Posted on 01/27/2015 12:01:39 PM PST by Dave346
Unless there is any doubt, the vast majority of Democrats value partisan support for a failed president over support for our own national security and for that of Israel. Hence, they want to delay once again a vote on the Menendez-Kirk bill imposing sanctions on Iran unless it agrees to an acceptable final deal. The bill was introduced more than a year ago. The timing just isn’t right, you see. Will it ever be?
A letter by Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) signed onto by Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.) and Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) attempts to split the baby between their loyalty to the White House and a serious position on Iran. They assert:
In acknowledgement of your concern regarding congressional action on legislation at this moment, we will not vote for this legislation on the Senate floor before March 24.
Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) said in a brief phone conversation with me, “I’m just so tired of excuses.” In asking for yet another delay, he says, “They ignore the single most likely outcome — the [White House] will come back with another extension.” He recalled, “The bill as crafted last time doesn’t go into effect unless Iran walks away from the table. So how could that possibly do any harm?”
In short, the Democrats want cover and want to delay. Republicans should insist that they take a hard vote — which shouldn’t be hard at all — as soon as possible. All the rest is political noise and excuse-mongering. Lawmakers who are serious about changing the trajectory of talks, putting real pressure on Iran and stopping a historically awful deal will move swiftly.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
What’s up with the delay on sanctions? Don’t we need to cut Iran off from outside world supplies, and is this what we can expect on Russia too?
Did we try sanctions on Gaddafi before Obama had him whacked?
I never read stories about Republicans holding up votes when they are not in power.
Of course, I never read stories of them holding up votes when they ARE in power either.
Evidently, it doesn’t matter who is the majority, the Democrats control the Senate.
Thinking that myself. The Dems are the minority and still they control when the house and senate votes!
If I were Dem official I’d be laughing at how cowardly the R’s are/
The uniparty: two factions, one agenda.
They remind me of my ex-girlfriend acting stupid: there is nothing I can do, really, if my boss fondles my tits.
Yep, what can the GOP do?! Poor them!
Iran is a Russian ally and of course the Democrats love the commies and Islamics
Menendez. What a two face.
The article author is a neocon and is spouting off the neocon talking points and leaving a lot out.
There is competing legislation written by republican Bob Corker. Seven senators went to Israel and Mossad told them not to pass Kirk-Menendez. British Prime Minister Cameron has been calling members of the senate telling them not to pass Kirk-Menendez. Two prominent NeoCons in the Senate(McCain and Graham) have switched their support from Kirk-Menendez to Corker's bill.
Also, the Kirk-Menendez bill is coming out of the banking committee because they can't get it out of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, where it is supposed to come from. I assume chairman Corker is blocking it. Last year Menendez was the chairman so Kirk-Menendez came out of that committee.
Jennifer Rubin laments the fact that several of the Liberal Interventionist democrats in the senate who last year co-signed Kirk-Menendez have not supported this year(yet?). Some have speculated that those dems cosigned the legislation last year knowing that majority leader Reid would not let the bill onto floor of the senate for a vote and they cosigned the legislation only because it would enhance their ability to raise campaign money from the Israeli Lobby(AIPAC).
You’re missing the point completely. Most senators support sanctions as a way to at least attempt to slow down Iran rather than caving to them completely.
Are they all “neocons” in your world?
Menendez and the Rats are now backing away from their own bill to support their cowardly, traitorous leader.
Actually, there are 3 foreign policy groups in the GOP: Realists, NeoCons, and Isolationists. In the dem party there are Realists, Liberal Interventionists, and antiwar pacifists.
Last year the neocons led by Kirk and the liberal interventionists led by Menendez supported the legislation. The republican realists led by Corker and the democrat realists led by Feinstein opposed. The isolationists led by Rand Paul opposed and the antiwar dems also opposed.
But this year, some of the liberal interventionist dems and neocon republicans are not supporting.
If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.
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Then let them vote against it.
What??? No Mikulski?
Maryland "Freak State" PING!
Wisdom!
Exactly!
Gee, was it just a goofy dream I had one night, or did the GOP actually win a majority in each house of Congress last November?
What??? No Mikulski?
***
Well, the Red Dwarf is up for re-election in 2016, so I suspect she will not be her usual loud-mouthed self this cycle.
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