I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God.
This is the Congressional oath of office that each of our representatives and senators must take as he or she takes on the solemn responsibility to be the proxy of their constituency in creating the laws of perhaps still the most powerful nation in the world.
This week, our Congress is debating the war in Iraq. The Republicans frame the debate in support of our troops, even as twelve members break rank to vote their conscience against the "surge." The Democrats frame the debate as an exit strategy from a bad war. Meanwhile, the dogs of war are baying under the White House windows calling for Iranian blood.
There is only one thing for us to do. We need, every one of us, to contact our representatives and senators and insist that should President Bush call for agression against Iran, that they take their oath seriously.
Their oath is not to "protect and serve," to be the police of some image of the world rule of law, but to "support and defend" -- the Constitution. To defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign or domestic.
The Congress shall have the power to declare war.
-- Article 1, US Constitution
Since WWII, no Congressman or Congresswoman has voted to go to war. That's too politically sensitive. It would require that a declaration of war come up for debate, that it not be the prerogative of the Commander in Chief. It allows Congress at best to cower behind the purse strings and regulate the execution of a war.
It is time for the people to insist that Congress take up their burden to declare war, to voice and debate the issues leading to war, to question the casus belli, to form committees and deliberate before sending our young people, our reserves and our civilians overseas based on those casus belli.
I encourage every one of you to contact your Congressional delegation and make sure they understand that the American people are sick of ill-considered wars.
If all of us require that the Congress keep to their oaths, perhaps we can avert another disaster worse than Iraq.
--
Shava Nerad, News and Opinion Correspondent:
Shava’s column, Iconoclasm, published several times a week to Gather Essentials: Newsis an examination of the provocative ideas emerging in media and world culture behind the news.
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You can find all of Shava's Iconoclasm columns at http://Iconoclasm.gather.com
Keep up with Shava’s other postings and Gather activity by joining her Gather network -- just click here and select the orange “Connect” button on the left-hand side of the page (colleage connections only please, unless you know me on the street!)
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Comments: 6
Make it socially positive to talk about politics in mixed company again. Disagree civilly and find common ground with folks you think you have no common ground with -- you'll be surprised if you start with the basics, like, "what world will our kids live in?" and "do you think this is the best they can do in DC?"
Work with kids to get them to understand that if they care, they don't have to wait to vote -- if they care about a topic, research it, are able to present and debate the points -- they can change ten adult votes and have more than ten times the influence than the average adult. (You can too!)
The problem isn't that there is nothing to do. The problem is that there is too much to do.