Today's call to action, support a bill for congress to declare war before launching nukes

[onlyadream]

Today's Daily Action is to call your Representative and ask them to co-sponsor and vocally support H.R.669/S200, Senator Ed Markey and Congressman Ted Lieu's legislation that would prevent any President from launching a nuclear "first strike" without Congress first passing a Declaration of War.
Under previous Presidents—Republicans and Democrats alike—such a bill would seem unnecessary, even unimaginable. But given the current President's world-famous temper and his previous statements revealing a willingness to use nuclear weapons, a disregard for the Geneva Conventions, and an outright hostility toward the basic norms that help to protect civilians in wartime—for example, giving civilian populations advanced notice to escape cities being bombed—the unthinkable has become a distinct possibility.
If we allow this legislation to die in Congress, Trump will interpret its defeat as "proof" that the American people back his trigger-finger nuclear policy. This is one small but necessary step to help protect 7.5 billion human lives from nuclear cataclysm. We will keep you updated on this legislation as it progresses.
DC callers will be directed to Ted Lieu’s Los Angeles office. Thank him for this important legislation.
To receive Daily Action alerts, text the word DAILY to 228466 today! If you would like to call without receiving the alerts, call [phone] to be connected to your rep.

http://thehill.com/…/315855-dems-seek-to-curb-trumps-nuclea…

[bdamomma]

1. thank you

I just called. We need to do this.

[Motown_Johnny]

2. It is a great idea but very unlikely to happen (In the near term).

There would be no deterrent to a first strike if we needed to convene Congress and have them vote on a Declaration of War before retaliating.

I know this is 1950's style thinking, but as a point of policy it is engraved in stone.

What would stop Russia or China from launching their nukes at us if it was going to take us at least a day or two to strike back? We would pretty much all be dead in the first hour. We might not even still possess the ability to retaliate if we waited that long.


Maybe we should try to brainstorm something more possible like needing not only the POTUS but also the VP and Speaker of The House to all agree before launching. I would support amending the War Powers Act to require all 3 of them to agree before any use of our military instead of letting POTUS act unilaterally. That might even be something that could pass.

[onlyadream]

3. Very good points

And I like your idea. Basically, as long as there's a grown up sharing the decision, I'd feel better. However Pence might want to usher in the second coming.

[bdamomma]

4. K&R