Barack Obama’s Ultimate Crisis: Can He Lead IF He Loses On Syria Vote In Congress?

President Barack Obama is now facing the ultimate crisis—repudiation by a vote of either or both houses of Congress on the issue of responding to Syria’s use of chemical weapons on its own people.

Obama could have gone ahead a week ago, utilized his Commander In Chief powers, used by every Chief Executive in the past thirty years, to initiate military action, but instead chose to promote Congressional involvement, not realizing that this divided Congress would not cooperate!

The Republicans, always vastly hawkish, are now playing politics, except for a few (including Speaker John Boehner, Senators John McCain and LIndsey Graham as the most outstanding examples), who are supporting Obama on what they see as a national security issue. People who would have backed George W. Bush without pause now are refusing to support Obama, in order to weaken him.

But even the Democrats are showing unwillingness to back Obama, and in so doing, are taking away his credibility as a leader.

So with the likely defeat of what Obama wants, a resolution backing the President’s use of force in Syria, it is putting Obama on the spot. Does he go ahead anyway, and do what he feels he must do? Or does he back off, and look like a “paper tiger”, who roars, but has no bite?

It looks now that whatever the eventuality, Barack Obama may have reached the point that his second term will be unproductive and unfulfilled on almost any issue, domestic or foreign, and that the Presidency has been greatly harmed by this ultimate crisis that could have been avoided by doing what Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush did—take action, and answer criticisms later!

So will Barack Obama go down as a failed President, allowing his domestic enemies to destroy him, and try to make his accomplishments, which are many, to be overlooked or even reversed over time?

What a mess we are in, and it makes one wonder, if what this author is stating, turns out to be basically reality, whether or not Barack Obama should consider resignation, giving Vice President Joe Biden the Presidency, and allowing him the chance to pursue the agenda of Obama, with his much greater ability to get along with Congress, and work with opposition leaders in the Republican Party, even though, of course, Biden would still face fierce attacks and challenges without any doubt!

It is very radical to suggest resignation, but one can make the argument that for the future of the nation, if there is total paralysis, and inability to have influence in either domestic or foreign policy, that it is something to consider, as much as this author loathes the idea, the concept, of “quitting”!

7 comments on “Barack Obama’s Ultimate Crisis: Can He Lead IF He Loses On Syria Vote In Congress?

  1. Rustbelt Democrat September 8, 2013 11:53 am

    What is becoming very obvious to me is that the interests on the far left and far right don’t care about holding a serious debate on Syria. They were handed a voice in an important national security decision, and have turned it into a circus that is being used to push their pet causes. This disappointing fiasco disguised as a political debate will be a history lesson for all future presidents. Never again will a president come to Congress and ask for authorization.

  2. Ronald September 8, 2013 12:28 pm

    WOW, I agree COMPLETELY with what you have said here, Rustbelt Democrat!

  3. Jane Doe September 8, 2013 1:16 pm

    I think he should go ahead and do the strikes anyway.

  4. Princess Leia September 8, 2013 1:31 pm

    Here’s my proposal: Have a joint session of Congress Monday and have Bill Clinton, the Secretary of Explaining Stuff, explain things to them. Maybe he’ll get them to working.

  5. Ronald September 8, 2013 1:52 pm

    Great idea, Princess Leia! But will it happen? NO!

  6. Ronald September 8, 2013 3:11 pm

    Excellent posting, Jane Doe! Thanks for sharing it!

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