The last week

There are two stories which captured my attention during the past week:

1. The continuing saga of Obama care
2.      The continuing dance about making a deal with the Iranians.

 Obama Care

Reid’s use of the Atomic option (removing the ability to filibuster from all presidential appointments other than to the Supreme Court) shows one of the main differences between Republicans and Democrats.

The first threat to use this option was in 1841 by Senator Henry Clay.  In 1990 Senator Ted Kennedy tried to eliminate it, and in 2005, the Republican senators threatened the same.  In each of these cases, it was abandoned because bipartisanship was the basis for Senate work. If the majority party (50+the VP or 51) could not even get 9 or 10 of the minority party on an action, then the action was not taken.  Actions need to be palatable to both sides.

Reid’s removal of that safety will make Obama’s job of dictating the future of Obama Care easier.  He will be able to appoint judges to all levels of Federal courts except the Supreme Court.  He will be able to appoint anyone to any position requiring Senate Confirmation with a minimum of fuss.

In particular, the panel that will control Obama Care costs can now be appointed without any interference of the Republicans in the Senate.  This is probably one of the main reasons to use the Atomic Option, to eliminate arguments on specific appointees by just rolling over the opposition.

Of course, no party rules the roost forever, and what goes around, comes around.

Iranian Negotiations

The past 2 weeks saw the West engaged in another round of bazar negotiations with the Iranians.  They seem bent to achieve “Peace in our Time” while driving the world closer and closer to a Nuclear Holocaust.

Some Israel supporters talk about bunker buster bombs they got from the US, as if these would be able to penetrate deep under mountain bunkers created by the Iranians.  Such bombs exist in the range of 30,000 lbs., but what kind of airplane could carry them?

The US has the B2 a bomber built for carrying such enormous bombs. As far as I know, the Israelis lack such bombers. The F15 has a max takeoff weight of 68,000 lbs. given its own weight and that of the fuel necessary to take it to Iran, it seems unreasonable as a platform.  Cruise missiles from submarines are similarly not usable.  It leaves only the option of tactical nukes as a means of eliminating the full nuclear capability threat of Iran.

I hope my analysis is wrong, but given the Wests relentless drive for some face saving accord, a nuclear confrontation is brewing, and no one can know its ultimate results.