Boehner: Obama has obligation to consult Congress on Syria, meets with White House
Source: Washington Examiner
House Speaker John Boehner has met with the White House regarding Syria, his spokesman said Monday.
This afternoon, the Speaker had preliminary communication with the White House about the situation in Syria and any potential U.S. response, Boehner spokesman Brendan Buck said. The Speaker made clear that before any action is taken there must be meaningful consultation with members of Congress, as well as clearly defined objectives and a broader strategy to achieve stability.
With potential military action against Syria under consideration by the White House, House Speaker John Boehner send out a statement earlier Monday urging President Obama to consult with Congress and explain his decision to the American people.
The president is commander-in-chief. With that power comes obligations, Boehner said. One, of course, is to consult with Congress on the options he sees as a viable response, Boehner said. Meaningful consultation should happen before any military action is taken.
A Boehner aide told the Washington Examiner earlier that no one from the Obama administration or his national security team has contacted Congress about actions they are considering against the Assad regime, which administration officials believe was responsible for the recent chemical weapons attack against its own citizens.
Read more: http://washingtonexaminer.com/boehner-obama-has-obligation-to-consult-congress-on-syria-meets-with-white-house/article/2534711
The weakest Speaker in history loves to pretend he has some real power.
enlightenment
(8,830 posts)in this case he's not wrong. Just because we've kind of gotten into the habit of letting the Executive run roughshod over Congress in this war-making business, it's not really supposed to work that way.
Boehner isn't saying the President can't do this - he's saying that he should consult with the peoples' representatives, Congress. At the very least he should explain his motivations to both them and to us before he starts launching cruise missiles.
What's wrong with that?
madokie
(51,076 posts)the messinger though, there is. He's a drunk and is drunk off his ass right this very minute. If I was a betting man I'd bet on that. I'm no so I won't. No one should listen to his drunk ass on anything ever until he sobers up. IMO
The last thing I want to see is a drunk making policy concerning war.
FirstLight
(13,357 posts)someone has to keep this in check, could congress do it? maybe obstructionism could be a *good* thing in this case?
Jack Rabbit
(45,984 posts)Where was Boehner on this issue in 2002/03?
dixiegrrrrl
(60,010 posts)Dennis Hastert was Speaker,
between January 6, 1999 and January 3, 2007, including the whole of 2002.
Jack Rabbit
(45,984 posts)I was asking about whether he thought at the time the President (then a usurper named Bush, but recognized by stooges in Washington and the press as President) needed to consult with Congress about invading Iraq.
Boehner was first elected to Congress in 2000.
muntrv
(14,505 posts)alp227
(32,015 posts)madokie
(51,076 posts)He needs to sober up and act right.
another_liberal
(8,821 posts)He's a first class liar, bastard and crook, but I had never heard he was a drunk. Where did that come from?
If you're just trying to make me like him, it is not going to work.
madokie
(51,076 posts)Its a pretty well known fact that john 'little dick' boehner is a drunken first class liar, bastard and crook
another_liberal
(8,821 posts)Nope, not a bit.
SummerSnow
(12,608 posts)branford
(4,462 posts)There, I said it. Even a stopped clock is right twice a day.
meow2u3
(24,761 posts)Boehner is right on this issue. Congress has the constitutional power to declare war, not the President.
shedevil69taz
(512 posts)the President has the power under the constitution to send military forces anywhere in the world for up to 60 days without Congressional approval. Launching cruise missiles and then leaving would be well within his powers.