E-News: Time to Question the Candidates

September 5, 2012

Question the Candidates

The political conventions in Tampa and Charlotte mark the beginning of the final campaign season before the November elections. Members of Congress will spend most of the next two months on the campaign trail talking with constituents. FCNL has prepared questions that you can ask candidates during election season. Asking questions now, when candidates are asking for your vote, can influence members’ actions when they come to Washington.

Use the FCNL website to send questions to the major candidates on the issues of most concern to you. Why not start today?

Is Climate Change Real?
Do you believe that human activity is harmfully changing the Earth’s climate in a way that will impact your constituents now and in the future?

Do You Support Nuclear Disarmament?
Do you agree with Former Secretaries of State Henry Kissinger and George Shultz, among others, who argue that the United States should pursue “a world free of nuclear weapons”? If you are in the Senate when the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty is brought to a vote, will you work and vote for ratification?

Will You Support Diplomacy With Iran?
I’m concerned that escalating threats between the U.S. and Iran could lead to war. As former Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Admiral Mullen has warned, the lack of dialogue between the U.S. and Iran could easily lead to conflicts that spiral out of control. Will you support direct, one-on-one talks with Iran to prevent violence and nuclear proliferation?

After you’ve asked your question, forward the questions to three people (such as friends, family members, or coworkers) and encourage them to ask their candidates to respond to the questions during campaign season.

What's New

• Diplomacy: The Best Way to Keep Iran Away From the Bomb. Kate Gould says there are 3 things you need to know about the latest IAEA report on Iran's nuclear program.
• Is a War Less Noticed Making You Safe? Eleven years after 9-11, the U.S. is still at war in Afghanistan, but few are talking about it.
• Last week we welcomed our new program assistants. Meet two of them:
  Adam Cohen is working with Matt Southworth in the Afghanistan program. He wrote his senior thesis on policy in Afghanistan and spent his time at Brandeis organizing students around international human rights issues.
  
  Hannah Solomon-Strauss joins us from Haverford College, where she examined the role of electoral politics in foreign policy. She works with Jose Aguto on sustainable energy and environmental protection.
• Even under sequester, Pentagon spending is still slated to rise. Learn more about safe, responsible cuts to the Pentagon.
• FCNL staff will be on the road in September. Look for them in the Pacific Northwest, Iowa, Colorado and New York City. And we hope to see you in Washingon in November at the Quaker Public Policy Institute.

War Is Not the Answer Photo of the Week: Washington, DC

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