Profiles in Cowardice

John F. Kennedy, a liberal icon, garnered numerous kudos for his prize–winning book “Profiles in Courage.”  In its pages, he lauded politicians who exhibited the bravery to stand up against the political pressures of their times.  They were depicted as heroes to whom we owe a debt of gratitude.

Today’s Democratic legislators are evidently cut from very different cloth.  Their recent shenanigans in defense of President Obama’s Iran deal have been less than inspirational.  If anything, they furnish profiles in cowardice.

By almost all accounts, including those of its liberal supporters, the deal is badly flawed.  It allows the Iranians to continue enriching uranium and perhaps, in secret, to continue designing a bomb.  All this is in exchange for agreeing not to build an atom weapon during the next ten years.  After that, the bets are off.

In the meantime, the mullahs will receive a signing bonus of one hundred billion dollars.  These avowed enemies of the United States have already signaled their intention to use this to purchase both offensive and defensive armaments.  This should enable them to become the Middle East’s greatest hegemon.

So what have the Democratic senators done in the face of this peril?  Have they stood up and decried this threat to our security?  Have they asked their president to strengthen the conditions of the agreement?  Of course not!  They have only offered excuse after excuse.

They have not even insisted on an up or down vote in the Senate.  Although a few scant months ago most of them agreed that such a vote was essential, times have apparently changed.  Indeed, they are now prepared to filibuster this ballot out of existence.

And why are they doing this?  Do they really believe that the Iranian deal will succeed?  Do they genuinely suppose that it will protect us and/or the Israelis?  Almost surely not!  The evidence that the mullahs are serial cheaters is indisputable.  That we are still being condemned as the Great Satan is likewise undeniable.

What then is their motivation?  We are told that they feel a need to defend their president and party.  The interests of the United States—and of world peace—come in a distant second to these partisan concerns.  Defeating the Republicans is far more important than behaving like statesmen.

We are also told that the White House has put political pressure on these senators.  They have been warned that they need to fall into line.   Obama’s minions will otherwise see to it that they have well-funded opposition during the Democratic primaries when they seek renomination.

Here then is personal interest trumping national security.  Career continuity is obviously more salient than their responsibility for public safety.  Wow!  If this is not cowardice, what is?  If it isn’t craven capitulation, what would genuine spinelessness look like?

Such timidity will not surprise many readers.  They have come to regard politicians as boneless wonders.  Years of experience have taught them that most elected officials will say, and do, whatever they believe is necessary in order to get re-elected.

But perhaps we should not be so smug.  After all, who is it that voted these folks into office?  And who was it that refused to listen to bad news about the budget deficit or run-away entitlements?  Where was our courage in these cases?

Likewise where were our persistent outcries when told lies about the IRS, Benghazi, or ObamaCare?  And when informed that the current administration is the most transparent in history, did we gag?  So where was the heated indignation?  I suggest that we too may have little to brag about.

And don’t tell me that the present boom in favor of Donald Trump is an exercise in courage.  This bandwagon is at least as irresponsible as the lassitude of Democratic senators.  If we had the backbone, we would be seeking more serious candidates.  In fact, we would never have elected Obama to a second term.

Melvyn L. Fein, Ph.D.

Professor of Sociology

Kennesaw State University