Senate and House liberals are going on offense and making progress in protecting President Obama’s deal on Iran’s nuclear program.
Liberal Democrats have mounted a furious offensive to convince Senate Democrats to oppose legislation the White House warns could kill a nuclear deal with Iran.In moves that appeared coordinated, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced her opposition to a bill that would give Congress a vote on the emerging deal. Minutes later, Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) urged the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to postpone a planned vote next week.
To get more stories like this, subscribe to our newsletter The Daily.
….
But now several of the bill’s Democratic co-sponsors won’t say whether they’ll vote to approve it on Tuesday at a panel markup. They are demanding that Republicans tone down provisions opposed by the White House.
….
A Senate aide said some Democrats are beginning to second-guess their support for the bill in the wake of the administration’s announcement last week that it had reached a preliminary deal.
The Democrats who were thinking that they could support the Republican bill without political consequences have gotten a rude awakening. It is important to note that the debate isn’t about whether or not Congress should have the ability to review the agreement. Questions are centered around the fact that Republicans have crafted a bill that would give them the power to kill the deal.
The message being sent is that liberal Democrats are not going to allow Republicans to squash the President’s diplomatic efforts. Democrats and liberals are fighting back. Liberal and progressive groups sent a letter to Senate Democratic leaders that warned them that they will be held accountable if they help Republicans kill the Iran deal.
Liberals and Democrats know that popular support is on their side. The Republican rhetoric about a good deal versus a bad deal is not working. A war-fatigued American public is treating the Republican objections to diplomacy with well-deserved skepticism. The last time Republicans were allowed to ignore diplomacy in the Middle East; the U.S. ended up invading Iraq.
Liberals, Democrats, and a majority of the American people are fighting for diplomacy because they aren’t about to be fooled in a new American war in the Middle East.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
