It's Bibipalooza! Live, from Congress! One show only!

[alfred russel]

Obstructing proposed legislation, including a treaty ratification, through the usual means available to Congress -- is one thing.

Congressional freelance diplomacy - sending a demarche directly to a foreign power - is another; looks to me like a pretty big breach of separation of powers.

I can't personally recall another incident quite like this one.

The Washington Post has an op ed saying otherwise:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/republicans-letter-to-iran-is-far-from-unprecedented/2015/03/11/6e247750-c80b-11e4-a199-6cb5e63819d2_story.html

[The Minsky Moment]

The Washington Post has an op ed saying otherwise:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/republicans-letter-to-iran-is-far-from-unprecedented/2015/03/11/6e247750-c80b-11e4-a199-6cb5e63819d2_story.html

I think the op ed proves the point as the examples it gives all involve a single Senator, the certifiable loon Jessie Helms, doing his certifiably loony stuff. 

I also have little doubt that one could find other examples of individual senators misbehaving.

But that is nowhere near into the same neighborhood as 47 senators sending what purports to be an official diplomatic communication to a foreign government.

[The Minsky Moment]

BTW props to the guy who wrote the WaPost op ed; it takes real courage and rare honesty to admit having once worked as an aide to Jesse Helms.

[alfred russel]

The Washington Post has an op ed saying otherwise:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/republicans-letter-to-iran-is-far-from-unprecedented/2015/03/11/6e247750-c80b-11e4-a199-6cb5e63819d2_story.html

I think the op ed proves the point as the examples it gives all involve a single Senator, the certifiable loon Jessie Helms, doing his certifiably loony stuff. 

I also have little doubt that one could find other examples of individual senators misbehaving.

But that is nowhere near into the same neighborhood as 47 senators sending what purports to be an official diplomatic communication to a foreign government.

I think he was the chair of the senate foreign relations committee. I presume his private diplomacic relations with most african nations were a bit strained.

[CountDeMoney]

Yeah, gotta give the guy kudos for sticking up for his boss, and offering the argument that Jesse Helms = 47 GOP assholes.

[Admiral Yi]

Joan: would you have the same objections if those 47 senators had submitted the same letter to the NYT, with the expectation that it would be read in Teheran?

[The Minsky Moment]

Yeah, gotta give the guy kudos for sticking up for his boss, and offering the argument that Jesse Helms = 47 GOP assholes.

Not to mention that objectively speaking, the argument that "it's Ok because Jesse Helms did it" is NOT all that persuasive.

[The Minsky Moment]

Joan: would you have the same objections if those 47 senators had submitted the same letter to the NYT, with the expectation that it would be read in Teheran?

I.e. a letter to the NYT containing the same substance but not addressed directly to the foreign regime?
As a matter of policy I would disagree.  And if the real goal was to influence Tehran and not so much to persuade domestic opinion then I would say not cricket.

But it wouldn't raise the same separation of powers concerns.

[MadImmortalMan]

How much is the Senate involved in the Iran deal anyway? Aren't Senate leaders usually quasi-part of the formulation of treaties since they have to ratify them in the end anyway? I don't know for sure how it works but it seems like the State dept. would be keeping them in the loop at least.

[celedhring]

Also, isn't the Senate going to turn down any deal with Iran? Or are there amenable Republican senators (plus the entire Democrat bloc)?

[The Minsky Moment]

Also, isn't the Senate going to turn down any deal with Iran? Or are there amenable Republican senators (plus the entire Democrat bloc)?

7 senators did not sign including the Chair of the Foreign Relations committee
Read into that what you will.

[Admiral Yi]

Did Charlie Wilson's actions create separation of powers issues?

[MadImmortalMan]

Also, isn't the Senate going to turn down any deal with Iran? Or are there amenable Republican senators (plus the entire Democrat bloc)?

7 senators did not sign including the Chair of the Foreign Relations committee
Read into that what you will.

McConnell did though. Can he keep it from coming to the floor?

[Admiral Yi]

McConnell did though. Can he keep it from coming to the floor?

47 is more than enough for a filibuster.

[grumbler]

McConnell did though. Can he keep it from coming to the floor?

47 is more than enough for a filibuster.

Did Charlie Wilson's actions create separation of powers issues?