Daily Yopp! 4.19.17 Attacks on Syria

Sorry for the lateness on this Yopp! Yesterday, I had the great fortune to be part of a small group that met with California Senator Dianne Feinstein. I'm still digesting what we discussed and will share some thoughts in a day or two. For now, I'm passing on a CTA (Call to Action) from one the Sixty Five, which is of the many groups that are part of the "resistance community." That's a term that Senator Feinstein used in our meeting. I hadn't heard it before and it's gotten me thinking about our movement and the many groups that have sprung up organically since the "election." I'm still pondering...

In the meantime, like many of you, I am concerned about what's happening in Syria and our nation's response to it. There are no simple answers to how we should act, but there should be checks and balances to the decision process. The situation in the Middle East is complex. How do we emerge victorious from the quagmire? Leave the battlefield waving Betsy Ross's flag higher? How can we as a nation do the right thing while also protecting our national interest?

Whatever the merits of military action in Syria, a President with a history of volatile and unpredictable behavior should not make decisions about air strikes unilaterally. Senator Chris Murphy says it perfectly, "Yes, Bashar al-Assad should pay a price for the slaughter of civilians in Syria. But the decision over the nature of that consequence is not for President Trump to make alone" (read the rest of his statement here). Make no mistake; the administration is setting the tone for how they'll handle military authorizations. As tensions mount with North Korea, VP Mike Pence has pointed to recent actions in Syria in Afghanistan as examples of our country's "strength and resolve." That's no way to de-escalate. Make sure you're clear with Congress. Tell them: don't sit by while the POTUS unilaterally decides to use military force.

 Calling Script

Hi, I'm [NAME], a constituent who is devastated about the gas attacks in Syria and deeply concerned about how our government should intervene. I'm calling to ask [Senator or Representative's NAME] to make a public statement urging Trump to get congressional approval for any continued military action in Syria. I do believe that Bashar al-Assad should be held accountable for the atrocious acts of violence he has committed against the Syrians, but I don't think President Trump should make decisions about this matter unilaterally. I'm also deeply concerned that the administration has pointed to recent action in Syria as examples of our strength and resolve in discussions about North Korea. Please urge [Senator or Representative's NAME] to speak up for checks and balances and a government that works together to make important decisions about how and when to use military force. Thanks for taking my call.

(Be sure to identify any Hamilton lyrics you see in this Yopp!)

ADDENDUM:

I recognize that the above script is pretty unwieldy and awkward to read out loud. For those that are comfortable speaking off the cuff, I suggest calling with bullet points and talking like a normal person. Key issues are:

• President is using military force unilaterally against Syria per war powers granted by the Constitution
• Congress needs to speak up for checks and balances with regards to military force
• According to the Constitution, the Prez has until June 5 (60 days) to come up with a legit plan in Syria

My experience in talking with my MoCs staffers (which I do A LOT) is that they get pretty tired of hearing scripts, so the more you can have a conversation, the better. All they are doing is writing your name, zip, and essence of your concern. Those concerns then get tallied at the end of the day and the MoC gets a daily report.

One thing that helps is a deeper understanding of the issue you are calling about. I found this article particularly helpful: Did Trump-ordered missile strikes fall under the War Powers Resolution