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Open letter to Phil Burress, President, Citizens for Community Values (CCV)
January 28, 2008
Subject: 2008 U.S. Congressional Candidate Questionnaire
Dear Mr. Burress,
Thank you for sending me the CCV 2008 Candidate Questionnaire. I have given thoughtful, reasoned responses to your questions and except for two issues, I’m sure you agree that I am in agreement with CCV’s pro-life, pro-family agenda. The first is my opposition to a marriage protection amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The Defense of Marriage Act of 1996 explicitly defines a marriage as the union between one man and one woman. Thus, no act or agency of the U.S. federal government currently recognizes same-sex marriage. To be sure, we must remain vigilant, but the federal government has already weighed in on the matter, and we should be spending more of our time and resources on other important issues, not the least of which is making sure the public understands that abortion is anything but a healthy choice for children in the womb and their mothers.
The one other issue I believe we disagree on is our continued occupation in Iraq as well as our “nation building” around the world. Please note that I also disagree with the other three Republican candidates on the March 4th Republican primary ballot. Forget that the war in Iraq is an unconstitutional, undeclared-by-Congress act of aggression to enforce unconstitutional U.N. Resolutions against Iraq which never posed a credible threat to our national security. However, whether or not you agree or disagree with the Administration’s reasons for invading Iraq, the simple truth is, we can no longer afford the trillions of dollars we will spend in the years ahead to pursue a failed, counterproductive foreign policy in the Middle East and elsewhere. Furthermore, if we have a sincere desire to support a pro-family agenda of peace, liberty and economic freedom here at home, it’s time we stop borrowing from China to support military dictators in the Middle East (like Musharaff from Pakistan) who couldn’t care less about democracy in Iraq or anywhere else, let alone freedom, liberty and justice for future generations of Americans who will have to repay the debt plus interest. Having said that, “just war theory” is a broad and complex issue, and I would be open to attending a town hall meeting with the other candidates for Congress in the 7th Congressional District, both Republican and Democratic. I would welcome your sponsorship of this forum that I’m sure would be most informative to the voters regardless of political affiliation.
Thank you again for sending along the Citizens for Community Values 2008 Candidate Questionnaire. I look forward to your decision to sponsor or co-sponsor a forum on “just war theory.” Please contact me if you have any questions on my responses to the questionnaire.
Very respectfully,
John Mitchel
LtCol, USAF (Ret)
937 427-8442
www.reformcongress.com
Paid for by Americans for John Mitchel
