Republican Senator Bob Corker recently suggested the White House has become an adult daycare center. That assessment was no doubt prompted by the psychodrama that gets acted out each day by the building’s principal resident.
While reducing government to a reality television show with low ratings may not seem like a good thing, there is something positive to be gleaned from the latest episode. The president’s coming decision to declare that Iran is not abiding by the “spirit” of the Iran nuclear deal, despite all the negative reactions from around the world, will have an upside. It will prevent World War III.
What? That may seem counterintuitive, but here is why it is not. A world war implies that nearly all the countries of the world will choose one side or the other and engage in the fighting. If the U.S. walks away from the Iran deal, no one will follow. The world will become convinced that America could not be trusted to lead the way out of a burning building if it were standing in the only exit. So, no one is going to rally to America’s cause.
Since the countries America is likely to attack are North Korea, Iran and possibly Grenada again, the other side will have a team with one player as well. Damage to other countries is certainly possible. South Korea and much of Japan will be gone in the first case. Much of the Middle East in the second scenario. What little the hurricanes have not destroyed in the Caribbean in the third. But it will still not be a generalized conflagration that would rate being called a world war.
Some believe all these possibilities can be averted by removing the president from office through the 25th amendment. Those hoping to see the daycare center put out of business are doomed to be disappointed. First among them is Vice President Pence who recently traveled at great expense to a Colts football game and then left even before it started because he had an appointment to pose for his White House portrait.
The amendment permits a majority of the cabinet to notify the Congress that the president “is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office,” which permits the Vice President to take over immediately. But that assumes a majority of those in the cabinet are adults. Some are and undoubtedly have been discussing this scenario for some time. But Secretaries Tillerson and Mattis, even with the support of Generals Kelly and McMaster, do not make up a majority. Rick Perry and Ben Carson cannot be counted upon as they are still busy trying to figure out the departments they are in charge of do. The rest of the cabinet members are unavailable because they are flying around the world on private jets, either ones chartered at taxpayer expense or ones they own.
The amendment also provides that the president himself can make the declaration of inability to Congress. To do on his own would require honesty and introspection, which are two qualities he demonstrates every day that he does not possess. Perhaps General Kelly can get him to sign such a document if he put the title “Repeal of Obamacare Act” at the top. The president would sign a menu from Buffalo Wild Wings if it had that heading.
There is good news from government however. Trump’s move to decertify would throw the issue into that black hole on Capitol Hill from which no light is emitted. Who knew everyone would be thankful that for a do-nothing Congress that avoids taking responsibility for anything except resolutions renaming highways.
And those bothered by high home prices and traffic in Seattle should also take heart. The commercial benefits of Iran deal will now flow entirely to Europe and the rest of the world. So, before it is too late, here’s a tip for investors – go long on Airbus and short Boeing’s stock.