My response to the MoveOn.org petition sent out today. This includes the whole email: Hi Sara, I agree with you on principle but not in rhetoric. I dont agree that such sanctions are pro war and I do not agree in using such language to drum up support. Similar sanctions enacted in the summer of 2012 are the very reasons why we are at the negotiation table with Iran, but I do agree that such sanctions at the present moment would not be productive during the coming 6 month period. Even co-sponsors of the bill state this and are looking to have something in place in case Iran does not live up to their end of the agreement. With that in mind, I do not think that it will come to the floor for a vote unless Iran violates the summit agreement. I do thank you for keeping us informed, but would hope that you could limit the political fire flaming and just present the facts and your humble objective concerning your organization and you may have a better response with your more informed members that dont care about party lines and the shameful political discourse that is so prevalent today. Sincerely, Leslie Arnett Paducah, KY On Jan 15, 2014, at 12:16 PM, Sara Haghdoosti wrote: Below is an email from Sara Haghdoosti, a MoveOn member in New York and founder of Berim.org. Saras MoveOn.org petition has more than 146,000 signatures calling on Congress not to undermine President Obamas diplomatic negotiations with Iran. With momentum for the dangerous Menendez sanctions legislation that could lead to war growing, MoveOn members have been flooding Congress with calls. Will you join them? URGENT: Can you call Sens. Paul and McConnell? Tell them: Im calling to urge you to publicly support President Obamas diplomacy with Iran and oppose the Menendez sanctions legislation that would undermine negotiations. Senator Rand Paul Phone: (202) 224-4343 Senator Mitch McConnell Phone: (202) 224-2541 Report Your Call! Dear MoveOn member, Pro-war senators—many of whom voted to support the march to war in Iraq—are just eight co-sponsors shy of having enough votes to override a promised presidential veto of their dangerous new Iran sanctions legislation—a bill that could torpedo President Obamas diplomatic negotiations. In the words of Bernadette Meehan, National Security Council spokeswoman for the White House: If certain members of Congress want the United States to take military action, they should be up-front with the American public and say so.1 We can turn this around if we act now. We know our voices make a huge difference in foreign policy—we saw the impact we had in preventing military action against Syria, as well as in creating the political space for President Obama to meet with the president of Iran. Pro-war lobby groups are doing all that they can to make sure their voices are heard—its up to us to make sure they arent the only voices in this debate. Will you call your senators offices today and make sure that they know their constituents oppose new sanctions on Iran that would put us on the path to another senseless conflict in the Middle East? Yes, Ill call: Senator Rand Paul Phone: (202) 224-4343 Senator Mitch McConnell Phone: (202) 224-2541 Let us know how it went here. Never done something like this before? Dont worry, well take you through step by step. First scroll down to the bottom of this email to see if your senator has co-sponsored the bill. If your senator has co-sponsored the bill, you can say something like: Hi, my name is and Im a constituent of yours. How are you? Great. Im calling because Im and Im disappointed that youve supported increasing sanctions on Iran at this time. I believe this move undermines diplomatic negotiations and could lead to another conflict in the Middle East. I urge you to reconsider your support for the Menendez legislation and support President Obamas diplomacy with Iran. If they havent co-sponsored the bill, you might like to say: Hi, my name is and Im a constituent of yours. How are you? Great. Im calling because Im and Im worried about the proposed Menendez legislation that would increase sanctions on Iran and take us down a path that could lead to military action. I wanted to urge your office to publicly support President Obamas diplomacy with Iran and oppose any new sanctions that would undermine negotiations. You dont have to use the script word for word—feel free to say things in your own voice. You can pick which of your senators youd like to call, or even better, call both. Senator Rand Paul Phone: (202) 224-4343 Senator Mitch McConnell Phone: (202) 224-2541 Let us know how it went here. Even if your senators have come out against the bill or are progressive champions, its crucial that they hear from you. Why? Because they are under huge pressure from pro-war lobby groups to change their stance. What if your senator is already a co-sponsor? They need to hear from you too. Just because someone has co-sponsored this bill doesnt mean that theyre pushing for it to come to a vote. If they get enough pushback from their constituents, they may ask Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to help ensure that the bill doesnt ever reach the floor. Below are a list of all the Senators who have cosponsored the bill. I know its tempting to press the back button thinking youll come back to this later—but chances are you wont. Please take five minutes and make the call now, because its the most effective thing you can do to help promote diplomacy and keep us off the path of war. Thank you for all you do. –Sara Haghdoosti, on behalf of Berim.org P.S. Here is a list of senators (43 Republicans and 16 Democrats total) who have co-sponsored Menendezs bill to increase sanctions on Iran and undermine diplomacy. Remember to let us know how it went here. Alexander, Lamar [R-TN] Ayotte, Kelly [R-NH] Barrasso, John [R-WY] Begich, Mark [D-AK] Bennet, Michael [D-CO] Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT] Blunt, Roy [R-MO] Booker, Cory [D-NJ] Boozman, John [R-AR] Burr, Richard [R-NC] Cardin, Benjamin [D-MD] Casey, Robert Bob [D-PA] Chambliss, Saxby [R-GA] Coats, Daniel [R-IN] Coburn, Thomas [R-OK] Cochran, Thad [R-MS] Collins, Susan [R-ME] Coons, Chris [D-DE] Corker, Bob [R-TN] Cornyn, John [R-TX] Crapo, Michael [R-ID] Cruz, Ted [R-TX] Donnelly, Joe [D-IN] Enzi, Michael [R-WY] Fischer, Deb [R-NE] Gillibrand, Kirsten [D-NY] Graham, Lindsey [R-SC] Grassley, Charles Chuck [R-IA] Hagan, Kay [D-NC] Hatch, Orrin [R-UT] Heller, Dean [R-NV] Hoeven, John [R-ND] Inhofe, James Jim [R-OK] Isakson, John Johnny [R-GA] Johanns, Mike [R-NE] Johnson, Ron [R-WI] Kirk, Mark [R-IL] Landrieu, Mary [D-LA] Lee, Mike [R-UT] Manchin, Joe [D-WV] McCain, John [R-AZ] McConnell, Mitch [R-KY] Moran, Jerry [R-KS] Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK] Portman, Robert Rob [R-OH] Pryor, Mark [D-AR] Risch, James [R-ID] Roberts, Pat [R-KS] Rubio, Marco [R-FL] Schumer, Charles [D-NY] Scott, Tim [R-SC] Sessions, Jefferson Jeff [R-AL] Shelby, Richard [R-AL] Thune, John [R-SD] Toomey, Patrick Pat [R-PA] Vitter, David [R-LA] Warner, Mark [D-VA] Wicker, Roger [R-MS] Source: 1. White House Dares Democratic Senators Pushing Iran Sanctions To Admit They Want War, Huffington Post, Jan 10, 2014. moveon.org/r/?r=296125&id=86376-27423923-uG7G3jx&t=6 Want to support our work? MoveOn Civic Action is entirely funded by our 8 million members—no corporate contributions, no big checks from CEOs. And our tiny staff ensures that small contributions go a long way. Chip in here. This email was sent to Leslie Arnett on January 15, 2014. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.
Posted on: Wed, 15 Jan 2014 19:59:31 +0000
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