[Peace-discuss] Obama wants us to pay for more killing

[C. G. Estabrook]

	Date: 	Sun, 16 Aug 2009 22:27:38 -0400
	From: 	David Swanson <david at davidswanson.org>

*Congress is very close to final passage of another $130 billion for the wars in 
Afghanistan and Iraq for FY 2010.*

This comes on top of the approximately $73 billion for the two wars that was 
included in the FY 2009 Supplemental.

The House roll-call vote on the 2010 Defense Appropriations bill was 400-30, 
with large numbers of previously antiwar Congressional representatives voting in 
favor. To view the roll-call: http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2009/roll675.xml.

After the August recess, House and Senate will need to reconcile their bills* 
*and will vote on this again*.

*Members of Congress Need to Hear from Us Now*

Polls show that the majority of Americans want the US out of Iraq and oppose the 
escalating war in Afghanistan. Americans also want to cut the deficit and to 
prioritize domestic needs over military spending. And yet the Congress is poised 
to pass this approximately $670 billion Defense budget with only 30 members of 
the House and 1 Senator dissenting.

*Without powerful pressure from the grass-roots it has become obvious, that even 
many antiwar members of Congress will not challenge this administration...

*August Recess Is a Time to Act!  *House member and Senators need to know that 
their constituents feel strongly about the need to halt the war in Afghanistan, 
to begin a serious withdrawal of US troops from Iraq, and to reduce the overall 
size of the military budget.

*They need to see concerned constituents in person. *In whatever way works best*:
  * Request a meeting
  * Have every member of your group stop by a Congressional office and ask to 
speak to a staff member
  * Attend a town hall and make it clear that we need resources for universal 
healthcare, not warfare
  * Organize a vigil or demonstration

*We need to make our opposition visible.*