[Peace] The “Ambition => Public Interest” Case for the Senate Syria War Powers Resolution

[Robert Naiman]

https://www.facebook.com/robert.naiman/posts/10158838767002656



The “Ambition => Public Interest” Case for the Senate Syria War Powers
Resolution



James Madison, the Father of our Constitution, taught us that “ambition
must be made to serve the public interest.” A key point of having “checks
and balances” in Washington – different independent power centers, rather
than an elected dictatorship – is that if one power center is doing
something against the public interest, then another power center can serve
its own private interests [such as ambitions for praise and political
advancement] and the public interest at the same time by doing something
good.



Saagar Enjeti and Krystal Ball assert at *Hill TV*
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swEE1K5EOys> that Pelosi has set up the
Senate trial on the #TemporarySuspensionOfMilitaryAidToUkraineGate article
of impeachment so that Bernie and Warren are stuck in Washington for the
Senate trial while JoeB and PeteB can campaign in Iowa and New Hampshire.
Saagar Enjeti merely asserts that Pelosi’s actions will have this effect.
Krystal Ball carries the football into the endzone for the crucial question
of ascribing motivation.



Watch:



Saagar Enjeti: Pelosi's impeachment strategy could doom Bernie, Warren
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swEE1K5EOys>



[As Enjeti notes, the underlying policy of arming Ukraine was rejected by
Democratic President Barack Obama on the grounds that it would provoke
Russia to retaliate. Pro-UkraineGate impeachment Dems’ opportunist
hypocrisy on this point is documented by Barbara Boland at *The American
Conservative*
<https://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/choking-on-the-democrats-ukraine-fantasy-narrative/>
.]



Suppose that the Enjeti-Ball analysis is correct and that Team Bernie and
Team Warren believe it to be correct. Then Team Bernie and Team Warren have
“ambition” incentives to retaliate against Pelosi by introducing a Senate
Syria War Powers Resolution to repudiate Trump’s “secure the oil” mission
as unconstitutional. This would, of course, serve the public interest of
reclaiming Article I war powers on behalf of Congress.



“Ambition” Incentives for Team Bernie and Team Warren to Introduce Senate
Syria WPR include:



1. “Reward your friends and punish your enemies.” Rule 1.



2. By putting military aid to Ukraine at the top of the impeachment
marquee, Pelosi is changing the channel from “U.S. imperialism in the
Middle East” to “U.S. imperialism in Eastern Europe.” On questions of U.S.
imperialism in the Middle East, anti-imperialist Democrats are rising and
Dem imperialists are on the defensive. On questions of U.S. imperialism in
Eastern Europe, Dem imperialists are hegemonic and anti-imperialist Dems
are barely on the field. Changing the channel to U.S. imperialism in
Eastern Europe might have the effect of boxing in Team Bernie and Team
Warren to support or acquiesce in the Dem imperialist line on Eastern
Europe. This would demoralize the anti-imperialist base of Team Bernie and
Team Warren and undermine their case that they represent a consistent and
principled alternative to the Dem Establishment on questions of U.S.
imperialism. By introducing Senate Syria WPR, Team Bernie and Team Warren
would change the channel back to the terrain where Democratic
anti-imperialists are ascendant and the Dem imperialists are on the
defensive.



3. Whoever introduces WPR seizes the floor, like Lysistrata seizing the
Acropolis. This will electrify the anti-imperialist Democratic base and
mobilize them to fight the imperialist Dem Establishment.
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