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NY Democrats Line Up to Oppose Iran Deal

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Congresswoman Grace Meng of Queens has gone against her fellow Democrats and opposed the Iran nuclear deal.
Congresswoman Kathleen Rice, who represents a sizable Jewish distinct in Long Island, has recently become the second New York Democrat to announce her opposition to the deal.

Due to the vow of Republicans to oppose President Barack Obama’s Iran nuclear deal, he is pushing hard to win the critical support of Democrats. However, many Democrats, like Senator Charles Schumer, are on the wall on whether or not to support the deal, and many who are conscious of the detrimental effect it will have on the safety of Israel, are fully against the deal.

Among the New York Democrats, Congresswoman Grace Meng, of Queens, has made a strong break from her party, promising to vote in opposition of Obama’s Iran deal. Congresswoman Kathleen Rice, who represents a sizable Jewish distinct in Long Island, has recently become the second New York Democrat to announce her opposition to the deal.

Meng said, “It was a difficult decision for me. It was something very personal, and it weighed very heavily on my mind.”

Meng said she has struggled internally over the agreement hashed out by the Obama administration ever since it was announced on July 14. Strong opposition and protest have arisen all around since then.

Protesters were arrested outside Schumer’s office, who remains undecided. A pricey television campaign has pushed Congress to make a better deal. The ad states,

“Restrictions end after 10 years, and then Iran could build a nuclear weapon in two months.”

“At the end of the day, after balancing everything that I read or heard, I was not convinced they would not have their hands on a nuclear weapon after 10 years,” Meng said.

Rice countered the key argument of the administration that the deal was the only alternative to war. She wrote, “As President Obama has stated, his actions and economic sanctions brought Iran to the table. If that is true, and I believe it is, then why wouldn’t continued political and economic pressure improve our leverage in forcing Iran to agree to a better deal? The tipping point in such leverage must be Iran giving up its nuclear arms ambition, and renouncing and defunding its terror tentacles in the region and abroad.”

Rice said, “For me, it is a risk I cannot support. It’s a gift of political legitimacy and economic empowerment that requires too little Iranian maturation across too little of its dangerous agenda.”

Congresswoman Grace Meng (D-Queens) became the first New York Democrat to announce

Since Obama has vowed to veto all attempts by Congress in opposition to the deal, whatever Congress puts forth must be veto-proof, making it crucial for Republicans to earn the support of Democrats.

“President Obama said it’s this deal or war,” House Speaker John Boehner said. “Well, that’s a false choice.”

New York Congressman Jerry Nadler met with the White house privately this week, along with Bronx Congressman Eliot Engel. Support from Schumer has been an important issue because of the influence he’ll have over many other Democrats.

Meng is confident that she is making the right decision, no matter what her fellow Democrats decide to do.

She said, “Someone from the White House did call my office and did express disappointment with my decision. But like I said, I look forward to continue working with my Democratic president, President Obama and his administration. We just don’t agree on this issue.”

In early September Congress will return from recess. They will have 60 days to determine whether o stand behind the president in support of the agreement, or join forces with Republicans against it.

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