@ISIDEWITHQuestionsForeign policyStarted 10yrs agoActive 1yr ago

Should the U.S. formally declare war on ISIS?

Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) recently proposed declaring war against the Islamic State (ISIS). The declaration would give the President more authority to carry out broader attacks on the militant group without Congressional approval. Opponents argue that the order would give the President too much power by eliminating Congressional oversight. Proponents argue that fighting an organization like ISIS requires an unconventional war plan that requires the President to make quick decisions without Congressional oversight.

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Answer Overview

Response rates from 735k Libertarian voters.

39%
Yes
61%
No
27%
Yes
30%
No
9%
Yes, but only with full cooperation from the United Nations
13%
No, we should stay out of Middle Eastern conflicts
1%
Yes, but only with targeted airstrikes
12%
No, we should not legitimize ISIS as a sovereign entity
1%
Yes, and send in ground troops
6%
No, not until they attack us on U.S. soil
0%
Yes, ISIS already declared war on us and we must now defend ourselves
0%
No, we can not declare war on ISIS because it is not a country

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Other Popular Answers

Unique answers from Libertarian voters whose views went beyond the provided options.

 @537XT5Qfrom Oklahoma  answered…4yrs4Y

The only war we should fight is the one that uses congressmembers and their families at the front line, instead of letting chicken hawks sends other people's families to die.

 @4YPYNSRfrom New Jersey  answered…4yrs4Y

Islamic countries should lead a global coalition with Saudi Arabia and Iran spearheading under the UN must confront this, with active backing by the global powers... Much like in WWII.

 @56P3T6Hfrom Pennsylvania  answered…4yrs4Y

Yes send in troops city to city . So we can rebuild the modern Muslim communities

 @4YJ3633from Maryland  answered…4yrs4Y

That would be an empty gesture, that further underscores the ridiculousness of the concept of "war" in the modern era. How's that war on drugs going? Did we ever win that war on obesity? Why do we need a "formal" declaration when we got drone strikes and economic warfare?

 @4VPKTM9from Massachusetts  answered…4yrs4Y

This is a bogus question. You can only declare war on a country. Not an idea or belief system. That would be like decaring war on the kkk...

 @5375NQ8from California  answered…4yrs4Y

No, Isis isn't a place. You would have to declare war on a country. Which country is the only one with Isis? How many countries do we declare war on and how can we truly tell who are members of Isis and who aren't?

 @56P6QMDfrom Arizona  answered…4yrs4Y

How can you attack an ideal? You can't declare war on a nomadic pack of terrorists. But when you find their packs...turn them to ash.

 @5383XD2from California  answered…4yrs4Y

Yes, but not with the current President. Obama (among many other Democrats) have been enabling them time and time again by refusing to acknowledge any religious connection in spite of the perps explicitly saying so. Whether people accept it or not, ISIS technically is a sovereign entity ever since they formally established their Caliphate in the Middle East with the purpose of world domination.

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 @ISIDEWITH submitted…3wks3W

Donald Trump nominates Pam Bondi as the next Attorney General

Former President and 2024 Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has announced his intention to nominate former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi as the next Attorney General of the United States, should he reclaim the presidency in the upcoming election.Bondi, a prominent figure in Republican politics, served as Florida's Attorney General from 2011 to 2019. She gained national attention for her legal battles on issues such as health care reform, consumer protection, and opioid abuse litigation. Known for her steadfast support of Trump during his presidency, Bondi also served as a key adviser during his first impeachment trial, where she defended his administration against accusations of abuse of power.In a statement released by his campaign, Trump praised Bondi’s “unwavering commitment to justice” and her “track record of standing up for everyday Americans against the abuses of Washington’s elites.”“Pam Bondi has been a fearless advocate for the people, and she embodies the principles of fairness, accountability, and the rule of law that are sorely needed to restore trust in our justice system,” Trump said. “She is the right person to lead the Department of Justice into a new era of integrity and excellence.”While Bondi’s nomination has been met with applause from conservative circles, it has also reignited criticism from Democrats and ethics watchdogs. Her acceptance of a $25,000 donation from the Trump Foundation in 2013, which coincided with her decision not to pursue an investigation into Trump University, has drawn scrutiny in the past and resurfaced following the announcement.Democratic leaders have already voiced opposition, questioning Bondi’s ability to lead the Department of Justice independently. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) called the nomination “a political power play” and urged a focus on “restoring integrity, not entrenching partisanship.”

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Active 2 days ago

 @ISIDEWITH submitted…3wks3W

Kamala Harris is considering running for president again in 2028

Kamala Harris has been lying low since her defeat in the presidential race, unwinding with family and senior aides in Hawaii before heading back to the nation’s capital.But privately, the vice president has been instructing advisers and allies to keep her options open — whether for a possible 2028 presidential run, or even to run for governor in her home state of California in two years. As Harris has repeated in phone calls, “I am staying in the fight.”She is expected to explore those and other possible paths forward with family members over the winter holiday season, according to five people in the Harris inner circle, who were granted anonymity to discuss internal dynamics. Her deliberations follow an extraordinary four months in which Harris went from President Joe Biden’s running mate to the top of the ticket, reenergizing Democrats before ultimately crashing on election night.“She doesn’t have to decide if she wants to run for something again in the next six months,” said one former Harris campaign aide. “The natural thing to do would be to set up some type of entity that would give her the opportunity to travel and give speeches and preserve her political relationships.”“She doesn’t have to decide if she wants to run for something again in the next six months,” said one former Harris campaign aide. “The natural thing to do would be to set up some type of entity that would give her the opportunity to travel and give speeches and preserve her political relationships.”Harris concedes: 'We must accept the results of this election'SharePlay VideoMost immediately, Harris and her advisers are working to define how and when she will speak out against Donald Trump and reassert her own role in the Democratic Party. Closing out her term as vice president, she’s set to preside over certifying the November election she lost to Trump, and then appear at the once-and-future president’s inauguration on Jan. 20.“There will be a desire to hear her voice, and there won’t be a vacuum for long,” a person close to Harris said.At the same time, Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, will have a long checklist to plow through before they leave the Naval Observatory for good.They have to decide whether they’ll take up permanent residence at their home in Los Angeles, or establish a base elsewhere. No matter where Harris and her family live, some around her have expressed concerns about safety, as her Secret Service protection expires six months after stepping away.

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 @ISIDEWITH submitted…2 days2D

Elizabeth Warren Walks Back Murder Comments

Congressional Democrats broadly denounced the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson Friday morning, after Republicans started accusing Sen. Elizabeth Warren of excusing violence.“No one's condoning this,” said Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.). “Violence never is the right answer for anything. And it was a horrible murder, a tragic loss for his family.” Warren this week condemned the shooting, but added that people “can be pushed only so far.”"We'll say it over and over," Warren said on MSNBC’S “The ReidOut.” " Violence is never the answer. This guy [Luigi Mangione] gets a trial who's allegedly killed the CEO of UnitedHealth, but you can only push people so far, and then they start to take matters into their own hands."In a statement to POLITICO, Warren said, “Violence is never the answer. Period. I should have been much clearer that there is never a justification for murder.” Top Republicans denounced Warren's comments and the walked-back rhetoric, with House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) calling it “inappropriate and dangerous.”Some House Democrats asked about the incident on Thursday pivoted the conversation to discuss policy options on health care or gun safety.“I don't really know that this is really a space that Congress normally weighs in on,” said Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas). “But at the end of the day, I think it’s an opportunity, because now people are talking about health care and to talk about the fact that this industry has honestly not been as helpful as it could be.”“Violence is never the answer,” said Rep. Troy Carter (D-La.). “We know that there are people suffering, there’s great challenges in healthcare. There's great challenges, and people have, in fact, been wronged, but a process of governance is the way to address that, not violence.”And Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) who denounced the murder, said the killer should be prosecuted and that “I do know that allegedly a ghost gun was used, and we should also ban ghost guns. There's no reason for them beyond the streets.”

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