All Videos Tagged checks-and-balances (Tulsa Peace Fellowship) - Tulsa Peace Fellowship

Barbara Lee's 9/14/01 Speech

2018-09-17T01:42:20.725Z

Prescient speech from 2001 : Barbara Lee explains her rationale for voting against the Authorization to Use Military Force in Afghanistan, citing the overly broad nature of the bill.

In an op-ed she published in the San Francisco Chronicle nine days later, she explained her vote by pointing out that the resolution “was a blank check to the president to attack anyone involved in the Sept. 11 events — anywhere, in any country, without regard to our nation’s long-term foreign policy, economic and national security interests, and without time limit.” She added: “A rush to launch precipitous military counterattacks runs too great a risk that more innocent men, women, children will be killed.”

For her lone opposition to the power grab by Bush-Cheney, and her principled defense of the U.S. constitution's separation of powers, Lee was deluged with rancid insults and death threats to the point where she needed around-the-clock bodyguards.

TPF reminds you that only Congress has the power to declare war. The president is the lackey of Congress, no more.

Rep. Lee's AUMF Repeal Amendment Passes Defense Appropriations

2017-07-20T14:01:10.307Z

The House Appropriations Committee surprised a lot of people late last month when they voted in favor of Rep. Barbara Lee’s (D – CA) amendment to the 2018 military spending bill, calling for the repeal of the 2001 Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) within eight months.

Rep. Alan Grayson on Syria: Congress Should Reject "War Mongering" and Focus on Problems at Home 1/2

2013-09-05T21:27:46.013Z

"The Washington Post whip count as of this morning, there are 19 members of Congress in favor of this resolution and 174 against. And the reasons are simple: It’s not our responsibility, it’s not going to do any good, it’s expensive, and it’s dangerous. And those arguments are winning the day among House members, both Democrat and Republican. The margin among Democrats right now in the House is four-to-one against. The margin among Republicans is over 10-to-one against."

from the rush transcript, interview on DemocracyNow! 5th Sept 2013:
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/9/5/rep_alan_grayson_on_syria_congress