by Paul Szep
Congress acting like they’re an equal branch of government to the Executive? Aw, go on.
Rep. Dennis Kucinich didn’t get his day, because Republicans were afraid his resolution on Libya would pass. So Speaker Boehner called a meeting to discuss alternatives to doing something similar to Kucinich, but instead of showing leadership he punted to the President, giving him 14 more days to make his case to Congress.
From the Washington Post:
On Thursday, with some liberals and conservatives trying to get Congress to force a withdrawal from Libya, Boehner (R-Ohio) offered an alternative. He introduced a resolution that would give Obama 14 more days to make his case.
Boehner’s resolution would vent congressional anger, stating that “the president has not sought, and Congress has not provided, authorization” for the operation. It also contains a threat that Congress might cut off funding if Obama defies Congress.
But the resolution stops short of demanding that the operation stop and doesn’t declare that Congress officially disapproves of it.
“The resolution stops short,” of course, because Congress is feckless and long ago ceded power to the Executive Branch. They are a pathetic representation of what the founders had in mind, but at least some of them know it.
“It does not have Congress taking a stand,” said Rep. Michael R. Turner (R-Ohio), who had attracted more than 60 cosponsors for a separate bill saying that Congress disapproved of the Libya operation. Obama “has already had 75 days. I don’t believe that there’s additional information that he’s going to provide.”
Military action in Libya was not in U.S. interests, with the carnage in Syria making a mockery of Pres. Obama’s humanitarian interventionism motive.
It comes as no surprise that Speaker Boehner, a creature of the usual congressional genuflecting to the Executive Branch, is stiffing his Tea Party caucus.
Along with some Democrats, there are conservatives who also realize the folly of U.S. foreign policy, which continues to be the biggest drag on our financial solvency, starting with Afghanistan, but also Iraq and the bases we continue to have service members stationed around the world.
I wonder if Congress will ever retake it’s power back from the Executive Branch where it’s been going back to at least Vietnam. Challenging Pres. Obama on Libya is a good place to start.
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