| The first mistake lies in thinking the man with a phone and a pen will be bound by a memo carrying his signature, though it's a lovely thought. |
I think when you spread the wealth around, it's good for everybody...
to write a new and strengthened "Memorandum of Understanding" on security assistance to Israel.
The 16 senators, led by Michael Bennet, D-Colo., Richard Blumenthal, D--Conn., and Ben Cardin, D-Md., -- the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, sent the letter to the president on Monday, the day Obama met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
| How many of those sixteen would vote with the Republican majority to override a presidential veto on this subject? |
"These measures are necessary to deter conventional and asymmetric threats to Israel. We also support providing missile defense funding, as necessary and appropriate, to accelerate the co-development of missile defense systems, and increased bilateral cooperation on cyber, intelligence, and research and development for tunnel detection and mapping technologies," the letter said.
The senators commended Obama's "commitment to an unprecedented level of military, intelligence and security cooperation with Israel to address new and complex security threats."
| Applying current management theory for performance reviews: for every negative feedback, a positive. This leads to confusion about how one's overall performance is perceived. |
"As threats in the region continue to evolve, we urge you to engage at the highest levels to continue a process to develop a shared understanding of the threatening environment confronting Israel, and to take bold steps to strengthen the MOU that serves as the foundation of our bilateral security efforts," the senators wrote. They told Obama that a new MOU with Israel would serve as a "lasting legacy of your presidency."
The letter also was signed by Sens. Cory Booker, D-N.J.; Robert P. Casey, Jr., D-Penn.; Chris Coons, D-Del; Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y.; Tim Kaine, D-Va.; Edward Markey, D-Mass.; Barbara Mikulski, D-Md.; Chuck Schumer
Senator-for-life from New York, renowned for his love of standing in front of cameras. Schumer has been a professional politician since 1975, when disco was in flower.
, D-N.Y.; Jon Tester, D-Mont; Mark Warner, D-Va.; Ron Wyden, D-Oregon; Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn; and Bill Nelson, D-Fla.
| How many of them are looking shaky going into their next election, how many have strongly Jewish constituencies who must be placated, and how many support Israel as a matter of conscience? |