So the rabidity over
S.333, a bill that
no one apparently read before attacking it [this is an unfair accusation and I'm striking it], has inspired this brief and poorly written diary. Let's remember, folks, that the reason the Patriot Act passed was because of it's name, not because people had time to read the bill. You have time to read S.333 before haranguing your Senator, and I suggest you follow the link and read the whole bill. Opposing something or supporting something because of it's name doesn't make any sense, so let's not give into the temptation.
We'll go over the bills flaws, first, leaving aside the stupid, 6th grade name, that every piece of GOP legislation has these days. Follow below the fold.
The first problem with this bill is that it is making foreign policy. When the bill suggests that the state department somehow force the issue with Russia and China, well, that accomplishes diddly. If State started taking advice from Congress about how to run foreign policy, we'd be in trouble, and not just because the GOP runs the hill at the moment (they also run State, remember). It's this attitude that Congress can somehow make rational decisions on Foreign policy that got us that shit piece of legislation that authorized force in Iraq, waiving Congress' constitutional duty to declare war.
The second problem with the bill is this ridiculous sentiment about somehow being able to encourage democracy in Iran through the use of political and economic support for the little guy. All studies done on Iran over the past thirty years suggest that domestic Iranian reform movements carry much more weight when they are not supported by the likes of Rick Santorum and George Bush. So this bill will de-legitimize reform efforts within Iran by supporting them. Think of it as my enemy's desire is also my enemy.
Now, let's look at what the bill doesn't do. It doesn't declare war, or give the President to use force in Iran. It doesn't suggest that we should go outside of UN authority. In fact, it doesn't even mention the UN. It doesn't give the President the authority to strike any nuclear facility within Iran. And it doesn't give the President authority to militarily support any domestic democracy movement.
It's a dumb bill that's unnecessary except for the fact that these folks in Congress feel the need to speak out on Iran. It certainly won't accomplish anything in Iran, and it might make relations with Russia and China worse. But it's certainly NOT a stepping stone to war, and to describe it as much is folly.
That said, I haven't read the house bill, so I can't say whether or not Dennis Kucinich was right in his descriptions of the House bill.