Here’s How Congress Can Put America First

With the exit of Steve Bannon from the White House, the administration has divorced itself from some of the America First principles that won the election for Donald Trump. At The American Conservative, Jonathan Tkachuk outlines how members of Congress can regain momentum for America First policies. He writes:

In an article for The American Conservative on June 26th, William Lind called for the creation of an “America First Caucus” to serve as a non-interventionist beachhead on Capitol Hill similar to how the “Military Reform Caucus” of the 1980s served as a congressional pressure point for effectiveness and efficiency in the defense budget. According to Lind, this caucus would provide support for the President when he took a non-interventionist course and criticize the President when he erred on the side of intervention. By adopting “America First” in its name, the caucus would insulate itself from criticism by the President….

…Principles and Objectives that an America First Caucus could use as a guiding charter:

Principles:

1. The United States must maintain an impregnable defense for America.
2. No foreign power, nor group of powers, can successfully attack a prepared America without incurring an unacceptably high cost for such an attack on itself.
3. American democracy can be preserved only by keeping out of the next undeclared war of choice.
4. “Meddling short of war” weakens national defense at home and threatens to involve America in war abroad.”
5. The only way to neutralize the threat Al-Qaeda and Daesh (ISIL) pose to the United States is through smart and effective diplomacy. This diplomacy must contain the following features: A withdrawal of all U.S. military forces from Islamic countries over the next three years, prioritizing cooperation with all foreign governments in lawfully undermining these organizations, and aggressively promoting nuclear non-proliferation in accordance to international law (i.e. without resorting to the use of military force or implying the use of military force).  

Objectives:

1. To bring together all Americans, regardless of possible differences on other matters, who see eye-to-eye on these principles.
2. To urge Americans to keep their heads amid rising hysteria in times of crisis.
3. To provide sane national leadership for the majority of the American people who want to keep out of the next undeclared war of choice.
4. To register this opinion with the President and with the rest of our colleagues in Congress….

With the departure of Steve Bannon from the White House and the administration opting to deploy more American forces to Afghanistan, the need for a new set of political incentives towards non-interventionism has never been greater. Trump was elected because the American electorate believed he, and not Hillary Clinton, would put the well-being of Americans first. It is time members of Congress stand up and hold him to that promise.

Read more here.