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The Iran Deal Upends U.S. Politics ("The Rand Paul Candidacy for the Republican Nomination Is Over")
The Atlantic ^ | July 14, 2015 | David Frum

Posted on 07/15/2015 9:15:49 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet

Five ways Tuesday’s announcement reshapes the terms of the domestic political debate.

The Iran nuclear deal upends the security of the Middle East region. Old alliances have been shoved aside. Massive new resources have been put at the disposal of the Iranian regime. The security implications of the agreement will take time to be felt. The U.S. political consequences will be immediate.

Here are five:

The Rand Paul Candidacy for the Republican Nomination Is Over

The Iran deal presents Republicans with a sharp binary choice. Line up with President Obama in support of a treaty achieved mostly by American concessions that puts Iran on the path to an internationally accepted nuclear weapon sometime in the 2020s? A treaty that bypasses Congress’ role and that is opposed by every U.S. ally in the region, including but not limited to Israel? No cash prize for predicting how the Republican primary electorate will align.

In the middle of Obama’s tenure, Rand Paul achieved for himself a standing within the GOP that eluded his father by focusing less on international security and much more on domestic surveillance. So long as as Congress was debating NSA and TSA, rather than Russia and Iran, Paul found a considerable constituency inside the party for his distinctive ideology. Now the spotlight shifts to Iran, Russia, and nuclear proliferation. Paul will either find himself isolated with the old Ron Paul constituency—or he’ll have to find some nimble way to jump to the “anti” side of the Iran deal. (Perhaps he will emphasize the slight to Congress it represents?) If he opts for the latter approach, however, he becomes just another Republican voice among many competing to voice their opposition, and one less powerful and credible than, for example, Ted Cruz will be....

(Excerpt) Read more at theatlantic.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Foreign Affairs; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: iran; obama; randpaul; tedcruz
FWIW.
1 posted on 07/15/2015 9:15:49 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

The parenthetical in your title is yours and is an interesting conclusion. The Paul Libertarian take on the state of affairs is that the US sticking its nose in everything is the genesis of all the Mid-east problems. Engagement is the solution which is why Rand endorsed Obama’s Cuba policy. Unfortunately, he tied his wagon to Obama which gives up everything to engage which in the end is capitulation.


2 posted on 07/15/2015 9:24:12 AM PDT by 11th Commandment ("THOSE WHO TIRE LOSE")
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I didn’t understand the reasoning of this writer regarding Ron Paul; however, he wisely did not intimate that the Republican leadership would do anything about this, would take any kind of stand. A few like Ted Cruz will be principled on this issue, and it stops there. Anyone paying attention knows the leadership and most of the little minions in the Republican Party are in bed with Obama— maybe literally. Their behavior makes no other kind of sense. They certainly don’t care about the country or their constituencies.


3 posted on 07/15/2015 9:24:51 AM PDT by Calpublican (Boehner and McConnell are corrupt.)
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To: 11th Commandment

No it is not. Look at the fourth paragraph in the article. That’s why I put quotation marks around it, since it is coming from Mr. Frum. See it?


4 posted on 07/15/2015 9:25:53 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet (You can help: https://donate.tedcruz.org/c/FBTX0095/)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

WWIII


5 posted on 07/15/2015 9:26:11 AM PDT by Mollypitcher1 (I have not yet begun to fight....John Paul Jones)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

David Frum. Consider the source.


6 posted on 07/15/2015 9:26:21 AM PDT by Bluewater2015 (There are no coincidences)
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To: Bluewater2015

So your refutation of the whole article and the issues therein is to point to the author?


7 posted on 07/15/2015 9:27:13 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet (You can help: https://donate.tedcruz.org/c/FBTX0095/)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Rand Paul has now stood out as he shoots the Iranian cave-in Down. Way to go Senator Paul. Frum is Globalist Leftie and in never on my screen.


8 posted on 07/15/2015 9:29:52 AM PDT by WENDLE
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Yes. “Ye shall know them by their fruits.” Frum is a notorious interventionist. He’s no different than Bill Kristol, Frank Gaffney and all the rest. He abhors America-firsters like the Pauls (father and son), Pat Buchanan etc. The ink on the Vienna accords isn’t even dry and Frum is in full Chicken Little mode.


9 posted on 07/15/2015 9:31:08 AM PDT by Bluewater2015 (There are no coincidences)
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To: WENDLE

10 posted on 07/15/2015 9:31:12 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet (You can help: https://donate.tedcruz.org/c/FBTX0095/)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

OK, I missed it, thanks for posting...


11 posted on 07/15/2015 9:34:16 AM PDT by 11th Commandment ("THOSE WHO TIRE LOSE")
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To: Bluewater2015

Did you bother reading the article? For the most part, Mr. Frum’s points are cogent and well-expressed.


12 posted on 07/15/2015 9:35:57 AM PDT by Parmenio
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I don’t think there will be any tangible or concrete difference in this matter based on a future president. The rest is ‘feel good’ stuff and making us feel we are somewhat in control.


13 posted on 07/15/2015 9:41:57 AM PDT by odds
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Oh what a pickle predicament Rand Paul has got himself into with his father’s strange ideology and now he has to appear conservative and pander to the conservative base to be against the Iran nuclear deal.


14 posted on 07/15/2015 2:03:44 PM PDT by American Constitutionalist (BeThe aKeystone Pipe lik Project : build it already Congress)
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To: WENDLE
I think the NWO has plans for war in the ME either way. Striking Iran or letting them get the bomb. Our Government should not have gotten involved or made deals with anybody. The NWO Government policy is supporting both Sunnis and Shiites at the same time, very confusing.
15 posted on 07/15/2015 5:47:08 PM PDT by cowboyusa
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