Happy Friday, friend.

We are 46 days from November 8th. Now is the time to be hassling your friends to register to vote - and hopefully to vote for me (and other Democrats on the ballot).

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Today I wanted to "zoom out" a bit on the email though. I talk a lot about American democracy and about domestic policies I want to enact, but there's a whole world outside our borders that we should be cognizant of as well.

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Maybe it's just the soldier and diplomat in me, but I'm always a little depressed at how insular most Americans are. I'm not asking everyone to be a foreign policy expert, but politicians should at least be aware of the rest of the world and its problems. I have seen little from Doug LaMalfa that implies any such international curiosity -- outside of Fox News headlines (besides where he can sell his rice).

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So what is going on in the world this week?

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1.) Russia has decided to mobilize, which indicates a massive escalation of the Ukraine war. It's also caused some domestic dissent - because no one wants to be drafted for Putin's imperialist invasion.?

The U.S. should continue to support Ukraine while ensuring that the conflict remains a local one.?

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2.) There are massive protests in Iran after a young woman was killed by "morality police" for not wearing a headscarf. The protests have no expanded beyond feminism to broader dissatisfaction with the regime.

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The U.S. should support these protestors by applying pressure on Iran to prevent a harsh crackdown like the last round in 2009. The Islamic Republic does not represent the will of the Iranian people.

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Like it or not, the United States plays an outsized role in world events. We need more politicians that understand that. I do. LaMalfa does not.

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I'm running to bring my experience in the Army and as a former Foreign Service Officer to bear on US policy, because LaMalfa has been totally absent on this issue. If you're with me, chip in a donation to support our grassroots effort today.