DSM

Today I watched a congressional inquiry into a secret for UK intelligence eyes only report leaked first to the London Times called - the Downing Street Memo. This secret document is the minutes from a July, 2002 meeting between Bush and Blair where the case for an invasion of Iraq was found to be so weak that they would have to fix the facts to fit the agenda for war and then lie and manipulate the American people and Congress into supporting an invasion of Iraq.

560,000 American citizens joined a 125 Congressional Representatives lead by senior congressman John Conyers of

, in petitioning the White House for what many are claiming are impeachable offenses.

The President, Vice President, and Secretary of Defense are asked to speak to members of Congress and explain this deception to war.

Why is this important for those of gathered here today in celebration of alternatives to nursing homes and institutions and people’s choice in deciding where to receive long term care – it is precisely because $300 billion dollars has been spent already to fund the war in Iraq and the Iraqi people are worse off now than when Saddam Hussein was in power. On Thursday 23 October 2003 Truth Out reported, “A new Iraq scandal erupted today as a report claimed billions of dollars earmarked for rebuilding the country have vanished after being handed to the United States-controlled governing body in Baghdad.” 8 billion dollars of American tax payer dollars disappeared without a trace while we the people are asked to bear the cost of the war by doing without on domestic spending.

For people with disabilities reliant on the government through the Medicaid and Medicare systems, cuts from above represent life and death for many of us deemed to costly for government assistance. I have been hit with cuts to my hours and levels of care as well as having my rental assistance decreased so that now I have to pay double what I did before.

How many people would the $300 billion that we’ve already spent funding the war have helped here in this country if we would have used it to support the American people in issues such as long term care, general health care, and education. How many jobs could have been created, businesses began, students supported.

In the times ahead Americans are going to have to be increasingly vigilant that our representatives in the White House, Congress, state, and local branches of government are well aware of our desires, wishes, and hopes; so that they do not deter from caring for the citizens of our nation.