Fw: Combat veteran challenges Congress to start sacrificing

--- On Tue, 8/17/10, Patriot Update <alerts@patriotupdate.com> wrote: From: Patriot Update <alerts@patriotupdate.com> Subject: Combat veteran challenges Congress to start sacrificing To: jsrrose1940@yahoo.com Date: Tuesday, August 17, 2010, 2:55 PM Having trouble viewing this email? Please click here Forward to a Friend To ensure delivery, please add alerts@patriotupdate.com to your address book.   Fellow American, As a combat veteran who has led men into battle, I know the true meaning of the word "sacrifice." American patriots, whom I served with, face an unrelenting enemy in the field of battle with courage and without complaint. When I think of these men and women, and then contrast their sacrifice with what I see in Washington, I am outraged - and you should be too. Washington politicians are mortgaging our future with out of control spending and bigger, more intrusive government, while saying they can't find any part of government spending to cut. Washington politicians do not know what sacrifice is. That's why I'm challenging every Member of Congress and head of federal agencies to slash their budgets, starting with cutting their own salaries by 25%. I'm running for Congress because the unprecedented and irresponsible over-spending and debt increases perpetrated by President Obama and Congress have utterly failed to fix our ailing economy, and have put our nation's long-term future prosperity in jeopardy. Will you join my efforts to reign in the far left's spending spree by following this link to make a contribution of $25, $50, $100, $250 or more to my campaign today? I applaud Secretary of Defense Gates for taking the initiative to reduce America's deficit, and I challenge every other federal bureaucracy to follow suit - including Congress. If Secretary Gates can find fat to trim, then so can every other bloated government agency - bar none. Do not get me wrong - there is a big difference between fat and muscle. I would never support cutting muscle from our military or any other measure that would hurt our trigger pullers. I am one! But there is unnecessary funding in every budget, and cutting the fat creates more efficiency and effectiveness - important in any agency, but especially our military. My experience has uniquely positioned me to chime in on the topic of defense spending cuts, and I hope you will make sure I have the opportunity to pursue this issue in Washington. After high school, I decided to enlist in the Marine Corps instead of going to college. I went to sniper school, fought in the first Gulf War and trained with militaries around the world. When my four years were up I attended New York University and was hired on Wall Street. I quickly learned that Wall Street's culture of greed was not for me, and I began a consulting firm. I was doing well as a small businessman, but then our nation was attacked by terrorists on September 11, 2001. I quickly began the process of reenlisting in the Marines, and it wasn't long after that that I shipped out to Iraq. While serving in Iraq for the second time, I was rushed by two insurgents and had no choice but to shoot and kill them. A man in my platoon, whom I had recently demoted, falsely reported the incident, and I was charged with the premeditated murder of two Iraqis. I faced a death sentence if convicted. After a year of investigation, I was cleared of the charges, but not before the national media crucified me. Since announcing my candidacy the backlash from the far left has intensified. I've been called a rogue and trigger-happy Marine, and the liberal blog the Daily Kos has even gone as far to call me a "Jack Bauer Republican." But I won't allow my opponents to take the focus of this race away from the issues facing America, especially when it comes to mortgaging our future with out-of-control spending and job killing big government. So I'm counting on grassroots conservatives like you to provide my campaign with the resources to cut through the media clutter and make sure every voter in my district knows who I am, what I stand for and the truth about my opponent's record and ties to Nancy Pelosi. Will you follow this link and make a contribution of $25, $50, $100, $250 or even the maximum legal limit for $2,400 to my campaign today? Finding a way to cut unnecessary defense expenses and streamline operations is just one way our military sets the standard, and puts our irresponsible civilian government leaders to shame. But we need more. We need a similar commitment to cost-cutting and fiscal responsibility from every other cabinet member, agency head, and Members of Congress to immediately consider reducing their salaries and office expenses. And more than anything, we need Congress to recognize its abysmal performance and pony up for some cuts of its own, starting with a 25 percent pay cut for the members themselves. In the Marines we always say, "officers eat last..." It's time that Members of Congress began feeling the pains of the constituents they are elected to represent. I expect to take a lot of heat from Democrats and Republicans alike on this issue, and I'm counting on you to provide my defense. I already have the support of conservative bloggers at RedState.com, National Review, Wizbang Blog and the military bloggers at Blackfive. Now I need you on my team. I'm not interested in what any party has to say about this, and I know you aren't either. I'm not afraid to tackle politically unpopular issues because it's your opinion I care about at the end of the day. As a Marine officer, I never brought my men into battle without a plan for victory. I know I can win this one if I have you on my team. This is going to be a gunfight and I'm bringing the guns. Will you bring the resources? Please join me in my challenge to Washington by following this link to make a contribution of $25, $50, $100, $250 or more today. Semper Fi, Ilario Pantano Republican for Congress - NC-7 PS: If Secretary Gates can find fat to trim in the defense budget, then every cabinet member, agency head and elected official can do the same. That's why I'm challenging Washington to cut spending by 25 percent. Will you join me by following this link to make a contribution of $25, $50, $100, $250 or more to my campaign today?    Paid for by Pantano for North Carolina Committee Pantano for North Carolina P.O. Box 11280 Wilmington, NC 28404 For Information about Advertising, Click Here www.patriotupdate.com Forward to a Friend SmartUnsubscribesm This email was sent to jsrrose1940@yahoo.com by alerts@patriotupdate.com Update Profile/Email Address | SmartUnsubscribesm from this list | Privacy Policy