Democrats Fail to Deliver for Voters, Troops Green Party of California March 20, 2007 Contact: Susan King, spokesperson, 415.823-5524 funking@mindspring.com SACRAMENTO -- On the fourth anniversary of the start of the war and occupation of Iraq, the Green Party of California Monday said most California members of Congress - Democrats as well as Republicans - have "failed" state voters by refusing to protect US troops by cutting new funding for the war. A vote in the House is due this week to decide whether another $100 billion will be spent on the war. But, although they are the new majority, Democrats will vote for the funding. "Democrats were voted into power last Fall - especially in California - because voters wanted the war to end, and troops brought home. And now, the best Democrats can do is try to end the war in two years? That's not good enough," said Dr. Bob Vizzard, a state party spokesperson. He said about 340 Californians have died, and thousands injured in the war. The Green Party, in fact, is the only national political party to be opposed to the war from the beginning - on March 19, 2003, when only about 22-26 percent of Americans were opposed. Today, the vast majority of Americans want US troops home now. Demonstrations today in major California cities are endorsed by Green Party locals, including one Monday at the offices in San Francisco of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. Former Green supervisor Matt Gonzalez, current Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi, gubernatorial candidate Peter Camejo, and former candidates Aimee Allison and Krissy Keefer will speak. Greens will also be prominent at a "Die-In" at the State Capital of Sacramento, where the nation's longest running sit-in is being held at the offices of another Democrat, Rep. Doris Matsui. Demonstrators have sat in Matsui's offices since Jan. 8 - 49 straight days - refusing to leave until she agrees to vote against new funding for the war. "Rep. Matsui is the poster Democrat from California. She claims to be opposed to the war, but she insists that voting for funding will 'protect' the troops when all it does is leave them in harm's way," said Cres Vellucci, a Vietnam veteran and press secretary for the GPCA. Green Party of California
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