Should Americans get to 'Vote' on War?
I just read the James Fallows article in the Atlantic, and thought he made an interesting point. If the wars under the last two Presidents had been put to the American voters to decide - there would likely have been a very different outcome.
http://www.theatlantic.com/features/archive/2014/12/the-tragedy-of-the-american-military/383516/
[link:http://www.theatlantic.com/features/archive/2014/12/the-tragedy-of-the-american-military/383516/|
yeoman6987
(14,449 posts)It was directly after 9/11 and it would have been approved. Iraq maybe not but if Congress voted yes. I am not confident enough to say that the population would have voted down the war in Iraq. Not confident at all.
Victor_c3
(3,557 posts)bush's approval rating was around 70% at the outbreak of the war on Iraq in spring 2003. In other words, 70% of Americans were excited and happy to see us go fight that war.
KT2000
(20,577 posts)there should be a period for public comment that would be entered into the record. The public is not privy to all information and would be "lobbied" such as the "mushroom cloud."
At least public comment would be a vehicle to bring Congress accountable to the public for their actions.
Agnosticsherbet
(11,619 posts)against anyone.
Midterms and special elections are notorious for low turn out, and most often the biggest turnout in these elections are conservatives, because historically they are more disciplined about voting than liberals.
Then there is the problem that in a real emergency, how long would it take to hold a nationwide election on a single issue. Elections are not called on short notice.
Even if we were not talking about changing the Constitution in a massive way, I don't think it would work to stop a war because voting patterns jsut bring in the usual conserative suspects to vote.
PoliticAverse
(26,366 posts)bemildred
(90,061 posts)As long as it is content with losing wars, like now, there is no need, it's easy to lose wars.
Victor_c3
(3,557 posts)If the public wasn't excited about shedding blood in the middle east, then his approval at the initiation of both of those wars would have been much lower.
The American people wanted those wars and they got exactly what they wanted.
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Jappleseed
(93 posts)And if you vote yes you go and fight it. Automatic sign up.