[Peace-discuss] Afghanistan referendum, plan B

[Morton K. Brussel]

I would support your plan B, but understand that we've tried before to get the Urbana City Council to take up thing like this, and they've refused. Why might they refuse now? Because Tim Johnson is a Republican and most the the City Council are Democrats. But there's no harm in trying.

--mkb

On Mar 8, 2010, at 6:20 PM, Robert Naiman wrote:

> So, between the state legislature tightening the procedures, and us
> failing to know about it and get the jump on the deadline, the
> township process appears to be closed as a path to getting a
> referendum on the Afghanistan war on the ballot in November.
> 
> However, I have a proposal for a plan B.
> 
> I believe it to be the case that it is within the power of city
> councils to place advisory referenda on the ballot. A former member of
> the Urbana council confirmed to me that this is so.
> 
> Ordinarily, that might not be a great opening, since city councils
> might not be supportive of putting such questions on the ballot.
> 
> But in this particular case, we have a unique card to play: our goal
> is to support the position of our Representative in Congress.
> 
> I asked Tim about this. I said, what if we could tell people that you
> support this, maybe that would help us get it on the ballot.
> 
> He said: you can tell people that I have absolutely no problem with
> it. I want to hear what the people say.
> 
> He said: probably the question you will get is people asking you, why
> do you want to do this, if this is already his position.
> 
> To which my answer is: 1) because I want to educate public opinion
> about the fact that public opinion wants the war to end. I think that
> for a referendum that said, "Congress should establish a timetable for
> the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan," we might be able to get
> 70-75% of the vote in Champaign-Urbana. I think that would be
> newsworthy. 2) I think with a strong demonstration of public backing,
> Rep. Johnson might be encouraged to lead nationally even more
> strongly. 3) I want to reach Durbin. 4) I want to set an example for
> other towns.
> 
> If I were to propose this to the Urbana City Council, would others be
> supportive? Could we get any folks who live in Champaign to make a
> similar ask of the Champaign City Council?
> 
> P.S. the debate on the Kucinich resolution is expected to be
> Wednesday. Rep. Johnson plans to speak. Hopefully, we can catch it on
> C-span...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> Robert Naiman
> Policy Director
> Just Foreign Policy
> www.justforeignpolicy.org
> naiman at justforeignpolicy.org
> 
> -- 
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