Did Obama Just Provoke a Constitutional Crisis?
Don't underestimate the threat to our rule of law that he just created by bringing the Iran deal to the UN without Congressional approval
President Obama's decision to submit the Iranian nuclear deal to the United Nation Security Council before Congress has had their 60 days to review it could be as problematic for Congress as making a judgment on the deal itself.
Congress felt its responsibilities were already being usurped when they learned the Iranian deal would be treated as an agreement rather than a treaty. In response to widespread protest, the White House had to permit the agreement to be submitted to both houses of Congress for approval. Yet fearing that a negative vote — certain in the House — would occur, the administration decided to go to the UN immediately. This makes any congressional veto useless; the provisions of the agreement almost impossible to turn back.
Yesterday, the UN Security Council unanimously passed a resolution endorsing the Iranian deal. The 15-0 vote, the Times of Israel reports, "clears one of the largest hurdles for the landmark pact, which will now go before the U.S. Congress where it may face an uphill battle for confirmation."
Only after it was a done deal did U.S. Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power choose to raise the issue of Iran's continuing human rights violations. These were studiously avoided during the negotiations, when the U.S. had leverage.
Now, like bringing the deal to Congress, this is all for show.
Don't underestimate the threat to our rule of law that he just created by bringing the Iran deal to the UN without Congressional approval
President Obama's decision to submit the Iranian nuclear deal to the United Nation Security Council before Congress has had their 60 days to review it could be as problematic for Congress as making a judgment on the deal itself.
Congress felt its responsibilities were already being usurped when they learned the Iranian deal would be treated as an agreement rather than a treaty. In response to widespread protest, the White House had to permit the agreement to be submitted to both houses of Congress for approval. Yet fearing that a negative vote — certain in the House — would occur, the administration decided to go to the UN immediately. This makes any congressional veto useless; the provisions of the agreement almost impossible to turn back.
Yesterday, the UN Security Council unanimously passed a resolution endorsing the Iranian deal. The 15-0 vote, the Times of Israel reports, "clears one of the largest hurdles for the landmark pact, which will now go before the U.S. Congress where it may face an uphill battle for confirmation."
Only after it was a done deal did U.S. Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power choose to raise the issue of Iran's continuing human rights violations. These were studiously avoided during the negotiations, when the U.S. had leverage.
Now, like bringing the deal to Congress, this is all for show.
