Senate Fails To Curb Trump's War Powers, Proves Checks and Balances Are a Suggestion
Mainstream media frames this as a 'Trump problem,' but this executive power grab has bipartisan roots. Congress hasn't successfully declared war since 1942, conveniently allowing presidents from Truman to Biden to commit troops globally under various semantic cloaks, like 'authorizations for the use of military force' (AUMFs). The 2001 AUMF, designed for al-Qaeda, is still cited for interventions
in places that had nothing to do with 9/11. This pattern of legislative surrender paves the way for any president to wage their own wars—cartel or otherwise—without meaningful oversight. One might wonder if the Senate’s sudden concern for 'curbing executive power' is less about constitutional principles and more about a momentary lack of enthusiasm for a specific target. When was the last time the
Senate effectively curbed any president's desire for drone strikes or interventions in the Middle East? Spoiler: it begins with 'never.' Apparently, the 'checks and balances' only activate when the target isn't sufficiently profitable or strategically aligned with lobbying interests. Convenient.