VoteVets has just released a TV ad demanding that John McCain vote for the New GI Bill. Click here to watch the ad, then email your Senators, demanding that they provide our troops with the education they deserve!

This week, our veterans are counting on us more than ever.

Senator Jim Webb's New GI Bill, which would give our returning soldiers the education benefits they need, is up for a Senate vote this week. We're so close to reaching that critical 60-vote majority to overcome unprecedented filibusters and the opposition of President Bush and John McCain, but we need your help. That's why VoteVets has just released a TV ad demanding that John McCain do the right thing and vote for the New GI Bill.

Click here to watch the new VoteVets ad that is airing across the country. Then email your Senators, demanding that they provide our troops with the education they deserve today!

The original GI Bill transformed American history, providing an education for returning soldiers and helping to create America's middle class. But today, the standards of the original GI Bill are failing to keep up with rising tuition costs to the point where the average benefit doesn't even pay for half the cost of an in-state student's education at a public college.

The White House has voiced concern about the bill, arguing that if returning troops are offered a good education, they will choose college over extending their service. It's offensive to suggest that we should fix the system so that civilian life is unappealing to service members, thereby forcing them to stay in the military.

Moreover, failing to provide adequate education benefits for our returning soldiers will only dissuade a large number of our best and brightest from choosing military service over other career options. The armed forces will remain strong only if we attract the most talented Americans with a promise of a bright future after they have served our country.

Now is the time. We must come through for our veterans and ensure that they can obtain a quality education after serving our country.

Click here to watch the new VoteVets ad that is airing across the country. Then email your Senators, demanding that they provide our troops with the education they deserve today!

President Bush has led our country into a disastrous foreign policy, and continues to ask our troops to pursue his failing strategy. The least we can do now is honor the service of those who have put their lives on the line and have courageously done everything that has been asked of them.

After you've emailed your Senators, please forward this message to everyone you know.

Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,

Wes Clark

P.S. Our soldiers have fought hard for our government, and it's time our government started fighting hard for them. Click here to watch VoteVets' new TV ad, and then urge your Senators to vote for the New GI Bill!

Why is John McCain silent on passing a new GI Bill for our 'new greatest generation?" Tell John McCain to do the right thing and co-sponsor the new GI Bill.

Click to sign the petition>>

McCain must lead the charge

A new GI Bill needs his support, yet the war-hero candidate appears reluctant.

By Wesley K. Clark and Jon Soltz | Los Angeles Times | April 10, 2008

Sen. John McCain served his nation with honor in Vietnam, and he is right to be proud of his service. But by hedging on whether he will support a "GI Bill for the 21st Century," he is casting doubt on his own commitment to the newest generation of American heroes.

The Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act, sponsored by Sens. Jim Webb (D-Va.) and Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.), will restore the promise of a cost-free education to those who serve in the military. The original GI Bill transformed American history, providing education for returning soldiers. The GI Bill not only recognized our nation's moral duty for the enormous sacrifices of our World War II veterans, but it helped create America's middle class and spurred decades of economic growth for our country. Economists estimate that the original bill returned anywhere between $5 and $13 for every dollar we spent on it. But the original GI Bill has become woefully outdated, to the point where the average benefit doesn't even cover half the cost of an in-state student's education at a public college.

The original GI Bill transformed American history, providing education for returning soldiers. Not only was this our nation’s moral duty for the unbelievable sacrifices of our World War II veterans, it helped create America's middle class and spurred decades of economic growth for our country. Why then is John McCain silent on passing a new GI Bill for our 'new greatest generation?" Tell John McCain to do the right thing and co-sponsor the new GI Bill.

Click to sign the petition>>

Robert Lopez served 8 years in our military, fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan as a tank commander. He was told he'd get his whole education bill paid for when he got out of the service. Mr. Lopez has fought and sacrificed for our country but like so many others, Mr. Lopez has faced the bleak reality of a government that has turned its back on its veterans.

That is why Senators Jim Webb and Chuck Hagel proposed the new GI Bill, which would bring back WWII-style standards of providing vets with full tuition, room and board. And that is why 51 senators have signed on, including 9 Republicans like John Warner, giving this GI Bill tremendous bi-partisan support.

But it isn't enough. Faced with unprecedented filibusters, the only way to ensure Senate passage of the GI Bill is to get 60 co-sponsors. So far, John McCain has refused. The same McCain who insists he supports our troops. The same McCain who is voting lockstep with the Bush administration (who have also resisted this bill). We need to get John McCain to do the right thing -- to sign now and signal to other Republican leaders that we should be strongly behind our vets.

Sign the petition to John McCain!

Click to watch the video!

The original GI Bill transformed American history, providing education for returning soldiers. Not only was this our nation's moral duty for the unbelievable sacrifices of our World War II veterans, it helped create America's middle class and spurred decades of economic growth for our country.

Why then is John McCain silent on passing a new GI Bill for our "new greatest generation?"

Robert Lopez thinks John McCain ought to stand in his shoes to know how difficult it is to be a vet and have to pay staggering education costs. THIS is your call to arms. Pass the video along and implore your friends to sign the petition.

Click here to watch the video and sign the petition today!

WesPAC, VoteVets.org and Brave New Films feel passionately about giving our veterans the support they rightly deserve. Our government owes our troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan the opportunity to receive full educational benefits. These patriots have fought hard for our government; it's time our government started fighting hard for them.

Sincerely yours,

Wes Clark, Robert Greenwald, and Jon Soltz

Diplomacy Now!

Email the President to stop war with Iran today!

Yesterday, the AP reported that the Bush-Cheney Administration has instituted "sweeping new sanctions against Iran Thursday -- the harshest since the takeover of the U.S. Embassy in 1979 -- charging anew that Tehran supports terrorism in the Middle East, exports missiles and is engaging in a nuclear build up."

There are 3 choices in dealing with Iran. You can engage them. You can isolate them. Or you can attack them.

These sanctions could be part of any of the 3 strategies. The sanctions themselves can only be evaluated within the context of the overall policy. Currently, the administration has chosen a path of isolation with the threat of an attack.

This is the wrong strategy. The Bush-Cheney Administration's failure to use diplomacy in conjunction with these sanctions is unlikely to change Iran's behavior.

Please join VoteVets.org and me. Send a message to President Bush to use diplomacy to deal with Iran. War is not the answer.

The AP reported that Condoleezza Rice says Washington remains committed to "a diplomatic solution" and open to negotiations with Iran. Yet the Bush Administration refuses to speak with Iran unless the Iranians pre-emptively surrender their interests. This is not likely to happen, and the Administration will be left with two options: a nuclear Iran or war.

Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE) stated yesterday:

"Unilateral sanctions rarely, ever work...I just don't think the unilateral approach and giving war speeches helps the situation. It will just drive the Iranians closer together...It escalates the danger of a military confrontation."

Diplomacy is about carrots and sticks. Unfortunately, the Administration seems to believe it only has sticks. They have continued their saber-rattling, and without diplomacy, the announced sanctions only serve to escalate the tensions between the U.S. and Iran.

Tell President Bush it is time to begin direct dialogue without conditions. War with Iran is not the answer. Send a letter to President Bush today.

Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,

Wes Clark