[Peace-discuss] Local Congressional representative & war

[C. G. Estabrook]

"Johnson's unexpected decision to retire, first reported on Wednesday  
by Illinois-based Capitol Fax, was confirmed by two senior Republican  
officials, including one House leadership aide. The news even caught  
local GOP officials in Johnson’s Champaign County by surprise.

"Telephone calls and messages to Johnson’s Washington and district  
offices were not returned.

First elected in 2000, the 65-year-old Johnson has over the years  
displayed some maverick -- and unconventional -- tendencies. He bucked  
the Republican administration on the war in Iraq, and was one of 17  
House Republicans in early 2007 who voted for a resolution opposing  
President Bush’s troop “surge” plan. In June 2008, he cited the impact  
on civil liberties when he was the only Republican to vote against  
renewal of the law to permit a secret court to approve intelligence  
surveillance, which the House passed 293-129."


On Apr 4, 2012, at 6:57 PM, Carl G. Estabrook wrote:

> The Chicago Tribune: <http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/clout/chi-rep-tim-johnson-wont-run-again-sources-say-20120404,0,3387798.story 
> >.
>
> Johnson's connection to the Ron Paul campaign - Tim introduced Paul  
> at a large rally on campus - suggests that the Paul campaign might  
> be urged to suggest and press for an (anti-war) Republican candidate  
> for Congress in this district.
>
>
> On Apr 4, 2012, at 6:42 PM, C. G. Estabrook wrote:
>
>> It's rumored - rumored - that Tim Johnson "intends to drop out of  
>> his reelection race ... Johnson apparently believes that this is  
>> now a safe seat since perennial candidate David Gill won the  
>> Democratic primary race, so it’s OK to leave without partisan  
>> worry. Possible replacements include Rodney Davis, Rep. Chapin  
>> Rose, Rep. Adam Brown, Sen. Sam McCann, Johnson’s former chief of  
>> staff Jerry Clarke and his current chief of staff Mark Shelden."
>>
>> AFAIK none of these worthies will have Tim's settled opposition to  
>> Mideast war. Admitting that he was wrong a decade ago to vote for  
>> the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, Tim reversed his position  
>> and now for some time has voted consistently against funds for war.  
>> He even joined other members of Congress from both parties in a  
>> suit against the illegal attack on Libya.
>>
>> David Gill's position isn't clear. If he's changed it to  
>> approximate Tim's, as he seems recently to indicate - he hasn't  
>> been as honest about renouncing his earlier support for Obama's  
>> position on Afghanistan.
>>
>> If it's true that we'll have two 'major party' Congressional  
>> candidates with ambiguous positions on war, we might want to  
>> consult with other anti-war groups in the district - the Greens,  
>> Occupy, etc., here and in BloNo, etc. - about whether a third-party  
>> antiwar candidate would be a good idea.
>>
>> --CGE
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>