War Powers Act

This essay was sent to the Henderson County Democratic Party as strategic tool for engaging its members by providing a means for taking a personal action. This essay may be adapted for use in any county or precinct in the country.

Facts (science) and knowledge (education) are the foundations for human progress 

The War Powers Act of 1973

The War Powers Act of 1973.

“Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution assigns Congress the right to declare war…The resolution required that, in the absence of a declaration of war, the president must report to Congress within 48 hours of introducing armed forces into hostilities and must terminate the use of U.S. armed forces within 60 days unless Congress permits otherwise.” (PolitiFact)

The War on Iran is illegal

·         Unauthorized Congressional actions and expenses.

o   No Authority. In recent decades, congressional consent has usually been accomplished by the passage of an "authorization for the use of military force…Trump did not present Congress with an authorization request” (PolitiFact)

o   Spending unallocated money. “Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed that the administration is considering a $200 billion supplemental request to cover the costs of military action in Iran…It takes money to kill bad guys” (Politico)

·         Violation of International Law

o   “The attack on Iran also runs afoul of United Nations Charter Article 2(4), which prohibits the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity of any member state. The UN Charter was ratified by the United States Senate in 1945 (by a vote of 89-2) and is the “law of the land” on exactly the same level as legislation passed by Congress.” (Contrarian)

o   “The UN Charter places significant restrictions on the resort to military force, which includes war. Absent approval by the UN Security Council, the use of military force is permitted only if in self-defense under Article 51.” (Contrarian)

Trump’s invasion of Iran has produced a Constitutional crisis. If the United States carries out his threats and orders, our country will be violating the Constitution and the rules of International Law historically established by the US. This is not the example our country should be setting for world.

What You Can Do Now

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In a Democracy, one person cannot start a war! Only the peoples’ representatives, Congress, can take the United States to war. In a democracy, the President is simply The Executive Officer, not a King. Pass the War Powers Resolution, now. Enforce the Constitutional Separation of Powers giving Congress authority over wars and expenses, and protect American Democracy. 

Here’s how you can contact each of your federal representatives from North Carolina: Each of the links below takes you to a secure web form where you can email a copy of the letter directly, or phone or mail a copy to:

📬 Senator Thom Tillis

·         Email Contact Form: Email Senator Tillis

·         Phone: (202) 224-6342

·         Mailing Address: 185 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510

📬 Senator Ted Budd

·         Email Contact Form: Email Senator Budd

·         Phone: (202) 224-3154

·         Mailing Address: 217 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510

📬 Representative Chuck Edwards

·         Email Contact Form: Email Congressman Edwards

·         Phone: (202) 225-6401

·         Mailing Address: 1505 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515

 

Slush Fund

 This essay was sent to the Henderson County Democratic Party as strategic tool for engaging its members by providing a means for taking a personal action. This essay may be adapted for use in any county or precinct in the country.

Facts (science) and knowledge (education) are the foundations for human progress

Tell Trump: “NO!” and “NO!!” 

The Internal Revenue Service made a special “agreement” with President Trump authorizing the payment of $1.6 Billion of taxpayer money to himself in exchange for dropping his suit against the IRS.

·       “Part of the issue with Trump’s claim against the IRS was that both sides of the lawsuit ultimately answer to him. “I’m supposed to work out a settlement with myself,” he told reporters at the time. The judge overseeing the case indicated last month that she was considering dismissing it for that reason (The Atlantic).”

·         “WASHINGTON— President Trump’s extraordinary agreement with the federal government expanded Tuesday to end all pending tax audits of him and his businesses, according to a document posted by the Justice Department” (Wall Street Journal). No citizen, not even the President, should be given special immunity from paying their fair share of income tax.

Trump’s Administration, the Department of Justice and the IRS, “agreement” with President Trump has been widely regarded by both the press and members of Congress as an illegal “Slush Fund”. Only Congress can authorize the expenditure of money and has the authority to over-ride this clear abuse of executive power for personal financial gain.

What You Can Do Now

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Assert Congressional authority over Trump’s unauthorized exercise of executive power for personal financial gain by prohibiting the IRS from paying the President of the United States $1.8 for dropping his suit against the IRS, and for providing immunity from tax audits.

 

Here’s how you can contact each of your federal representatives from North Carolina: Each of the links below takes you to a secure web form where you can email a copy of the letter directly, or phone or mail a copy to:

📬 Senator Thom Tillis

·         Email Contact Form: Email Senator Tillis

·         Phone: (202) 224-6342

·         Mailing Address: 185 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510

📬 Senator Ted Budd

·         Email Contact Form: Email Senator Budd

·         Phone: (202) 224-3154

·         Mailing Address: 217 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510

📬 Representative Chuck Edwards

·         Email Contact Form: Email Congressman Edwards

·         Phone: (202) 225-6401

·         Mailing Address: 1505 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515

 

 

The Pope

 This essay was sent to the Henderson County Democratic Party as strategic tool for engaging its members by providing a means for taking a personal action. This essay may be adapted for use in any county or precinct in the country.

Facts (science) and knowledge (education) are the foundations for human progress 

Trump Tells Pope Leo to “Get His Act Together”

This past week the Pope “issued a rare condemnation of President Trump's threat to destroy Iranian civilization. The pope called it, quote "truly unacceptable." He also took the unusual step of issuing a call to action.” CBS News.

Pope Leo XIV: "Contact the authorities — political leaders, congressmen — to ask them, tell them to work for peace and to reject war always."

 “The dispute between Trump and Leo marks an unprecedented moment in American history: never before has a sitting U.S. president been in open conflict with an American pope… Leo has not shied away from direct confrontation. When Trump wrote on social media that "an entire civilization will die tonight" if Iran failed to meet a U.S. deadline, Leo responded: "This is truly unacceptable." Newsweek, April 12, 2026.

Pope Leo reminded us that this is beyond a political or religious issue. It is a moral issue about moral leadership.

What You Can Do Now

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Tell your elected political leaders that threatening to obliterate the Iranian civilization is un-American at its core. Threating, or doing, genocide violates every principle we stand for as a nation and is a failure of moral leadership. I do not, on my personal conscious, want a moral crime against humanity carried out in my name. Pass a Congressional resolution demanding that we stop fighting and negotiate peace. Achieving true peace is harder, but it is the only morally acceptable response by our country.

Here’s how you can contact each of your federal representatives from North Carolina: Each of the links below takes you to a secure web form where you can email a copy of the letter directly, or phone or mail a copy to:

📬 Senator Thom Tillis

·         Email Contact Form: Email Senator Tillis

·         Phone: (202) 224-6342

·         Mailing Address: 185 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510

📬 Senator Ted Budd

·         Email Contact Form: Email Senator Budd

·         Phone: (202) 224-3154

·         Mailing Address: 217 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510

📬 Representative Chuck Edwards

·         Email Contact Form: Email Congressman Edwards

·         Phone: (202) 225-6401

·         Mailing Address: 1505 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515

 

Trump's Budget

 This essay was sent to the Henderson County Democratic Party as strategic tool for engaging its members by providing a means for taking a personal action. This essay may be adapted for use in any county or precinct in the country.

Facts (science) and knowledge (education) are the foundations for human progress

Trump’s budget proposal for the 2027 fiscal year seeks $1.5 trillion in defense spending, by far the largest dollar amount in modern history.

“The proposal included $1.1 trillion for the Defense Department, as well as another $350 billion for critical munitions, an effort to expand the defense industrial base and other matters. The White House proposed a 10% reduction of nondefense spending to about $660 billion in the 2027 fiscal year, followed by additional cuts in subsequent years. Congress will need to determine which pieces will be passed into law before the fiscal year begins Oct. 1.” WSJ, April 3, 2026

The proposed cuts to domestic spending will pass on to individuals the additional costs resulting from the of reduced public services: Health and Human Services (-12%), Housing (-12%), Interior (-13%), Agriculture (-19%), Labor (-19%), State and International Programs (-30%). These cuts will increase the already large levels of income inequalities in the United States. The historic (43%) increase in defense spending will make the use of foreign and domestic military interventions more likely at the expense of the quality of domestic life. 

What You Can Do Now

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Tell Congress to reverse the spending priorities recommended by Trump by reducing the unnecessary growth of our military capacity and intervention in foreign affairs, and instead use our tax dollars to strengthen the health and wellbeing of our own citizens.

Here’s how you can contact each of your federal representatives from North Carolina: Each of the links below takes you to a secure web form where you can email a copy of the letter directly, or phone or mail a copy to:

📬 Senator Thom Tillis

·         Email Contact Form: Email Senator Tillis

·         Phone: (202) 224-6342

·         Mailing Address: 185 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510

📬 Senator Ted Budd

·         Email Contact Form: Email Senator Budd

·         Phone: (202) 224-3154

·         Mailing Address: 217 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510

📬 Representative Chuck Edwards

·         Email Contact Form: Email Congressman Edwards

·         Phone: (202) 225-6401

·         Mailing Address: 1505 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515

 

$200 Billion Tax Bill

 

This essay was sent to the Henderson County Democratic Party as strategic tool for engaging its members by providing a means for taking a personal action. This essay may be adapted for use in any county or precinct in the country.

Facts (science) and knowledge (education) are the foundations for human progress

  $200 Billion Tax Bill for Trump’s Unauthorized War

 Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed that the Pentagon has requested another $200 billion from the White House to fund the war, as the U.S. national debt hit a record $39 trillion.

“It takes money to kill bad guys,” he said. “So we’re going back to Congress and our folks there to ensure we’re properly funded for what’s being done, for what we may have to do in the future.”

“This is a very volatile world, and the military equipment, the power of some of this weaponry is unthinkable,” Trump said. “It’s a small price to pay to make sure we stay tippy top.” Politico

Only Congress has the authority to go to war and to authorize the spending of money. The Executive of our government (the President) is supposed to administer those actions. Trump’s unauthorized war and depletion of munitions have left tax payers with a $200 Billion bill. 

What You Can Do Now

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 Assert Congressional authority over Trump’s unauthorized war by requiring the President to withdraw from the military actions against Iran, and to explicitly prohibit any future use of armed invasions or depletion of military supplies and armaments without Congressional authorization.

Here’s how you can contact each of your federal representatives from North Carolina: Each of the links below takes you to a secure web form where you can email a copy of the letter directly, or phone or mail a copy to: 

 Senator Thom Tillis

·         Email Contact Form: Email Senator Tillis

·         Phone: (202) 224-6342

·         Mailing Address: 185 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510

📬 Senator Ted Budd

·         Email Contact Form: Email Senator Budd

·         Phone: (202) 224-3154

·         Mailing Address: 217 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510

📬 Representative Chuck Edwards

·        Phone: (202) 225-6401

·         Mailing Address: 1505 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515

 

_____________________________________________________________

Rational for the "Call for Action" as strategic tool  

The “Call to Action” proposal has two functions:

·         The Primary one is as a tool for eliciting engagement and participation

·         The Secondary one content – to provide information

 Sending the “Call to Action” as one of a stand-alone series serves both functions. It is the first step of a series, e.g. one a week for 4 weeks or more.

·         The 4 options for the receiver of sharing, posting, responding, or sending a letter are to get the person to do something that is quick and easy, now! Read and respond in 2 minutes.

·         We (the County or Precinct) code whether the e-mails are opened.

·         Individuals who have received a series of calls for action, or who have responded directly, are then contacted by phone to find out what kinds of issues they are most concerned about, what the Party (or Precinct) is trying to do, and if someone who shares their concerns could phone them to talk to about what those of us in our precinct are trying to do.

·         For those who agree to be phoned, the person who will phone them sends them a text about what would be a good time to talk – makes an appointment.

When this happens, the person has already made 3 small commitments. That is the way you get (nudge) volunteers to man the phone banks, watch the polls, etc. For example: Finding 5 people to help a project leader implement a sequential plan to create “Democratic Cells” in gated and closed communities. Most people the leader gets to talk to in detail about an issue that is of personal concern will get involved about what they can do and will volunteer to help.

 

 

US War Crime Violation

 This essay was sent to the Henderson County Democratic Party as strategic tool for engaging its members by providing a means for taking a personal action. This essay may be adapted for use in any county or precinct in the country.

 Facts (science) and knowledge (education) are the foundations for human progress

 

A US Violation of International Law 

President Trump issued a profanity-laden social media post on Sunday morning, warning Iran about the Strait of Hormuz, as the conflict continued to escalate. NPR, 4/5/2026

In the Truth Social post, Trump threatened Iran over the strategic waterway, writing: "Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran," and adding, "Open the F***in' Strait, you crazy bastards, or you'll be living in Hell - JUST WATCH!"

“WASHINGTON—Negotiators are pessimistic Iran will bend to meet President Trump’s demand to reopen the Strait of Hormuz before his Tuesday-night deadline, paving the way for the U.S. to target Iranian bridges and power plants in a fresh escalation of the war.”  WSJ, April 6, 2026

Civilian infrastructure is protected by international law. If the United States carries out these threats under orders from Trump, our country will be violating international law and our President guilty of committing war crimes. This is not the example our country should be setting for world.

What You Can Do Now

·         Share this e-mail with a friend.

·         Post on Social Media

·         Join your neighbors in (Precinct Name) to help make a difference

o   (Precinct e-mail address link)

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·         Copy the letter below and e-mail the letter to our elected representatives (their addresses are listed below).

Do not allow the United States to violate international humanitarian standards. Assert Congressional authority over Trump’s unauthorized war by specifically prohibiting the President of the United States from targeting Iranian bridges, power plants, and civilian infrastructure as required by international law.

Here’s how you can contact each of your federal representatives from North Carolina: Each of the links below takes you to a secure web form where you can email a copy of the letter directly, or phone or mail a copy to:

📬 Senator Thom Tillis

·         Email Contact Form: Email Senator Tillis

·         Phone: (202) 224-6342

·         Mailing Address: 185 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510

📬 Senator Ted Budd

·         Email Contact Form: Email Senator Budd

·         Phone: (202) 224-3154

·         Mailing Address: 217 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510

📬 Representative Chuck Edwards

·         Email Contact Form: Email Congressman Edwards

·         Phone: (202) 225-6401

·         Mailing Address: 1505 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515

 

An Explanation of the purpose of the "call for action" as a strategic tool

The “Call to Action” proposal has two functions:

·         The Primary one is as a tool for eliciting engagement and participation

·         The Secondary one content – to provide information

Sending the “Call to Action” as one of a stand-alone series serves both functions. It is the first step of a series, e.g. one a week for 4 weeks or more.

·         The 4 options for the receiver of sharing, posting, responding, or sending a letter are to get the person to do something that is quick and easy, now! Read and respond in 2 minutes.

·         We (the County or Precinct) code whether the e-mails are opened.

·         Individuals who have received a series of calls for action, or who have responded directly, are then contacted by phone to find out what kinds of issues they are most concerned about, what the Party (or Precinct) is trying to do, and if someone who shares their concerns could phone them to talk to about what those of us in our precinct are trying to do.

·         For those who agree to be phoned, the person who will phone them sends them a text about what would be a good time to talk – makes an appointment.

When this happens, the person has already made 3 small commitments. That is the way you get (nudge) volunteers to man the phone banks, watch the polls, etc. For example: Finding 5 people to help a project leader implement a sequential plan to create “Democratic Cells” in gated and closed communities. Most people the leader gets to talk to in detail about an issue that is of personal concern will get involved about what they can do and will volunteer to help.