November 25, 2005: Headlines: COS - Uzbekistan: Politics: Directors - Vasquez: The Lakeland Times: Uzbekistan RPCV John Smart says: Hurricane Katrina only brings unwanted attention to others who are also less than qualified for their high positions, people like Gaddi Vasquez at the Peace Corps and Kenneth Tomlinson at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting
Peace Corps Online:
Peace Corps News:
Headlines:
Peace Corps Headlines - 2001:
12 December 2001 Peace Corps Headlines:
December 6, 2001 - The Park Falls Herald: Uzbekistan RPCV John Smart talks to Senator Feingold about Peace Corps Issues at Senator's listening session:
November 25, 2005: Headlines: COS - Uzbekistan: Politics: Directors - Vasquez: The Lakeland Times: Uzbekistan RPCV John Smart says: Hurricane Katrina only brings unwanted attention to others who are also less than qualified for their high positions, people like Gaddi Vasquez at the Peace Corps and Kenneth Tomlinson at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting
Uzbekistan RPCV John Smart says: Hurricane Katrina only brings unwanted attention to others who are also less than qualified for their high positions, people like Gaddi Vasquez at the Peace Corps and Kenneth Tomlinson at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting
But of course, as media pundits are always reminding us, Democrats need to step up to the challenge. Democrats can’t succeed simply by pointing out the stumbling of the opposition, by raging against incompetence and the ugly name-calling in the House. Democrats must offer answers to the national questions, must take positions on critical issues.
Uzbekistan RPCV John Smart says: Hurricane Katrina only brings unwanted attention to others who are also less than qualified for their high positions, people like Gaddi Vasquez at the Peace Corps and Kenneth Tomlinson at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting
The American people will respond to Democrat alternatives
To the Editor:
The actions in the United States House of Representatives leading up to their Thanksgiving recess were disgraceful. The total lack of respect shown by members toward their constituents, the dignity of the House and each other was shocking.
Congresswoman Jean Schmidt (R-Ohio), the House’s most junior member, attacked Rep. John Murtha (D-Pennsylvania) as a coward; this to a man with more than 30 years congressional seniority, as well as a career as a U.S. Marine officer, and a much decorated combat veteran of Vietnam. She was forced to shamefully withdraw her remarks, but the effect was to make an ugly situation even uglier.
Rep. Murtha had offered a resolution calling for the withdrawal of American forces from Iraq within six months, or “at the earliest practical date.” The purpose was to pressure the Iraqi government to get their act together and prepare for their own defense. They have been dragging their feet, knowing that American troops will remain there to take care of things for them.
In other matters, the Republican majority narrowly passed a new budget bill that will cut social services for Americans living in poverty or reduced circumstances, while extending the Bush sponsored tax cuts for the wealthiest among us. They also managed to find time to give themselves a sizeable pay raise, up to $165,000 a year, plus expenses for new members, hardly the national income average. “The rich get richer while the poor get poorer!”
But there’s a sense of desperation in the Republicans tactics. With their incredible shrinking poll numbers, they’re acting out of panic.
Watching the president and his vice president, both of whom managed to keep themselves and members of their families from serving in the nation’s armed forces, accusing those who dissent from their war policies with lack of courage and patriotism is disingenuous at best and truly unpatriotic at worst. Thomas Jefferson made it clear that dissent is patriotic.
Then there are the ethics problems of Republican leaders Tom DeLay and Bill Frist, among others, which are reducing the Republicans’ legislative effectiveness.
And the charges of cronyism in this administration are very real. The publicity surrounding the attempted appointment of Harriet Miers to the Supreme Court and the embarrassing reaction of Bush’s buddy, “Brownie,” at FEMA, to the devastation of Hurricane Katrina only brings unwanted attention to others who are also less than qualified for their high positions, people like Gaddi Vasquez at the Peace Corps and Kenneth Tomlinson at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
Republicans are in serious trouble, and the Democrats sense blood in the water. President Bush’s campaign visit to the Republican candidate for the Virginia governor’s office seem to have actually contributed to his loss. With his tongue in cheek, Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chairman Joe Wineke wrote to George W. Bush, “I would like to extend an invitation for you to visit Wisconsin on behalf of all Republicans the day before our general election Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2006!”
But of course, as media pundits are always reminding us, Democrats need to step up to the challenge. Democrats can’t succeed simply by pointing out the stumbling of the opposition, by raging against incompetence and the ugly name-calling in the House. Democrats must offer answers to the national questions, must take positions on critical issues.
When Democrats are listened to and can provide alternatives, the American people will respond accordingly.
John Smart
Park Falls
November 25, 2005
When this story was posted in December 2005, this was on the front page of PCOL:
Peace Corps Online The Independent News Forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers
 | Why blurring the lines puts PCVs in danger
When the National Call to Service legislation was amended to include Peace Corps in December of 2002, this country had not yet invaded Iraq and was not in prolonged military engagement in the Middle East, as it is now. Read the story of how one volunteer spent three years in captivity from 1976 to 1980 as the hostage of a insurrection group in Colombia in Joanne Marie Roll's op-ed on why this legislation may put soldier/PCVs in the same kind of danger. Latest: Read the ongoing dialog on the subject. |
 | PC establishes awards for top Volunteers
Gaddi H. Vasquez has established the Kennedy Service Awards to honor the hard work and service of two current Peace Corps Volunteers, two returned Peace Corps Volunteers, and two Peace Corps staff members. The award to currently serving volunteers will be based on a demonstration of impact, sustainability, creativity, and catalytic effect. Submit your nominations by December 9. |
 | Peace Corps at highest Census in 30 years
Congratulations to the Peace Corps for the highest number of volunteers in 30 years with 7,810 volunteers serving in 71 posts across the globe. Of course, the President's proposal to double the Peace Corps to 15,000 volunteers made in his State of the Union Address in 2002 is now a long forgotten dream. With deficits in federal spending stretching far off into the future, any substantive increase in the number of volunteers will have to wait for new approaches to funding and for a new administration. Choose your candidate and start working for him or her now. |
 | 'Celebration of Service' a major success
The Peace Corps Fund's 'Celebration of Service' on September 29 in New York City was a major success raising approximately $100,000 for third goal activities. In the photo are Maureen Orth (Colombia); John Coyne (Ethiopia) Co-founder of the Peace Corps Fund; Caroline Kennedy; Barbara Anne Ferris (Morocco) Co-founder; Former Senator Harris Wofford, member of the Advisory Board. Read the story here. |
 | PC apologizes for the "Kasama incident"
The District Commissioner for the Kasama District in Zambia issued a statement banning Peace Corps activities for ‘grave’ social misconduct and unruly behavior for an incident that occurred on September 24 involving 13 PCVs. Peace Corps said that some of the information put out about the incident was "inflammatory and false." On October 12, Country Director Davy Morris met with community leaders and apologized for the incident. All PCVs involved have been reprimanded, three are returning home, and a ban in the district has since been lifted. |
 | The Peace Corps Library
Peace Corps Online is proud to announce that the Peace Corps Library is now available online. With over 30,000 index entries in 500 categories, this is the largest collection of Peace Corps related stories in the world. From Acting to Zucchini, you can find hundreds of stories about what RPCVs with your same interests or from your Country of Service are doing today. If you have a web site, support the "Peace Corps Library" and link to it today. |
 | Friends of the Peace Corps 170,000 strong
170,000 is a very special number for the RPCV community - it's the number of Volunteers who have served in the Peace Corps since 1961. It's also a number that is very special to us because March is the first month since our founding in January, 2001 that our readership has exceeded 170,000. And while we know that not everyone who comes to this site is an RPCV, they are all "Friends of the Peace Corps." Thanks everybody for making PCOL your source of news for the Returned Volunteer community. |
Read the stories and leave your comments.
Some postings on Peace Corps Online are provided to the individual members of this group without permission of the copyright owner for the non-profit purposes of criticism, comment, education, scholarship, and research under the "Fair Use" provisions of U.S. Government copyright laws and they may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner. Peace Corps Online does not vouch for the accuracy of the content of the postings, which is the sole responsibility of the copyright holder.
Story Source: The Lakeland Times
This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Uzbekistan; Politics; Directors - Vasquez
PCOL24054
14
|
By RPCV (ca1462-ch01-bl02.ma-cambridg0.sa.earthlink.net - 207.69.137.201) on Friday, December 09, 2005 - 6:18 am: Edit Post |
He's a joke. and continues the joke at Peace Corps.
The previous comment about Gaddi Vazquez being a "joke" deserves both a concrete reason for such a remark and the name of the person who wrote it. Such ad hominen remarks submitted by an anonymous contributor do not elevate the discussion to a level one can take seriously. If you've got something better than vitriol, put it out there and put your name on it.
Dennis Lynch (Colombia 67-69)
Is this the John Smart of Park Falls, WI who went to UW_Madison 1960? Subsequently moved to NYC, later Chicago, then years later The Peace Corps? This is Gibbs Murray, who lost track after that last move..15 years ago? Would like to hear from you (him).
