Rand Paul: "Proud to sign a resolution welcoming Netanyahu to Congress"

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http://www.nationaljournal.com/cong...nyahu-visit-gop-lays-out-welcome-mat-20150212

rand_net_tweet.png
 
Nothing wrong with diplomacy.

Matt, there is alot wrong with this situation. Sure. There is nothing wrong with diplomacy but there is a bit more going on with this.

They need authorization from the Executive Branch. By not getting that they are essentially committing an act of sedition. They are using a foreign leader to lobby for their own legislation. Recall that they invited him to speak premised upon "the grave threats that radical Islam and Iran pose to our security and way of life". The announcement comes as Republicans in Congress are pushing for new sanctions against Iran.

Also, the Logan Act makes it a crime for unauthorized American citizens to negotiate with foreign governments. That is a felony. Punishable by up to 3 years in prison. It is also possible that he (Boehner) is in volation of the Federal Elections Commission law. Section 441e makes it illegal for a person to solicit, accept or receive a contribution or donation from a foreign national. Simply by using the speech to raise money for republicans in any way he's guilty of violating FEC law...Rand. While one can certainly say that
“He’s always welcome" outling factors relative to such "invitations" remain.

And this is why Obama won't meet with him in a situation like that.

Of course, you'd have a job proving the sedition (but not impossible) but the latter is easy money.

WTF? Did we just fall off a log yesterday or what? Freaking high schoolers know this stuff.
 
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Sedition! Treason!


Rand, you should know better man! This man is coming in an attempt to influence US policy toward foreign nations. This is so wrong it is almost unbelievable.
 
No doubt this thread is directly tied to this other thread:

The man behind the provocative tweets, memes and hashtags is Vincent Harris, 26, the chief digital strategist for Paul.
...
Harris’ resume extends well beyond his current role working for Paul and Cruz before him.

He has also worked on the campaigns of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Gov. Mike Huckabee, Gov. Rick Perry and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich. He is also currently consulting on social media strategy for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s reelection campaign.

Though Harris declined to discuss specifics of his ongoing work for Netanyahu, the essence of Harris’ digital strategy comes down to making politics digestible and relatable to an increasingly mobile society.
...
http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showth...-Rand-Paul%92s-rise-to-%91troller-in-chief%92
 
Almost all of the GOP signed on.

In one of the chamber's final acts before members recess for a week, Cornyn introduced a resolution welcoming Netanyahu to the United States. It was signed by 51 of the chamber's Republican members and, initially, not a single Democrat. Cornyn said he would circulate a Dear Colleague letter to urge all senators to sign onto the resolution.
...
All but three Senate Republicans—Bob Corker, Jeff Flake, and Lindsey Graham—have signed onto the Netanyahu resolution.
...
http://www.nationaljournal.com/cong...nyahu-visit-gop-lays-out-welcome-mat-20150212

Interesting that a Senator that has been so associated with neoconservatism and the Likud party did not sign on...
 
Matt, there is alot wrong with his situation. Sure. There is nothing wrong with diplomacy but there is a bit more going on with this.

They need authorization from the Executive Branch. By not getting that they are essentially committing an act of sedition. They are using a foreign leader to lobby for their own legislation. Recall that they invited him to speak premised upon "the grave threats that radical Islam and Iran pose to our security and way of life". The announcement comes as Republicans in Congress are pushing for new sanctions against Iran.

Also, the Logan Act makes it a crime for unauthorized American citizens to negotiate with foreign governments. That is a felony. Punishable by up to 3 years in prison. It is also possible that he (Boehner) is in volation of the Federal Elections Commission law. Section 441e makes it illegal for a person to solicit, accept or receive a contribution or donation from a foreign national. Simply by using the speech to raise money for republicans in any way he's guilty of violating FEC law...Rand. While one can certainly say that
“He’s always welcome" outling factors relative to such "invitations" remain.

And this is why Obama won't meet with him in a situation like that.

Of course, you'd have job proving the sedition (but not impossible) but the latter is easy money.

WTF? Did we just fall off a log yesterday or what? Freaking high schoolers know this stuff.

If only they really would commit sedition.

But this isn't sedition by any stretch of the imagination.

They need authorization from the Executive Branch? Says who?

Simply using the speech to make money violates FEC law? That's ridiculous.
 
Couldn't they have just bought a "Get well soon" card, marked through it and written in "Welcome to Congress", then signed it?
 
Another political no-brainer for Rand catches flak from the base. If anyone is hoping for a Rand Paul presidential run that is not even rhetorically pro-Israel, it won't happen.
 
Matt, there is alot wrong with his situation. Sure. There is nothing wrong with diplomacy but there is a bit more going on with this.

They need authorization from the Executive Branch. By not getting that they are essentially committing an act of sedition. They are using a foreign leader to lobby for their own legislation. Recall that they invited him to speak premised upon "the grave threats that radical Islam and Iran pose to our security and way of life". The announcement comes as Republicans in Congress are pushing for new sanctions against Iran.

Also, the Logan Act makes it a crime for unauthorized American citizens to negotiate with foreign governments. That is a felony. Punishable by up to 3 years in prison. It is also possible that he (Boehner) is in volation of the Federal Elections Commission law. Section 441e makes it illegal for a person to solicit, accept or receive a contribution or donation from a foreign national. Simply by using the speech to raise money for republicans in any way he's guilty of violating FEC law...Rand. While one can certainly say that
“He’s always welcome" outling factors relative to such "invitations" remain.

And this is why Obama won't meet with him in a situation like that.

Of course, you'd have job proving the sedition (but not impossible) but the latter is easy money.

WTF? Did we just fall off a log yesterday or what? Freaking high schoolers know this stuff.

You clearly do not understand what negotiating is, if you think that allowing a foreign diplomat to speak to Congress is negotiating.

Negotiations only happen if anything is proposed or promised. Obviously nothing like that is going to happen. Certainly there will be lobbying by him, but there is nothing remotely illegal about speaking about matters important to him.

As for Rand signing off on it, BFD, people who want to get positive things done are smart to at least listen to other voices, especially if they want to dispute them without being seen as already having their mind made up.

Not saying that's what he's doing, but there's no more evidence that he's sacrificed any principle by allowing the floor for dialogue.
 
You clearly do not understand what negotiating is, if you think that allowing a foreign diplomat to speak to Congress is negotiating.

Negotiations only happen if anything is proposed or promised. Obviously nothing like that is going to happen. Certainly there will be lobbying by him, but there is nothing remotely illegal about speaking about matters important to him.

As for Rand signing off on it, BFD, people who want to get positive things done are smart to at least listen to other voices, especially if they want to dispute them without being seen as already having their mind made up.

Not saying that's what he's doing, but there's no more evidence that he's sacrificed any principle by allowing the floor for dialogue.

What I said is absolutely spot on. Look it up.
 
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