Schumer to Dems: It's safe to jump ship
The comments Monday by the Democratic leader-in-waiting illustrate the enormity of the task ahead for Obama and his team: While there’s no guarantee that Congress would ultimately reject an agreement with Iran, there’s an increasingly bipartisan consensus that Congress should at least have the ability to do so.
“This is a very serious issue that deserves careful consideration, and I expect to have a classified briefing in the near future. I strongly believe Congress should have the right to disapprove any agreement and I support the Corker bill which would allow that to occur,” Schumer said in an emailed statement to POLITICO.
Schumer had quietly signed on to a bill allowing congressional review of the Iran deal two weeks ago, but made little fanfare of his co-sponsorship. In a brief statement on Friday, he said only that he’d review the agreement. Now that the outlines of an agreement are known, Schumer’s emphatic statement that Congress has an important role becomes more significant, signaling to fellow Democrats that it’s safe to jump on board the review bill.
His comments came as the White House press secretary was panning the legislation, which was written by Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) and would allow Congress to vote to suspend the lifting of sanctions. A committee vote on the measure is planned for next week.
Schumer is a potentially decisive figure in whether the Iran measure will eclipse veto-proof support in Congress, given his expected ascension to the Democratic leader’s job in 2017 and the diminished influence of indicted Sen. Robert Menendez of New Jersey, who recently relinquished his position as the top Democrat on the Foreign Relations panel.Hmmm.
Labels: Barack Hussein Obama, Bob Corker, Charles Schumer, Iran sanctions regime, Iranian nuclear threat
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 4:18 AM
1 Comments:
This is a ploy much like the Republicans passing a repeal of Obamacare, to appease their base, which Obama vetos and cannot be overridden by Congress.
Schumer wants to pass a bill which will be vetoed and which in all likelihood cannot be overridden in a ploy to his Jewish donors, in effect saying "I tried my best".
Of note Article II, section 2 of the constitution says in part: "He [the president] shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur;..."
It actually does not say that a treaty has to be submitted and implies that the Senate can, in advance, refuse the "Consent of the Senate, to make [a] treat[y]" if two thirds do not concur.
If Schumer put up for consideration by the Senate the Advice and Consent of this "framework treaty" then I would be impressed by him bucking Obama.
But I see this as merely an attempt to keep the money flowing without changing or challenging this "deal".
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