Lacking resolve
The very title of this piece in National Review Online says what I’ve been saying about the seizure of Congress lately by battles over ‘non-binding’ resolutions. We are lacking statesmanship in our leaders.
Congress now and then does something really dopey. But for sheer and utter stupidity it is difficult to top their wanting to pass, during a time of war, a resolution admonishing the commander-in-chief for a tactical military move.
It is a nonbinding resolution, of course, as in: We know it doesn’t actually change anything, but, hey, who cares? We’ve figured out how to have our cake and eat it, too.
Members of Congress may be required to take an oath that they will support and defend the Constitution of the United States, but, as such folly as we have been witnessing reminds us, they are not also required actually to know what it says.
It’s the president, not Congress, the Constitution charges with deciding and implementing the conduct of our country’s wars. It says Congress gets to decide if (Article I), but the president decides how (Article II, section 2). The Constitution assigns Congress no advise and consent role in the actual conducting of our wars.
Besides the affront to the Constitution, what we have been witnessing demonstrates a frightening lack of clear thinking and common sense. These congressmen have been undermining the morale of our troops, uplifting the spirit of our enemies, and making fools of themselves.
The mind-bogglingly silly spectacle, revealing at the same time, has Senate Democrats stridently condemning a tactical military plan while lavishly praising the general who devised it and then wishing him “Godspeed†and “success†in carrying it out while simultaneously proclaiming that it cannot succeed. It is an incoherence that can be due only to idiocy or indifference.
The incoherence of the Congress — with a few exceptions — is the distressing point. Eckert’s right, they’re showing a lack of clear thinking and common sense when they praise the general but condemn his tactics. Wish him ‘Godspeed’ but doom his mission to failure. Where’s the honesty, intellectual and political? Back it, or don’t, but be clear and consistent about it.
The media tell us that many members of Congress of both parties are “frustrated†with seeing the violence of war on television day after day…Frustration neither justifies nor excuses foolish behavior.
The American people are frustrated too, with the media and many members of Congress.
The nonbinding-resolution charade of our current Democratic Congress makes no sense. It’s a pathetic performance, showbiz in lieu of statesmanship.
And meanwhile, a number of them are running for president. I hope we don’t let them define statesmanship down in the process.