Each is common sense, with broad support across Democrats, Republicans, and independents. Each prioritizes the safety, security, and well-being of our country and the world over those profiting off war. Each breaks from a status quo that has killed, injured, and displaced tens of millions, squandered trillions of tax dollars, and caused devastating environmental damage. The three positions are:

1. End the War in Iran and All Endless Wars.
2. Cut the Pentagon Budget and Abolish ICE.
3. Stop All Aid* to Israel and Other Human Rights Violators.

End the War in Iran and All Endless Wars.

Transforming our country’s future begins with ending the disastrous, illegal war on Iran and the endless wars that have hijacked the nation since 2001. The Iran war is the most unpopular in US history. Recent polling shows nearly 60 percent of US adults—including 90% of Democrats, 63% of independents, and 22% of Republicans—oppose it. People are angry that this war of choice has raised gas and grocery prices, wasted tens of billions of dollars, and killed and injured tens of thousands. 

Cut the Pentagon Budget and Abolish ICE.

President Trump has requested the largest military budget in US and world history for the next fiscal year: $1.5 trillion. Nearly 2 in 3 adults oppose this 60% increase over this year’s already bloated budget. People understand that sending money to the Pentagon strips money from health care, education, and other needs while enriching weapons makers and giving Trump money to wage new wars against Cuba, Greenland, or China. People are similarly opposed to militarizing US streets having witnessed the brutal, deadly effects of ICE and the domestic deployment of the military. Nearly three-quarters of Democrats, half of independents, and a quarter of Republicans support abolishing ICE. 

Stop All Aid to Israel and Other Human Rights Violators.

Support for Israel has declined dramatically across the political spectrum. People are sick of sending US arms and taxes to militaries violating human rights, including Israel’s, which has killed more than 73,000 Palestinian children and adults in Gaza. Stopping military aid and other support for Israel and other human rights violators, such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia, is an obvious, mainstream position. 

Time for Change

These three positions are just the beginning of the change our foreign policy desperately needs to start to put people first, not war profiteers. By committing to end endless US wars, cut the budgets of the Pentagon and ICE, and stop US aid to Israel and other human rights abusers, Congressional candidates can adopt winning positions and help transform our country into one we can be proud of.

We urge everyone nationwide to join us in demanding candidates support these three positions and ensure they become realities. Our future and our world’s future are at stake in the midterms. 

Sign the Pledge here. Learn how to use the Pledge here.

* “Aid” is a poor choice of words here, the pledge drafters have corrected in their other communications. Stopping all “arms and other support” for Israel and other human rights violators is a more helpful framing.

The post Sign the People-First Foreign Policy Pledge! appeared first on United For Peace and Justice.

On September 19, The PPC launched a 50-day national voter outreach program to ensure that the poor and low-income voters are a deciding factor in the upcoming midterm elections. In 2020, the PPC reached over 2 million poor and low-income voters before the general election. Their study of the post-election data showed that an intentional effort to engage low-income voters around an agenda that addresses their critical needs has the potential to shift the nation’s policy priorities. This season the PPC aims to reach 5 million poor and low-wealth, low-propensity voters across 15 strategic priority states. With living wages, healthcare, voting rights and other issues critical to poor and low-wealth people on the ballot, this year’s elections are more crucial than ever. If we ever needed to vote for democracy & justice, we sure do need to vote now!

On September 22, a diverse group of faith leaders, whose various traditions make up millions of congregants across the country, joined Poor People’s Campaign national co-chairs Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II and Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis for an urgent Congressional briefing to implore our elected representatives to act before the midterm elections on living wages and voting rights, and to fight for the reinstatement and expansion of policies that research shows can immediately lift millions of families out of poverty. Watch the recording.

Throughout the next 50 days, thousands of PPC volunteers from across the country will be making phone calls, sending texts, knocking on doors, and canvassing neighborhoods making sure that poor and low-income people both have the tools they need to register to vote & have a voting plan.

United for Peace & Justice is proud to be a national mobilizing partner with the PPC. We urge you to get involved and actively participate in the voter outreach campaign! Sign up and join your state campaign here

The post Poor People’s Campaign: If we ever needed to vote for democracy and justice, we sure do need to vote now! appeared first on United For Peace and Justice.