The Global Citizen: tea party

Lugar Loses and So Does the World

Don Kraus | May 9th, 2012
Topics: Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), Law of the Sea Treaty, United Nations

Senator Richard Lugar of Indiana lost his Republican primary yesterday to Tea Party backed conservative Richard Mourdock, after more than 35 years in the Senate. His defeat is not just a defeat for Lugar and his supporters, but a defeat for American national security and indeed the entire world. In the words of fellow Senate Foreign Relations Committee member Senator John Kerry, "It will soon almost sound cliché to say that America is safer today because of Dick Lugar's 36 years of service in the Senate, but it really does bear repeating."

Lugar's challenger, Richard Mourdock, said in his victory speech, that his campaign was about ideas for the future of both the Republican Party and our nation as a whole. Unfortunately, Mourdock's win is part of a disturbing pattern of election victories for Tea Party ideas, of unilateralists over more moderate, internationally minded Republicans.

Pull 'em Together Harry

Don Kraus | November 10th, 2010
Topics: Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), Nuclear Disarmament, Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), Prevent War

As posted on the Huffington Post:

Harry, it looks like you defied the odds in Nevada and are going to be in D.C. for another six years. Amen. But winning elections is one thing. If you seriously want to prove that you still have the chops to remain Majority leader in the next Congress, it's time to get serious about finishing the current Congress on a winning consensus-building note.

While there are certainly many important issues on your plate that are far from guaranteed, why not show your true leadership skills? Pass the New START nuclear draw-down treaty. It has strong bipartisan support and is a security no-brainer.

Tea Party foreign policy = U.N. bashing

Marc Gimbel | August 19th, 2010
Topics: United Nations, Capitol Hill

While the Tea Party owes its origins to domestic concerns, a unified foreign policy has failed to emerge. Tea Partiers often find themselves holding directly opposing views--especially with regard to America's military presence in the world. However, as Peter Baker's Foreign Policy article points out, "[i]f there's one thing Tea Party activists can agree on foreign-policy-wise, it's their aversion to international organizations.

Possibly due to this rare seeing of eye to eye, Tea Party candidates have come out swinging against international organizations like the United Nations. Candidates like Dan Maes of Colorado, Sharon Angles of Nevada, and Rand Paul of Kentucky have each vocalized the call to get the U.S. out of the U.N.

Tea Party Candidate Fears UN Bicycle Takeover. What's next UFO's?

Marc Gimbel | August 6th, 2010
Topics: Climate Change, Capitol Hill

Dan Maes, the leading GOP candidate for governor of Denver, came out against his rival Mayor John Hickenlooper over a bike sharing program. Maes spoke about the B-Cycle program, which places 400 rental bikes around the city to make commutes healthier and more environmentally friendly. Maes claims "if you do your homework and research, you realize ICLEI is part of a greater strategy to rein in American cities under a United Nations treaty."

ICLEI is an international association of local governments committed to sustainable development. Denver became a partner with ICLEI before Hickenlooper was Mayor. Why is it then that Maes seems to think there is a deeper motive?

New START vs. the Tea Party: What's the Greatest Threat?

Don Kraus | August 3rd, 2010
Topics: Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), Election News & Analysis, Nuclear Disarmament

Written by Don Kraus for the Huffington Post

What's more dangerous: the thousands of nukes that will still target U.S. and Russian cities if the New START treaty is not ratified OR the opportunistic, Tea Party pandering politicians who would derail this commonsense agreement?

If you answered "the nukes", you're wrong.

New START will reduce the global inventory of strategic nuclear warheads on hair-trigger alert to levels not seen since I was born in 1954. But these weapons are not nearly as dangerous as the obstructive "Cold War" messaging that treaty opponents are deploying to upset New START's ratification.