Reagan versus Begin

It seems President Reagan had a similar problem with an Israeli PM to what president Obama is going through now. He wasn't happy.

I didn't like having representatives of a foreign country – any foreign country – trying to interfere in what I regarded as our domestic political process and the setting of our foreign policy. I told the State Department to let Begin know I didn't like it and that he was jeopardizing the close relationship or our countries unless he backed off.

and:

On Oct. 1, an angry Reagan told a press conference that "it is not the business of other nations to make American foreign policy." When asked if that meant Israel, he responded. "Well, or anyone else."

And now there are Republicans who are perfectly willing to go along with whatever Bibi wants. Didn't think I'd ever miss Republicans like Reagan, but they've actually devolved a little further. Today's word is obeisant. Can you say obeisant?

Another reason Ronnie would be a RINO today.

Plus: Charles Pierce

The president embarks on delicate negotiations with the Islamic Republic of Iran. He allows his aides and underlings to do so because he is firm in his belief that in the presidency resides the sole power to conduct the foreign relations of the United States. A year or so earlier, his deputy national security advisor wrote a memo in which he said that the president "was ready to confront the Congress on the constitutional question of who controls foreign policy." The Office of Legal Counsel in his Department of Justice argues that the president had "far-reaching discretion to act on his own authority in managing the external relations of the country." When these negotiations are uncovered, this is the primary argument presented by the president and his defenders against the angry opposition of the Congress. The president is Ronald Reagan.

There's much more and it's wonderful.