Trump Bullies GOP Senators to Start War, Congress Says 'Yes, Sir!'
So, the U.S. Senate—that bastion of independent thought—had a chance to assert its constitutional authority and prevent another executive-led military adventure in Venezuela. Instead, after a few phone calls from a former president, enough Republican senators buckled. This isn't just about Trump's 'bullying'; it's about a consistent pattern where Congress abrogates its war powers, time and again.
Remember the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, or the rush to invade Iraq based on questionable intelligence? This Venezuelan scenario merely rehashes the same tired playbook, showing the legislative branch's consistent inability, or unwillingness, to rein in executive overreach. The senators, having initially supported asserting congressional authority, chose to fold rather than face the political
fallout from Trump, prioritizing party loyalty over constitutional duty and lives abroad. One might wonder if these senators paused to consider the potential human cost, or if the prospect of a primary challenge simply loomed larger. Their initial 'courage' lasted exactly as long as it took for the commander-in-chief, or in this case, the commander-who-used-to-be-in-chief, to crack the whip. It’s
almost as if 'checks and balances' is just a quaint phrase they whisper during civics lessons, not a guiding principle for actual governance. How many times will we watch Congress wave through potential conflicts, only to decry the consequences years later?