Delaware Dem's Latest Posts
Monday Open Thread 9.9.13
The strongest point President Obama has in launching a military strike on Syria in retaliation of Assad using chemical weapons is the following statement, made in his press conference at the G-20:
THE PRESIDENT: My goal is to maintain the international norm on banning chemical weapons. I want that enforcement to be real. I want it to be serious. I want people to understand that gassing innocent people, delivering chemical weapons against children is not something we do. It’s prohibited in active wars between countries. We certainly don’t do it against kids. And we’ve got to stand up for that principle.
It is the point that sways me a little, but then the President says something further about the aftermath (i.e. if we attacked and then Assad used the chemical weapons again) that puts we back in the no-intervention witness:
THE PRESIDENT: Is it possible that Assad doubles down in the face of our action and uses chemical weapons more widely? I suppose anything is possible, but it wouldn’t be wise. I think at that point, mobilizing the international community would be easier, not harder. I think it would be pretty hard for the U.N. Security Council at that point to continue to resist the requirement for action, and we would gladly join with an international coalition to make sure that it stops.
And let’s say that happens, and the international community is swayed to get involved. What is the goal of further action? It is obvious, to get rid of Assad and to get his chemical weapons. How do we do that? Invasion.
Boots on the ground.
No, Mr. President. No.
Friday Open Thread 9.6.13
The Obama Administration has finally gone on record to say while the President believes he has the authority to attack Syria with or without Congressional approval, he does not intend to launch such an attack without the backing of lawmakers:
President Barack Obama isn’t likely to launch a military strike on Syria if Congress votes against doing so, a top national security official said Friday.
During an interview on NPR’s “Morning Edition,” Tony Blinken, Obama’s deputy national security adviser, said “the president of course has the authority” to take limited military action in Syria with or without the approval of lawmakers, but “it’s neither his desire nor intention to use that authority absent Congress backing him.”
I would prefer a Shermanesque “He won’t,” but this is better than nothing. So Congress, vote this thing down and let’s all get on with our lives. And if the vote were held today in the House, it would fail.
Thursday Open Thread 9.5.13
“In a world in which threats are more diffuse and missions more complex, America cannot act alone. America alone cannot secure the peace.”
— President Obama, in his Nobel Peace Prize speech in 2009.
In all this Syria discussion, we kinda forgot that the end of the world is imminent in mid-October. Yeah, remember about the budget deadline (October 1) and debt ceiling deadline (October 15). Republicans all summer were saying that they would shut down the government and default on the debt if President Obama did not repeal Obamacare. For the last two weeks, they have kinda shut up about that, maybe because of a point First Read makes:
“Would a Congress that authorizes military action in Syria shut down the U.S. government and default just a few weeks later?”
The Progressive Divide on Syria
Last night at the PDD meeting in New Castle, there was a lively discussion about a proposed resolution opposing the military authorization before Congress. The resolution is inside.
The vote at the meeting was nearly evenly split, with one more vote approving the resolution than not. The vote continues today online at the PDD Facebook page and through email (pddemail@gmail.com). This progressive divide should not have been surprising but it was. For it was already playing out in the editorial pages of the News Journal.
Wednesday Open Thread 9.4.13
Jonathan Chait takes a look at the Syria Congressional Authorization situation from an aspect that I had not considered:
Imagine that Congress votes not to authorize Obama’s plan. Then further imagine that Bashar al-Assad, emboldened, carries out another chemical attack. The media coverage would be far more intense. And members of Congress who voted no will have to answer for the carnage that will appear on television screens across the world. If the first vote lost by a relatively narrow margin, Obama would probably then call for a second vote and stand a good chance of winning.
The prospect of that happening may itself deter Assad. And when Republicans complain that Obama’s gambit of asking for a congressional vote is a way of shifting responsibility onto Congress, they are, in a sense, correct. Obama will own the consequences of action with or without Congress’s approval. But if it disapproves, Congress will own the consequences of inaction. And those might ultimately prove higher than it is willing to bear.
Interesting. If you think Assad cannot be stupid enough to use them again, you ignore the fact that he was stupid enough to use them the first time.
Reminder: Treasurer Chip Flowers to speak tonight…
at the monthly Progressive Democrats Meeting at 7 pm. Treasurer Flowers will speak on his plans to invest state funds so as to achieve higher returns for the Treasury, plans which ran into some push back from the Governor and some in the General Assembly at the close of the legislative session at the end of June.
This PDD meeting is open to all like minded individuals, whether or not they are already members of the PDD. The meeting will be held at the Delaware Democratic Party Headquarters, 19 E. Commons Blvd., in New Castle, at 7 pm. If you need directions, go here.
Tuesday Open Thread 9.3.13
I would like to thank President Obama for taking my advice on Friday. Obviously my admonition caused the President to go for a long walk with his Chief of Staff to rethink his strategy. Here is what I said:
80% of Americans believe President Obama should receive congressional approval before using force in Syria. 80% of Americans cannot agree on anything, Mr. President. They agree on this. This is a no-fucking-brainer, Mr. President. You want a way out of that fucking corner you painted yourself into, this is it. Seek Congressional Authorization. If you don’t get it, your hands have been tied by Congress just as David Cameron’s were.
I wonder if my free form use of expletives was the thing that convinced him. Who knows. Now, to the vote in Congress, from Roll Call:
“At some point Boehner will have to make a decision and presumably rally his troops. Whether they will follow is an open question. Already, there is tension between the House Republican and Democratic camps over who will shoulder the burden of providing the votes to avoid a historic defeat for the president. GOP aides suggested Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., who has strongly backed the president, will have to provide the bulk of the votes. But a Democratic leadership aide put the onus back on Boehner.”
I think the Resolution will pass the Senate easily, with more than 60 votes. I think some liberals and libertarians and whatever it is Ted Cruz is will vote against. In the House, it is a much dicier proposition. I honestly do not expect it to pass. With both parties already fighting over who has to do the Whip operation, it means that both parties already know they don’t have the votes.
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