[Peace-discuss] Fwd: Legislative Action Message (10/17/02)

Thu Oct 17 17:05:35 CDT 2002

>Date: Thu, 17 Oct 2002 17:05:38 -0400 (EDT)
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>Subject: Legislative Action Message (10/17/02)
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>FCNL LEGISLATIVE ACTION MESSAGE - October 17, 2002
>
>The following action items from the Friends Committee on National
>Legislation (FCNL) focus on federal policy issues currently before Congress
>or the Administration.
>
>TOPIC: NOVEMBER ELECTIONS
>
>In the coming weeks, candidates for congressional seats will be on the
>campaign trail.  Because of the upcoming elections, members of Congress have
>been under intense pressure to support the President's war against Iraq.
>However, thanks in large part to the overwhelming volume of calls, email,
>faxes, and letters from concerned constituents across the country, nearly a
>quarter of the Senate and a third of the House were willing to take a stand
>against authorization of preemptive, unilateral war during the October 10
>and 11 votes on Bush's use of force resolution.  Now, in the weeks leading
>up to the November elections, voters can make it clear that standing up for
>the peaceful prevention of war is a political advantage rather than a
>liability.
>
>ACTION: Use the upcoming election debates to raise questions about the
>ramifications of a war with Iraq and voice your opposition to preemptive
>military action.  Here are three actions you can take during the coming
>weeks:
>
>* Attend local campaign events.  Be the first to ask questions.  If your
>members of Congress voted in favor of the use of force resolution, ask him
>or her how they could have voted for a unilateral, preemptive war against
>Iraq when the Administration has still not answered many troubling questions
>about the potential consequences.  (See sample questions below.)  Ask them
>how many letters and calls they received from constituents opposing the war,
>and how they plan to address those constituent concerns.  If you meet with a
>candidate seeking office, ask how he or she would have voted on a use of
>force resolution and why.  If your members voted against the resolution, or
>candidates in your area have spoken against a preemptive war on Iraq, thank
>them publicly.
>
>* Write a letter to the editor naming your members of Congress or candidates
>running for office in your state or district and expressing your opposition
>to war against Iraq.  Urge the U.S. to work through the United Nations and
>pursue all non-military alternatives to war.  Critique the positions of your
>legislators and their campaign opponents.
>
>* Call a radio talk show and voice your opposition to the proposed war.
>Explain how this issue will impact the choices you make in the voting booth.
>
>
>USE FCNL'S WEB SITE TO MAKE WRITING A LETTER TO THE EDITOR EASIER: Start
>with the sample letter posted in our Legislative Action Center. Personalize
>the language by including reference to your members and candidates (see
>sample language below).  Then email or fax your message directly from our
>site.  You can also print it out and mail it.  To view a sample letter to
>the media, click on the link below, then enter your zip code and click <Go>
>in the <Take Action Now> box.  Here is the link:
><http://capwiz.com/fconl/issues/alert/?alertid=708811&type=ME>.
>
>BACKGROUND: An effective way to use your question opportunity is to begin
>with a short, one-sentence introduction to the topic.  Follow this with a
>specific, to-the-point question.  Whenever possible, frame your question so
>as to require a yes or no answer or an equally specific response.  Following
>are some sample introductions and statements that you might use to focus
>candidates on the dangerous consequences of a war against Iraq.
>
>1. INTRODUCTION:  The CIA, some military generals, and former National
>Security Council advisors have said, on the record, that Iraq does not pose
>an imminent threat to the U.S.
>QUESTION: Do you believe it is right to mount a preemptive strike on a
>country that does not pose an imminent threat?
>
>2. INTRODUCTION:  Most of the international community believes that
>non-military alternatives, including renewed UN weapons inspections and
>diplomacy, can be effective in dealing with Saddam Hussein, however, these
>approaches are not being pursued with the same energy and resources as
>preparation for war.
>QUESTION: Do you support the use of non-military alternatives?  If not, why
>not?
>
>3. INTRODUCTION: Now that Congress has granted Pres. Bush the authority to
>act unilaterally, he has promised a full multilateral effort; polls indicate
>that a large majority of people in the U.S.  support this approach.
>QUESTION:  Would you seek to hold the President to his promise of working
>multilaterally?  How would you do so?
>
>4. INTRODUCTION: It is widely acknowledged that a preemptive, unilateral
>U.S. military strike against Iraq would likely inflame anti-American
>sentiment abroad, destabilize the Middle East region, and increase terrorist
>attacks at home and abroad.
>QUESTION: Do you think these risks have been sufficiently addressed?
>
>5. INTRODUCTION:  The CIA has said that a U.S. attack would likely provoke
>Saddam Hussein to use any weapons of mass destruction that he has.
>QUESTION: Do you believe that it is right to put U.S. troops, Iraqi
>civilians, and our friends and allies in the Middle East region in such
>danger?
>
>6. INTRODUCTION: No clear plan for restabilizing Iraq after a war has been
>developed, and U.S. invasion and long-term occupation could cost hundreds of
>billions of U.S. dollars.
>QUESTION: Do you believe that this is the best way to spend limited
>resources when there are grave and immediate human needs issues such as the
>economy, education, health care, crime and the environment, both at home and
>abroad?
>
>SAMPLE LANGUAGE FOR PERSONALIZING LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:
>Letters to the editor are most effective when they name specific Members of
>Congress or candidates running for office.  The following language can be
>adapted for use in your letter to the editor by inserting the names and
>positions of your Members of Congress and candidates seeking office in your
>state or district.
>
>[Praise/criticism] is due to Rep. _______________ and Sen. _______________
>who voted [against/for] the Iraq war resolution.  Their vote [was wise and
>courageous/reflects misplaced confidence in the tools of war to bring about
>peace in a troubled land.]  Candidate ____________  has expressed
>[opposition/support] for the war against Iraq and should be
>[commended/called to account].
>
>When I go to the polls on November 5th, Rep./Sen.___________________ and
>candidate ________________ should know my vote will be a vote against the
>war on Iraq.
>
>
>
>CONTACTING LEGISLATORS
>
>Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121
>
>Sen. ________
>U.S. Senate
>Washington, DC 20510
>
>Rep. ________
>U.S. House of Representatives
>Washington, DC 20515
>
>Information on your members is available on FCNL's web site:
>http://capwiz.com/fconl/dbq/officials/directory/directory.dbq?command=congdi
>r
>
>CONTACTING THE ADMINISTRATION
>
>White House Comment Desk: 202-456-1111
>FAX: 202-456-2461
>E-MAIL: president at whitehouse.gov
>WEB PAGE: http://www.whitehouse.gov
>
>President George W. Bush
>The White House
>Washington, DC 20500
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>We seek a society with equity and justice for all
>We seek a community where every person's potential may be fulfilled
>We seek an earth restored...