ARMS FOR HOSTAGES

In 1986, President Ronald Reagan and his National Security Advisors facilitated the sale of arms to Iran, hoping that would secure the release of prisoners held in Lebanon by an Islamic group called the Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution.
As part of the complex arrangement, funds were to be sent to the Contras in Nicaragua, who were anti-Sandinista and anti-communist.  This was also illegal as a result of the Boland Amendment. Ultimately, FOURTEEN Reagan Administration officials were indicted, and eleven ultimately were convicted.  Many of the convictions were vacated on appeal, and the rest were pardoned by President George H.W. Bush, who was Vice President at the time all this occurred. Most notably, Lieut. Col. Oliver North was tried on

sixteen felony counts. North was initially convicted on three of the charges, but those convictions were later vacated on appeal because some of the evidence used against him was derived from his congressional testimony, from which he was granted immunity for giving.

This week, we learned that the Obama Administration has traded not arms, but 5 hostages for one American hostage.  Many are starting to openly question whether the Obama Administration violated a law that requires 30 days notice to Congress prior to the Executive Branch taking such actions.  Here is video of a CNN reporter asking Press Secretary Jay Carney if Obama feels he is "above the law"
Carney appears to admit that there is a 30 day NOTICE requirement.

Its been said that the more things change, the more they stay the same. Reagan and Obama have this in common. Both of these hostage scandals occurred in their second terms in the White House.  Also, both served at a time with an opposition party in Congress.  Only time will tell if the Obama scandal will be just another second term tempest in a teapot, or if evidence will come to light that seriously impairs the Nation's judgment of its Commander in Chief.

One thing is for certain: Republicans seems be focusing an inordinate amount of energy on the deepening White House scandals which include the VA Hospitals, Benghazi cove up, IRS targeting, and now hostage trading.  This is the adversarial nature of politics. However, I think the GOP needs to spend time crafting its image and coming up with a game plan to win in November. People don't necessarily vote for you because you tear down the other guy.  Republicans need a vision for the future that is positive, sellable, and growth oriented.  We need to rebrand the Republican Party as the Party of freedom and opportunity, and the party of a smaller, more effective government.