A group of 47 Republican senators has written an open letter to Iran's leaders warning them that any nuclear deal they sign with President Barack Obama's administration won’t last after Obama leaves office. Organized by freshman Senator Tom Cotton and signed by the chamber's entire party leadership as well as potential 2016 presidential contenders Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz and Rand Paul, the letter is meant not just to discourage the Iranian regime from signing a deal but also to pressure the White House into giving Congress some authority over the process.
“It has come to our attention while observing your nuclear negotiations with our government that you may not fully understand our constitutional system … Anything not approved by Congress is a mere executive agreement,” the senators wrote. “The next president could revoke such an executive agreement with the stroke of a pen and future Congresses could modify the terms of the agreement at any time.”
Arms-control advocates and supporters of the negotiations argue that the next president and the next Congress will have a hard time changing or canceling any Iran deal -- -- which is reportedly near done -- especially if it is working reasonably well.
Many inside the Republican caucus, however, hope that by pointing out the long-term fragility of a deal with no congressional approval -- something Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has also noted -- the Iranian regime might be convinced to think twice. "Iran's ayatollahs need to know before agreeing to any nuclear deal that … any unilateral executive agreement is one they accept at their own peril,” Cotton told me.
Okay not to use hyperbole here, but how is this NOT treason?
Apparently it is not treason but is not allowed as per the Logan Act.
ReplyDeleteMe thinks you would do well to read the actual Logan Act for yourself. Also, find a source who is well informed and stop relying on Fox news.
DeleteThe Google is a great tool. Learn to use it.
I believe, detroitsam, that 12:16 is stating the obvious. It is NOT treason under the direct definition written specifically into the Constitution. And it IS a violation of the Logan act. So what is your problem?
DeleteThe Logan Act has one problem in this case that MAY allow these fools to get away with it if there is a chance they could be charged. The Logan Act specifically states "...without the authority of the United States...." and I can see these people claiming they ARE the United States!
And so you know, I DID use Google to base my proof on. I DID read the Logan Act AND the Constitutional LEGAL definition of treason in the US.
Your sarcasm is way off base here in my opinion.
Nancy Pelosi went and visited Syrian president Assad, and no one had a problem with her jumping into the middle of foreign policy...was that treason? She discussed engaging in peace talks. She talked to reporters, and talked about policy and negotiations. This is at least as bad as the Senate sending a letter stating that they will ratify (or not) any deal.
DeleteWhether or not in good taste, the Senate is correct- constitutionally.
HOW can this not violate the Logan Act?
ReplyDelete"[T]he President alone has the power to speak or listen as a representative of the nation. He makes treaties with the advice and consent of the Senate; but he alone negotiates. Into the field of negotiation the Senate cannot intrude, and Congress itself is powerless to invade it." ---Supreme Court Justice Sutherland in United States v. Curtiss-Wright Export Corp.
Note:
Delete"Into the field of negotiation THE SENATE CANNOT INTRUDE..."
I'd say they are intruding on the borderline of treason. They are undermining the authority of the President.
They would never do this to a Republican. Hell, they wouldn't even do this to a WHITE Democratic President.
This is the height of racism on the part of our Congress.
I want to see the Justice Department step in and put a stop to this.
Hell, yeah, use the Logan Act.
You gotta love the Iranian's response:
ReplyDelete“In our view, this letter has no legal value and is mostly a propaganda ploy,” Javad Zarif, the Iranian foreign minister, said in a written statement. “It is very interesting that while negotiations are still in progress and while no agreement has been reached, some political pressure groups are so afraid even of the prospect of an agreement that they resort to unconventional methods, unprecedented in diplomatic history.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/10/world/asia/white-house-faults-gop-senators-letter-to-irans-leaders.html?_r=0
Wow. You're right, you gotta love the Iranian response.
DeleteGood for Iran!
DeleteThe Iranians are 1000% smarter than all of Republicans in Congress put together and multiplied by 5.
DeleteBeaglemom
Nice to see at least someone in the Iranian Government cut through the Republican B.S.
DeleteHow embarrassing that the Iranians have to school our Senators in our own Constitution, especially since they're the party that claims to have such undying loyalty to it.
DeleteThe Iranians also say that the republicans are ignorant of International Law and the nuances of their own Constitution, That is a not too subtle way of saying "You are a bunch of Dumb Fucks"Good for Iran.
Deletefly 'em over to Israel and put them on the no-fly list.
ReplyDeletebetter yet, build a fake bomb out of plywood big enough for all 47 seditious dipshits to cowboy ride out the bomb bay doors ala Slim Pickens in Dr Strangelove .... include space for bush, cheney, rumsfeldt, morris, rice, crystal, the koch sukin' bros, et al ...
DeleteI'm not convinced, 1:30, that we could build a box big enough to contain all those we need to get rid of and still have it able to fit inside any of our cargo planes.
DeleteOn the other hand, if you were to use a trash compactor....
I say impeach the whole lot - all 47 of them.
DeleteBTW, I'm glad to see Murkowski didn't sign it, not that she isn't still a hopeless sellout.
We could start a recall of Sullivan, this behavior is outright sedation. In the good ole days of good and bad, we hung traitors.
DeleteThis is what Alaskan voted for in Dan Sullivan. This attitude of a bunch of dumb and dumber know nothings believe they are the emperor in the room. I swear these fools will get us all killed.
ReplyDeleteWhen the Bushco/Cheney lawyer who helped authorize the Stellar Wind eavesdropping (warrantless wiretapping of citizens in time of war which congress is powerless to stop) tells a bunch of nitwit republican senators you aren't doing it right...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.lawfareblog.com/2015/03/the-error-in-the-senators-letter-to-the-leaders-of-iran/
"Josh Rogin reports that a “group of 47 Republican senators has written an open letter to Iran’s leaders warning them that any nuclear deal they sign with President Barack Obama’s administration won’t last after Obama leaves office.” Here is the letter. Its premise is that Iran’s leaders “may not fully understand our constitutional system,” and in particular may not understand the nature of the “power to make binding international agreements.” It appears from the letter that the Senators do not understand our constitutional system or the power to make binding agreements."
I wasn't surprised to see that Dan Sullivan signed on. But was kinda surprised Lisa hadn't. I mean the way she's been going all Koch lately, I'd have thought she'd have jumped on this.
ReplyDeleteWhat remote clue does Alaska's Dan Sullivan have about Iran or anywhere else in the universe for that matter?
DeleteBeaglemom
Beaglemom:
DeleteDoncha know? Sullivan can watch Iran from his house in Alaska!!
When we are ultimately invaded by either Aliens or other non-humans, I hope they have a directive in place that the very first death rays are to be aimed at every Republican elected official. They are a blight on mankind.
ReplyDeleteThe old saying that disagreements end at the waters edge certainly is not true anymore. This bunch will do anything to undermine our President and our Country - all for politics and not for the good of the Country.
ReplyDeleteI have to say that I am very happy to see that Susan Collins of Maine did not sign the letter and your Senator Murkowski also did not sign.
Kelly Ayotte from New Hampshire who is up for election in 2016 signed the letter. That is going to be a close race and Kelly is an idiot to sign it. The Live Free or Die State doesn't want to go to war with Iran.
The old saying that disagreements end at the waters edge certainly is not true anymore. This bunch will do anything to undermine our President and our Country - all for politics and not for the good of the Country.
ReplyDeleteI have to say that I am very happy to see that Susan Collins of Maine did not sign the letter and your Senator Murkowski also did not sign.
Kelly Ayotte from New Hampshire who is up for election in 2016 signed the letter. That is going to be a close race and Kelly is an idiot to sign it. The Live Free or Die State doesn't want to go to war with Iran.
And no, these bozos do not understand our democracy. These same fools hammered Obama because he pulled the troops from Iraq. But what they fail to mention is that President Bush negotiated the agreement to withdraw the troops in 2009.
Senator John McCain was the first name I looked for on the list of Senators. Sure enough, there his name was. Thanks John, you Fuc_ed the country with your pick of Palin and now, once again, you're trying to Fuc_ the country and the President who beat your sorry ass.
ReplyDeleteRemember all he wants to do is "bomb, bomb, bomb Iran."
DeleteBeaglemom
So many ways this ploy is stupid. Not the least of which is insulting the Iranian's understanding of the United States legalities. Iran is not some naive new government. They are skilled negotiators.
ReplyDeleteI think the 47 senators that signed this document are just trying to garner points for their own next election. It's the same kind of thing as voting to repeal obamacare. The idea is that low information voters WANT to stick to Obama in anyway they can. It's not like they can vote for some tea party nut that will actually get them something real, like intelligent legislation.
This is absofuckinglutely unfuckingbelievable!!
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know if there's ever been any comparable act of sabotaging a sitting American president's diplomatic policies like this??
Nixon derailing the Vietnam War peace talks in '68 comes close but it was done in secret.
Same with Reagan and the Iran hostages in '80 ...
I'm just ... stunned.
Not in our recorded history.
DeleteBTW, this does absolutely violate the Logan Act, but good luck getting this prosecuted
ReplyDeleteI just signed the petition on the White House website charging those Senators that sign the letter with The Logan Act.
ReplyDeleteMe too.
DeleteMe three.
DeleteThis letter played right into Natanyahu' s hand
ReplyDeleteYou spelled that name wrong. Isn't it Nutandyahoo?
DeleteNetanyahu probably instructed the Senators to write the letter to help with the upcoming Israel elections.
DeleteTom Cotton is catching hell on Twitter
ReplyDeleteThat young punk, with no political experience in the U.S. Congress and no education of the law, should be brought up for treason in front of the nation.
DeleteThe Republicans need to be taught a huge lesson in front of the country!
The Republican party has a Jane Fonda problem
ReplyDeleteThe Supreme Court ruled in United States vs Curtis - Wright Export Co. the President is the one who negotiates for the Government .
ReplyDeleteIran’s Foreign Minister Schools GOP Traitors on Constitution and International Law
ReplyDelete..........The reason Boehner appeared to violate the Logan Act was not necessarily for communicating with a foreigner, but because he summoned the foreigner to help the GOP “influence the measures or conduct of a foreign government (Iran), and defeat the measures of the United States.” ...........
....Having failed in the first Netanyahu ploy, Senate Republicans displayed their fealty to the Israeli foreigner by warning Iran that despite the Constitution or international law, Republicans and Netanyahu set America’s Middle East policy; not the leader of the Executive branch President Obama. It is something that astonished Iran’s Foreign Minister Zarif who took time out of his busy schedule to inform “the letter’s authors” that they are as ignorant of their own Constitution as their stupid Confederate base of supporters.
Zarif said, “in our view, this letter has no legal value and is mostly a propaganda ploy. It is very interesting that while negotiations are still in progress and while no agreement has been reached, some political pressure groups are so afraid even of the prospect of an agreement that they resort to unconventional methods, unprecedented in diplomatic history. This indicates that like Netanyahu, who considers peace an existential threat, some are opposed to any agreement, regardless of its content.” Republican and Netanyahu war mongering is certainly not a secret, but it is a very prescient statement coming from so-called “warmongering” Iranians.....
http://www.politicususa.com/2015/03/10/irans-foreign-minister-schools-gop-traitors-constitution-international-law.html
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These traitors are an embarrassment to the USA, where was their outrage when Saint Ronnie sent a birthday cake and bible to Iran in secret? Oh right he wasn't black!!!
With the way things are going with these horrible Republicans in Congress, I wouldn't be surprised to see an all out war within our own country - just like the civil war of years ago - only this time it will be everyone against the 'white' Republicans across the land!
ReplyDeleteIt wouldn't surprise me at all!