FreedomWorks President Matt Kibbe explained the group’s reasoning, saying Congress should “be focusing on the red ink at home” and arguing it would be “reckless” to get involved in a foreign civil war.
He said in a statement:
“Congress should be focusing on the red ink at home, not arbitrarily established red lines abroad. As a membership organization, FreedomWorks has been overwhelmed with requests to help activists express their voice in this debate. A broad coalition of Americans, including the millions of grassroots activists represented in the FreedomWorks community, has already roundly rejected the Obama Administration’s rationale for bombing Syria. Congress ignores the will of the voters on this issue at their own peril.”
“In many ways, this ‘insiders versus the rest of us’ dynamic reflects the same recipe that led to the defeat of the first TARP bailout attempt on the House floor in 2008. This tone deafness gave rise to a grassroots revolution.”
“When they convene, Congress will consider short-term actions. They should also reflect upon long-term costs associated with those actions. There is no guarantee that ‘limited’ military operations in Syria will lead to a ‘limited’ result. The costs of brinksmanship in an ongoing civil war are steep, and a collapse of state would fall in our laps. In other words, if we break it, we buy it.”
“Regardless of foreign policy priorities, Americans can agree that the strength of our country ultimately depends upon our fiscal stability. While our nation is capable of summoning its superpower, it would be reckless for Congress to bankrupt us in the process.”
