Jeff Flake Visit Sept 18th 2007

Tuesday Sept 18th 2007
Visit with Congressman Jeff Flake Report

It is with GREAT PRIDE FREINDS from Arizona came to DC for lobbying efforts after months of tenacious pressure from yours truly CODEPINK AZ!~ Persistance really matters folks!!!

Last week CODEPINK eagerly awaiting 7 Peace Coalition and Social Justice workers to get to DC to express concern for the foreign policy of permanent occupation and endless war in Iraq and a future air strike of Iran! We had appointments with several Congressman!! It is important to protest, rally, vigil,die-in,sit-in,educate,but WE MUST BE IN THE HALLS OF CONGRESS everyday!!Outside the halls actions are vital to grow the movement but inside is where we must take our struggle for Justice
We must work as hard on the inside as we do on the outside activities
Great job to all ! Thanks
Jeff Flake is Edwina's rep so there is where we begin our report
I had a strong vibe that we would meet with the Congressman himself.
Edwina Vogan and i were ready to puts our issues on the table for debate and suggest our vision of solving tensions through international community involvement ~
Jeff Flake offset the beginning of our meeting with a bit of humor
by saying Liz it is scary but we really have more in common these days.
Our dialogue simply reflected Iraq as a failure in foreign policy with no strategy and no exit plan
and completely unsustainable. We are occupiers and our troops are jeopardized everyday!
This was a lead up to our concern of possible air strikes on Iran which was our main focus IRAN!
We indicated to the Congressman that our biggest issue is making certain we use diplomacy over the military machine in regard to Iran!We must look at the failure of Iraq and work toward a more secure US through
peaceful negotiations and diplomatic reasoning.
Jeff agreed that we should be leaders in creating an atmosphere of dialogue.
He also understands that we would create millions of enemies out of a people that generally like the US.
He stated the importance of trying to create freinds not make more enemies
The meeting went smooth we walked out i a state of relief that he is someone who does understand the bigger picture!!
The people of Arizona have been looking for leadership we have been lacking
someone that believes in maximizing diplomatic skill set to move our state & country forward.
We asked Jeff Flake to provide leadership as he has in the past on a variety of issues where he stood for beliefs over party line loyalty. In the past Jeff has voted to prohibit FBI access to library and bookstore records,he was a no vote on the No Child Left Behind Act,Voted to Ban Torture of Prisoners in US custody,he believes in lifting travel restrictions on Cuban Americans-our time in was a great start to more effective lobbying for the next arizona visitors
SO MAKE APPOINTMENTS locally
COME TO DC JOIN US we need your voice and presence everyday!
so we must keep on working on meetings and extra lobbying activities because it is the right thing to do!







Jeff Flake 202.225.2635
www.house.gov/flake
jeff.flake@mail.house.gov
240 Cannon office bldg
Washington DC 20515 -0306
202.2264386 fax
Committees
Foreign Affairs &
Natural Resources