Vote Against the War, Vote Hermann



July 24, 2008 Interview By John Dillon, VPR News, Montpelier, Vt. [Excerpts]

An Iraq war veteran is challenging Congressman Peter Welch, saying the Democratic incumbent has failed to live up to his promise to end the war.

Former Army Specialist Thomas Hermann announced his candidacy today. Hermann is running as a Progressive Party candidate.

(Dillon) Thomas Hermann says he joined the Army five years ago, believing in the mission in Iraq. He says he had not planned to run for political office when his tour ended.

(Hermann) "I had an awakening in Iraq, where a lot of my points of views got drastically changed.''

(Dillon) Hermann said that during his 16-month tour, he concluded that the Iraqi people were justified in defending their country against the U.S. invasion. He says he's now running for Congress because, he says, the Democratic majority has failed to end the war, and hold President Bush accountable. (Hermann) "And there's more. This is a campaign to empower all citizens to participate in our democracy. We will show that the doors of Congress can be swung open once again for the people.''

(Dillon) Hermann is 29 and has never held political office. He's originally from Florida and moved to Vermont in March. He now lives in Barre where he works on a farm.

(Hermann) "What's the alternative, vote for a person that keeps voting to fund the war, not impeaching, following the Constitution? No, the answer to it is getting into the political career and engaging everyday citizens to support you.''

(Dillon) Hermann is not a complete political neophyte. He's listed as a Vermont volunteer on the Ralph Nader for President Web site. No Republican has emerged to challenge Welch, who is now running for re-election after one term. The congressman's opposition is coming from the left side of the political spectrum.

Some anti-war activists are critical of Welch because they say he's voted to support defense spending. Hermann was introduced by Dan DeWalt of Newfane, an activist who led an impeachment drive against President Bush.

(DeWalt) "Two years ago, when Peter Welch was running for Congress, he told us he was going to do everything to end the war.... The first thing the Democratic Congress did when they got to Washington was fund the escalation of the war. The second thing they did was re-fund it.''

MORE:


Iraq Combat Vet Challenges Pro-War Democrat


From: James Marc Leas
Sent: July 21, 2008

Peter Welch fails to represent Vermonters.

Two years ago, Peter Welch told Vermonters to send him to Congress. Welch said that getting out of Iraq was a top priority for him, and he assured us that Congress could hold the executive branch accountable without impeachment hearings.

But when Peter Welch got to Washington, he showed himself to be a party loyalist, stepping into line as the Democratic Congress funded the escalation of the Iraq occupation, allowed wiretapping of Americans without a warrant, acquiesced to torture, and shrugged at signing statements that circumvented the law.

While Peter Welch was making promises he did not keep, Thomas James Hermann was serving with honor in the armed forces in Iraq. He served in the infantry, putting his life on the line to protect our Constitution. He participated in 150 combat missions during his first year in Iraq.

Then he was stop-lossed and served another 4 months in combat. As Thomas Hermann witnessed first-hand the tragic consequences of Presidential malfeasance, and the enabling Congressional dithering, he knew that he would have to do more when he got home.

He now believes that the corruption and political game playing of the Democrats and Republicans in Washington require a candidate for Congress who answers to the Constitution and his/her Vermont constituents.

Thomas James Hermann will be calling for bringing all the troops, mercenaries, and US corporations home from Iraq now.

He calls for taking good care of our soldiers when they get home. He calls for holding Peter Welch accountable for voting funding for the war and for opposing impeachment of Bush and Cheney.

Hermann believes that ending the war and its enormous drain on resources is crucial for improving the economy, the environment, health care, education, and respect for United States.

Thomas Hermann, 29, lives in Barre and works on a farm nearby.

Today he submitted petitions with the signatures of 837 Vermonters from 113 Vermont towns and villages to be on the Vermont Progressive Party primary ballot for U.S. Congress.

You can reach Thomas James Hermann by phone at 802 461-4433 or by email at thomasj.hermann[at]gmail.com

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