Posted on 03/23/2007 8:11:13 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
Democratic Rep. Pete Stark of Fremont was the only member of Congress on Friday to vote "present" on a bill setting a deadline to withdraw troops from Iraq.
Stark said he could not support the bill, which passed 218-212-1, because of his strong opposition to the war.
"Throughout my career in Congress, I've voted against defense spending and against war," Stark said. "Building new weapons systems and waging war doesn't solve problems. If the last four years are any indication, it actually makes them worse."
A number of other California liberals who are in the Progressive Caucus and the Out of Iraq Caucus also considered the legislation too weak because it funds ongoing operations in Iraq and sought a quicker withdrawal deadline. The legislation calls for combat troops to be pulled out of Iraq by next year.
However, the liberal groups agreed not to block the legislation, although some individual members voted no anyway.
Stark, who has represented suburban San Francisco voters since 1973, takes pride in being consistently rated the most liberal member of Congress. Last week, he made headlines when he was identified as the only member of Congress to be an atheist.
has represented suburban San Francisco voters since 1973,
wow.
Throughout my career in Congress, I've voted against defense spending and against war," Stark said.
Fremont is 60 miles from San Francisco
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., center, flanked by Republican Presidential hopeful, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., left, and Sen. Joseph Lieberman, I-Conn., talks about the Iraq supplemental legislation he will offer in the Senate, Friday, March 23, 2007, during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington. . (AP Photo/Lauren Victoria Burke)
Rep. Pete Stark, D-Calif., speaks during a Capitol Hill news conference in this March 4, 2003, file photo. Secular groups applauded Rep. Pete Stark for publicly acknowledging he does not believe in a supreme being. The declaration, they said, makes the California Democrat the highest-ranking elected official and first congressman to publicly claim to be an atheist. The American Humanist Association took out an ad in the Washington Post on Tuesday, March 13, 2007, congratulating Stark's stance. (AP Photo/Terry Ashe, file)
Thanks, I know. I live just South of there.
They don't teach geography in Journalism, I reckun. lol
Pelosi represents San Fran, Lantos represents the area immediately to its south. Fortney Stark represents the district adjacent to Lantos.
I'm a nonbeliever, and wouldn't urinate on Fortney if he was on fire.
as a crow flies. ;-)
"Throughout my career in Congress, I've voted against defense spending and against war," Stark said.
Throughout your career creep you've voted for the destruction of America.
He represents east bay, Fremont, Hayward, San Lorenzo, San Leandro, etc. This area is a heavy mind-numbed vote Dem even if they ran a pile of excrement as a candidate. .
Fremont is in the East Bay below Hayward
We got Zoe Lofgren down here and mine is Mike Honda,, it is a hellhole,, in the South and East Bay ya got Eshoo and Tauscher too..
Stark represents Hayward, Castro Valley, Fremont and communities. Those are his core voters.
I remember. Stopped there for gas once.
...And the only out Atheist in Congress. ...San Francisco family values.
I have Rush "Professor for Peace" Holt in my area. That's what you get when you have three universities, and the state capitol (read:government workers) within your district.
Stark is an atheist. He is the only athiest in Congress. I therefor couldn't care.
The Dems are trying to accomplish something with the pork in this bill that they have not been able to accomplish in the last two sessions of Congress. Inflate spending once again.
That's one of the reasons I left. I grew up in Santa Clara when we were known for our orchards
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