Every so often Boehner gets it right.
One of the many lies told by Obama last night during his SOTU address was this one:
Our diplomacy is at work with respect to Iran, where, for the first time in a decade, we’ve halted the progress of its nuclear program and reduced its stockpile of nuclear material. Between now and this spring, we have a chance to negotiate a comprehensive agreement that prevents a nuclear-armed Iran; secures America and our allies — including Israel; while avoiding yet another Middle East conflict. There are no guarantees that negotiations will succeed, and I keep all options on the table to prevent a nuclear Iran. But new sanctions passed by this Congress, at this moment in time, will all but guarantee that diplomacy fails — alienating America from its allies; and ensuring that Iran starts up its nuclear program again. It doesn’t make sense. That is why I will veto any new sanctions bill that threatens to undo this progress. The American people expect us to only go to war as a last resort, and I intend to stay true to that wisdom.
He hasn’t stopped anything. Instead he has retreated from sanctions while getting NOTHING in return.
Mark Dubowitz of Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a sanctions expert, said without equivocation: “The interim agreement has not ‘frozen’ or ‘halted’ Iran’s military-nuclear program. Following a strategy followed by then-chief nuclear negotiator Hassan Rouhani between 2003 and 2005, Tehran has suspended only aspects of the program that no longer need significant advancement, while working on aspects not yet mastered.” He adds, “This includes, among other areas, the development of long-range ballistic missiles capable of carrying a nuclear warhead and, most critically, Iranian stonewalling of the IAEA about possible military dimensions of Iran’s program.”
Josh Block, a long-time Democrat and CEO of the Israel Project, reiterated the two falsehoods Obama propounded. “For over a year the admin has claimed, falsely, that Iran’s nuclear program has been ‘frozen and their progress halted’ during the talks — talks we were told would only last 6 months, yet are now heading toward 19 months (June 30th),” he said via e-mail. “Far from being ‘halted,’ during the negotiations, Iran has enriched at least one more bomb’s worth of material, has advanced its plutonium track to 87% completion, and just, announced it will build 2 more nuclear facilities. Does that sound ‘frozen’ to you?” Block, like other outside Iran experts, also chastised the president for inferring that Congress was about to pass sanctions that would immediately go into effect, thereby thwarting the negotiations[.]
So what does Boehner do? Invite the Isreali Prime Minister to address a joint session of Congress describing just how evil this Iranian regime is.
Rebuffing President Barack Obama on Iran, House Speaker John Boehner said Wednesday he had invited Israel’s prime minister to address a joint meeting of Congress next month about the threats from Tehran and radical Islam.
The Republican leader released a letter extending the invitation to Benjamin Netanyahu for Feb. 11. Boehner also told a private meeting of GOP lawmakers that Congress would proceed on new penalties against Iran despite Obama’s warning that any legislation would scuttle diplomatic negotiations over the country’s nuclear program.
“You may have seen that on Friday, the president warned us not to move ahead with sanctions on Iran, a state sponsor of terror,” Boehner told colleagues, according to his office. “His exact message to us was: ‘Hold your fire.’ He expects us to stand idly by and do nothing while he cuts a bad deal with Iran.
“Two words: ‘Hell no!’ … We’re going to do no such thing,” the speaker said.
Brilliant. Not many times can I use that word to describe actions by Boehner but I will give him credit when it’s due.
See author page
@Bill, #44:
The problem isn’t that he’ll be visiting. It’s that he’s been invited to deliver a speech before the assembled Congress. Understanding how moronic and potentially damaging this move is doesn’t seem to be confined to the political left:
Even Fox News is outraged at Boehner and Netanyahu’s plan to undermine Obama
The Chris Wallace and Shepherd Smith FOX video is dead on target, at least regarding the protocol aspect. They haven’t even touched on the possible consequences if the Obama administration’s diplomatic efforts are successfully derailed. As pointed out, the result would likely be either a disastrous war, or a nuclear-armed Iran.
@Greg:
wouldn’t even be a blip on Obama’s radar if Mrs Botox was still the speaker of the House.
The only ‘diplomatic’ efforts I have heard of is to make Iran a big buddy of the US. Is that the one?
If you’re not aware of ongoing diplomatic efforts to negotiate curtailment of the Iranian nuclear weapon program, you need to catch up on the news.
Boehner’s Master Move is calculated to deep six those efforts. What do you think the most likely outcome will be, if he’s successful? I’m really curious how you think this would work out.
My guess would be a nuclear armed Iran, if Obama were still in office when a decision had to be made, because Obama wouldn’t want to risk initiating a war with Iran that could be strategically and economically catastrophic for the United States. If a republican happened to be in office at that point, I’d guess we’d be looking at such a war, because republicans of late don’t seem to be able to figure out the likely consequences of anything.
@Greg: You always miss the point of these issues Greg. If Obama were doing his job, he would be working with the representatives that the people of every state elected. (That is people who failed to vote for the president 5 or 6 times!) Instead he said” I won, you lost!” and he proceeded to act lice a dictator. His behavior for 6 years has resulted in a complete lack of trust in the administration by a majority of the people and their representatives (as demonstrated by the last election).
Obama is viewed as a very weak administrator by most all world leaders. It is more likely that Iran will develop a nuclear warhead as a result of the efforts of Obama because Iran believes there will be no ramifications to developing a nuclear capability. Boehner’s efforts to force a dialogue is the only option available to the people’s representatives.
@Randy, #54:
It isn’t the job of the Executive Branch to conduct international diplomacy in accordance with the instructions of the Legislative Branch. The conduct of international diplomacy is specifically an Executive Branch function. Congress is to influence such negotiations only through consultations with the Executive Branch.
What Boehner just did is arguably a violation of the Logan Act.
Says who? The same sources claiming that Boehner’s interference with the Executive Branch’s ongoing diplomatic negotiations with Iran is a proper exercise in governance? They’re wrong on both points.
@Greg: You missed the point again Greg. Stop when you are only a behind!
The Speaker of the House has secretly set up an opportunity for the leader of a foreign power to directly lobby Congress for action specifically intended to torpedo the U.S. Executive Branch’s diplomatic efforts, and you think I’m the one who is missing the point?
@Greg: 29
But I’ll bet you work up a sweat over that Pelosi dame.
@Greg:
No agreement or treaty with another country is valid until approved by 67 votes in the Senate.
@Redteam, #59:
That is correct. The Executive Branch negotiates treaties and the Senate ratifies or declines to ratify them. There’s nothing said in the Constitution about the House have the authority to kick over the negotiating table if it thinks the negotiating process is taking too long, or if it doesn’t like what it imagines is being negotiated.
Not all useful agreements between nations take the form of treaties. There are sole-executive agreements. Sole-executive agreements are entered into by an exercise of presidential authority alone. There are also congressional-executive agreements, which a president makes and a majority of each House of Congress approves.
Congress itself does not negotiate agreements between nations. That isn’t a function of Congress.
John Boehner is way the hell out of line. Republicans are claiming Obama’s foreign policy isn’t working, while breaking the very mechanism whereby U.S. foreign policy is conducted themselves. If the Executive Branch doesn’t have full responsibility and authority to conduct international negotiations without interference, who or what does?
Get over your petulant partisan butthurt Greg.
There is no Constitutional prohibition nor crisis in Congress’ inviting a foreign ally to speak, nor in using such communications to temper their views on executive branch treaties. Obama’s WH foreign policy has operated as if conceived by by either by rank amateurs, imbeciles, or at worse by seeming sympathizers to hostile nations. Granting favors to those who consider us enemies, and by insulting our allies. Obama has dissed Israel from day one and treated it’s leaders with animosity. Since Obama refuses to bend an ear to our ally and instead sits on the negotiation side of the table with despots, it remains for Congress to listen to the pleas of our allies.
@Ditto, #61:
There’s the Logan Act, which specifically forbids unauthorized citizens—whoever they might be—from negotiating with foreign governments. That would include Speaker John Boehner, who has apparently been conducting some behind-the-scenes negotiations with Benjamin Netanyahu and Ron Dermer. Not only was this done behind the backs of the White House and the State Department, which are the only parties legally empowered to conduct such negotiations; it was done with the deliberate intention of sabotaging official negotiations.
I remember when the right went nuts simply because Pelosi visited the Assad of Syria, and returned with the message that he would be willing to negotiate with the United States. Compared with that, what Boehner has done is totally off the charts. It’s not only stupid, for reasons already mentioned and ignored. It’s probably illegal as well.
@Greg: I continue to be perplexed by why the left is SO concerned about the feelings of countries and people that hate us, that sponsor terrorism, the actively and openly denounce us all around the world, that go out of their way to align themselves with our enemies yet are so frightened and worried about showing a solid ally that we still respect their views and positions? Don’t you see how the exact OPPOSITE of that going on, how we treat with respect and reverence our most bitter enemies while taking a dump on our most loyal allies, harms our image all around the world? Obama’s Bizarro world of diplomacy and foreign policy, where he regularly and predictably does the exact opposite of what would help the country, is causing severe damage.
Secretly? I trust Boehner being better at keeping a secret than Feinstein, so if this was such a secret, why did Boehner announce it on television?
Obama has discarded almost every particle of usual governmental procedure and our status around the world has suffered. We need to show our friends and foes alike that in the post-liberal government, we will be back to business as usual and will be, once again, a force to be depended on and reckoned with.
@Greg:
One more time. The Speaker of the House does not answer to the President! He can do as he pleases and invite who he wants when he wants. Last time I looked, Obama was not a God as so many idiots seem to feel. Why is it that those on the far left are getting so out of joint over this? Could it be that like the moron you have so blindly vowed allegiance to is being challenged and found wanting? Is it the fact that those of us with still functioning thought processes are rebelling against the lies and hatred that this clown and his followers stand for?
Seriously, have we actually gotten to the point of being on the edge of Orwell’s world of 1984? Good Grief! First rewrite and then indoctrinate the lemmings to the point they cannot think for themselves than stand back and listen to their drivel!
In #60, Greggie says “John Boehner is way the hell out of line. ” There are people who are way the hell out of line and it is those like you Greg as well as our President and every other Government official who has chosen to ignore the basic tenets and laws of this country. Don’t forget, the Separation of Powers clause was put there for a specific reason, one which the false constitutional scholar and far to many in D.C. has forgotten and that was to avert the very actions that this traitor in the White House and the lemmings on both sides of the aisle are now in the process of implementing. Its called Checks and Balances kids.
Give it a break Greg. There are still those willing to think for themselves. how sad you’ve chosen to be a follower of a “false Messiah”. Gotta admit though, as those followers of the false prophet in the insane Radical Islamic world, you believe in your delusional theories just as deeply. Can’t take that away from you.
Now how about a Moron Alert for Greggie and his friends. Years ago, the House was referred to as the “people” house, that is the Representatives were the folks elected and in theory closest to their constituents. In other words, they are supposed to listen to the people! Guess what kids! The people have had enough of a traitorous clown who in every action on the foreign arena has undermined this nation’s security and worse it’s leadership position and moral high ground. The only real question here is will Boehner and his entrenched cohorts continue growing their brass balls and finally listen to their constituents and do what is right for the country or will the usual habits take over now that they have given some lip service to the people.
Morn Alert #2: Why is it that especially in this case does the left want Bibi’s visit vilified and declared as a non event by their illustrious Muslim Loving leader? Could it have anything to do with the fact that they do not want the truth of what Radical Islam is all about hidden from us? As we are pumped day in and day out with lies and hatred towards anyone who dares question not only the preachings of Mohammed, but also the clear hatred and despite shown by this President as to not only Israel and the Jews (and I don’t even want to get into the racial aspects of this administration at this moment), could it be that the truth, if revealed will set back the descent into third world status and worse that this President so dearly seems to want?
Could it be that once again, the leader of the free world will be once again shown for what he really is? In turn could it be that the facts as they come, being polar opposites of the lies and ineptness shown by this administration serve to belittle even more a person who, if the American Electorate hadn’t had their collective heads up their asses would never have been elected dog catcher (my apologies to dog catchers) and prove his narrative is in fact wrong at the least and treason at the worse?
I make no bones about this as all know. I believe in my heart this man is a traitor and worse. I believe he does not give one damn about not only Israel, but worse, his own country and our ideals. Words and actions count for something and his and his administration’s deed this last six years only serve to reinforce those feelings. What is really sad is that there are the Gregs of this country, far to many, who have chosen to cede their very Freedom of thought to an agenda designed to destroy everything we have known the last 200 years.
@64 Joetote… well said, very well said!
@Greg:
The Logan act refers to private citizens you dimwit. Not the Federal government. The last I checked Congress (and the Speaker of the House) is a branch of the Federal government.
Regardless of how much he may want to play the Star Wars character Palpatine, Emperor Obama has not yet dissolved the Republic’s Senate.
@Scott in Oklahoma: I told Greg to stop while he was only a behind!
@Randy:
LOL!!!
@joetote, #64:
No, the Speaker of the House cannot do whatever the hell he wants. He cannot conduct private negotiations with the leaders of foreign nations to cooperatively further their respective political agendas. He cannot collude with them to create situations calculated to overturn diplomatic negotiations with foreign representatives that are being properly conducted by the Executive Branch. Doing so isn’t simply an unprecedented breach of protocol. Doing so is against the law. What do those on the right not understand about this?
@Ditto, #66:
It absolutely does not refer only to private citizens.
Only the Executive Branch of the government has Constitutional authority to conduct such business. No one else has such authority. Conducting such business is one of the Executive Branch’s specific and exclusive Constitutional functions. Boehner was not acting under the authority of the Executive Branch. Quite the opposite. He was acting against the authority of the Executive Branch, with the deliberate intention of undermining both their authority and their foreign policy objectives.
@Greg: So silly boy, the members of the House of Representatives re not operating under the authority of the US Government which is the Constitution. I noted you failed to quote the part where only the administration branch has the authority of the US government! Joe is right! You are wrong a usual. Even the Sunday talk shows agreed with Joe’s view.
You folks seem to have forgotten quite a lot of what you were taught in your high school Civics/American Government classes. Negotiating with foreign leaders or their representatives is not one of the powers conferred upon Congress. Nor may private citizens do so. Boehner was totally out of bounds, whether considered as a member of Congress or as a private citizen.
The difference between Pelosi’s contact with Assad and Boehner’s recent behavior should be obvious, in the event anyone is thinking the cases are somehow similar. Pelosi didn’t negotiate a damn thing. She met a foreign leader during a trip abroad, and conveyed a message to the Bush administration that the Assad government would be willing to negotiate. The Bush White House wasn’t willing, so no negotiations took place.
Greg,
Pelosi went to Syria to negotiate with him. To start a dialog. To violate the Logan Act.
Boehner is asking the leader of a country to speak to the Congress
Did you have any heartburn when Mexico’s president came to congress and lectured Congress on illegal immigrants.
Boehner is NOT doing any negotiation.
@Greg:
Folks, I’m hotter than hell here so my apologies as to the following:
Greg, sometimes I have to think you and those like you are just plain ignorant. The Speaker of the House or the leader of the Senate can do as they please within the confines of the laws of the land. Where does it say one thing that the speaker is negotiating? He issued an invite to a foreign leader to speak to a Joint Session of Congress. No law against that! Funny how when Pelosi invited some Radical Muslim to speak this wasn’t an issue! Hypocrisy? No, just open Bulls… because what you see doesn’t fit your warped facts!
He is using this as a psuedo bitch slap to the lying sack if crap in the White House! No Law against that! Both houses have the complete authority to question, listen to testimony or take advice from anyone they want and the Executive Branch cannot get in their way! As I said earlier, why did it take so long for someone to finally do this? Also, while I’m at it, how come the Democrats refuse to take the same actions because Lord knows they supposedly live under the same laws as we do,. but what the hell, couldn’t have the very people that are actively pushing us to abyss admit they were wrong, could it. After all the only truth to power mad idiots is the truth they see and if it takes lies or worse to make their truth the fact, then so be it!
Seeing the speaker invited Bibi to speak, not negotiate, you once again as usual choose to relate to your own warped view of what this government is. In that respect you disgust me, not the first time I have said this. Again, it is your right to make an idiot of yourself. But I for one am sick and tired of this President, his administration, entrenched politicians of both parties and most of all people who apparently have completely forgotten how to use their brain for anything as the indoctrination has driven them to lemming status or worse talking down to those of us who still care!
Get this straight! Talk to me when you can explain the Senate the last six years refusing to vote on a budget! Oops, breaking the law there! Talk to me when you or any other democrat or worse can explain to me how a President day in and day out breaking the laws of this land is ok! And whether you and your ilk like it or not, this President is guilty of breaking this nation’s laws. You rather ignorantly state above
” He cannot collude with them (foreign leaders). Who in the hell do you or this President think they are to ever say one of our elected Representatives cannot confir with anyone when trying to get to the core of an issue? As far as collusion, where does it say the President (Executive) has any right colluding with the Attorney General (Justice) as he has in dismissing the Laws of this land that he swore to uphold. collude my ass!
Hell, he refuses to uphold our laws, not that mind dead morons notice! In other words, stop your whining as to the poor Moron on Charge being disrespected by Congress and Republicans! He sure as hell hasn’t shown one wit of respect for them! But let’s not forget one other thing. The President and his followers (that means folks like you Greg) also do not respect the American people. And for that I cannot and will not forgive any of you!
Let me say this in my own bitch slapping way. The executive branch in no way shape or form has the right to prohibit any contact between our elected representatives and foreign leaders. In their roles of gathering information from all factions as to hopefully making a wise decision when enacting a law, it is their duty to do as such! It is also their duty to stop an out of control Despot on the executive side from ever doing what this traitor has and is doing. it is called oversight! Furthermore, it is the responsibility of out government to be truthful and open to “We the People”! As such, if inviting Bibi or anyone is what it takes to get some modicum of truth and fact to the people that is their right.
It is really time you and your ilk stop the sanctimonious bulls… and face up to your duties as citizens of this country instead of bending over defend the indefensible. I want my elected Representatives to fight like hell and derail the disaster that is Barak Obama!
One last thing. This premise of yours that in inviting Bibi, Boehner has destroyed all chances of an agreement with Iran is beyond the realm of reality. Seeing the White House and Iran are so completely bent out of shape about this one can only conjecture once again that they do not want us to hear the realities of the situation. And in that there is one fact that cannot be changes. The Iranians have sworn to destroy Israel and the West in general, especially the U.S. That is their truth and from every indication, this President is hellbent on helping them to do just that. Bib will just be painting a picture of part of the reality that is the Radical Muslim problem as it relates to Israel. But he will also be pointing the same reality as it pertains to us!
Greg, your President is a traitor to not only this country, but to the entire world as he has allowed this to get to the point in which we are now at. He has actively sided with his Muslim Brethren as he stated he would do in his own words and in turn has openly made the world a more dangerous place! I can only hold him and those who blindly follow him in disdain and if the shoe fits, wear it. As I have said a couple of times the last few days, I have to give you some credit in that you show a steadfastness to spewing idiocy second to none and again it is your right to express it. But excuse me if I choose to stay feeling as I do because you have not yet once ever said anything to convince me I am wrong. In other words, thke your kool aid and stuff it. i prefer strong black coffee!
@John+Hardesty, #73:
Boehner just reached an agreement with the Prime Minister of Israel allowing him to lobby Congress directly to further his own foreign policy agenda. Boehner has given him a world spotlight to do that in, only two weeks before the Israeli elections. The entire spectacle was arranged behind the back of the Executive Branch, which is totally unprecedented, and which threatens to seriously disrupt or overturn Executive Branch diplomacy with a second foreign power in a way that furthers the objectives of the first. An exchange is involved. Boehner gets something, and Netanyaho gets something: Each gets to further their own political and foreign policy agendas.
Anyone who thinks nothing was negotiated between Speaker Boehner and the Netanyahu government in setting this up has got to be either incredibly naive or totally nuts.
@joetote, #74:
I’d be careful throwing around the word traitor. It might be applied to others in this situation, in a way that could actually have some logic and legal weight behind it. I’m beginning to think maybe republicans have totally lost their minds.
@Greg:
Sorry Greg. My calling him a traitor is actually mild as to what I really think. The man does not believe in the basic tenets that make this the country it once was. I say once because far to many in power (again, I stress this is true in both parties) have chosen to ignore those very tenets for their own power mad reasons. But never in my lifetime of 64 + years have I ever seen one egotistic politician such as this one of any stripe openly express the pure disdain and worse he has for this country and her ideals. His failure to uphold the laws as written as well as his open disdain for the Constitution (and to think, the loony left managed to foist him off on the electorate as a constitutional scholar) in respect to his allowed actions are in my mind treasonous! That is my feeling and you will find I won’t ever back down from it.
I call it as I see it buddy! And no, I haven’t lost my mind as you seem to think. Far to many people in my family and millions of others gave far to much over the years for me to sit back and ignore the obvious disrespect this man has for what they died for to give us. Traitor? As crass as I’ve been lately on here. I am trying my best to keep my pure despite for him in some form of check. I, for all my foibles dearly love my country and in turn I pray I have somehow transferred that love to my children and grandchildren.
Having said that I believe with every fiber in my body that this man stands against everything I believe in and furthermore he has openly aided and abetted various factions around the world that wish nothing but harm on the West in general. His actions as to Iran and his open hatred towards Israel only serve to reinforce these feelings and in turn present another danger to the U.S. Combine that with his open disdain for the Laws of our land, especially as they relate to him and the office he holds and his openly Socialist Anti-Capitalism (Good God! He is hell bent on destroying any incentive to succeed in favor of wealth redistribution and let me say one thing on that. I don’t owe anybody anything except the equal right to try to succeed. If you’re to damned lazy to get of your ass and be self responsible enough to get ahead, don’t expect me to support your sorry ass!) stance as well as his open seizure of power as to our inherent rights (let’s not forget the fact that he wants those of us who voice any opposition quieted or worse, Free Speech doesn’t mean a thing to him) are in fact treasonous or worse in my eyes.
I’m not “throwing” the word around Greg. I believe it to be true and if there was a way I could do it, I would do anything in my power to get him out. I don’t believe in any so called leader that hates his own country, especially a country as great as this one. I am proud to state I feel he is in fact a traitor because I believe in the U.S.
If Obama has actually broken laws repeatedly, why has Congress not acted appropriately in response? If he actually has broken laws again and again, impeachment is the proper and required response.
Republicans have had control of the House for over two years already. There’s absolutely nothing that has prevented them from impeaching before now. Their majority has recently become even larger, so there’s certainly nothing stopping them at this point. Except for one thing, of course: That the accusations are a load of manure, and they know it.
Accusations of Obama’s wrongdoing have been made so often that many people have come to believe them. Repeated congressional investigations—repeated to the point of being incessant—have failed to produce any evidence whatsoever that establishes any of them as fact. The accusations continue in spite of that, however, because they serve a political purpose.
A constant stream of false accusations has become an established republican political tactic. They’ve figured out that people who are predisposed to detest Obama are entirely willing to accept them as fact without requiring a shred of real evidence. They’re being told the lies that they want to hear.
@Greg: So is the house just gathering information a is their mandate? You are always on the losing end arguments and then you make up things. You think hypothesis are facts on AGW. You fail to admit that Obama has actually lied about Obama Care. That is a crime and misdemeanor by the way! No one has hung Obama yet because he is doing a good job of tying his own know with an adequate length f rope.
@Greg: lobbying is not negotiating! You are a dimwit!
@Greg: Just quit while we only think you are a dimwit who should be receiving medication.
@Greg: 60
And DF, there’s nothing in the constitution that says the President can approve the treaty ‘just because it’s taking too long’
I suspect that most treaty’s are a combination of what the congress and president wants. If the Prez insists on too much, he might not get it. Same as with Congress. Maybe that’s why the constitution is written that way so that neither can dominate the other. I’d suspect if Obozo wants to get something signed, it’s gonna have to have something in it that the congress will approve.
@Greg:
Again, DF, you don’t know what the hell you’re trying to talk about. There is NO law that prohibits a leader of the federal government from talking with foreigners. A treaty still has to be signed by the President with the approval of 67 Senators. So no matter which member of congress or executive branch talks, the approval procedure is the same for all. The sole executive agreement you referred to still has to comply with the Constitution.
@Greg: 72
Just how in the hell does ‘inviting someone to speak’ become a ‘negotiation. You should slow down on your stupid pills.
@Greg: 76
giving aid and comfort to the enemy. Obama supplied weapons to al qaeda rebels to kill an American ambassador. That is the definition of a traitor.
@Greg: 78
First of all, breaking a law is not a requirement for impeachment. I thought everyone knew that. Maybe after you’ve finished lecturing us all on why the Republicans haven’t impeached Obama, you’ll spend the time to see what the criteria for impeachment is.
while the Repubs certainly have the numbers to impeach, they don’t have the numbers to convict and as long as there are senators without two brain cells rubbing together, such as Greg, then there is not much point. Obama has too many willing accomplices that are happy to bask in the limelight they get while running the country down the tubes.
@Redteam, #83:
John Boehner can talk all he wants. Talking isn’t the issue. What Boehner cannot do is negotiate quid pro quo deals with the leaders of foreign nations that involve an exchange of favors, whereby each furthers his own political agenda. That’s precisely what John Boehner just did. An agreement was reached. A mutually advantageous exchange of political favors has occurred between an elected U.S. official and the Prime Minister of Israel. That exchange gives Netanyahu an opportunity to directly influence the Congress in a way that will also negatively affect negotiations being conducted by the Executive Branch with another foreign power, possibly to the detriment of the United States.
Is this not sinking in? It isn’t really complicated. Beyond simply behaving like a total jackass, Boehner has almost certainly broken a very specific law.
Netanyaho has also screwed up: Bibi Netanyahu — aka ‘The Republican Senator From Israel’ — May Have Made A Fatal Political Mistake. It sure as hell isn’t to Israel’s advantage to deliberately antagonize the President of the United States.
I don’t know what’s up with Boehner and Netanyahu. Both of these guys are supposed to be smart. Their errors might stem from the fact that they’ve both begun to believe their own bullshit.
@Greg:
well DF, tell us all about this negotiation. What was Boehner offering in return for what and vice versa. And don’t try to tell us you don’t know all of the details. You have to know in order to make the claim you’re making, so spill it DF, let us know what you think your one partially functioning brain cell thinks it knows.
Wait a minute. What the hell, you’re waffling. Either he did or he didn’t. What’s this “almost certainly BS” You’re claiming he did. Surely you’re not claiming it without knowing ‘exactly’ what law it is. Is it a constitutional law, a Washington DC law or some state law. Put up or shut up.
As much as Obozo would like to, he’s not going to sink the US-Israeli ties. They’re much stronger than you and the traitors would like to think.
Did you read the following paragraph?
I don’t believe it can be simplified any further than that. The specific details don’t even need to be known, because the thing speaks for itself. Boehner did what he did. Maybe he’s suffering from early stage dementia as a result of chronic alcoholism. He often looks as though he might be half sloshed. I’ve reached the point where I’m no longer willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. This last stunt just goes too far.
@Greg:
Then you know nothing. You tell us all about how he is selling us out and how all this is going to be bad for the world and then you say:
WTF?
I think you may have dementia, early stage or not. All this ‘quid pro quo’ crap then you say: “The specific details don’t even need to be known,” Oh my!
There was a ‘point’ where you were?
The only stunt I see around here is your performance with only one, partially functioning, brain cell.
I’m beginning to wonder if you might not be yet another of Retire05’s sock puppets. The same degree of rudeness is is certainly coming out, and the same refusal to deal directly with any points that you don’t happen to like. Come to think, it’s all pretty much the same damn pattern. I’ve got no time for discussions that degenerate into little more than an exchange of insults.
@Greg:
It is damaging for one of our most loyal and dependable allies to speak before Congress? As stated above, why is it acceptable for the Mexican President to lecture Congress on how their laws should be violated to accommodate him and his failures but unacceptable for Netanyahu to be invited to speak? Further, since the Iranians claim they are NOT developing nuclear capabilities for a weapon, why on earth would Netanyahu speaking be in any way connected to the “negotiations” (i.e., the Iranians telling Obama when they will meet, what they will discuss and what they will and will not agree to)? Obviously, if the Iranians object to Netanyahu standing before Congress, they indeed ARE up to no good in regards to developing nuclear weapons.
Soon, the President will be sending some sort of treaty to Congress concerning Cuba. It will, of course, be rejected and then all the left will again be all twisted up because Republicans are not doing the President’s bidding. However, Obama entered into “secret” negotiations without getting any input from Congress and, to make matters worse, allowed a couple of incompetent staffers to make up the treaty and do the negotiating. Yet, Congress should bow to Obama and do nothing for fear of upsetting some of his international give-aways? No, it doesn’t work that way.
As to impeachment, Obama’s actions on Obamacare, the lies and stonewalling on Fast and Furious, Benghazi and the IRS scandals and his illegal “executive memos” to direct government officials to violate laws is grounds for impeachment, to be sure, but you know as well as I why this does not occur; unlike Republicans who supported Nixon’s impeachment, NO Democrats have such standards and would all block any procedures. So, it would become a big political carnival, which is exactly what Obama wanted to misdirect attention from his failures and try, desperately, to save the 2014 elections.
@Greg:
What
BoehnerPelosi cannot do is negotiate quid pro quo deals with the leaders of foreign nations that involve an exchange of favors, whereby each furthers his own political agenda. That’s precisely whatJohnBoehnerNancy Pelosi just did. An agreement was reached. A mutually advantageous exchange of political favors has occurred between an elected U.S. official and thePrime Minister of IsraelPresident of Mexico. That exchange givesNetanyahuNieto an opportunity to directly influence the Congress in a way that will also negatively affect negotiations being conducted by the Executive Branch with another foreign power, possibly to the detriment of the United States.There, I fixed it for you, Greggie.
@Greg:
” This last stunt just goes too far. ” No Greg, the problem is what you call the “last stunt” doesn’t go far enough! The real problem is that in all but a few cases the entrenched Republicans as well as the brain dead Democrats are more interested in their own power than they are in what’s good for the country. They have no balls to stand up to what I consider treason or worse because they have completely lost sight of their responsibility to the people! As I said earlier in this thread, I’m actually worried as to whether Boehner and his cohorts will press on with this or in fact a bit of ice water shrivels their you know what!
This isn’t some kind of joke anymore! While I don’t comment as much as I used to due to work related stuff, I do follow everything as well as I can. One thing I have always noticed not only here, but on most sites I try to look at, the trolls (Sorry, but you are included in this in my opinion) as they call them only come out at certain times and usually once their puppet master in the White House has gotten pissed off about some truth that will tarnish his so called legacy! (one thing about the trolls. I also frequent supposedly liberal sites (that’s called trying to get all sides of an argument Greggie) and some on the right are very bit as guilty as to this practice)
How sad that you and so many others choose to side with the enemies of the very thing we should be believing in! As to you and the rest of the folks who chose to vilify Bibi and the Jews in general, As I said before, I will take the word of a war hero (Bibi) as to the situation over the word (It’s in his own words and actions form long before he was President) of a self avowed Socialist and Muslim leaning clown.
One other question here as to Bibi being invited to speak. Why in the hell is the left having such a hissy fit over this? And I sure as hell don’t want to hear the bullsh.. line that Chris Wallace and Shep Smith questioned it! Why is this President and those who follow his lead so afraid of the truth being out before the American people? Why does he and so many others hate Israel and in turn why is the President of the United States marching lockstep with the Anti-Semites who for centuries have preached the end of the Jews?!
Today I noticed something on a site that caught my eye as to Israel and Obama. I have to go find it again, but the person writing it said basically the following. He felt that if Israel were to disappear, Obama would breathe a sigh of relief. Based on the last six years, I believe he is correct. That’s the reality of the world Greg.
Sometime back here I mentioned I am from Chicago. I grew up under Mayor Daley, I know as a fact there was corruption and worse, I know as a fact dead people voted in that famous election (my father was involved in that) and I know in fact the political realities that is Chicago and in turn the way this President seems to think things should be done.
But I’ll tell you one other thing I know. Mayor Daley for all his faults dearly loved his country and I feel quite strongly if he could he would have taken the proverbial two by four and tried to knock some sense into this blockhead.
Don’t lecture us on the laws and so forth as you are indoctrinated to understand them! This site especially has folks that normally argue their points from having studied the facts. They may perceive them in a different view somewhat, but they basically try to have fact on their side. As such, we have seen far more times than those on the left would ever care to admit, the folks on this site savage politicians on what you consider our side of the political spectrum just as roughly as we do the President and his lackeys. Put it another way, we do not suffer fools lightly no matter who they are.
A couple years ago, Rich Wheeler posted something I went off on almost as badly as this thread. While I ranted and raved I also made the point that I respected his opinion but could not agree with it. Why? Because as an ex Marine who had served his country proudly, he deserved my respect and what’s more my attention to his arguments. Nothing convinced me he was correct and I hopefully shot back with what I felt was a fact based argument. Its called discourse, something unfortunately far to many refuse to participate in.
I mention this because in far to many cases Greg, you and one or two others only show up to spout the leftist drivel. It seems your mind is completely closed to anything that is against your philosophy and you lash out. In that you are no better than the brain locked moron we stupidly elected President. And before you call me( and others) closed minded on this, don’t forget soem of the people I respect and admired in politics, those like Senator Moynihan, or Tip O’neal (didn’t agree much but he was a great man). In Illinois we had Senator Dirkson and although he was left of me for sure, Senator Stephenson. There are others and SURPRIZE, they are Democrats! You see, I happen to think the majority of people on this site are open minded and accepting of factual cognizant arguments. Unfortunately, that’s where you and the left in general fall flat Greg. S
@retire05:
LOL!! Touche!
@Greg: Greggie, does the Speaker of the House have the power and right to ask a leader from another country, a known ally, to speak to a joint session of Congress? If this is correct then the rest of your BS is pure speculation. Try and stay on topic and admit when your an idiot and an ass!!
I’m amazed how the Left has had to re-define one word after another just to appear to win their argument.
Inviting someone to publicly speak to the nation via the well of Congress is NOT ”colluding” nor is it ”negotiating.”
Israel’s Ambassador to the USA has weighed in:
http://jpupdates.com/2015/01/25/dermer-netanyahus-sacred-duty-speak-iran-deal-endangers-israel/
With video here, too:
http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2015/01/amb-dermer-speaks.php
The Ambassador makes an important point about how there is STILL TIME to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear weapon holder, thus starting an arms’ race in the Middle East.
Obama’s dithering and patience with Iran has shortened this time frame.
It is vital the USA gets to hear another side of this debate opposite Obama’s/Iran’s side.
The real questions Greg are; Why do you hate Israel so much when they are one of our few allies in the region? And why do you and Obama want Iran to have nuclear weapons?
@retire05, #93:
You’ve fixed it to your own satisfaction, but the reason why Pelosi’s meeting with Assad is in no way analogous to Boehner’s deal with Netanyaho has already been explained.
Pelosi negotiated nothing. She conveyed a message to the Bush administration that Assad would be willing to negotiate.
Boehner, on the other hand, has taken it upon himself to grant Netanyaho a priceless opportunity to deliver his hardliner sales pitch—which is not shared by the political party opposing him back home—directly to the U.S. Congress, and in a global spotlight. In return, Boehner is provided with a means to politically attack the Obama administration, with the added benefit that it could overturn a current diplomatic discussion with Iran that Boehner objects to.
Boehner and Netanyaho have agreed on a quid pro quo exchange of favors that serves each politically, and that advances their own foreign policy agendas by directly interfering with that of the Obama administration. In Boehner’s case, negotiating such an arrangement is a clear violation of the Logan Act.
In Netanyaho’s case, he’s certainly doing no favor to Israel by alienating the President of the one ally they’re most dependent upon for support in a hostile region.
@Common Sense, #96:
His right as Speaker to extend speaking invitations isn’t in question. What’s in question is how he is deviously using that right as a means of attack on a political opponent, and as a means of interfering with the proper function of the branch of government which that opponent heads.
@Greg:
But DF, you still haven’t told us what Boehner ‘negotiated’ and I’m sure you’re not because you don’t have a clue. Why do you keep puppets in your socks?