After Republicans won a majority in the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives only the executive branch remained under the control of a Democrat. The U.S. Supreme Court is also dominated by a majority of conservative judges.

In 2009, U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnel announced that he and his party would use every means at their disposal to assure that President Obama would not be able to serve more than one term.

When President Obama took the oath of office, the United States was in a deep recession after two terms of George W. Bush, a boom-and-bust cycle in the real estate market devised by Wall Street bankers and nearly eight years of war in Iraq and Afghanistan.

During Obama’s first term, Democrats won enough seats in Congress to give the president help in legislating a recovery program. Slowly the economy began to improve. Despite the promising results and the cessation of hostilities in Iraq, midterm elections gave Republicans a majority in both houses of Congress.

Now, 47 U.S. Senators have signed a letter to the government of Iran, warning that any nuclear agreement they approve will be null and void at the end of Obama’s term in office. The Republicans must prefer war to peace.

Erling Landsverk
King