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The future of democracy in the U.S. depends upon your informed, active participation. Well-informed
voters, high voter participation, and elected officials who feel a strong sense of accountability to voters
are key components of a healthy political system. You can help to re-energize democracy in the U.S. by
being an informed, active participant in the upcoming national elections. Political candidates—whether
incumbent or new—“listen louder” during campaigns than at any other times in their careers.
Don’t miss this opportunity to speak your mind!
We encourage you to engage in open and constructive dialogue with the candidates for the 2006 midterm
congressional elections. This fall, pencil in a few events where you can meet your candidates face
to face—a town hall meeting, a shopping mall meet-and-greet, an in-home visit with a few potential
supporters. Ask questions that reach past the rhetoric to get at the candidates’ perspectives on issues.
And most importantly, ask how they will bring those perspectives to bear on legislation if they get the
chance to represent you and your concerns in Washington. Below, FCNL offers a few good questions
to ask.
Iraq: Support U.S. Troops by Bringing Them Home
What legislation did you support this year (or would
you support—if the candidate is not an incumbent) to
challenge the course of the failed war strategy in Iraq,
and will you vote for a timetable for the complete
withdrawal of U.S. troops if reelected (or elected)?
FCNL’s view of the issue: Congress is not supporting
U.S. troops in Iraq by simply endorsing the failed occupation
of that country. U.S. soldiers returning from Iraq,
some of the U.S. generals running the war, and others
argue the U.S. occupation of Iraq is fueling the insurgency
and helping to recruit anti-U.S. extremists around
the world. The U.S. has already spent $400 billion to
fund the war in Iraq. An estimated 100,000 Iraqi civilians
and more than 2,600 U.S. military personnel have been
killed. Congress should take leadership without delay to
save lives, return real sovereignty to Iraqis, and make way
for stability to return to the Middle East by changing the
course of U.S. policy in Iraq.
See more questions for candidates about Iraq
Time to Invest in Peace
A huge portion, about 95 percent, of what the U.S. spends
to engage with the rest of the world is allocated to the
military budget. A tiny amount, about five percent, is
devoted to diplomacy, development, and supporting
international institutions that can help to solve problems
before they turn into wars. Will you vote to provide
more money for non-military tools—such as diplomacy,
community-based development,and international
institutions—to solve international problems before
they lead to deadly violence?
FCNL’s view of the issue: The president and members
of Congress publicly assert that military force should be
the choice of “last resort,” that other options should be
developed and pursued first. Yet, the federal budget consistently
allocates hundreds of billions for current military
spending while providing only minuscule amounts for the
development of U.S. diplomatic infrastructure, peaceful
solutions to crises in other countries, contributions to international
organizations, and humanitarian development
assistance.The U.S. has paid for war and has gotten what it
paid for. It will take courageous congressional leadership
to pay for the building blocks of a lasting peace.
Keep People Safe at Home
Hurricane Katrina reminded all of us that not all threats
to our safety are military threats. How do you think
the U.S. government should prioritize the federal
budget to keep us all safe from the after-effects of
natural disasters, from the effects of environmental
degradation, from regional economic problems that
cause widespread unemployment, and from the
deprivations of poverty for those left out of the
nation’s economy?
FCNL’s view of the issue: Almost half of the federal
budget pays for military responses to U.S. and global
problems. But the problems that affect us here at home
can’t be solved by military spending. As the totally
inadequate response to Hurricane Katrina demonstrates,
taking care of people—keeping people safe and
helping them to rebuild—is not a high priority for the
current administration. A more balanced approach to
human security calls for more investment in the practical
needs of individuals and communities.
Support Court Review of All
Government Spying
In the name of national security, the Bush administration
has tapped into information on phone calls made by
some 200 million U.S. residents—maybe even my phone
and yours. This invasion of privacy is unprecedented.
Would you vote to halt this massive domestic spying program,
and to require U.S. intelligence agencies to get warrants
so that we have at least some assurance that they’re
focusing only on suspected terrorists or criminals?
FCNL’s view of the issue: This year, Congress has failed
even to call for an investigation of the president’s warrantless
wiretapping program. The president asserts that his
authority as commander-in-chief of the armed forces gives
him the right to spy on people inside the U.S., even if they
are not suspected of any illegal behavior. Congress visited
this issue before, shortly after Watergate, and decided that
no president should be above the law. Congress created a
special court under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance
Act so that intelligence agencies could seek quick and confidential
warrants where they are needed. That law was
written for times of war as well as times of peace—it
should apply to current intelligence programs.
Outlaw Torture Now, with No Exceptions
The U.S. military in September issued a revised interrogation manual for soliders confirming that torture in all forms is illegal. But later that same month, at the president’s request, Congress passed legislation that allows the president to approve torture for the CIA and other non-military interrogators and provides that not all violations of the Geneva Conventions provisions are war crimes under U.S. law. Will you support legislation that bans all U.S.-sponsored torture, with no exceptions?
FCNL’s view on the issue: The U.S. Army’s revised Field Manuel on Intelligence Interrogations issued in September 2006 states that all military interrogators must follow the Geneva Conventions and that torture is prohibited. But the Military Commissions Act of 2006 approved by Congress in late September grants exceptions to a total ban on torture and undermines strict adherence to the prohibitions on torture contained in the Geneva Conventions. FCNL will be working to have this legislation revised or repealed.
Reduce Dependence on Oil
The U.S. has the technology and know-how to dramatically
reduce oil dependence today, but Congress has
failed to muster the political will to enact public policies
that would end the nation's addiction to oil. What legislation
would you vote for to promote use of energy saving
technologies and to require conservation measures
such as increasing the fuel efficiency of automobiles?
FCNL’s view of the issue: Congress could promote policies
to reduce oil dependence such as: dramatically increased
vehicle fuel efficiency standards, phased-in increases in the
federal taxes on petroleum-based fuels, expanded public
transportation, increased incentives for renewable fuels, and
increased incentives for the purchase of high-efficiency,
alternative-fuel vehicles. At the same time, Congress would
need to increase energy assistance to those who have been
hit hardest by soaring gasoline and heating fuel costs.
See more questions for candidates about energy and the environment
Support Safe, Legal Immigration
In 2005, the House voted to lock down our borders and criminalize
humanitarian assistance to undocumented immigrants.
A 2006 Senate bill included enforcement tools but also
acknowledged the 12 million workers already here without
immigration papers, offered a way to bring them into the legal
system and set procedures to regularize the hiring of workers
from other countries. Which kind of legislation would you
support on immigration? What should be the goal of
immigration legislation at this time?
FCNL’s view of the issue: Responses to the current situation
should include ways to regularize the situation of those who
arrived in the U.S. illegally, and all immigration reforms
should leave open a path to citizenship. All those seeking to
enter the U.S. or already residing here should be treated with
justice and equity.
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