Senate Blocks Checks on Trump's Venezuela War; 'War Powers' Just a Suggestion Now
The US Senate, as reported by The Guardian, blocked a Democratic resolution to require congressional approval for military strikes in Venezuela, failing 49-51. This isn't just about Trump; it's a bipartisan tradition of sidestepping constitutional war powers, echoing decades of executive overreach from Korea to Iraq. Consider the precedent: presidents claim 'imminent threat' or 'national
interest,' and Congress rubber-stamps or simply shrugs, leaving democratic oversight in the dust. One might wonder if 'war powers' has ever been more than a polite suggestion since the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution. It appears that when it comes to projecting power abroad, concern for constitutional checks and balances evaporates faster than a peace treaty in Washington. How many more 'interventions'
will it take before Congress decides its role extends beyond funding these ventures?