To: Sen. Richard Blumenthal (CT-1) and Sen. Christopher Murphy (CT-2)
Murphy: Challenge Cardin to Lead Progressive Foreign Policy
Just Foreign Policy
We urge Senator Chris Murphy to run against Ben Cardin for the Democratic leadership of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Why is this important?
Maryland Democratic Senator Ben Cardin has announced [1] that he will join Chuck Schumer and Robert Menendez in opposing the agreement with Iran negotiated by President Obama, Secretary of State Kerry, and European leaders. Protecting the agreement is a key Democratic priority. Ben Cardin is currently the “Ranking Member" – the leader of Democrats – on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
38 Senate Democrats have said so far that they will support the agreement, ensuring that Republican attempts to kill the agreement in Congress will fail. [2] But unfortunately, this isn’t likely to be the last time that America will face a choice between diplomacy and war. When President Bush led the United States to war with Iraq under false pretenses in 2002-3, many Democrats in leadership positions played a key enabling role. It matters whether Democrats who enable Republican warmongering hold leadership positions.
Like any American, Ben Cardin is entitled to his views; but if he supports Republican efforts to undermine diplomacy and provoke war with Iran, he is not entitled to lead Democrats on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee [3], has been a strong supporter of using diplomacy to resolve the nuclear dispute with Iran and prevent war. Urge Senator Murphy to run against Cardin for the Democratic leadership of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee by signing our petition.
References:
1. http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/07/14/whip-count-where-the-senate-stands-on-the-iran-deal/
2. http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/07/14/whip-count-where-the-senate-stands-on-the-iran-deal/
3. http://www.foreign.senate.gov/about/committee-membership
38 Senate Democrats have said so far that they will support the agreement, ensuring that Republican attempts to kill the agreement in Congress will fail. [2] But unfortunately, this isn’t likely to be the last time that America will face a choice between diplomacy and war. When President Bush led the United States to war with Iraq under false pretenses in 2002-3, many Democrats in leadership positions played a key enabling role. It matters whether Democrats who enable Republican warmongering hold leadership positions.
Like any American, Ben Cardin is entitled to his views; but if he supports Republican efforts to undermine diplomacy and provoke war with Iran, he is not entitled to lead Democrats on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee [3], has been a strong supporter of using diplomacy to resolve the nuclear dispute with Iran and prevent war. Urge Senator Murphy to run against Cardin for the Democratic leadership of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee by signing our petition.
References:
1. http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/07/14/whip-count-where-the-senate-stands-on-the-iran-deal/
2. http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/07/14/whip-count-where-the-senate-stands-on-the-iran-deal/
3. http://www.foreign.senate.gov/about/committee-membership