E-News: 6 Days Before Election Day

September 11, 2012

No, that’s not a typo. Legislatively speaking, the election is only 6 days away, even though it’s 56 days away on the calendar. Congress is likely to be in session for only about 6 days, during which time members will mostly be occupied with passing legislation to fund the government after September 30. That leaves a lot of critical decisions -- on taxes, Pentagon spending, and more -- to be made after the election.

How can you have an impact on these decisions? Let your members of Congress -- current and future -- know now what you want them to do. As candidates hit the campaign trail this month, they will be listening hard to what their constituents have to say. Make sure they hear from you. Write to your candidates about keeping $1 trillion in cuts to the Pentagon budget over the next 10 years.

You can also take action by coming to our Quaker Public Policy Institute and Lobby Day this November 15-16. And check out more ideas from our communications director, Alicia McBride, on what you can do now to have an impact on what Congress will do in November.

What's New

• Why I like talking to you about the Quaker Public Policy Institute and Lobby Day: Program assistant Annie Boggess got to talk with people in our network about why their action right now is important, and she thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
• As candidates look for your support in November, you have an opportunity to talk to them about the issues you care about most. You can ask these questions in person or send an email.
  
  Do You Support Diplomacy in Afghanistan? The United States strategy in Afghanistan is predominantly military in nature despite the fact that there is no military solution to Afghanistan’s political problems. If elected, would you support a robust civilian-led diplomatic strategy whose purpose was to help resolve Afghanistan’s political problems?
  
  Will You Fully Fund Diplomatic Programs? Investing early to prevent war is 60 times more cost effective than military intervention after a crisis erupts. Yet Congress has cut funding even for small programs, like the Complex Crises Fund and Civilian Response Corps, that can help prevent violent conflict. Will you support full funding for State Department and USAID programs that help prevent war?
• Eleven Years After 9-11: Are we safer after more than a decade of war? Matt Southworth argues that fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan hasn’t improved our security.
• Follow the Money: Last year the U.S. supplied more than three quarters of the weapons going into the global market. Find out more, and check out this map to find out where the weapons are going.
• Welcome to Sainabou Jobe, our new development assistant. Sainabou joins us from the DC Department of Health.
• Our new group of program assistants started work two weeks ago. This week, meet Damian and Devon. They work with Ruth Flower, our lead lobbyist on domestic issues.
  
  Devon Grayson-Wallace moved from Long Island where she has a horse named Bach (previously Buck, also known as Eternal Freedom). She works on economic policy.
  
  Damian Morden-Snipper is originally from Takoma Park, Maryland, and his breakdancing won a college talent show. He has yet to demonstrate that talent at the office, however, instead focusing on Native American affairs, civil liberties and immigration.

Statements

• Experts Write a Letter to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 9/5/12
• President Obama: U.S. Has a Responsibility to Help End Armed Violence, 9/4/12
• See more letters and statements

Upcoming Events

As our staff wrap up visits to Colorado and the Pacific Northwest, I’m headed to Iowa this weekend. Check our upcoming events calendar to find out when FCNL staff will be in your area.

FCNL's Photo of the Week: Diplomacy Is a (Half) Marathon

Order your own War Is Not the Answer sign and see where this movement is showing up across the country. Find out how to submit your photo.