Read this, write them, and do the math.
Update: My email to Jennifer Dunn, Washington State Representative:
"If peaceful efforts to destroy Iraq's weapons or to bring about a regime change fail, then I have decided to authorize any means necessary to accomplish these goals. Military force should always be a last resort." So you have written on your webpage, and I commend you for this position. But I fear that the Congress is poised to cede its decision-making capabilities to the Executive branch, by approving a war resolution that hands the Bush Administration a foreign policy carte blanch.I do not believe that the White House shares your philosophy of only utilizing military force as a last resort. Waiving your responsibility as a Congresswomen to serve as a check and balance to the Bush Administration's warmongering is therefore tantamount to reneging on these principles that you hold dear. I hope you'll have the courage and the integrity to stand up for your convictions, and ensure that Congress continues to have a voice in the planning process of this momentous decision.Respectfully Yours,Matthew Baldwin
Dear Friend:Thank you for contacting me by email. This is just a short note to let you know that my office has received your message. If you are from Washington state and ...
I want to see where you are at. Answer me the following:
Scenario: we've been attacked several times by a loose knit but organized group...it is obvious that these attacts will escilate...you , as president, know who is in alliance with these attacters because the attackers are openly rewarded for their attacts by these supporters. All reason and negotions have failed to stop these attacts, they continue. You have it on strong evidence that a huge attact is going to happen within one week. Many of the citizens of your country will suffer and die. What do you do?
Now remember this is only a game so you are free to take any action that you want. What do you do?
If you don't want to respond well that's ok, hey it's America and in this case silence will speak volumes. I'll just say thanks for the many entertaining links it's been real and all that good stuff....
Posted by: Dan™ on September 27, 2002 8:12 AMI'll tell you what I wouldn't do. I wouldn't shunt the responsibility onto another player simply because I don't want to make the difficult decision myself.
My opposition, you'll note, is not to action against Iraq per se, but to Congress's (IMO) reckless abdication of their role as a check and balance to the Executive Branch. Regardless of where they lie on the political spectrum, I think most would agree that granting one branch of our government an almost limitless amount of authority in foreign affairs is a dangerous proposition at best.
As an aside, am I to interpret your "it's been real" as a farewell? That's a shame. Better you keep visiting, enjoy the entertaining links, and continue to offer counterpoints with comments such as the above.
Posted by: Matthew on September 27, 2002 8:33 AMSorry Matthew, it was a knee jerk reaction. Of coarse I'll keep reading your page it's good. I just get very defensive when it comes to GW, he's my main man. Have a great day and I hope to be talking with you again. Dan
Posted by: Dan™ on September 27, 2002 11:40 AMIf you want to make your voice heard, you need to send physical snail mail. It's too easy to send email; lots of people do for all sorts of silly reasons.
I don't know how widespread its use is, but there is software that scans email, tries to figure out what topic it concerns and whether the writer is pro or con. The software keeps a tally and sends out an auto-generated response based on this guess.
Good luck... to all of us
=P
Posted by: Pato on September 27, 2002 11:48 PM