“Viewpoints” is a place on Chapelboro where local people are encouraged to share their unique perspectives on issues affecting our community. All thoughts, ideas, opinions and expressions in this series are those of the author, and do not reflect the work, reporting or approval of 97.9 The Hill and Chapelboro.com. If you’d like to contribute a column on an issue you’re concerned about, interesting happenings around town, reflections on local life — or anything else — send a submission to viewpoints@wchl.com.
Let’s Call Senators and Representatives This Week
A perspective from Chris Mayfield
Congress returns on Monday, April 23, from its ill-advised two-week spring break—immediately after the news that peace negotiations failed between the US and Iran in Islamabad. The need has never been greater for the House and the Senate to pass the War Powers Resolutions that have been languishing in both chambers, but our Senators and Representatives need our pressure to do so.
The urgency is obvious. Over 3,000 people have been killed in Iran, starting with the nearly 200 schoolgirls in Minab on the first day of this unprovoked war. Israel has also killed over 2,000 in Lebanon, a much smaller country, where over a million people (a fifth of the population) have been displaced. Civilian infrastructure in both countries has been devastated, and US bases in the Gulf countries have also been hard hit, while at least 13 US soldiers have been killed.
Meanwhile, the financial costs continue to mount in every way, starting with the over $1 billion a day just to operate the deadly US war machinery—while Trump now also asks for a Pentagon budget of over $1.5 trillion for 2027. Gas prices and soon food prices are soaring.
Several War Powers Resolutions have been introduced in the Senate (by Tim Kaine and others) to reassert that the Constitution gave Congress—not the President unilaterally—the power to declare war. In the House, similar Resolutions have been introduced, including one by Gregory Meeks which was shut down during the one-day House session last Thursday and will be taken up again this coming week.
Also pending is a less well-known series of Joint Resolutions of Disapproval filed in the Senate by Bernie Sanders, Chris Van Hollen, Jeff Merkley, and Peter Welch, opposing the “sale” of 22,000 more bombs to Israel. Like many other Americans, I didn’t realize until recently that these “sales” to Israel are actually being funded by our tax dollars through the “Foreign Military Financing “ mechanism—in essence, a gift card to Israel to buy weapons from the US. According to the Quincy Institute’s Responsible Statescraft, under Biden our tax money funded $18 billion in arms “sales” to Israel.
In fact, none of this crisis is just about Trump. He is by far the most reckless and unhinged of our Presidents, but he is building on the arrogant militarism of his predecessors (think Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya). Reclaiming Congress’s power to wage war now is crucial.
This coming week offers a chance for us to at least make our voices heard. Senator Tillis is not running for reelection, and so has nothing to lose; he has also touting himself as an independent voice, so let’s ask him to make good on that. Senator Budd claims to be for “America First”—and in fact a few of his votes reflect that, so he can be asked to redirect our tax dollars from forever wars to funding domestic needs. Representative Valerie Foushee will undoubtedly vote for the war powers resolutions, but she should be supported in doing so. She has commendably renounced AIPAC money since being challenged in primaries by Nida Allam.
Every week, these days, seems like a crisis. But this week is one in which we can at least try to play a part. I plan to call early and often, and I hope many others will as well.
“Viewpoints” on Chapelboro is a recurring series of community-submitted opinion columns. All thoughts, ideas, opinions and expressions in this series are those of the author, and do not reflect the work or reporting of 97.9 The Hill and Chapelboro.com.
Viewpoints: Let’s Call Senators and Representatives This Week Chapelboro.com.
Hence then, the article about viewpoints let s call senators and representatives this week was published today ( ) and is available on chapelboro ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Viewpoints: Let’s Call Senators and Representatives This Week )
Also on site :