their siblings -- and indeed myself -- spent endless hours, for years after the war, preparing and sending parcels of food, medicines and clothing to our relatives abroad in an attempt, not always successful, to keep them alive. Then there were the frequent letters from Poland, detailing the aftermath of the war in Europe.

These pathetic epistles were read aloud and discussed in family gatherings. They occasionally contained a photo of the writer's family. No picture I have ever seen of the least fortunate Americans comes close to the wretchedness of our people in the "old country." I had uncles serving in the conflict, which greatly heightened the stress our family suffered. That was as close as I ever came to war, but it was close enough to make an impression that has not faded with the passage of time.

Our species has a history sometimes glorious, but in most respects abominable in the extreme. The sickening side of human nature isn't unveiled to young children when they are taught history. It needs to be.

America is inflicting on the Iraqi population (and itself willy-nilly) the same hell Germany inflicted on the rest of Europe and the world beyond, not once but twice in the last century.

At times, I hear someone say George W. Bush "doesn't know what war is." That one sure rings true. People such as our pampered president and young congressman Mike Ferguson have lived lives thoroughly removed from such realities. They are clueless and, consequently, far too cavalier.

As the November elections approach, I look forward to knowing Mr. Ferguson's current position on the Iraq invasion (and why a constituent cannot get this information when he calls Mr. Ferguson's office in Washington). I also am curious about whether Ferguson is planning to support a discussion on the House floor addressing how America should now deal with the mess in Iraq he and his party have created. I refer to House Resolution 543.

FERDINAND GAJEWSKI
Westfield

Posted by admin at 07:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This letter was published in the Courier News on February 9, 2006:

I had to laugh when I saw the recent letter from Mike Ferguson touting solar energy in the Courier News. Since he is coming up for re-election this fall, Congressman Ferguson obviously wants his constituents to think he cares about the environment and about the high cost of energy, but he does not.

Ferguson voted for $8.1 billion in energy tax breaks for oil and gas producers, and $2 billion for subsidizing development of oil and gas production in the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico. These subsidies were doled out to oil companies who are currently raking in record profits. Exxon Mobil just posted a quarterly profit of $10.7 billion, the largest for any U.S. company, in any industry, ever.

Ferguson also voted for the disastrous 2005 energy bill that arose out of the infamous Cheney Energy Task Force. This bill does little to reduce our dependence on oil; weakens cornerstone environmental protections such as the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Clean Water Act and the National Environmental Policy Act; provides billions of dollars to polluting industries; requires damaging and invasive oil and gas activities on our coastlines; increases global warming pollution; and weakens the public's ability to give input into siting energy facilities. In fact, Ferguson voted against environment-friendly policies 80 percent of the time in 2005.

Ferguson also voted to increase Medicare premiums and to make Bush's tax cuts permanent, leading our nation to record budget deficits. Ferguson is a toady of the Bush administration. We need a representative who will think and vote independently. Ferguson is not the right choice for New Jersey's 7th Congressional District.

LISA TOTTEN
Bridgewater

Posted by admin at 06:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Congressman Mike Ferguson has a very interesting interpretation of how things are going in the Iraq War.

"We saw both challenges and incredible successes in Iraq. We had elections, and continuing terrorist activity there, and deaths and injuries to U.S. personnel. We saw a lot of successes as well and great strides forward," said Ferguson, R-Hunterdon.

This is about as rosy an assessment of the situation in Iraq as you can get.

Posted by admin at 04:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)