Isn't this really a question, again, of Obama's (lack of) power as president? It's hard to imagine a Democrat getting away with rogue missions like those you describe by Republicans DeMint, Inhofe, Cantor, and Kirk during Reagan or the Bushes. Democrats are criticized when they pull stunts like that and the criticism sticks. Democrats, in this, like all things, are too polite to be critical, even against Republicans that insult the country by failing to respect the president.

It's part of the reason why Republicans almost always poll better on questions of foreign policy and national security. They like holding power, they're not afraid to use it to fight with others; Republicans get off on power. Democrats seem to be not only incapable of using it effectively, like Obama, they don't seem to know when they've got it.

Why do the Dems not take a page from the Republican playbook and start using CSPAN to their advantage?

Every night, some Dem congressperson should be on the stand giving long speeches reading back what the Repubs said in their own words. Night after night after night.

The purpose isn't to get the American public to watch, the purpose is to piss of the Repubs enough to act and therefore making it news.

It will be fun to watch the MSM do he said she said when they are both the same.

Of course, The Daily Show does this on a pretty regular basis, maybe the Dems can hire their writers.

"The notion that politics is supposed to stop "at water's edge" has been a principle long embraced by American officials in both parties."

Let 'em go. They can't drown if they don't go beyond the "water's edge."

some congressional Republicans have taken it upon themselves to simply start pursuing their own foreign policies, whether their efforts undermine the positions of the United States government or not.**************************

Country first repigs, country first!

I can't quite put my finger on it, but these actions remind me of foreign diplomacy during the Civil War when the Confederate States were trying to woo Europe.

I know it's a stretch but this looks like these Senators and Representatives are dishing the Executive Branch of the government, and perhaps, upholding (their own) State's interests over the federal government.

It's a trend, you see it constantly in the squabbles in DC these days, the questioning of the legitimacy of the Obama Presidency, the Tea Parties, etc.

While the media might down play this trend, I think it is absolutely a dangerously ominous one.

Congressional Democrats during the Bush era never took steps that were remotely similar to what we're seeing from congressional Republicans now.

Added evidence that Congressional Democrats are a pathetic lot of losers.

How idiotic we must appear to the world. Just another example of the Rethugs not really believing in democracy, the Constitution, the orderly change of power when the voters throw them out. They behave like bad-tempered children.

Obama needs to show some spine and reign them in, but his timorous behavior in general only emboldens them to undermine him more and more. The Bushies tolerated nothing like this, and while their autocratic behavior was abhorrent, Obama needs to selectively imitate it. He certainly has had no problem continuing Bush's other policies, but he can't seem to bring himself to be tough on Republican fascists.

clown car treason is still treason...
and in some cases, these bozos will cause people to die.

I know it isn't feasible, but I have this sweet revenge fantasy in which these jerks aren't allowed back in the country when they've gone abroad to trash its leaders and policies.

I still truly do not understand why these people are not charged with treason.

Not content to demonize and undermine the president HERE...now these tools (who, btw were screaming about Gore and anyone else who commented offshore) are carrying their crap abroad. How do they get to travel all around with "ALL THE IMPORTANT STUFF" that needs doing here in 'merica? We need a media with the courage of Grayson to make more noise about the FOOLS they are! Lots of luck with that one...

I agree with Skepticat. Revoke the passport of the next one who does that. Coup this, DeMint!

I agree with Skepticat and Dancer. Revoke their passports and make them reimburse the government for their travel expenses.

They are doing far more harm than good when there are conflicting messages flowing from our country. What other country is going to believe ANYTHING we say if we keep turning a blind eye on this kind of behavior?

I totally agree with Skepticat but in addition, I'd like to see us dust off the "Logan Act" and use it for all it's worth, against them when they finally do return to US shores!

I think President Obama is not intervening in the actions of these republicans for mainly three reasons. First, it would create an unnecessary opportunity for them to use their media machine to attack him, making it more likely that we will experience another season of rw August townhall behavior.
Second, it allows their actions to be seen for what they are. They are attempting to undermine a duly elected POTUS. It also provides an opportunity for many Americans to note that their actions are not aligned with U.S. policies, and that it is THEY who are not interested in bipartisanship.
Third, some republicans crave attention. By denying this to them, it may tend to neutralize their power to affect U.S. policy. It was their policies under GWB that cost them dearly in 2008.
Eric Cantor was whining and crying recently about the WH not spending time with the republican caucus discussing HCR. Fuch Noose was upset about Obama's snub as he made his Sunday rounds to every major network except theirs. Sometimes the best way to defeat an opponent is not through direct confrontation, but from a standpoint of dismissal. Sooner of later they'll get the hint that they are not as important to you as they think they are.
I clearly could not be POTUS because I'd have not been able to restrain myself from unleashing a full throttle attack on them.

Why are all these Republican leaders actively violating the Logan Act? Why will the media not call them on it?

This is criminal behavior by the opposition party.

Ah, but Nancy Pelosi put a scarf over her hair as a gesture of respect to local custom when she visited Syria. That, in the eyes of Republicans, was tantamount to "wearing the uniform of the enemy" (Michelle Malkin's actual words) and constituted treason. The loathsome political cartoonist Chuck Asay stated in exactly so many words that she was forming her own shadow government, and secretly assuring Assad that she didn't mind if he killed Americans and Jews. You know, tell a big lie, tell it loudly, tell it often . . .

They should be hanged, if not for their treason then for their character in general. These are "evil" clowns.

But, but, but, The Dixie Chicks! The Dixie Chicks! Have you forgotten about what the Dixie Chicks did?!

That Ms. Pelosi was backing the Bush administration's position is irrelevant to the argument. After all, the GOOPers go by surface appearances, not in depth reality. Their whole philosophy, mode of action, thought processes, etc. are based on superficialities and faith, not on rational thought. Faith means you don't have to think and can just believe what you are told to think by someone in "authority." ("Four legs good, two legs better!") Faith means that you fix the evidence around the decision, not vice versa. That's why they are the party of the bumper sticker, the sound bite. To expect them to actually analyze something dispassionately and then act on what an accurate analysis finds is to deny the type of mindset that is attracted to the present day GOOPers, as opposed to the preNixon postHoover GOP, specifically Eisenhower.

"Conservatives are not necessarily stupid, but most stupid people are conservative."
-John Stuart Mill, 1806-1873, British philosopher

rRk1: Obama needs to selectively imitate it (Bush's behavior).

Unfortunately Obama IS selectively imitating Bush's behavior. The bad part is that his selection process is run according to the Bush program. For the most recent instance see the WH interference in the media shield law that is threatening to gut the whole purpose.

When do the treason trials begin? The GOP has become an embarrassing party full of clowns.

Did anyone mention Republican Mike Huckabee's slamming America while he was in Israel?

The republicans regard the executive branch as theirs. They could give a shit about the legislative branch. They do dot believe in representative democracy. Having lost the executive branch, they have nothing left to do except attempt to undermine the executive in every way they can think of. Aside from Gingrich's experiment with the contract with America, it has been a long time since any republican took the legislative process seriously, other than as a vehicle for lowering taxes on the upper classes. Their legislative strategy consists wholly of voting against the democrats. They have contempt for the lower and middle classes, for minorities, in fact for any group that doesn't look and act as they do. They really remind me of another group in Germany some time ago. Only the political environment within which they operate is different.