Op-Ed: Republican Resolution to Condemn MoveOn Ad

Republican lawmakers have penned a resolution to condemn the full-page ad by MoveOn.org, which attacked General David Petraeus before beginning his testimony on Iraq. The MoveOn ad incited controversy, but was a Congressional resolution necessary?

Republican Minority Leader John Boehner, penned the resolution, which received support and co-sponsorship from nearly a dozen Republican lawmakers, including high ranking members of some important committees. Head of the Armed Services Committee and Presidential hopeful Duncan Hunter of California, was one of the co-sponsors. Boehner stated that the ad should be “condemned by all Members of Congress, including the Democratic leadership,” per TheHill.com, which also quoted him as calling MoveOn.org an “extremist group.” Just as MoveOn.org is entitled to its opinion, so are Republican lawmakers. Yet, the American people may be left wondering if such resolutions are of any real value. Members of Congress should certainly be allowed to express themselves and to make statements of their own volition. Should they be doing so on the people’s time and money? What exactly will this resolution accomplish? Perhaps they should draft a resolution to stop making resolutions.