Strengthen The Iran Bill!
The Senate this week is debating the Corker-Cardin bill, which would require congressional review of President Obama's nuclear deal with Iran. My friend Bill Kristol, in his capacity as chairman of the Emergency Committee for Israel, issued a statement on the legislation. As director of Christians United for Israel Action, I agree completely with his analysis and want to share it with you.
"The Emergency Committee for Israel supports efforts by several senators to strengthen the Corker-Cardin bill. That the legislation needs to be strengthened is clear from today's statements by Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif, who has obviously been assured by Secretary Kerry that Iran need not worry about the Corker bill in its current form. But if Iran need not worry, then the Corker bill as currently drafted, and the process it envisions, is not only toothless but worthless.
"The Emergency Committee for Israel also strongly objects to efforts by Senators Corker and Cardin to stifle debate and prevent votes on the various amendments that have been offered. Senators Corker and Cardin are engaged in various parliamentary maneuvers to prevent votes on important and germane amendments. What are they scared of?
"And what are the outside groups that support a no-amendments strategy trying to accomplish? Their efforts, if successful, would ensure passage of a bill that both President Obama and the Iranians are confident will have no effect in blocking a bad deal later.
"But passage of a toothless bill is not assured -- as is suggested by the desperate efforts of its sponsors, the Administration, and the Iranian government to shut down criticism and debate. It's understandable that the Iranian government loathes debate and prefers the blocking of votes. It's unfortunate that the Obama Administration and the sponsors of this bill seem to agree."
To underscore the urgent need for a serious debate about our Iran policy, Great Britain has notified the United Nations that it caught Iran cheating yet again on nuclear procurement efforts in violation of existing sanctions.
Are we really going to continue this charade of negotiating for "peace in our time" while Iran breaks existing agreements, foments chaos in the Middle East and threatens our ally Israel? The Obama Administration and other world leaders are repeating the worst mistakes of the 1930s. And the result may well be a second holocaust.
The Unhinged Left
In yesterday's report I mentioned that the Baltimore riots offered a number of teachable moments. I hope you're paying attention, friends. The left is coming unhinged, and everyone needs to see it.
One of the few encouraging moments was when Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake finally called out the rioters. Businesses in her city were being destroyed and looted. Members of the press were being attacked. Families going to a baseball game were assaulted. Patrons at area bars and restaurants were beaten up. There was such mayhem that thousands of fans were confined inside a baseball stadium for their own safety.
The mayor rightfully said that nothing excuses the thugs who were tearing down and destroying her city. Unbelievably, she and the city council president have since apologized for using the word "thug."
They did so after a member of the city council went on a nationally televised tirade and claimed that "thug" is code for the racial slur "n***er." That is just nuts. Thugs come in all colors as do people who are good and decent.
Sadly, the mayor beat a hasty retreat. She even went so far as to say there are no thugs in Baltimore. If that's true, then lay off the entire police force because it obviously is not needed. Who knew Baltimore was such a paradise -- free from those who might rob and pillage. Oh, wait a minute -- that's exactly what the thugs just did!
President Obama used the word "thug" too to describe the rioters. He is standing by that adjective -- for now.
Baltimore clearly has bigger problems than some rogue police and a lack of job opportunities in some communities. A city whose leaders feel they have to apologize for calling rioters thugs, that praises the Crips and the Bloods, has sunk so deeply into the bizarro world of the left that it is amazing it is being governed at all.
It has been reported that the Crips and Bloods protected businesses from being looted. But NPR this morning reported that black-owned businesses were protected, while Asian-owned businesses were targeted as "payback."
Is this really progress?
Riot Shaming? You Bet!
In this ever-so tolerant culture, we are increasingly discouraged from making value judgments -- from being "judgmental." Here's the latest crime in our politically correct culture: "riot shaming." Ever heard of it? Neither had I -- until today.
A civil rights activist from Philadelphia penned a column for CNN in which he blasts "riot shaming." Consider these excerpts:
"In light of the current unrest in Baltimore, riot shaming seems to be the new fad. Everybody's doing it. . . . And people have lined up to condemn the riots, the looting, and the violence. For example, Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake was in front of the cameras Monday night referring to the rioters as 'thugs.' . . .
"President Obama also referred to the riot participants as 'thugs.' . . . Gov. Hogan seemed to channel his inner 1950s Southern governor. 'What we've now seen is outside agitators, gangs and just really thugs as the mayor called them, that are out there threatening people, injuring people and destroying property, and we're not going to put up with it.'"
I don't think Gov. Hogan sounded like a 1950s Southern governor. I think he sounded more like Martin Luther King, who demanded non-violence of his followers and said people should be judged by the character.
With all the handwringing, furrowed brows and psychoanalyzing on the cable networks about the "root causes" and "justifications," the pollsters at Rasmussen Reports decided to put the question to the people. Rasmussen asked whether the violence in Baltimore was "primarily legitimate outrage" or "mostly criminals taking advantage of the situation."
Twenty-five percent of adults said the violence was legitimate, while 63% said it was criminal. Twelve percent couldn't decide.
Count me among the 63%!