|
|
|
State News Release - August 08, 2002 |
Home | Press | State Press |
|
Green Party of Colorado |
| Chandler Challenges National Candidates On Declaration of War. |
|
Contact: Dave Chandler (Arvada, Colorado) As the debate about conflict with Iraq escalates, candidates for the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives should publicly state whether or not they will insist upon Congress exercising its unique power to vote yes or no on a declaration of war. So says Dave Chandler, Green Party candidate for the new Colorado Seventh Congressional District. In an article published today on the campaign web site: http://www.ChandlerforCongress.com. Chandler argues that the U.S. Constitution gives the power to make war exclusively to the Congress. “This truly is a test question the answer to which will clearly demonstrate a candidate’s commitment to the Constitution, “ Chandler said. “The drafters of the Constitution knew exactly what they were doing when they gave war making power to the legislative branch. The last thing they wanted was anything similar to the monarchy they had just rejected taking the nation to war without the express consent of the people.” Chandler says that he believes a Congressional declaration of war is absolutely necessary before any full scale military action against Iraq could take place. “I would not shirk from the responsibility if I am elected. This is more important that politics. I hope other candidates for Congress will answer as forthrightly as I have.” And Chandler says that if he is elected to the Congress, his commitment to the spirit of the Constitution would require him to file articles of impeachment against Bush if an attack was ordered without the declaration of war. In his article Chandler explains three reasons why Congress has the power to declare war. 1) Congressional action to declare war creates a debate binding the citizenry to the decision. Chandler points out that Congress is the branch of government closest to the people. Elected directly by the people, the 435 representatives speak for the many different regions and constituencies that comprise the nation. “Especially in the present circumstances this is important since George W. Bush did not win the popular vote in the 2000 election. He was installed in the White House indirectly by the Electoral College,” said Chandler. Chandler maintains that part of the Congressional decision-making process would be the necessity for Bush, as the formulator of foreign policy, to meet his burden of proof demonstrating that the only way is war. “Assertions based upon top secret intelligence will not be good enough,” Chandler said. “In America the people, through their representatives, make the ultimate decisions and they must have the truth and the facts upon which to base that decision. That means Bush and Rumsfeld must show concrete evidence of any Iraqi threat.” 2) Since all appropriations bills must originate in the House of Representatives, and be passed by the Senate, a declaration of war means the obligation for the cost falls squarely on the shoulders of the national legislature. Chandler writes that: “An attack on Iraq and an occupation of that country, which could last from five to twenty years, might cost well over $100 billion. Difficult decisions would have to be made because, as affluent as the United States may be, we are not a bottomless well of money. The war would have to be paid for. So we have to answer these questions: What taxes will be raised? Or, if a war tax is not levied, exactly where will the spending cuts come from to pay for this military action? Or, how much federal borrowing is acceptable for future generations to pay-off?” 3) Only Congress is given the power to actually organize and support an army and navy according to Article 2, Section 8 of the Constitution. To read the entire article, go to: www.chandlerforcongress.com |
|
State News Release - August 08, 2002 |
Home | Press | State Press |
