Tag: United States

Will destroy nukes for food

From e-mail:

A new bill in Congress called the Global Security Priorities Resolution (H.R. 1045) would shift tens of billions of dollars from nuclear weapons funding into projects which alleviate global poverty.

Cosponsored by Congressmen Jim McGovern (D-MA) and Dan Lungren (R-CA), the resolution calls for reducing U.S. and Russian nuclear arsenals to 1000 deployed/3000 total weapons each by 2015.

It further stipulates that some of the financial savings from such a move would be redirected to the Nunn-Lugar program, as well as $6.5B to “child survival, hunger, and universal education” programs worldwide in an attempt to address the root causes of terrorism.

While the resolution does not advocate complete nuclear disarmament, it sets the proposed actions within the context of our NPT Article VI obligations to pursue nuclear weapons elimination. The Global Security Priorities Resolution is an excellent vehicle for outreach to more conservative members of Congress, and helps to link the elimination of nuclear weapons with vital human needs.

Faithful Security has formally endorsed the resolution, as have the following religious organizations:

U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
U.S. Fund for UNICEF
Friends Committee on National Legislation
Union for Reform Judaism
Conference of Major Superiors of Men
Evangelicals for Human Rights
United Methodist Church – General Board of Church and Society
Leadership Conference of Women Religious
Catholic Relief Services
Mennonite Central Committee U.S./Washington Office

Can you take a moment to send a note to your Representative asking him or her to sign on as a cosponsor? Click here to send a quick email.

There are many other ways that you can help the resolution move forward. Visit the Faithful Security website for statements from prominent endorsers, the full text of the resolution, and other resources. Consider writing a letter to the editor about the resolution, or invite other national religious groups to endorse this important legislation.

Need more ideas? Email us at info@faithfulsecurity.org.

The first step is gathering Congressional cosponsors, so click here to send your Representative a note.

Blessings,

Tyler Wigg Stevenson and Jessica Wilbanks

Perry looking for VPOTUS?

According to a very reliable source, Perry has said quite profanely that he is not interested in the VP job in 2008. The AP also ran a story last week confirming that.
But Vince over at Capital Annex is pretty certain Perry is thinking otherwise with his inauguration speech today.

Pop Quiz time!
Who said the following:
Our greatest threat is no longer a Cold War enemy that advances a Godless ideology, but fanatics that kill the innocent and themselves in the name of a Higher Power. Rogue states and terror cells have made nuclear proliferation a greater threat, and leaders in Europe and Latin America have risen to power and popularity based on anti-American appeals.
Was it: A. President Bush, B. Condoleeza Rice, C. Rick Perry, or D. John McCain?
If you answered “A” you’re wrong. If you answered any letter other than “C” you are wrong.
Yep, those words escaped the lips of Texas Governor Rick Perry today during his inauguration.

The governor also addressed Sudan and AIDS in Africa and Asia. For that I applaud him for thinking globally. Not sure what the Governor of Texas can do other than raise awareness – but I’m all for anyone that wants to help the cause. Maybe he’ll surprise us with a very bold initiative in the coming months.
Vince continues:

Even though he’s evidently actively campaigning for a Veep spot (wouldn’t Texas bloggers love that?), he evidently didn’t get the memo that Republicans don’t talk about the genocide in Sudan.
I don’t think I’ve ever heard a Republican say that we ought to do something about genocide in Sudan. It’s interesting, because it shows that Perry is trying to (a) show people that, in spite of being an Aggie and former Agriculture Commissioner, he can think globally; and (b) he’s evidently advocating a—hold onto your chairs for this one—less isolationist foreign policy!
You can bet Perry just got a big “check plus plus” on Rudy G’s “Possible Veep Candidates” scorecard, and a big red “x” on Senator McCain’s “Monitoring Sheet Of Conservative Tendencies Of Potential Vice Presidential Nominees.”

It will be interesting to see what happens over the next several months. I heard on NPR today that Barak Obama plans to officially announce his campaign for POTUS in mid-February and it’s almost a given that Hillary will announce very soon as well.