D.C. grandstanding

It seems Sen. Tom Cotton’s letter to the leaders of Iran is an attempt to undermine the president’s authority to conduct foreign policy. It also serves to undermine the reliability of the government of the U.S., just as being willing to shut down the government rather than raise the debt ceiling undermined the credibility of the United States.

At the beginning of the Obama presidency, Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell stated that their No. 1 objective is to make sure this is a one-term presidency. Obviously the strength of our country and improving the life of our citizens continues to be less an objective for Republican leaders than the continuing disrespect for and obstruction of any action taken by this president. In fact, the goal appears to be to destabilize our government.

Tom Cotton’s hard-liner grandstanding to make himself a household name is succeeding. Everyone remembers the name Benedict Arnold. SUSAN WESTON Clinton