Wall Street Journal Does not Understand Main Street, Tehran

The Wall Street Journal, which always sees Obama proposals through a glass half empty, reasons that pro treaty demonstrations in Tehran signifies a diplomatic victory for Iran. http://www.wsj.com/articles/why-theyre-cheering-in-tehran-1436916912

For a thirsty nation, even lacking running water in some areas, the glass is half full.  That is good for America.  Those who have read the treaty know that it was drafted with heavy water input from nuclear scientists.  If the general public in Iran has the acumen and sophistication to fully understand the treaty, perhaps we should concede world domination now.

The obvious truth is that Iranians want water, food, and electricity, and they want it now.  They believe the lifting of sanctions will improve their standard of living to pre-sanction levels.  If they are right most of the 100 billion dollars will flow to them rather than to terrorist activities.

To quote the song from 'Frozen,' "Let it flow, let it flow."

Deal Means Dems Win 3rd Term

Our multiple daily neon exposure to gas prices is unlike any other component of the cost of living.   Food prices are hidden by sales and consumer choice.  If beef prices are high, chicken may be on sale.   Few of us shop every day.  Cost of housing is at most an annual event.

So it should be no shock that presidential approval ratings closely correlate with gas prices.  The party with high presidential approval ratings retains the White House.  Iranian oil coming on to the market in 2016 will keep gas prices low.

Republican opposition to the treaty may be more partisan than principled.

ISIS Land of Perverts

ISIS proudly proclaims its purposes.  Stoning of women accused of adultery supports the claim of instituting the strictest form of Sharia Law.  Calling itself a caliphate is a strong form of branding.  But except to initiates, ISIS does not proclaim its underlying goal:  institutionalizing sexual perversion.  ISIS is the land of perverts.

According to the ISIS interpretation of their book, the Koran,  raping of captured nine and ten year old girls is sanctioned.  In my book it is pedophilia.   Sexual slavery is fundamental to ISIS.  In a previous blog I outlined the role of sex in ISIS recruitment, and a possible solution: http://phoodphotospolitics.blogspot.com/2015/03/sex-and-single-jihadist.html.  But a recent "Frontline" episode expanded the point.  Sunni women are dominated and controlled, and Yazidi women are openly bought and sold.

So beware the self-righteous, they are raping someone's nine year old daughter.

Republican House of Cards

The alternative to reaching an agreement with Iran is war.  If Iranian development of nuclear weapons is unfettered we would bomb Iran's nuclear sites.  Wisely, the American public does not want another war in the Middle East.  So the Republicans have invented the myth of the better deal.

They would up the ante, overcoming their objections to this deal.  The first objection is that lifting sanctions will enrich Iran.  Since Iran is not our friend, that money may not be used consistent with America's best interests.  But the purpose of sanctions was to bring Iran to the bargaining table.  Time to declare victory.  It worked.  You cannot stop nuclear development and keep the sanctions.

The second, and most substantive, objection is that Iran might cheat.  No tougher inspection regime has ever been imposed, but it is not perfect.  Iran may cheat.  But we did get a snap back provision.  If cheating is discovered, sanctions go back in place automatically.  No United Nations resolution is required.

The third objection is that the agreement does not deter other bad acts by the regime.  The sole goal of the sanctions, and of negotiations, was to deter nuclear development.  The agreement can only be judged on that basis.

The Republicans claim that if they block this deal, they will force concessions.  The Republicans want to bluff with a lowly two pairs, convincing voters that they have a full house.  No better deal is in the offing.  Iranian hardliners may yet block this deal.  But more importantly, there are 5 other players at the table.

We can only effectively walk away with our chips if France, Germany, Great Britain, Russia and China agree to void the hand.  If the other countries lift sanctions, the Republican Congress will be playing solitaire.  Two years of tough negotiations, and tough sanctions, have yielded the best result that Iran would agree to and that Russia, China and our allies would accept.  The Republicans are playing liar's poker.

Shortsighted Republicans Go Nuclear Over Treaty

The Republican opposition to the Nuclear Treaty with Iran is shortsighted.  The fall out from the Republican Mideast policy is all too clear.  In Iraq, tens of thousands of American soldiers were killed or injured, and trillions wasted in pursuit of nonexistent weapons of mass destruction.  The region was destabilized, empowering Iran and ISIS.  Nary a word of criticism, the Republicans were the silent minority.

Fortunately, they have found their voice in time to oppose a treaty that  prevents the development of  real weapons of mass destruction.  If Netanyahu is to be believed, Iran was only 6 months away from having a nuclear weapon.  This treaty delays development for at least 10, and more likely 15 years.

True, Iran will benefit from the lifting of sanctions.  But, the sanctions were imposed to pressure Iran to drop nuclear weapon development.  If development stops, the sanctions are removed.   The treaty even has a snap back provision.  If Iran violates the treaty,  United Nations sanctions are automatically  reimposed.  That is crucial.  We do not need endless haggling to  get a new UN resolution approved.

The alternative is all too clear.  Without the treaty, Iran will obtain nuclear capacity, and we will be forced into another war in the middle east.   Republican foreign policy at its best.

The Burning Bush

Perhaps smoking Bush would be more accurate, and not in a good way.   Jeb is too bland to ignite. But, his recent comments on Cuba, if not quite incendiary, had me seeing red.

"This July 4, reports of a new US Embassy in Havana will legitimize repression in Cuba, not promote the cause of freedom and democracy."

Hypocrisy is why so many Americans are turned off on politics and politicians. Saudi Arabia makes Cuba look like a democratic paradise. Bush's remarks would be understandable if he sought to follow in President Carter's footsteps, by prioritizing human rights issues in foreign policy. But to do that he would have to condemn the human rights abuses in Saudi Arabia.

We will wait a long time for that condemnation. The Bush family has extensive ties to the Saudi's. Compared to the old hat of pandering to Cuban voters in Florida, even a pant suit seems new.

Do Ultra Conservatives Love America?

Bobby Jindal, Ted Cruz, and their many supporters, are like husbands who praise womanhood while beating their wives.  They preach love of America, and fidelity to the Constitution, but lash out at the first hint of discord.

Bobby Jindal has called for eliminating the Supreme Court, while Ted Cruz, the voice of moderation, has merely called for retention elections.  Both seek to neuter the Constitution.

The Supreme Court Justices are intended to be different than elected politicians dependent on majorities within a district, state, or in the case of the President, the nation.  James Madison feared the "tyranny of the majority."  The most important role of the Supreme Court is to protect individual and minority rights from the occasional perils of majority rule.  That is why justices serve for life.

Protecting rights of gays fits squarely within the role of the court.  Of course the court is not infallible.  The greatest failures of the court are when it has refused to protect a persecuted minority, as with the interred Japanese Americans during WWII.

On the right, and on the left, we must live with the occasional teeth gnashing decision to uphold the purity and purpose of separation of powers.

Jindal's proposal is an obvious non-starter, but Cruz' proposal of retention elections for justices is also insidious.  Imagine Supreme Court Justices beholden to Big Pharma or Big Oil, or even Big Labor, for campaign contributions.

In a rage over recent decisions, Jindal and Cruz, are throwing out the baby with the bathwater.  Save the children.