Congress Representatives and US policy

[lionking]

According to your knowledge, is it possible that respresentatives from Congress , namely Benjamin Cardin and John Kerry, speak thei r own mind and say that: "this is my personal opinion"? or the representatives should align with the Ministry of Exterior policies?

I am saying that because a Syrian newspaper fiercely attacked the representatives that went to it, but said the Syrians are still optimistic because the representatives said clearly in a press conference that this is their "personal opinion". I haven't heard the press conference, but I want to know your opinion, because it is important what the representatives told them. After us fearing that America will talk to Syria and give it benefits in Lebanon, Kerry says that Syria should disarm HA, and this made the Syrian Newspaper mad, claiming that this is the same as Bush policy, and that Syria seeks a change in US policy, not its own policy, and that the representatives don't differentiate between an enemy and a friend, resistance and terrorism, and such hogwash

www.naharnet.com/domino/tn/NewsDesk.nsf/getstory?openform&2B1D0D01423E75E5C2257561006D581F

this is the Syrai newspaper reply: www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=30508

now it is imoprtant what the Syrian newspapers say because as you now , in Syria there is no freedom of speech. Every voice that will get to be heard should be with the agreement of the regime, so the regime wants to say this, but don't want to say it directly. This means Syria doesn't want to change its policies in Lebanon.

[Jason]

John Kerry is a senator, not a representative - the distinction is important. Congressmen have always been able to say pretty much what they wish. Anyone listening, however, should recognize that an individual congressman or senator's words don't really represent official US foreign policy. That is set mostly by the President and the State Department, not Congress.

[gillianren]

I believe you mean "State Department"; the US does not have ministries. However, anyone in the government can, at least in theory, have and express their own opinion. Presumably, there are certain parts of the government where you cannot come forward with it--the military and the CIA are the first two that spring to mind--but elected officials are practically required to express their own opinions. How else do we know who to vote for?

[Joe Durnavich]

How else do we know who to vote for?

The candidate the ACORN representative gives us the cigarettes for?

[lionking]

Ooops. So Obama might want not to make HA disarmament a priority. Seems that Assad received the congressmen and said it is a good visit, but on the other hand, to silence his people, he told the newspaper to write lke that. He thinks himself very smart.

[bazbear]

Feb 20, 2009 2:56:37 GMT -4 @lionking said:

Ooops. So Obama might want not to make HA disarmament a priority. Seems that Assad received the congressmen and said it is a good visit, but on the other hand, to silence his people, he told the newspaper to write lke that. He thinks himself very smart.

Yes, never take what one of our senators (upper house, every state gets 2, no matter how tiny), or what a representative (lower house, each state getting reps based on population, in my state's case, Vermont, one. California gets 53) says as the policy for the USA.

[Jason]

Vermont only has 1 rep, huh? Utah is on the verge of getting its fourth, and despite the silly unconstitutional plan to give Utah one in exchange for also giving DC one, which might actually make it through Congress, we are almost certain to get one with the 2010 census anyway.