GOTP (Grand Old Tea Party) members of Congress are claiming the conflict in Libya is unconstitutional because President Barack Obama failed to ask, “Mother may I”? Strange how the same group – responsible for supporting George Bush’s misadventures in Afghanistan and Iraq – is now wanting a President to be responsible, or is it just because it’s President Obama?

The President actually sent a letter concerning the Libya intervention to members of Congress on Monday, well within the guidelines of the War Powers Act.

Not good enough according to the GOTP; which claims that under the U.S. Constitution Congressional approval is required for declarations of war. While that may be true, the United States has not acted militarily under a declaration of war since Franklin Roosevelt addressed the Congress on 8 December 1941. How many American soldiers, sailor, airmen and marines have been placed in harm’s way since then?

Where was the GOTP when Americans were sent off to fight George W’ Bush’s private little war in Iraq? You want an example of unconstitutional misuse of authority, there it was.

Congressman Roscoe Bartlett, yes he’s GOTP, was among members who argued that military action in Libya was unconstitutional. He told the Hill magazine: “The United States does not have a King’s army. President Obama’s unilateral choice to use US military force in Libya is an affront to our constitution.”

No Congressman, you’re an affront to our constitution, and to your office. On 13 March 2004, you were one of the “Congressional Co-Chairs” of a so-called “Host Committee” which provided access to the Dirkson Senate Office Building for a “Messiah” crowning of the Rev Sun Myung Moon, a piece of theatrics the New York Times compared to “an act of the Roman Emperor Caligula.” You also under-reported, according to the Frederick News-Post, property sales by over $1 million since 2004. But of course you defended this as a mere “oversight” and that you were only a “bit player” in the real estate transactions. But wait sir, you also, once again according to the Frederick News-Post, made $299,000 in unreported loans in order to sell your daughter’s home over which you had exercised a power of attorney. So, please, spare us all the “holier than thou” typical GOTP nonsense.

A survey by CNN/Opinion Poll conducted on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and published on Monday, recorded 50% approval for Obama’s handling of the crisis, with 41% disapproving, and support for a no-fly zone climbing from 56% to 70% over the last week.

Those numbers seem familiar? Oh yeah, just around 50% of voters elected the President, and 41% is about the number of individuals glued to FOX PAC and listening to Limbaugh, Hannity, et al … to this 41%, there is nothing this President can ever do that will meet with any level of approval.

Following Roscoe’s example was chief Congressional hypocrite Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, another devout member of the GOTP, who has called on the President to “clearly define for the American people what vital United States security interests he believes are currently at stake in Libya”.

Sometimes Congresswoman we – the United States – have a moral obligation to step into blood baths like what was occurring in Libya, that was “interest”. This tie we’re really part of a U.N. mission, not making it up as we go along, nor lying about why we’re involved. Wow, that’s quite different from the time when you voted to support an unlawful and unconstitutional pre-emptive war in 2002. What exactly were the “vital United States security interests … at stake” in Iraq Congresswoman? Oh yeah, there were none!