Seventy years ago, during World War II, president Roosevelt announced that the goal of the United States was the unconditional surrender of Germany and Japan. America and its allies achieved that result from the Nazis, but Japan only surrendered with conditions (the Japanese Empire got to keep the Emperor on the throne.) Until now, World War II was the last time an American president insisted on unconditional surrender. Today, we have president Obama who is insisting on a "clean" increase in the debt ceiling and funding for the federal government. Obama refuses to negotiate or to agree to any conditions in these important pieces of legislation. Obama, in essence, is seeking unconditional surrender from the Republicans in Congress.
Calling for the unconditional surrender of a nation that had started a war that spanned the globe and which operated under an ideology that was responsible for the murder of tens of millions of people was appropriate. On the other hand, refusing to negotiate with ones political adversaries who are elected representatives of various segments of the American people is completely irresponsible. Obama was elected to be president to LEAD. He is supposed to take action to make sure that the government continues to function. He is supposed to make sure that the bills of the nation are paid. It is not enough to raise fears about what will happen if the debt ceiling is not raised or if the entire government is not funded. Being president requires one to take action to protect the nation. On that basis, Obama has been refusing to do his job these past few weeks.
It is already a tired discussion, but one which needs to be repeated often: Obama will negotiate with an Iran that arms terrorists and others who attack US forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. Obama will negotiate with the Assad regime that kills thousands with chemical weapons in a clear war crime. Obama will negotiate with the crazies in North Korea who are working like crazy to get nuclear tipped missiles pointed at America. The only ones with whom Obama will not negotiate are the elected representatives of over half of America, the Republicans in the House.
Calling for the unconditional surrender of a nation that had started a war that spanned the globe and which operated under an ideology that was responsible for the murder of tens of millions of people was appropriate. On the other hand, refusing to negotiate with ones political adversaries who are elected representatives of various segments of the American people is completely irresponsible. Obama was elected to be president to LEAD. He is supposed to take action to make sure that the government continues to function. He is supposed to make sure that the bills of the nation are paid. It is not enough to raise fears about what will happen if the debt ceiling is not raised or if the entire government is not funded. Being president requires one to take action to protect the nation. On that basis, Obama has been refusing to do his job these past few weeks.
It is already a tired discussion, but one which needs to be repeated often: Obama will negotiate with an Iran that arms terrorists and others who attack US forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. Obama will negotiate with the Assad regime that kills thousands with chemical weapons in a clear war crime. Obama will negotiate with the crazies in North Korea who are working like crazy to get nuclear tipped missiles pointed at America. The only ones with whom Obama will not negotiate are the elected representatives of over half of America, the Republicans in the House.
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