Council for a Livable World
Template:TOCnestleft The Council for a Livable World was founded in 1962 by nuclear physicist Leo Szilard and other scientists who pioneered the development of atomic weapons and immediately became concerned about their use and spread. It is a Washington, D.C.-based non-profit advocacy organization dedicated to reducing the danger of nuclear weapons and increasing national security.[1]
About
The Council for a Livable World was originally headquartered at 100 Maryland Avenue, N.E., Washington, D.C. When Slizard formed the group in 1962, he declared that the purpose of the group was "to combat the menace of nuclear war." Their major method was to promote U.S. disarmament concessions to the USSR and "non-intervention" against Soviet aggression. Slizard further called for the establishment of a "U.N. Peace Court" at a 1961 Pugwash meeting in Vermont, which would have the power to pass a death sentence on any U.S. citizen or official it deemed guilty of violating "peace" and urged it have power to deputize any and all Americans to execute its sentences. The Council claims to have over 40,000 supporters who contribute to the fund to get progressive candidates into office.[2] In 1982, the lobbying tactics of the Council included conducting meetings with newspaper editorial boards and Congressional District Office meetings in key states including New York, Illinois and Florida.[3] The CLW's present stance is much lower in profile.
The CLW's February 1982 fund-raising appeal commenced with a letter entitled, "The Reagan Administration is launching a massive escalation of the nuclear arms race", signed by George Kistiakowsky, chief science adviser to President Eisenhower. The letter stated that the CLW's chief targets were the MX missile and B-1 bomber, and stated, "We're on Capitol Hill every day, working to reestablish arms control talks, fighting the proliferation of nuclear weapons, lobbying for nuclear arms control agreements." CLW also targeted U.S. chemical weapons funding and campaigning for across-the-board defense cuts, with a "media blitz" slated for late May when the Senate would be considering the chemical weapons issue.[3]
Mission
The stated mission of the Council is found on their website,
- "Our mission is to advocate for sensible national security policies and to help elect congressional candidates who support them."
Achievements
Notable achievements to which the Council supported candidates who were elected have contributed include:[4]
- Ratifying the Chemical Weapons Convention and Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces, Conventional Forces in Europe, and Strategic Arms Reduction (START) treaty
- Establishing a U.S. nuclear testing moratorium in 1992
- Limiting the deployment of the MX missile and B-2 bomber
- Blocking deployment of National Missile Defense by the Clinton administration
- Eliminating funding for the nuclear "Bunker Buster" and "Reliable Replacement Warhead"
Nuclear Weapons Freeze
The CLW Education Fund's tax-exempt status was being used to cover contributions to finance the Nuclear Weapons Freeze Campaign based out of the National Clearinghouse, 4144 Lindell Blvd., Suite 404, St. Louis, MO 631OS, pending its own tax-exemption.[3]
Affiliation with Physicians for Social Responsibility
On May 2, 1982, the Council joined with Physicians for Social Responsibility in co-sponsoring a conference on the medical effects of nuclear war. The conference was held in Washington, D.C.[3]
Personnel
Board
As at March 12, 2010, the following served on the Board:[5]
- Ira Lechner, Chairman
Officers
- Gary Collins, President
- John Isaacs, Executive Director
- Jerome Grossman, Chairman Emeritus
- Ivo Spalatin, Secretary-Treasurer
Board of Directors
As at 1982, the following served on the Board of Directors:[3]
- Jerome Grossman, president
- Ruth Adams, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
- Michael Allen, attorney
- Bernard Feld, MIT
- Roger Fisher, Harvard
- Maurice Fox, MIT
- Jerome Frank, Johns Hopkins
- John Kenneth Galbraith
- George Kistiakowsky
- Admiral John M. Lee (Ret.)
- Matthew Meselson, Harvard
- James Patton, National Farmers Union
- Gene Pokorny, Cambridge Reports
- Charles Price, University of Pennsylvania
- Edward Purcell, Harvard
- George Rathjens, MIT
- Eli Sagan, writer
- Herbert Scoville, ACA
- Jane Sharp, Cornell
- William E. Tarlow, business executive
- Stephen Thomas, management consultant
- Kosta Tsipis, MIT
- Paul C. Warnke, attorney
- Jerome Wiesner, MIT
- John Isaacs, legislative director
- Catherine Clark, assistant executive director
As at March 12, 2010, the following served on the Board of Directors:[5]
- Aron Bernstein, MIT
- Timothy Brennan, Attorney
- Paul Castleman, Business Executive
- David Cohen, Experience Corps
- Alice Day, Sociologist
- Sen. Gary Hart, former U.S. Senator
- Dudley Herschbach, Harvard University, Nobel Laureate
- Colonel Richard Klass, Colonel, USAF (Ret.)
- Priscilla Johnson McMillan, Harvard University
- Matthew Meselson, Harvard University
- Robert K. Musil, Scholar in Residence, American University
- Gene Pokorny, Consultant
- Mark Sternman, Economic Analyst
- Lorin Walker, Business Executive
- Dr. James Walsh, MIT
- Edith B. Wilkie, Congressional Specialist
- Jules Zacher, Attorney
National Advisory Board
- Julian Bond, Writer and Lecturer
- Amb. Jonathan Dean, Former U.S. Ambassador
- Thomas Downey, Former U.S. Representative
- Roger Fisher, Harvard University
- Margaret Gage, Proteus Fund
- Andrew Grossman, Political Organizer
- Lawrence Hess, Businessman
- Dr. John H. Johns, Brigadier General, USA (Ret.)
- Alan Khazei, Co-Founder, City Year
- Richard Schiff, Actor
- Prof. Philip Schrag, Georgetown University Law Center
- Patricia Schroeder, PeacePAC Chair
- Sarah Sewall, Carr Center for Human Rights Policy
- Gerald Warburg, Cassidy & Associates
Staff
As at March 12, 2010, the following were staff of the Council:[6]
- Albert Brown, Information Technology Manager
- David Cohen, Senior Congressional Fellow
- U. Marie Garvin, Financial Controller
- John Isaacs, Executive Director
- Katie Mounts, Director of External Relations
- Jason Pantaleo, Development Officer
- Guy Stevens, Chief Operating Officer
- Leonor Tomero, Director for Nuclear Non-Proliferation
- Laicie Olson, Military Policy Analyst/Development Officer
Supported Candidates
2010 Candidates
The following are the candidates the Council is supporting in 2010:[7]
- Michael Bennet (D-CO)
- Barbara Boxer (D-CA)
- Robin Carnahan (D-MO)
- Russ Feingold (D-WI)
- Lee Fisher (D-OH)
- Paul Hodes (D-NH)
- Scott Murphy (D-NY)
- Joe Sestak (D-PA)
2008 Candidates
The Council raised over $1.1 million for supporting progressive candidates for the 2008 election.[2]
Senate Victories
- Al Franken (D-MN)
- Tim Johnson (D-SD)
- Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ)
- Jeff Merkley (D-OR)
- Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)
- Mark Udall (D-CO)
- Tom Udall (D-NM)
House Victories
- John Adler (D-NJ)
- Jason Altmire (D-PA)
- Kathy Dahlkemper (D-PA)
- Donna Edwards (D-MD)
- Bill Foster (D-IL)
- Alan Grayson (D-FL)
- John Hall (D-NY)
- Jim Himes (D-CT)
- Steve Kagen (D-WI)
- Mary Jo Kilroy (D-OH)
- Dan Maffei (D-NY)
- Betsy Markey (D-CO)
- Eric Massa (D-NY)
- Patrick Murphy (D-PA)
- Glenn Nye (D-VA)
- Tom Perriello (D-VA)
- Gary C. Peters (D-MI)
- Chellie Pingree (D-ME)
- Joe Sestak (D-PA)
- Carol Shea-Porter (D-NH)
- Niki Tsongas (D-MA)
- John Yarmuth (D-KY)
Senators Elected Since 1962
Since 1962, the Council has helped elect the following 118 U.S. arms control candidates to the U.S. Senate:[2]
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Dakota
Ohio
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming
Representatives Elected Since 1962
Since 1962, the Council has helped elect the following 199 U.S. arms control candidates to the U.S. House of Representatives:[2]
Arizona
California
- Adam Schiff
- Anna Eshoo
- Barbara Boxer
- Barbara Lee
- Bob Filner
- Cal Dooley
- Dan Hamburg
- Doug Bosco
- Ellen Tauscher
- George Brown
- George Miller
- Jerry McNerney
- Lois Capps
- Loretta Sanchez
- Lynn Woolsey
- Marty Martinez
- Maxine Waters
- Michael Honda
- Mike Thompson
- Nancy Pelosi
- Phillip Burton
- Ron Dellums
- Sam Farr
- Susan Davis
Colorado
- Ben Nighthorse Campbell
- David Skaggs
- Diana DeGette
- Betsy Markey
- Ed Perlmutter
- John T. Salazar
- Mark Udall
- Patricia Schroeder
Connecticut
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
- Bill Foster
- Bruce Terry
- George Sangmeister
- Jan Schakowsky
- John Cox
- Lane Evans
- Paul Simon
- Phil Hare
- Rod Blagojevich
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
- Bill Green
- Carolyn Maloney
- Dan Maffei
- Eric Massa
- Carolyn McCarthy
- George Hochbrueckner
- John Hall
- Joseph P. Addabbo
- Louise Slaughter
- Matthew F. McHugh
- Maurice Hinchey
- Michael Arcuri
- Nita Lowey
- Robert Mrazek
- Steve Israel
- Thomas J. Downey
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
- Betty Sutton
- Dennis E. Eckart
- Mary Jo Kilroy
- Dennis Kucinich
- Ed Feighan
- John Seiberling
- Sherrod Brown
- Tim Ryan
- Zack Space
Oregon
Pennsylvania
- Jason Altmire
- Kathy Dahlkemper
- Joe Hoeffel
- Joe Sestak
- Lawrence Coughlin
- Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinsky
- Patrick Murphy
- Paul Kanjorski
- Pete Kostmayer
- Robert W. Edgar
- Tom Foglietta
South Carolina
South Dakota
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
- Clement J. Zablocki
- David Obey
- Jay Johnson
- Jim Moody
- Les Aspin
- Robert Kastenmeier
- Steve Kagen
- Ron Kind
- Tammy Baldwin
Rhode Island
PeacePAC
PeacePAC was founded in 1981 by Roman Catholic priest, Father Robert Drinan, "a tireless advocate for issues of peace and justice". Since its founding, PeacePAC has endorsed and helped elect 199 candidates to the House of Representatives. In the 2008 election cycle PeacePAC endorsed 31 candidates and raised over $600,000. PeacePAC identifies the most competitive progressive candidates throughout the country, puts them through a rigorous selection process, rallies financial and political support for its endorsees, and keeps them informed on arms control and other national security issues once elected.[8]
Board of Directors
As at March 15, 2010, the following served on the Board of Directors for PeacePAC:[5]
- Darcy Burner, Progressive Congress
- Gary Collins, Attorney
- Jerome Grossman, Council for a Livable World
- Martin Hamburger, Campaign Consultant
- John Isaacs, Council for a Livable World
- Suzy S. Kerr, Former PeacePAC Director
- Dan Koslofsky, Attorney
- Conrad Martin, Fund for Constitutional Government
- Darcy Scott Martin, True Majority
- Jon Powers, Truman National Security Project
- Michelle Robinson, Former PeacePAC Director
- Will Robinson, Media Consultant
- Kimberly Robson, People for the American Way
- Patricia Schroeder, Former Congresswoman
- Amy Simon, Goodwin Simon Strategic Research
- Karl Struble, Media Consultant
- Edith Wilkie, Peace Through Law Education Fund
On Feb. 4, 2010, the Council for a Livable World announced that David Bonior would be succeeding Patricia Schroeder as the next chair of PeacePAC, the organization’s arm that endorses candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives. At the time Bonior commented,
- “I am honored to be selected as the next chairman of PeacePAC. I look forward to working with the experts on the committee’s Board of Directors to endorse and help elect strong, progressive candidates in the 2010 elections.”[8]
External Links
References
- ↑ Council for a Livable World website: Mission
- ↑ Jump up to: 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 CLW website: Who We've Helped Elect
- ↑ Jump up to: 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 The War Called Peace: Glossary, published 1982
- ↑ CLW website: Legislative Achievements
- ↑ Jump up to: 5.0 5.1 5.2 CLW website: Board
- ↑ CLW website: Staff
- ↑ CLW website: Meet Our Candidates
- ↑ Jump up to: 8.0 8.1 CLW website: New PeacePAC Chair Announced for 2010 Elections, Feb. 4, 2010