As members of Congress mull over President Barack Obama’s request for authorization for military strikes on Syria, the response from constituents so far has been loud and consistent: No.
And that response is as it should be. The American citizens are just tired of being taken for fools who will believe everything a spying president and his security apparatus feeds them. The majority of Americans ain’t buying anymore pablum and binkies they have sold us in the past.
Obama’s message to those Congress members? Don’t listen to them. Listen to me! From ABC News:
President Obama today conceded that he could fail to convince the American public to back proposed U.S. military strikes against Syria, but said that members of Congress should vote to approve the action anyway.
I am hoping the congress critters have had enough of failed ideas from Mr. Obama, and they send a clear message of, “Not no, but Hell no.” Perhaps I am somewhat delusional, but one can hope.
“It’s conceivable that, at the end of the day, I don’t persuade a majority of the American people that it’s the right thing to do,” Obama said in response to a question from ABC News during a solo press conference at the conclusion of the G20 summit in St. Petersburg, Russia.
The above quote should give pause and allow or cause us to say, “Exactly what we hope you reap from this bad idea.”
But, Obama said, members of Congress need to consider the lessons of World War II and their own consciences and vote ‘yes’ to authorize the use of force, even if it means going against the opinion of the majority of their constituents.
What do they have to lose by ignoring the people who vote for them in favor of an ill-formed plan from a second-term president looking forward to a lifetime of easy five-figure dinner speeches?
What “they,” have to lose is self-respect if they vote to bomb and a terrible president if they vote not to bomb. I’ll vote for the latter.