DEM CONGRESSMAN: Obama Is Going To Struggle To Even Get 100 Syria Votes in The House

[FarCenter]

Democratic Rep. Alan Grayson doesn't think that President Barack Obama will get 100 votes in favor of his plan for military strikes in Syria — even after the public-relations blitz Obama will put on over the next two days.

"If you do the math, what you're seeing is that Democrats are 2-to-1 or 3-to-1 against among those who have already declared," Grayson (D-Fla.) said in an interview with Business Insider.

"That will remain true. The Republicans are more than 10-to-1 against. I think that will remain true. Project it out by party, and you'll see that the President is going to have to struggle to get to 100 votes here."


Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/alan-grayson-syria-resolution-house-vote-whip-count-2013-9

[VanillaRhapsody]

1. I think that is what he wants...

let those that oppose everything he does in Congress...now vote against war...against their very lifes blood.

[Proud Public Servant]

2. Imagining this scenario, sadly:

1) Congress votes against military strike on Syria
2) President authorizes strike anyway
3) House claims they now have a reason to impeach the president -- and otherwise sober citizens start to wonder...

Seriously, this administration has demonstrated some that it can be seriously boneheaded about politics in the past, but this takes the cake.

[tweeternik]

4. And if the House votes it down

and he DOESN'T strike?

[Proud Public Servant]

7. Then no grounds for

impeachment, but he gets to look like Congress humiliated him -- which is never a good thing (ask Jimmy Carter). Plus, it'll mean Congress really did carry out the will of the people, in addition to humiliating the President; this will make running against the GOP Congress harder in the midterms, both because Congress will have done something right and because slapping the president around will fire up the GOP base.

No doubt about it, this is one stupid move -- so stupid, I haven't even seen any DUers trying to justify it as ninth-dimensional chess.

[Crimson76]

11. The President has ceded all high ground

He is going to take a thumping in the Congress, but can't blame Reublicans, because more than half his caucus will vote NO as well.

[Proud Public Servant]

13. Exactly! (nt)

[HooptieWagon]

5. That is not an unimaginable scenerio.

If the President (any president) orders a military strike that is not part of a UN or NATO operation, does not have Congressional authorization, and is against a country that poses no immediate security threat....then there is definately going to be concern that the president has gone rogue. Impeachment is the process the Constitution provides to regain control over a rogue president, and restore checks and balances.

[VanillaRhapsody]

8. or in another scenario...Russia forces Assad to turn over chemical weapons to International

Authority...and that "boneheaded about politics" turns out to be "brilliant about politics"

[Proud Public Servant]

12. I'm not talking about Assad

I'm talking about the president's relationship with Congress. I think your scenario's a fantasy, but it has nothing to do with what happens if teh president loses a Congressional vote.

[VanillaRhapsody]

14. Oh really?

a fantasy huh?

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/09/09/russia-syria/2785703/

Russia calls on Syria to give up control of its chemical weapons
Doug Stanglin, USA TODAY 11:30 a.m. EDT September 9, 2013
The Russian foreign minister says Moscow will push Syria to place its chemical weapons under international control.

[Proud Public Servant]

15. Now all we have to do

is assume we have two good-faith actors in Vladimir Putin and Bashar al-Assad.

Plus, now State is walking back the comment that led to Putin's offer: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/09/state-department-kerry-syria_n_3893213.html

Which means, I suspect, they either know Putin's punking them, or they have no interest in avoiding a military strike on Syria.

[HooptieWagon]

3. Senate vote might be close...

...only one third are up for reelection next year. Public opinion remains dead set against. World opinion is "against chemical weapons", but also against US unilateral action. US intervention has support of (no surprise) Saudi Arabia, Israel, and al Qaeda.

[Carolina]

6. I sure hope

he's right!

[andym]

9. Thinkprogress has it 238 NO and 42 YES as of 9/9, so Rep Grayson is likely right.

http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2013/09/02/2561371/congress-support-military-action-syria-thinkprogress-whip-count/

For the GOP, it is 180 NO and 12 Yes so far. Running 15 to 1 against the strike! Apparently GOP is only for hostilities when there is a Republican president.

For the Democrats its. 58 against and 30 for, only running 2 to 1 against the strike.

[FarCenter]

10. The only way to get Republicans to vote yes would be to cave on every other Republican demand.