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Senate Candidates Forum on War, Peace & Military Spending
media release: The Wisconsin Senate race has gathered national attention and is a great opportunity for people concerned about U.S. foreign policy to raise issues to candidates and the public, push candidates toward good positions, and hopefully end up with a pro-peace Senator.
The most morally consequential decision Congress can make is authorizing military force. The Constitution gives Congress the sole power to declare war. We need to know whether the candidates can provide a check on presidential power, and their budget priorities.
Senate Candidates Virtual Forum on War, Peace, and Military Spending
Tuesday, July 19, 2–4 pm CT. Register in advance for this webinar:
https://milwaukeeturners-org.
Please forward to everyone.
To date, the following seven candidates have agreed to participate (alphabetically listed):
Democrats: Sarah Godlewski, Kou Lee, Tom Nelson, Steven Olikara, Peter Peckarsky, Darrell Williams. Republicans: David Schroeder. All ten were invited. Those willing but who can't make this date will be interviewed separately.
The following topics will be covered: candidates' background, Ukraine War, nuclear weapons, military spending vs. unmet human needs, basing F-35 warplanes in Madison, Yemen War, and Congressional oversight of sanctions.
The Peace Action-WI website will have additional information and updates:
https://www.peaceactionwi.org/
The forum can also be viewed on Facebook and Wisconsin Eye, and a recording will be available after the forum.
We recognize that excessive military spending diminishes our nation’s ability to meet human needs and address environmental issues.
Win Without War, a diverse network of activists and national organizations working for progressive foreign policy in the United States, stated in a press release dated June 23, 2022:
“Today, the House Armed Services Committee voted to make a bad situation worse — voting 57 to 1 for an NDAA that takes President Biden’s proposed $813 billion Pentagon budget, the highest in U.S. history, and gratuitously raises it a further $37 billion.”
“As millions watch their food and gas prices rise with no relief in sight, lawmakers have again abdicated their duty to constrain Pentagon spending, which eats up over half of the discretionary federal budget. Congress seems poised to marginalize, yet again, domestic programs and foreign operations that build peace, blunt disease, and strengthen democracy in favor of giving the Pentagon whatever it wants, and even more on top of that.”
These organizations are members of our Coalition or have agreed to promote the forum:
Friends Committee on National Legislation - Milwaukee and Madison Advocacy Teams
United Nations Association - Greater Milwaukee and Dane County chapters
End the Wars Coalition [Milwaukee]
Peace Action - WI
Wisconsin Network for Peace and Justice
Wisconsin Coalition to Normalize Relations with Cuba
Women’s International League for Peace & Freedom - Milwaukee.
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Grassroots North Shore [Milwaukee]
Grassroots South Shore [Milwaukee]
Milwaukee Veterans for Peace - Chapter 102
Safe Skies, Clean Water WI
Central United Methodist Church - Milwaukee
Family Farm Defenders - WI
Our WI Revolution
Linda and Gene Farley Center for Peace, Justice and Sustainability [Verona, WI]
Physicians for Social Responsibility - Wisconsin
Building Unity - Wisconsin
Wisconsin Democracy Campaign
Milwaukee Area Labor Council
Women’s International League for Peace & Freedom - Madison branch
Racine Coalition for Peace and Justice
The sponsor is Senate Candidates Forum on War and Peace: A Non-partisan 2022 Statewide Wisconsin Coalition. Coalition members are listed below*.
To contact us: WIUS.SenateForum@gmail.
Our nation faces so many critical issues that it is not surprising issues like war and foreign policy have not gotten the attention they deserve at other candidate forums. To remedy this, we formed a coalition to sponsor a virtual forum on these issues. We recognize that excessive military spending affects our nation’s ability to meet human needs and address environmental issues.
This effort is non-partisan, and the Coalition will not endorse any candidate. Please share news of this forum widely, including to social and mass media contacts.
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