SEMPER FI! Berkeley Backs Down
The mayor of Berkeley, Calif., has issued an apology to servicemen and women serving in Iraq following a flap over a City Council vote that told the U.S Marine recruiting station there it should leave, and if it doesn't, is staying only as "uninvited and unwelcome intruders."
The apology follows the introduction this week of the Semper Fi Act of 2008, pushed by Senators Jim Inhofe and Tom Coburn, that would rescind more than $2 million in federal earmarks destined for Berkeley. Inhofe and Coburn were joined by four other Republican lawmakers in introducing the bill Wednesday after they were angered over the Berkeley City Council's actions.
A companion bill entered in the House has the support of 45 Republicans. No Democrats are supporting either bill.
Following a public uproar, Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates argued Wednesday that the council's actions last week shouldn't be linked to federal money dedicated to schools and other services, according to tan San Jose Mercury News. Bates is a retired U.S. Army captain.
"There's really no correlation between federal funds for schools, water ferries and police communications systems and the council's actions, for God's sake," Bates said. But, he said: "We apologize for any offense to any families of anyone who may serve in Iraq. We want them to come home and be safe at home."
Congresswoman Mary Fallin criticized the Berkeley officials today: "The city of Berkeley recently passed legislation asking a local Marine Corps recruiting facility to leave its downtown area. They did so while granting Code Pink, the radical anti-war, anti-troop protest group, a free parking space in front of the recruitment office and a free sound permit for a week of anti-troop rallies. Berkeley’s city council members have acted in a way that is both unpatriotic and shameful. At a time when our troops are in harms way, their disrespect for the men and women who serve in our military is shocking. Berkeley and its elected officials are free to make their own policies, no matter how poor they may be. From now on, they can pay for those policies with their own money. If they cannot govern themselves in a way that reflects a common sense of decency then they should not receive millions of dollars in special federal assistance."
The apology follows the introduction this week of the Semper Fi Act of 2008, pushed by Senators Jim Inhofe and Tom Coburn, that would rescind more than $2 million in federal earmarks destined for Berkeley. Inhofe and Coburn were joined by four other Republican lawmakers in introducing the bill Wednesday after they were angered over the Berkeley City Council's actions.
A companion bill entered in the House has the support of 45 Republicans. No Democrats are supporting either bill.
Following a public uproar, Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates argued Wednesday that the council's actions last week shouldn't be linked to federal money dedicated to schools and other services, according to tan San Jose Mercury News. Bates is a retired U.S. Army captain.
"There's really no correlation between federal funds for schools, water ferries and police communications systems and the council's actions, for God's sake," Bates said. But, he said: "We apologize for any offense to any families of anyone who may serve in Iraq. We want them to come home and be safe at home."
Congresswoman Mary Fallin criticized the Berkeley officials today: "The city of Berkeley recently passed legislation asking a local Marine Corps recruiting facility to leave its downtown area. They did so while granting Code Pink, the radical anti-war, anti-troop protest group, a free parking space in front of the recruitment office and a free sound permit for a week of anti-troop rallies. Berkeley’s city council members have acted in a way that is both unpatriotic and shameful. At a time when our troops are in harms way, their disrespect for the men and women who serve in our military is shocking. Berkeley and its elected officials are free to make their own policies, no matter how poor they may be. From now on, they can pay for those policies with their own money. If they cannot govern themselves in a way that reflects a common sense of decency then they should not receive millions of dollars in special federal assistance."
Labels: Berkeley, Jim Inhofe, Semper Fi Act, Tom Coburn
posted by Mike McCarville @ 10:07 AM
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