Welcome to the Corker Cave-In Or Things Are Never As They're Spun

KEITH KOFFLER TELLS IT LIKE IT REALLY IS WITH THE CORKER IRAN DEAL

I KEEP READING today that the White House folded, caved, threw up the white flag, rolled over on its sword and died a humiliating death by accepting legislation by Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., giving Congress “a role” in the Iran negotiations. 

In this case, that’s a bit of spin that both the White House and Republicans want you to buy. Because Republicans wants you to think they’ve etched out some kind of a victory over Obama, and finally stood up one of his power grabs. While the White House want to camouflage . . . its latest successful power grab. “The Unified States Senate just capitulated to Obama,” radio host and Constitutional scholar Mark Levin said Tuesday night. “The Unified States Senate just rewrote the Treaty Provision of the Constitution.” 

And he’s right. Because a treaty requires a two thirds vote by the Senate to be accepted as law. Corker’s bill turns that on its head, allowing Congress to vote down the treaty with Iran but giving Obama veto power, which must be overridden by a two thirds vote. MEANING THAT INSTEAD NEEDING TWO THIRDS OF THE SENATE FOR HIS TREATY, OBAMA ONLY NEEDS ONE THIRD OF THE SENATE PLUS ONE ADDITIONAL VOTE. 

And that’s a victory for Congress? 

What Corker has done is legitimize Obama’s power grab. Congress could have instead voted this treaty down on its own and then passed legislation withholding funding for its implementation. Obama could also veto the measure withholding funds, which would require the same two-thirds override. But at least the point would have been made that he was acting unconstitutionally, and he would be on record as defying the Congress. As a practical matter, this would have made it far easier for a future president to discard the Iran deal.

Bob's got a bad case of Potomac fever to our great detriment.Also to the detriment of checks and balances.