The U.S. Congress vs. the U.S.A.!

Written by Frank Li

On September 28, 2016, the U.S. Congress voted overwhelmingly to override President Obama’s veto of the 9/11 Victims Bill (Congress Votes to Override Obama Veto on 9/11 Victims Bill), handing President Obama the first veto override of his nearly eight-year Presidency!

What a terror act by the U.S. Congress against the U.S.A.! To me, this is like the Iraq Resolution, all over again! Let me explain …

1. What is this bill?

Below is an excerpt from the article cited above.

“This is a decision I do not take lightly,” said Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York, one of the legislation’s authors. “This bill is near and dear to my heart as a New Yorker, because it would allow the victims of 9/11 to pursue some small measure of justice, finally giving them a legal avenue to pursue foreign sponsors of the terrorist attack that took from them the lives of their loved ones.”

To paraphrase Schumer, “This bill is to please my constituents, which is very important to my future as a career politician!”

2. What does this bill mean to America?

Below is an excerpt from the same article.

In recent days, Mr. Obama, Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter and Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, all wrote letters to Congress warning of the dangers of overriding the veto.

John O. Brennan, the C.I.A. director, released his own statement saying, “Any legislation that affects sovereign immunity should take into account the associated risks to our national security.”

I agree with the Obama administration on this!

3. What does President Obama think of this?

Below is an excerpt from the same article.

Mr. Obama angrily denounced the outcome, saying lawmakers had been swayed to cast a political vote for legislation that set a “dangerous precedent” with implications they did not understand and never debated.

President Obama is right on this!

4. Congress: have you any conscience?

Below is an excerpt from the same article.

Senator Bob Corker, Republican of Tennessee, gave voice to the unusual ambivalence that many members of Congress have expressed since they passed the bill.

“I do want to say I don’t think the Senate nor House has functioned in an appropriate manner as it relates to a very important piece of legislation,” said Mr. Corker, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “I have tremendous concerns about the sovereign immunity procedures that would be set in place by the countries as a result of this vote.” Still, it was a vote he cast.

In other words, “I knew it was wrong for the country, but I voted for it anyway, because it was good for me, personally!”

5. Having it both ways!

Below is an excerpt from the same article.

There were swift complications. Within hours of their vote, nearly 30 senators signed a letter expressing some reservations about the potential consequences of the law, including the prospect that the United States could face lawsuits in foreign courts “as a result of important military or intelligence activities.”

In other words, “I knew it was wrong for the country, but I did it anyway! To cover my ass, I just signed a letter!”

6. Discussion

Everything above relating to the U.S. Congress is almost identical to the way the Iraq Resolution was passed on October 16, 2002. Yes, the U.S. Congress acted against America’s best interests in both cases!

The current situation, relating to the Executive branch, is totally different from 2002: President Obama is not facing re-election, while President George W. Bush was! As a result, President Obama did the right thing for the country now, while President George W. Bush did the right thing for himself, against the country, then!

What is so wrong with America?

“It’s the political system, stupid!”

Specifically, it’s called “getting re-elected ad nauseam,” even if it means hell with the country in the long run!

Voting for the bill has few negative consequences to the lawmakers personally, but will help in their re-election. On the other hand, voting against the bill could be the end of their political career, because it could be seen as unpatriotic by the voters. What about the country? Hell with it!

Oh, in case you missed, the vote in the Senate was 97-1. Who cast the lonely “no” vote? Harry Reid, who is retiring (Reid is retiring)! So he finally did something for the good of the country this time, just like President Obama did!

With this veto-override, Congress keeps its tradition alive and well: Bipartisanship Is Behind Government’s Worst Programs!

Still wondering why we are so deeply in trouble?

“It’s the political system, stupid!”

7. Closing

My fellow Americans, it’s time to be serious about 9/11 (9/11: Remembered in America, But Not Understood!)!

My fellow Americans, it’s time to reform our political system, as I have suggested (Solution for America (Version 3)), or become an also-ran, second to China!

Now, please sit back and enjoy the video below.