Arlen Specter Sends a Letter
Senator Specter’s press people just sent me a press release announcing Arlen Specter’s success in obtaining funding for a national cemetery in Pennsylvania. I will omit the remarks of Senators Casey and Murphy, as they are not pertinent to my problem with Specter’s comments.
Specter, Casey, Murphy Offer Remarks on the First Burials at New Veterans Cemetery
Wednesday will mark first time solemn ceremony performed at Washington Crossing National Cemetery
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Arlen Specter and Bob Casey and Congressman Patrick Murphy today offered the following remarks in advance of the first burials being performed tomorrow at the new national cemetery, Washington Crossing National Cemetery in Bucks County, on Wednesday, January 20, 2010.
Senator Specter, a senior member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee said: “This country was founded because of the valor of Americans fighting for our freedom right here in Washington’s crossing. It is our duty to properly honor the veterans who are responsible, more than any other group, for the establishment, safety and preservation of this country. The first burials at the veteran’s cemetery mark a somber and significant step in our efforts to show our gratitude for their service. I am humbled and proud to have played a role in bringing a veterans cemetery to Southeastern Pennsylvania, so veterans’ families and friends do not have to travel hundreds of miles to visit their loved ones. I thank Congressman Murphy and my colleagues for their efforts to help fulfill this obligation to our veterans…
Senator Specter has been instrumental in making the cemetery a reality. In October 1998, Senator Specter stood with Representative Jon Fox in a soybean and wheat field at the edge of Valley Forge National Historical Park to announce plans to bring a national veterans cemetery to southeast Pennsylvania. Senator Specter’s efforts include: authoring and passing legislation to establish a national cemetery in southeastern Pennsylvania, chairing several Veterans Affairs Committee hearings to garner support for the cemetery, and working closely with all stakeholders to keep the process moving. As a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Specter helped to secure the funding necessary for the development of the cemetery: $1 million in FY05 for the site selection process; $41 million in FY06 for acquisition of land for 6 new cemeteries, including SE PA; $13.6 million in FY07 for advance planning funds at the 6 new cemeteries; and $29 million FY08 for Phase I construction of the Washington Crossing National Cemetery.
“Senator Specter has been instrumental in making the cemetery a reality.” What an odd turn of phrase.
Because while Senator Specter HAS been instrumental in making the cemetery a reality, I don’t think I see it the way he does. 4691 deaths and counting. I don’t have an up-to-the-minute list of Pennsylvania soldiers who died in this needless war that Senator Specter voted to launch, but here’s a list published recently in the Allentown Morning Call:
Christopher S. Seifert, Williams Township
Joseph B. Maglione, Lansdale
Donald S. Oaks Jr., Harborcreek, Erie County
Tristan N. Aitken, State College
Stevon Booker, Apollo, Armstrong County
Michael B. Quinn, Tampa, Fla., formerly of Herndon, Northumberland County
Michael T. Gleason, Warren
Zachariah W. Long, Milton
Christopher D. Coffin, Kennebunk, Maine (married to Bethlehem native Betsy Coffin)
Christopher P. Geiger, Kreidersville
Corey L. Small, East Berlin, Adams County
Jaror C. Puello-Coronado, Pocono Summit
William J. Maher III, Yardley
Tim R. Brown Jr., Conway, Beaver County
Craig S. Ivory, Port Matilda, Centre County
Eric R. Hull, Uniontown
Rafael L. Navea, Pittsburgh
Anthony L. Sherman, Pottstown
Brian R. Faunce, Philadelphia
Andrew J. Baddick, Jim Thorpe
Christopher E. Cutchall, McConnellsburg, Fulton County
Tamarra J. Ramos, Haycock Township
Douglas J. Weismantle, Pittsburgh
David Bernstein, Phoenixville, Chester County
Maurice J. Johnson, Levittown
Ernest G. Bucklew, Enon Valley, Lawrence County
Nicholas A. Tomko, Pittsburgh
Joseph Minucci II, Richeyville, Washington County
Timothy L. Hayslett, Newville, Cumberland County
Kimberly A. Voelz, Carlisle, Cumberland County
Christopher A. Golby, Johnstown
William R. Sturges Jr., Spring Church, Armstrong County
Edward W. Brabazon, Bensalem
Clint R. Matthews, Bedford
Matthew J. Sandri, Shamokin, Northumberland County
Sean R. Mitchell, Youngsville, Warren County
Aric J. Barr, Allegheny
Jonathan R. Kephart, Oil City, Venango County
Edward W. Carman, McKeesport, Allegheny County
Sherwood Baker, Plymouth, Luzerne County
Martin W. Kondor, York
Ronald E. Baum, Hollidaysburg, Blair County
Bradley G. Kritzer, Irvona, Clearfield County
Carl F. Curran II, Union City, Erie County
Mark J. Kasecky, McKees Rocks, Allegheny County
Jeremy R. Horton, Erie
Bradli N. Coleman, Ford City, Armstrong County
Robert C. Scheetz Jr., Shamokin Township, Northumberland County
John H. Todd III, Bridgeport
Shawn M. Davies, Hopewell Township, Beaver County
Dale T. Lloyd, Watsontown, Northumberland County
Nicholas J. Zangara, Philadelphia
Neil A. Santoriello, Verona, Allegheny County
Nicholas B. Morrison, Carlisle, Cumberland County
Barton R. Humlhanz, Hellertown
Brandon E. Adams, Hollidaysburg, Blair County
Joshua J. Henry, Avonmore, Westmoreland County
Clifford L. Moxley Jr., New Castle, Lawrence County
Gregory A. Cox, Carmichaels, Greene County
Rodney A. Jones, Philadelphia
Andrew W. Brown, Pleasant Mount, Wayne County
Aaron J. Rusin, Johnstown
Mark P. Phelan, Salford Township
Lonny D. Wells, Vandergrift, Westmoreland County
Sean P. Huey, Fredericktown, Washington County
Joseph M. Nolan, Philadelphia
Michael R. Cohen, Jacobus, York County
Kyle J. Renehan, Oxford, Chester County
Paul D. Karpowich, Bridgeport
Michael J. Smith, Media, Delaware County
Brett D. Swank, Northumberland
Kyle J. Grimes, Bethlehem
Landon S. Giles, Indiana
Michael W. Franklin, Coudersport, Potter County
Matthew A. Koch, West Henrietta, N.Y. (Parkland High School graduate)
Brett M. Hershey, State College, Centre County
Michael A. Marzano, Greenville, Mercer County
Thor H. Ingraham, Murrysville, Westmoreland County
Kenneth E. Zeigler II, Dillsburg, York County
Andrew R. Jodon, Burnside Township, Clearfield County
Carl J. Morgain, Butler
Victor M. Cortes III, Erie
Robert T. Mininger, Hilltown Township
Louis E. Allen, Milford
Douglas E. Kashmer, Sharon, Mercer County
David J. Murray, Felixville, La., formerly of Philadelphia
Joshua P. Klinger, Williams Township
Robert E. Hall Jr., Pittsburgh
Joseph P. Goodrich, Allegheny
Ryan J. Kovacicek, Washington, Washington County
Nils G. Thompson, Confluence, Somerset County
Kurt Krout, Spinnerstown
Brahim Jeffcoat, Philadelphia
Gennaro Pellegrini Jr., Philadelphia
John Kulick, Jenkintown
Nathaniel DeTample, Morrisville
Francis J. Straub Jr., Philadelphia
Ryan S. Ostrom, Williamsport
Jeremy M. Campbell, Middlebury, Tioga County
William L. Evans, Hallstead, Susquehanna County
Michael Egan, Philadelphia
William Fernandez, Reading
Daniel L. Arnold, Montrose, Susquehanna County
George A. Pugliese, Carbondale, Lackawanna County
Oliver J. Brown, Carbondale
Eric W. Slebodnik, Greenfield Township, Lackawanna County
Lee A. Wiegand, Hallstead
Patrick B. Kenny, Pittsburgh
Jason L. Frye, Landisburg, Perry County
Troy S. Ezernack, Lancaster
Steven W. Szwydek, Warfordsburg, Fulton County
Daniel R. Lightner Jr., Hollidaysburg
Jeffrey P. Toczylowski, Upper Moreland Township, Montgomery County
Dylan R. Paytas, Freedom, Beaver County
Brent A. Adams, West View, Allegheny County
Keith A. Bennett, Holtwood, Lancaster County
Michael J. Cleary, Dallas, Luzerne County
Michael E. McLaughlin, Mercer, Mercer County
Albert P. Gettings, New Castle, Lawrence County
John T. Fralish, New Kensington, Westmoreland County
James F. Fordyce, Newtown Square, Delaware County
Jonathan E. McColley, Gettysburg
Bryan D. Willard, Hummelstown, Dauphin County
Randy D. McCaulley, Marion Center, Indiana County
Frederick A. Carlson, Bethlehem
Jacob W. Beisel, Lackawaxen, Pike County
Eric A. McIntosh, Trafford, Westmoreland and Allegheny counties
Mark W. Melcher, Bethel Park, Allegheny County
Travis C. Zimmerman, New Berlinville
Brandon M. Hardy, Cochranville, Chester County
David M. Veverka, Jamestown, Mercer County
Stephen P. Snowberger III, Lopez, Sullivan County
Adam C. Conboy, Philadelphia
Steven Freund, Pleasant Hills
Robert A. Seidel III, Gettysburg
Thomas D. Maholic, Bradford, McKean County
Scott R. Smith, Punxsutawney, Jefferson County
Christopher C. Rafferty, Brownsville, Fayette County
Jason M. West, Pittsburgh
Tristan C. Smith, Bryn Athyn, Montgomery County
Justin W. Dreese, Northumberland
John A. Carroll, Pittsburgh
Jennifer M. Hartman, New Ringgold
Allan R. Bevington, Beaver Falls, Beaver County
Carl W. Johnson II, Philadelphia
Shelby J. Feniell, Connellsville, Fayette County
Joseph M. Kane, Darby, Delaware County
Timothy J. Lauer, Saegertown, Crawford County
Russell Culbertson Jr., Lone Pine, Washington County
Christopher E. Loudon, Brockport, Elk County
Daniel A. Brozovich, Greenville, Mercer County
Tony L. Knier, Sabinsville, Tioga County
John R. Priestner, Le Raysville, Bradford County
Ross A. McGinnis, Knox
Brent W. Dunkleberger, New Bloomfield, Perry County
Albert N. Nelson, Philadelphia
John T. Bubeck, Collegeville, Montgomery County
Keith A. Callahan, McClure
Roger A. Napper, Greensburg, Westmoreland County
Mark T. Resh, Lowhill Township
Brandon J. Van Parys, Lynn Township
Russell A. Kurtz, Bethel Park, Allegheny County
Matthew C. Bowe, Coraopolis, Allegheny County
Todd M. Siebert, Baden, Beaver County
Wesley J. Williams, Philadelphia
Luis O. Rodriguez-Contreras, Allentown
Ashly L. Moyer, Emmaus
Dennis J. Veater, Jessup, Lackawanna County
Jason Nunez, Naranjito, Puerto Rico (born in Fountain Hill)
Orlando E. Gonzalez, New Freedom, York County
Curtis J. Forshey, Hollidaysburg, Blair County
Sean M. Thomas, Harrisburg
Jason A. Shaffer, Derry, Westmoreland County
Aaron M. Genevie, Chambersburg, Cumberland County
Steven R. Tudor, Watertown, N.Y. (graduate of Dunmore High School, Lackawanna County)
Jeremy E. Maresh, Penn Forest Township
Travis L. Manion, Doylestown Township
Colby J. Umbrell, Doylestown Township
Allen J. Dunckley, Yardley, Bucks County
Arthur L. Lilley, Smithfield
Larry Parks Jr., Altoona
Raymond R. Buchan, Johnstown
Zachary R. Clouser, Dover, York County
Camy Florexil, Philadelphia
Michael A. Hook, Altoona
Michael J. Tully, Falls Creek, Clearfield/Jefferson counties
Scott Ball, Mount Holly Springs, Cumberland County
Jan Argonish, Peckville, Lackawanna County
Erick M. Foster, Wexford, Allegheny County
David A. Cooper Jr., State College
Adam J. Chitjian, Philadelphia
David A. Wieger, North Huntingdon, Westmoreland County
Patrick F. Kutschbach, McKees Rocks, Allegheny County
David A. Boris, Pottsville
Richard J. Berrettini, Eldred, McKean County
Michael E. Koch, State College
Timothy R. Van Orman, Port Matilda, Centre County
Luke S. Runyan, West Manchester Township, York County
Nathan Raudenbush, Port Wentworth, Ga. (native of Douglassville, Berks County)
Shawn M. Suzch, Hinesville, Ga. (Pennridge High School graduate)
Jason C. Kazarick, Oakmont, Allegheny County
Matthew Brown, Zelienople, Butler County
Jeffrey F. Deprimo, Pittston, Luzerne County
Derek Holland, Wind Gap
Joshua E. Waltenbaugh, Kittanning Township, Armstrong County
James Yohn, Highspire, Dauphin County
Douglas J. Bull, Wilkes Barre
Daniel R. Verbeke, Exton, Chester County
Michael R. Girdano, Apollo, Armstrong County
Jonathan L. Luscher, Scranton
Travis M. Stottlemyer, Hatfield
Michael R. Dinterman, Littlestown, Adams County
Michael Slebodnik, Richland Township, Allegheny County
Ralph J. Marino, Houston, Washington County
Brian P. Hause, Stoystown, Somerset County
Joshua D. Seitz, Sinking Spring, Berks County
Christopher W. Lotter, Chester Heights, Delaware County
David W. Wallace III, Sharpsville, Mercer County
Marc J. Small, Collegeville, Montgomery County
Mark C. Baum, Quakertown
Senator Specter says, “I am humbled and proud to have played a role in bringing a veterans cemetery to Southeastern Pennsylvania, so veterans’ families and friends do not have to travel hundreds of miles to visit their loved ones. ”
They would not have to do so if the Senator had not supported going to war in Iraq, a country that had nothing to do with 9/11, that did not have weapons of mass destruction, and that anyone with any common sense could have predicted (and did) would not meet us as liberators with flowers and candy. If the senator had not supported a needless foreign adventure like Iraq, those “veterans’ families and friends” might “not have to travel hundreds of miles to visit their [deceased] loved ones”, because their loved ones would be ALIVE.
If anything, Arlen Specter should feel humbled and ashamed for sending so many moms, dads, and kids to a needless death, leave grief and an empty seat at the table for so many families in Pennsylvania and across the United States.
But that’s politics for you, when the guy responsible for sending thousands to die for no good reason campaigns on their corpses. That kinda makes me feel sick to my stomach.
