Today, MFSO-Chicago went to an 8th District Debate taped for a Chicago radio station. It will be aired at 9:30 am and 9:30 pm on Sunday on AM 780 - WBBM. The debate was held at the Grayslake High School and the Government class from the school assisted in a variety of roles...including submitting questions for the candidates. It was very nice to see that that the schools in the district are teaching politics in action since we need a group of smart voters to help get us out of the mess that is Iraq.

The challengers arrived early and interacted with the students. As MFSO-Chicago understood someone to say, the Congresswoman remained cloistered in a "private" room with her campaign folks. Maybe she heard that we had more of those lethal flowers to deliver...this time peace roses in a pair of combat boots...and a quote on a card from a soldier currently serving. The quote said simply: "Time To Change the Course".

In any case, the Congresswoman hardly had time to exchange pleasant conversation following the debate before she left...likely to get on with her busy schedule...or was it to avoid, once again, facing a mom who has a kid living with her "stay the course" vote? Don't know. The school extended a very nice invitation for MFSO-Chicago to attend a reception held following the debate...but many of us in MFSO-Chicago have "other jobs" as well...so it was off to work.

Since the Congresswoman didn't want "peace" roses, MFSO-Chicago gave them to the wife of one of the challengers...and gave that card to the students. Perhaps they will check out why that Soldier was quoted as saying "Time to Change the Course". The kids won't have to look far as the following story published today citing a Pentagon report to the Congress reveals. "Stay the Course" as MFSO has warned, is only going to lead to more deaths of US Troops and Iraqi civilians.

The core conflict in Iraq has changed from a battle against insurgents to an increasingly bloody fight between Shi'ite and Sunni Muslims, creating conditions that could lead to civil war, the Pentagon said in a report on Friday.

The congressionally mandated report provided a sober assessment of Iraq over the past three months, saying overall attacks rose 24 percent to 792 per week -- highest of the war -- and daily Iraqi casualties soared 51 percent to nearly 120.

The rest of the story which has been picked up by multiple papers can be found here.

It is all about accountability, Congresswoman. "Stay the Course" is a slogan that makes for poor policy. Nice commercials with happy business owners talking about health care insurance bills that haven't even been discussed in the Senate don't address the needs of all of the voters in the district. Internet safety is important...but so are the lives of those soldiers you voted to keep in harms way. And working on getting the basic equipment needed in the field through emergency supplementals has been pretty inneffective...and very costly for the taxpayers in the district.

It is Time to Change the Course. It is time to Support Our Troops, Bring Them Home Now and Take Care of Them When They Get Here. Responsible slogan...make it responsible policy....soon. Every day you fail to act to end the occupation of Iraq, an average of two more US Troops and hundreds of innocent Iraqi civilians die. Whose name are YOU willing to add to the growing list of casualties?

MFSO-Chicago will be back to ask that question again...and again until you answer. See you soon.