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On Thursday, April 29, 2010, a "Teach-In on Capitol Hill," was held in
Room 2168 of the Rayburn House Building, in Washington, D.C., dealing
with the question of what the U.S. Congress must do to end the U.S. Wars
and secure a peaceful Middle East. Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich (D-OH) served
as the moderator. On the panel were: David Swanson, Chris Hedges, Ann
Wright, Jeremy Scahill, and Josh Stieber.

Funding an escalation of war in Afghanistan with $33 billion is:
illegal,
immoral,
against the public will,
economically catastrophic,
counterproductive on its own terms, and
a cynically motivated intentional failure
READ WHY HERE.

Call Your Congress Member at (202) 224-3121 and tell him/her that you will
vote against them if they vote to fund an escalation in Afghanistan.

Sure, his/her opponent could be worse, but not much, and decent
representation will only be possible if representatives fear the public
more than they fear the funders, media, and parties.

If he/she tells you he/she wants to vote for aid to Haiti or some other
lipstick included in the bill, tell him/her those things can pass
separately and constitute no excuse.  You want a commitment now to vote
No no matter what.

If he/she tells you it's the very last supplemental, tell him/her you didn't
believe that BS last June and won't believe it now.

If he/she tells you he/she wants to obey the president, ask him/her to read the
U.S. Constitution and see what's in Article I.  Ask them why he/she thinks
the framers put the war power in the Congress.

If he/she tells you he/she wants to "support duh troops,"* tell him/her that a
No vote merely avoids or undoes an escalation, thus preventing troops
from being sent to risk their lives under illegal orders.

If he/she tells you he or she is voting for a toothless non-binding request for
an exit time-table,* tell her/him a growing causus opposing the funding
sends a stronger message and builds toward the ability to actually end
the war.  Tell her/him the exit strategy approach, last summer, was rightly
delayed until after the funding vote, and then garnered 138 votes, to
which the president merely gave a one-finger salute.  Let them know that
ineffective rhetoric is no substitute for action.

Ask her/him to commit now to whipping her/his colleagues to vote No.  And
report on what they tell you at http://defundwar.org.