Congressional Republicans finally growing a spine?
Well, maybe. The 12 Republican Senators who voted to cancel Trump's "National Emergency", certainly for the very good reason of Separation of Powers, did so as kind of a 'free vote'. They -knew- Trump would veto it, thus allowing them to go 'on the record' as being for Congress's equal partner Constitutional status, while knowing that Trump would still get to keep his 'wall' going.
A much more telling vote will be, first, if the veto is 'allowed' to come up for an override vote. And, second, if those Republicans supposedly newly endowed as vertebrates stand up to Trump again, and vote to override the veto. That is what is necessary in order to fully establish that Congress really does exclusively hold 'the power of the purse', and really is a 'separate and co-equal branch of government'.
A vote to override is not a 'free vote' for these self-congratulating "empowered Republican Senators", and will be very telling. If McConnell even lets things go that far - which is itself a far more clarifying example of where the power of Congress really stands (or, more accurately, lies supine under the feet of Trump).
Mitch - put it up for a vote! Congressional Republicans - stand up for your oath of office, and the Constitution, and vote to override this veto. Tell Trump you stand equal to him, empowered by the United States Constitution.
19
“The Senate’s waking up a little bit to our responsibilities,” said Senator Lamar Alexander, Republican of Tennessee.
"A little bit" being the operative phrase. At this rate we can expect Congress to start doing its job sometime in the next century?
8
Senators Thom Tillis and Richard Burr are embarrassments to the country and the state of North Carolina. They've failed to stand up for Constitutional principles and balances of power.
Our Senate is replete with wafflers. Lindsey Graham, once a Never Trumper, now blesses every political transgression Trump dreams up. Tillis, weeks ago a voice decrying the overreach of power in Trump's declaration of a "national emergency," now finds Trump's actions to be within his purview. Burr found Trump's actions to be "reasonable." Sasse and Rubio and Collins tut-tut at every turn but never fail to fall in line.
As Edward R Murrow noted, "We are in the same tent as the clowns and the freaks - that's show business."
6
First, Trump signs the bill legislating no budget for the wall. So, this means he agreed to move forward with the congressionally approved funding amount: none.
Then he immediately declared a national emergency, under the act by the same name, to essentially get money for the wall.
Totally an end run around congress. Absolutely. 100%.
Too bad it may be legal. Certainly looks that way by the letter of the laws, if not the intent. Certainly not what the constitution intended.
As the still spineless republican automatons won’t stand by, involve and defend their rightful power, the mechanism existing through the veto over-ride if they were to vote with the democrats, it may be the only way to resolve this is at the ballot box.
2
Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic leader, said he hoped “the votes this week are green shoots: Republicans, out of courage, out of principle and maybe out of principle or maybe exasperation, are beginning to constrain the president when he goes too far.”
Perhaps, but the real trouble is that most republicans are “out of courage” and “out of principle”.
3
Who will blink first will not be determined by the constituents of these people in congress that we pay.
There hasn't been any "breaking point." Republican Senators know that this vote is just for the few swing voters they want to court for re-election. They knew their votes would have no consequence as Trump would exercise his veto, and ultimately the Supreme Court will be the arbiter of this fictitious "emergency".
So let's take a look at Republican Senators' votes when it really mattered. How about the appointments of Gorsuch or Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, thus ensuring that this nation becomes a Christian theocracy? Or how about the Senate Republicans' refusal to consider a vote on whether Mr. Mueller's report should be public? Of course if Senate Republicans have their way, this investigation and its results will never see the light of day. This newspaper and other reputable news organizations must stop reporting on anything relating to Trump or his toadies in the Senate as if they are sane, decent, thoughtful people. They are none of these things.
Trump and his Senate Republican vassals are in this for only one thing - to hold on to power indefinitely, regardless of the will of the majority of our citizens. Just this week Trump declared that "...he has the support of the police, military and 'Bikers for Trump' and warns that 'it would be very bad' if they have to get tough on his opponents..."* This latest Senate vote is nothing more than a fig leaf. Trump won't leave quietly, and the Republican Senate will remain his henchmen. Get ready.
*CNN, March 14, 2019
6
Kabuki.
Dozens of foreign emergencies, not a peep from Congress.
But grandstanding appeals to politicians who know they will not be held to account.
2
There is little doubt that the 12 Republicans mainly are massaging their own 2020 elections needs, and very much are acting out of full discussion with McConnell who wants them back. The logic is: vote against the Wall right now to soothe voters, w/o fear that the Senaye will not over-ride the veto.
That way, the GOP gets their Wall, and none of it can be held against the 12. Trump knew all about these rehearsed number theatrics.
5
It is a was, sad commentary that so ,Amy of the Repubs have been okay with trump's atrocities UNTIL he makes a move on Congressional power!
2
The Republican part of Congress only pushed back because it is their fiefdom being usurped.
When the common people are hurt, all we have heard from them is ! !
2
Prudence cautions it could be just a hiccup !
winston Churchill said it best " americans can be counted on to make the wrong decision , time after time, until they finally make the right one". that's our gop doink Senate, in a nutshell
4
Wake up folks: You maybe only days away from a true dictatorship by coup d'etat.
Severe Warning Signals:
1. The Veto of by Trump to overule the democratically elected House of Representatives the GOP dominated Senate has eliminated the separation of Powers whic tried to terminate his declaration of a national emergency on the southern border. One man rule.
2. President Trump declared Friday that “there should be no Mueller Report,” blasting the special counsel's Russia investigation as “illegal”.
3. And now we have President Trump declaring to all folks: "I have the support of the police, the support of the military, the support of Bikers for Trump -- I have tough people...
7
Help! Says here, "'There are moments where you see a partisan rebuke' of the president by Congress,' said William G. Howell, a political scientist at the University of Chicago...'They are really pretty infrequent, and when you do observe them it speaks to real tumult in the party.'"
I don't get that. Did he mean "bipartison"?
1
The GOP is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Trump enterprise, whatever the latter is. Trump has decimated their foundational beliefs, turned them into sycophants and hypocrites, and made their servility obvious to the voters. Give the man credit for doing what the Democrats couldn't have done.
Nothing this Congress can, or will, do will undo its shameful “hands-washing” and disgraceful dereliction of duty.
With unbroken consistency, it has been a Congress of Pontius Pilates, looking to look guiltless while allowing well-organized, reactionary forces, obscene levels of greed and corruption, a “winner take all mentality,” and the very real threat of homicidal violence to take over the courts, the WH, the federal government, and much of the entire country, particularly from the top down.
Make no mistake, these self-proclaimed “representatives of the people” have neither upheld their oath to defend the Consitition nor come close to performing nobly.
1
"Congress Has a Breaking Point"
Pfui. Such nonsense!
We haven't yet seen the lowest point to which this Senate will sink.
1
“The Senate’s waking up a little bit to our responsibilities,” said Senator Lamar Alexander, Republican of Tennessee.
A little bit.
Too little.
I hope that Madame Speaker sets the hook by introducing legislation to over-ride the veto. Make everyone declare their position with respect to the executive end-running the legislative branch.
What she is doing now is letting the Republicans write their 2020 opponents' campaign ads. Get them on record as doubling down on the Constitutional issue of Article One powers.
Don't let this one go. In the process of hacking off chunks those who voted for Trump but are not fundamentally MAGA fascists, this is worth Dumbo Donnie's weight in gold.
Crocodile tears. No changes. All theater by the republicans.
1
I think the lazy (or lack of) thinking that predominates in this country is starting to infect some of your reporters. For Stolberg and Shear to call this one of "remarkable series of bipartisan rebukes" is both sad and pathetic. Almost as sad and pathetic as Schumer's chastising his "friend across the aisle" (his pal Mitch !!!!!!)) for not even allowing the Senate to vote on the public release of the Mueller report.
Our government was disfuncional by the time of Newt Gingrich heading the House and it has precipitously fallen from that level in the next 3 decades. I don't think there is an apt word for its condition today.
2
Who works hardest?
Putin or trump ?
1
I have to agree with cynical tenor of the comments. Mitch McConnell can count. 59 does not override a veto. This is Kabuki theater to make a show of principle while he goes about his business of not letting inconvenient bills be voted on and filling the federal judiciary with more clones from the Federalist Society breeding pens.
22
Trump has proven to the American people that Congress is actually staunchly against the will of Americans. Americans elected President Trump with the election promise that he would build a border wall to discourage, diminish or prevent the continual flow of masses of illegal aliens. Americans are overwhelmingly not in favor of undocumented aliens rushing our border and breaking into the United States. Republicans and Democrats have done nothing to abate or prevent the flow of illegal aliens across our border. Even in predominantly DNC liberal states like California, 58% of those polled see undocumented immigration as a 'serious' problem. Trump continues to prove how detached our elitist, self-serving, un-American Senators and Congressmen have become. Bipartisan rebukes? Not really. They are rebuking the will of the American people.
7
Having a 30% minority does nOt a majority make. Finally we have a Congress representative of the majority of Americans. Suggest you pop bubble.
2
Has it occurred to you that nearl all those in congress are against illegal immigration (as they have consistently said). Rather, they think a hundred billion dollar wall is a foolish and overly simple way to stop it? That they want do not want to waste that much public money that could be better spent on other measures? That although Trump promise a wall he also promise Mexico would pay for it- that he claimed Mexico would pay for it because he knew people wouldn’t vote to waste tax dollars on a wall? That they do want curbs on immigration- but they recognise a wall is impractical and ineffective?
3
@Joshua If I can remember right a little bit more of 63 millions of Americans voted trump and almost the same for Clinton. So let's make some math. U.S population, according the census, is about 328 millions and 1/3 went to vote and half of 1/3, 1/6 of Americans voted for trump. So, what are you talking about? Americans willing? Ahahahaha don't make laugh!
4
Don't hold your breath expecting these spineless toadies to rebel. There is no Republican party - it's now the Trump party.
20
So many Republicans seem, well, compromised. Isn’t it time the public sees their tax returns?
17
If the House and Senate override Trump's veto then it will be meaningful. Anything else is just political theater. It's that simple.
17
Oh, what is a Biker for Trump to do?
8
It's about time they got a backbone! I could never understand the craven behavior before a straw man, Trump, a weak bully, a D-Lister Fake.
13
Several time, once to Leslie Stahl on 60 Minutes, Trump has said: “I am the President and you are not”.
The answer should have been: “Yes, you are the President but you are not a King or a dictator. You work for us, the people and we the people can impeach you, seed you to jail and even condemn you to death for treason.”
29
Racist comments? OK
Abusing children in immigrant detention centers? OK
Tariffs that lead to all time trade deficits? OK
Tax cuts that lead to all time fiscal deficits? OK
Saying neo-Nazis are "good people"? OK
Lies about links with Russians? OK
Lies just about everything? OK
But a symbolic vote on blatant attempt to usurp the power of Congress? Well that's were less than 25% of Republicans draw the line!
36
Good Heavens, is there common sense in Washington D.C.? Is there actually a glimmer of Ethics ??
When the garden-variety street-corner thug who is in the Oval Office brags, blusters and bullies too much ... apparently so. We sure don't need that stupid wall. Saudi Arabia is certainly no friend. And, darn right (!!) the Mueller Report should be made PUBLIC.
Democracy is no Picnic, but I still believe it is the best way to go - so long as the Truth is fully disclosed - and us Taxpayers get to Vote with informed hearts and minds.
Thanks to The Few, with some ethics and backbone, that are still in "our" Nation's Capital.
11
Do republicans think we were born yesterday. They conveniently had only 59 votes? These people are as cynical as they are evil.
14
@Kimbanyc it's not 60 votes to override a veto. It's 2/3 of each chamber.
3
Only 12 Republicans with principles. That is pathetic, though not surprising.
20
yeah... let's see the update when the republicons have voted with the democrats to override dotard's vetoes.
it's unfortunate to see so many of the political media once again falling for meaningless republicon stunts.
13
Meanwhile, while some Republican senators are finding their spines, Lindsey Graham is now screaming that an investigation into HRC's emails should be done BEFORE release of the Mueller report.
Really?
I am so tired of HRC's emails. She's not in office; she's probably done with politics...and the deflection, "BUT BUT BUT HER EMAILS!" is still going on?
What a ridiculous, petty little man. Chief sycophant!
33
The House voted unanimously on a 'nonbonding resolution' to make Mueller's findings public. Hahahaha isn't that like exerting all the power of a toothless/clawless tiger?
'“The Senate’s waking up a little bit to our responsibilities,” said Senator Lamar Alexander, Republican of Tennessee.' These Rip Van Winklers with [finally] their crumb of conscience are years too late and billions of dollars short...
7
I’m sick of hearing about “moderate” Republicans. That’s an oxymoron. From Collins to Tillis to Graham to McConnell they are all cut from the same cloth. The fact is that for over two years the Republican Party has aided and abetted their corrupt racist criminal-in-chief. They have tried to derail Mueller, put radical far right judges on federal courts, given tax breaks to Trump and his billionaire buddies while the rest of us paid for it, attempted to deny health care to the poor and sick, defunded the arts, public housing and public schools, turned polluters loose, filled the Cabinet with the sleaziest of the sleazy, acted to suppress voters and rig elections, kowtowed to the NRA, catered to evangelical extremists, and on and on. They are shameless hypocrites and I’m sick of hearing how any of them has grown a spine.
22
Let's see, 12 GOP Senators rejected Trump's fake national emergency on the Southern border while 41 others are marching in step with a grifter and con man. I don't see much of a break yet, maybe a small crack.
16
Well it is about time! Congress waking up its responsibilities!
There is no mandate for a wall, nor a need for it. The US southwest and Mexico are an important land mass that many families, animals, insects, and microbes have traversed for thousands of years.
The border wall is a stupid waste of money that would do all sorts of damage to people and nature were it to be completed. Fix the root problems in Central America. A much better use of tax money.
8
Good!
3
HIs sheer avarice caused him to break his hard-to-get support over something that provides no benefit to the country, just a shallow "get" for his ego. What a fool.
7
It is not surprising that after a lifetime of getting away with unethical and illegal behavior, including the first two years of his presidency (I'm talking to you, GOP Congress), Donald Trump does not understand that there are any checks on his power. At age 72, it's a bit late to learn this lesson.
10
We all know if a President Obama or Clinton had made the same play, to placate a "base" simply because it was a campaign chant, that the Senate would have an overwhelming majority ready to overturn a veto. We all know this, and yet, we give smiley face stickers to the handful of GOP senators who voted yes to uphold constitutional separation of powers, because they know they will have their chance to vote NOT to overturn the veto and get back in Trump's embrace.They got a little hug from the NYT, which will make them seem to have some moral fiber and spine, so stupid and inattentive "moderates" might vote for them. But it's all a "Party Game."
13
So Trump's blatant violation of separation of powers has been stopped? What's that you say? It will continue along after the veto since there's not enough Republicans in the Senate who care about the Constitution to override the veto?
Come back when there's actually a story. "Republicans did nothing to stop fascist autocrat" isn't news in 2019.
20
I DO hope this is strongly remembered once the Dems "rule" the Executive Branch and they declare healthcare, massive gun violence, the attack on women's' health ALL National Emergencies.
The GOP has set in stone this Executive Branch aberration as precedence. Had they any backbone and respect for the US Constitution there would have been a 2/3 majority vote against this vanity project which wastes Tax Payer dollars and a "Veto Proof" bill would have been sent to the dictator in our WH.
6
Three data points is not a study in real change. Especially when at least one of them - the Emergency denial - wont get the runner on base...till the case hits the courts.
That Tillis completely threw the pie in his own face, then on purpose ran into the wall - makes it clear that too many Repubs are spineless. If there's a poster for this sickness in the party, he's the poster boy now. Which is now a series, a collectible series. Previous editions poster-boys; Graham, and Cruz. With special appearances by Rubio, Collins, and Sasse.
No, we need some serious push-back on Trump, some serious condemnation of his implied threats of violence from his base (see his recent Brietbart interview, about his tough guy base rising up) his lack of true compassion for crime victims, his incessant lack of planning, his praise of despots, his name-calling...etc, etc, etc...
And a complete rebuke of his power grabs like his 100% fake emergency.
4
Nope. There’s no bottom to this barrel.
9
The terrorists in expensive suits known as Senate Republicans will never abandon Trump because they fear being primaried. They prefer to subvert the constitution if it mean getting re-elected. When this is all over, the Republican terrorists who have supported Trump should be tried for treason, convicted and given life sentences.
7
When Repubs put their country and their oaths to the Constitution and the and the people they have been elected to represent, there will be a true emergency. This emergency will be caused by the the sun being blocked out by millions of flying pigs and the an event so shockingly rare or unique as Repubs dealing in good faith or telling the truth or being good for their word today when tomorrow arrives.
When are these Repubs going to wake up to the fact that the public have awakened and come election day 2020 its Tha, tha, tha that's all folks, because some of the people you bow down to are going to prison for their crimes and there will be no Obama to give out get out of jail free cards.
3
@Sheldon Bunin Let's hope there will *be* a 2020 election. You are taking a lot for granted, and not plumbing the true depths of evil and perfidy that we face.
4
The Republicans had two years for the wall, but they'd rather point fingers and vote for tax cuts. Blaming this on the Dems is just another big fat lie from the White House.
4
This story is sad. It just normalizes white nationalists. Why? They lost. It was not even close.
Scavo LOST to Bridget Malloy Kosierowski by almost 25 PERCENTAGE POINTS. This in a district that Trump won. In fact, Kosierowski performed BETTER than Casey or Wolf!
It seems to me that you should be interviewing the majority Kosierowski voters, not small fraction of voters that like Scavo.
2
With men like McConnell & Graham in the senate there is no hope of controlling trump & his mafia style administration. He still has not learned that he can't get everything he wants by breaking laws. He never will. He will refuse to leave office in 2020 if he is voted out because he believes his base will "get tough" with opponents & prevent his removal. He is already threatening those Americans who believe in truth, honesty, & the rule of law & the Constitution. His "police & military supporters" will deal with opponents to his rule. He has now stated one truth out of 10,000 lies.
3
“The Senate’s waking up a little bit to our responsibilities”?
Gee, thanks Lamar. You're waking up a couple of years--or decades--too late, if you call what you're doing 'waking.'
It's more like waking up to find that your house is on fire, and you're in bed with the arsonist.
6
" Breaking point?" There is none.
These republican senators are a herd of sheep driven by mitch the shepherd They travel together for protection. It's the republican version of the herd instinct.
Love of country? Allegiance to the Constitution?
Baa...
5
Thank you 12 Republican Senators for acting w Integrity!!!
1
What a hoot about Sen. Toomey, the spineless, gutless, double-speak wonder from Pennsylvania. He knows the winds in this state are no longer blowing his way and, voila, here he is all of a sudden defying President Orange. Maybe he should try stand-up comedy next.
3
The ultimate arbitrator is the Supreme Court. Trump is exposing the fault lines of our constitution in order to divert the focus away from congressional investigations into his financial issues. If court rules against him, he may have problems just before 2020 elections. Meanwhile, Democrats should not allow any changes to the law of presidential emergency declaration powers. Because, next president will be a democrat, he can use those powers to move the money from defense to social programs.
2
@Kodali No. Democrats don't want the dictator to be from our party - we want no dictators!
1
Like ALL Republicans, Trump moves the goalposts when he doesn’t get what he wants, rather than earning victories. While I’m glad a few Republicans bucked Trump on his emergency declaration, the majority of them are gutless and abdicating their roles in government. Now that Trump has vetoed this, lest hope the courts will resolve this to the benefit of the American people and not Trump & CO’s optics.
4
The Republicans own the TRUMP PROBLEM!! Perhaps they are beginning to feel some heat. It is hard to recognize that you were duped in 2017, I for one was with Nixon, twice before the Watergate bubble burst. Hard to acknowledge. They own the situation, and will pay for it in 2020, and by the voters, not TRUMP, he(and Pence) will be a non factors!
4
Though I'd like to believe Lamar Alexander' assessment, I can't.
2
Let's not pretend this is some kind of seminal moment that marks the turning of the Republicans in Congress against Trump. The Republicans who voted against Trump here knew well and good that their votes in the end wouldn't matter, since there weren't, overall, enough other Republicans to go along with them to affect the ultimate outcome.
This has been Collins' game for as long as she's been in the Senate. Now, we have just a few more of her Republican colleagues playing the same game -- and, it is a game for them -- duplicity at its worst -- because she and her now other faux moderate Republican colleagues, when their votes actually matter, ALWAYS vote with Trump and/or to support the repugnant Republican anti-average American agenda, in direct contradiction to the faux thoughtful words that may occasionally dribble out of their mouths.
6
They are waking up after three years of this insanity? Every Republican should have voted for the legislation. There are checks and balances for a reason. Take a stand for democracy and our country, Republicans.
6
This seems like a small, but possibly significant, turning point. With many recent revelations of Trump criminality, and powerful Democratic committees taking a strong stand in the House, at least some Republicans caught up in the tide of rationality would be quite natural. Too bad there aren't more, but that may come. Their brainwashed voters are another story.
3
On day 1 of the next President’s administration, She should declare an executive order to battle the threat of climate change. Period.
4
Please spare me the Pollyanna wishful thinking. What I see is posturing by the right so they have an alibi with their constituents. Nothing more.
6
If I were Trump I would simply agree with the corporate RINO's and leftist Democrats in the Senate. I would then declare that the Southwestern states have borne a disproportionate burden for this non-existent crisis and that therefore I would begin to transfer most of those imaginary people crossing the Southern boarder to New York, Boston, Chicago, Newark Minneapolis, Salt Lake City, Seattle, Portland, Sacramento and San Fransisco. He should weekly have the tens of thousands of non-existent boarder crossers dropped off at the city halls or governor's mansions in those locals. Who could object since there is no crisis and the millions who will cross the boarder this year don't exist? It is only fair and those localities need to do their fair share don't they?
Finally! Whether this was out of self-interest or not, at least some Republicans didn't blindly follow Trump. You really had to wonder what it would take for them to act honorably since nothing up to now -- grovelling before Putin, Kim and the Saudi Prince in the wake of countless atrocities including murder-- has bothered them,
3
Faithful Lindsey does his talking, what's that tell you?
He's paralyzed. He's lost TOP COVER in Congress.
“He feels good. He said, ‘My veto will be sustained?’ I said, ‘Yeah, overwhelmingly.’ He feels like his commitment to build the wall is moving forward.”
Exactly the the conversation that I imagined a lap dog would have with his King.
4
Lindsay Graham is currently doing his best Joe McCarthy, LIVE, demanding FIB conversations/records of discussions about supposed "removal" of Trump, and WHERE is the coverage of this?
(The Guardian has it on their front page.)
1
Perhaps the most important aspect of any president is his character.
3
A dozen Republican senators voted for a purely symbolic and useless gesture of finger-wagging. If there was any possibility that this could have real-world consequences, every single Republican in the senate would have sided with Trump.
The tide is not turning against Trump. He is still a lock for 2020, and Republicans will easily keep their senate majority if they don't expand it.
Trump has one genuine weakness that could bring him down, and it has nothing to do with the wall, Mueller or anything a Democratic House can do to him. His weakness is the surging tide of white supremacist and white nationalist terrorism that now threatens the world. Trump is stuck between a rock and a hard place. He can't condemn white supremacists because they make up such a large percentage of his base. Yet they have replaced Muslim fundamentalists as the primary source of terror and the chief terrorist threat now facing Western Civilization.
Charlottesville was a small taste of the immense and critical failures of leadership we will soon witness from our current Commander in Chief. We've already seen that Trump is soft on terror. In fact he supports, promotes and inspires international terrorism. He is the new Osama bin Laden, the messenger who has motivated and enabled a new generation of extremist terrorists.
Trump's hands are tied. He cannot stand up to the terrorists who kill in his name. He cannot disown his base. His ineptitude and inability to combat terrorism will sink him.
140
@Ryan Add Chistchurch, New Zealand, to that sad list of white supremacist terrorism.
10
@Ryan
Yes, and on the Newshour Prof. Belew provided insight about the "leaderless resistance" strategy of this global "White Power" movement for which terrorism is just a first step.
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/why-alleged-new-zealand-mosque-killer-represents-a-broader-social-movement
1
Nope, not buying it. Just show, political “calculus”. Trump has been wanting to veto a bill for a long time. Now he gets his chance. And a handful of repubs get to act as though they care about ceding the constitutional rights of the Congress to this person occupying the Oval Office.
Sick of it all.
6
Uh, this is beyond even wishful thinking. Enough Senators and Reps voted with the President to assure he gets his way. There will be no veto over ride.
To suggest the President has been reined in is not supported by the facts.
Republicans see their personal fates (their offices) tied to the President and they have and will continue to vote to protect themselves rather than voting to protect "the Constitution."
Separation of powers means nothing to Mitch McConnell or any Senator who wants to continue to enjoy the perks, pay and privileges of being in office.
4
As long as Donald Trump is President of the United States with an increased Republican Party of majority in the U.S. Senate under Article II of the American Constitution he can act with immunity and impunity without the advice and consent of the House of Representatives.
By focusing on a non-binding House of Representatives resolution to disclose the Robert S. Mueller, III report along with a meaningless defection of a minority of Senate Republicans to a bill to prevent Trump from using money appropriated for other purposes on an emergency basis to pay for a border wall, the media is letting form and symbolism triumph over substance and reality.
1
This is an overly optimistic headline. The proof of Congress reaching a breaking point would be the mustering of sufficient Senate votes to override Trump’s veto.
4
The President never gives up a chance to play "Queen for a Day" (I recall the TV show). Yes, I'm that old.
Real Senators stood up for the rest of us. It's supposed to work that way. It's just not everyday - on every Bill. We should celebrate the times it happens. It's all over next week so enjoy the brief moment of light. It's not an emergency for a few days more.
All these reporters and pundits want to be the one to correctly call when congressional republicans "break" with Trump.
They will break with him at 11pm on election day, 2020, when he loses, and he can't give them anything they want anymore.
4
@Mtnman1963 More likely they will support him when he denounces the election as a fraud and declares a national emergency. Then again, he might "win" again in the Electoral College, so there will no need for an illegal coup, he will have a legal one.
“The Senate’s waking up a little bit to our responsibilities.” First of all, the Senate Democrats have been awake all along. Second, we've learned very well by now not to count on the Senate Republicans. Third, with this, at best, they're a day late and a dollar short. Fourth, it's only when their own Congressional prerogatives have been threatened that even this small group responded. No other Trump abuse, no matter how horrible, whether the non-stop lying, the totally open conflict of interest - and possible treason - with Russia, the corruption, the racism, the separating parents and children, the obstruction of justice, the abuse of pardons, nothing has gotten a rise out of any of them. The Times keeps saying, month after month, that some minimal action represents a change in the Republicans, when we know it's not true. Action talks, you-know-what walks. This is action, yes, a little tiny, eensy-weensy bit of action, but so little compared to the abuse, and so late in the game. It's not *too* late for the Senate Republicans to avoid the infamous place in history that is coming to them, but it is very, very, very late.
3
Taking 12 votes about measures without force of law as a “revolution” among Republicans is a stretch.
But right up there with reading tea leaves it may show the grip of Trump upon the imaginations of the Oligarchs is loosening. Maybe that bothers Trump. Who knows?
2
"The Senate is waking up a little bit to our responsibilities..."
HOW long has Lamar Alexander been in the Senate and he is just now "waking up a little bit" to his/its responsibilities?
It is a very good thing he is leaving the Senate, then.
Here is a clue, for anyone who wants to run for public office: If you don't know "what your responsibilities" in that office will be, you don't belong, nor do you deserve, to be there.
That goes for people currently "serving" in public office, too.
3
Thank you, Republican members of the House and Senate for finally voting what is morally right, and not continue to vote simply along your party line! Our country and government will be stronger, safer and a better member of the world community if our representatives (BOTH Republicans AND Democrats) would vote as they know they should!
This really is a lot better than the wall-funding complainers think. For the price of a few measly billion dollars spent on a wall that can just as easily be removed when it comes around to erasing "Trump's legacy" (just as Trump has tried to do with Obama's legacy), the next Democratic president gets to declare a healthcare national emergency, an outstanding college loan debt national emergency, a clean air national emergency, elementary and secondary school funding national emergencies, a "DACA dreamers" national emergency, etc., etc. So don't look a gift horse in the mouth.
2
Nice thought, @Carl. But don't count on it. Republicans are utter hypocrites. Powers they support and hold dear for a president of their own party are crimes against humanity when a Democrat tries to exercise them. Witness the stonewalling of the Merrick Garland nomination to the Supreme Court. If a Supreme Court vacancy occurs in February – or even November – 2020, do you really think Mitch McConnell will remember how important it is that "the next president" should be able to appoint a replacement? Emergency powers are a Republican tool. They will never let a Democrat wield them.
2
Most likely, a handful of Republican Senators, not enough to override a veto, were allowed to vote for the resolution for show. On the part of Republicans it's all show with no concern for the Constitution, the power of Congress, or governing.
2
@Thomas Zaslavsky
Yeah, I'm afraid the cynic in me agrees with you completely.
1
Don't count on Republicans sticking with their votes against the border "emergency". They know their vote will never survive a veto. So they get to vote against it when really they're voting for it, counting on their hardliners to be sure that Congress never overrides. They can tell their constituents they did the right thing when they know they didn't.
In the end, the Don still rules. He will build his wall out of paper maché if he has to. The paper he will use for that is the Constitution itself.
2
Are we really supposed to celebrate the fact that 12 out of 53 Republicans voted to block Trump's absurdly unconstitutional declaration of emergency? Even after Trump himself publicly stated he "didn't need to do this," but only took the funds via an emergency declaration because it would be "faster" than trying to allocate the money via the constitutionally mandated process?
Forgive me if I'm underwhelmed. This is nothing but an end run around the Constitution and every member of Congress who didn't vote to stop is in flagrant violation of their oath of office.
3
Let us not get carried away by the Senate vote on the Joint Resolution. By my count, 21 of the 22 Senate Republicans up for reelection in 2020 voted against it; only Susan Collins of Maine voted for it. The reports of Trump threatening senators on the ballot in 2020 about voting for the Resolution appear to be accurate and the effect substantial. He still has a substantial hold on the Republican Senate and
the Republican Party; Democrats underestimate him at their peril .
"Congress Has a Breaking Point. This Week, Trump Might Have Found It."
Not so fast. I think the bar is being set awfully low. A non-binding resolution just provides cover and the the senate wasn't even able to get a veto-proof majority.
I don't think it's an accident that Tillis flipped his vote. By doing so the Republicans could offer the appearance of having a backbone while effectively accomplishing nothing. If these actions pass for anything other than political theater we're in big trouble.
America has real problems that nobody is addressing: Drug Addiction is funding the tune of $10-Billion/year, we have an elite class that thinks it is above all laws and can flaunt it, misinformation is rampant and few people have critical reading skills, the powerful and political manipulate our emotions to drive their ends, legislators who cannot legislate - only campaign against the other party, We-the-People have all but abdicated our office as sovereign of the nation,... the list goes on.
At the same time we have a President who, if he were of the other party, the RNC would be impeaching and the DNC packing the clown-car in preparation for the circular firing squad.
Perhaps our experiment in Democracy has proven a failure and we were not "able to keep it" and hand it over to a dictator with delusions of a family based presidency with life rites and succession.
To be sure, we have had worse situations and survived them but only after a lot of damage, bloodshed, destruction of lives and property.
Are their no patriots, real patriots who want to solve the nation's real problems? Even divided 50/50 we can compromise but only if the oligarchs who run both parties allow it.
I'm old, no children or legacy, but what about you? Are you prepared to hand over the nation to the Oligarchs and their secret agenda?
2
The republicans need to start thinking about how history is going to remember them and not worry about how it is going to effect their next campaign. Do they want to be remembered for standing up to a bully or do they want to be remembered for following the orders of an obviously deeply flawed President because they feared losing their next election. Following a President that very likely will see jail time after he is no longer President, or do what's right for the citizens of this country. Hopefully this is a good sign that republicans are growing tired of bad decision after bad decision by this President and are beginning to stand up.
@nb You would think Republicans would have enough common sense to worry the precedent they're setting.
Suppose the next president is a Democrat. Suppose she tries to pass an expansion of Medicare, but Congress doesn't pass it. So she declares a state of emergency, pulls the money out of the military budget, and boom, suddenly their worst nightmare is a reality.
If the courts uphold Trump's actions, then I don't see how they could stop a Democrat from doing something similar with healthcare, or climate change, or any of a number of other issues that actually present a more credible "emergency."
The idea that Republican support in Congress has waned for Trump is absurd, just the latest molehill the political press can make into a mountain. Still 40%.
In other news: Several Reps were observed leaving chiropractor offices within the last few days.
3
Don't hold your breath.
I will believe the Republicans learned how to read their Oath of Office when the Senate overrides a Trump veto -- Not Before.
3
Nope, I am not buying all this high flying language. "Great votes", "great issues"--ha! The Republicans see that Trump may not last past the 2020 election and they do not want to go down with him. These votes have nothing to do with soul searching constitutional questions. Rather, they are about cold self-interested political calculation so please call it that.
79
I think this is a shrewd move by the Republicans.
While the Democrats know there is all sorts of malfeasance, and acts of corruption in the report. The bar has been set at "collusion".
If there is no collusion the Republicans get to say this vindicates Trump, and ignore the rest. If there is, they get to throw Trump out of office, in an attempt to save face and spend the next year and half, before the election, pretending they never enabled him.
25
@Todd The bar is also solidly set at obstruction and campaign finance fraud. And that's just Mueller and in the House.NY State is heading towards RICOland for the tRump Crime Family.
12
@Todd
Let Donald scream "no collusion" all he wants. And Trump won't spend time behind bars for his disturbing obsession for murdering dictators like Putin, Jong-un and the Crown Prince MBS.
The charges against Trump will be far more serious...lot's of felonies...with hard evidence of obstruction of justice, campaign finance violations, witness tampering, bank fraud, wire fraud and tax fraud, emoluments violations.
Hannity and Limbaugh will even express their shock.
5
"The series of votes vividly demonstrated a newfound willingness to stand up to the president among some of his Republican allies on Capitol Hill." --- I think the author should have used the term "flunkies" instead of "allies". If the GOP in Congress had stood firm on things they have supported for a long time, like free trade, I could at least respect but disagree with them. However, Trump has led them around like dogs on a leash for the past two years.
5
I think there are three categories of Republicans in the Senate... 1. Those that have actually voted against pro-Tump legislation. 2. Those who have spoken out against portions of Trump's agenda, but then always vote on Trump's side. 3. Those who publically support Trump and consistently vote on Trump's side. Now, take the names on these three categories and list the date, (2020, 2022, or 2024), when they are up for re-election.
7
Twelve votes, eight more to go. If 20 Republican senators are prepared to confront Trump, that's the magic number for conviction if there is ever an impeachment proceeding. That's cutting it very close, and Trump had best be very cautious. Or, he could indeed make history being the first president to be impeached and actually thrown out of office via conviction by the United States Senate.
9
“The Senate’s waking up a little bit to our responsibilities,” said Senator Lamar Alexander, Republican of Tennessee.
---------------------------------------------
Really?
You mean you finally found a backbone now that you are retiring from the Senate?
How nice for you Lamar.
Or, is this condition just temporary?
Both votes appear to be largely symbolic and both are just sending nifty messages to all those nice voters and constituents at home.
For those who need to show some form of independence (paging Susan Collins), what better way to show it by making two non-binding votes.
As for the Democrats, it may take an emergency declaration to deal with the ramifications of climate change.
Nor is it a slam dunk in the federal courts, in light of the appointments Trump has made.
Whatever.
While it is nice to make a statement of principles from time to time, taking action is far more preferable. So please wake all of us up when our Congress and executive branch reaches that kind of functionality.
18
I can't understand what Conservatives are thinking in voting against a measure that should be up their alley (or, at least, they say so): keeping alive the separation of powers. If you don't defend this basic, fundamental, original intent of the Constitution, don't have the shamelessness to invoke that document....ever..
But, of course, they are only Conservative when a Democrat is the president.
14
At the end of the day, Congress did not rebuke the president loudly enough so that the “emergency” declaration—only his most recent version of spitting on the Constitution—would be overturned. To those who voted in favor of upholding the “emergency:” know that the nation is watching and will remember when you’re up for reelection, many as soon as next year. Yesterday’s Senate “vote” seems to me to be a carefully crafted effort to goad the voters into thinking that Congress listens to We the People. We are not that stupid. Shame on the 41.
12
A telltale phrase occurred in your article.
"Facing a huge backlash from conservatives. . . . . ."
Ah yes. The extreme conservatives. VERY extreme. VERY loud. VERY angry.
I'm not talking about people like Mr. Paul or Mr. Alexander or Mr. Toomey (from my own state)--people like that.
I'm talking about the crazies. People who do NOT think. People who do NOT (necessarily) wish the best for the United States of America. People who do NOT respect--or listen to--or indeed acknowledge the existence of other people. Let alone their rights and viewpoints and opinions.
These people (and I'm sorry to be so acerbic, New York Times) are the people that screech and yell and wave their angry fists at those notorious rallies. Rallies that Mr. Trump--wherever he is, whatever he does--is addicted to.
And Mr. Trump really is--isn't he--that man that let this evil genie out of the bottle. How to get it back in the bottle. Well--I don't know. Do you?
All this apropos of "principle" as versus "exasperation" in your article. Well--there's a lust for political survival, isn't there? These GOP senators--they don't lose sight of that for a moment.
Not a single moment.
Poor dears!
I could find it in my heart to pity them.
(Though I don't.)
6
Those 41 other Republican flag-hugging senators have one last chance to show their patriotism: vote to override the president's veto. How might they explain their change of mind? They could say their patriotic constituents assailed them at home on their break, as those constituents should. They could claim their original vote was a stand for securing the border but not for an executive power grab. They could say they didn't want to see the issue dragged through the courts and dominating the news when Republicans want to work on more important things like healthcare and infrastructure. They could say they prayed on it and God told them to. Or they could just say they're fed up being bullied by a disgusting little man who has trashed the highest office in the country they love.
12
@abigail49
You assume they love their country. The jury is still out on that one...
I’m sooo confused.
I recall hearing hundreds of times,
“Mexico was going to pay for the wall”
Not
“I’m going to ram this down the throat of democracy, you’re going to pay for it, and love me”
11
Trump will veto, Senate and House GOP won't muster enough votes to add to Democrats to override veto, life goes on. Yes, the hand wringing by the political reporting and pundit class about "will he or won't he" fills column inches, but the eventual outcome of this exercise was known before the house even had their first vote.
Pundits and political reporters: there are scores of commentators on the NYT website that nail this type of stuff every single day - me included.
3
I think the 'dam has broken' (to use a metaphor). One thing you can say about the Republicans in Congress is that they read polls. They can see that public opinion has turned against Trump and is not liable to change between now and the election next year. Democrats, independents, and even a few so-called 'moderate Republicans' are strongly against this president. Plus, the Democratic Party is getting organized for next year's election.
If I were a Republican Senator in a swing state, I would be panicking right now. That's what I think is happening. It's only going to get worse for Trump, not better.
137
@MVT2216 I guess Ben and Thom are reading different polls. Kind of hard to take either of them seriously regarding principles, unless pandering is a principle.
7
@MVT2216 I see where you are coming from but the truth is, ALL Republicans must go. These Republican "protest votes" are a joke. Sure some Senators voted to stop the national emergency. They only did so in order to claim they are standing up to the president. Of course they REALLY only did so because they knew it would be vetoed and would never be overridden.
On the war in Yemen, it's pretty much a no-brainer to vote against giving the Saudis more money to use there. But are they voting to stop all arms sales to the Saudis? Are they calling for Saudi diplomats to be kicked out of the US? Are they taking any stand that has meaning?
Lastly, voting to release the special counsel report. Again, meaningless really. Let's see how they react to the actual report. They will try and downplay it or do the same thing they've done on the national emergency declaration: let some cast "protest votes" when they actually know the vote is meaningless.
Bottom line is: Republicans deserve no credit. They've shown their true colors.
16
@MVT2216 Take a look at the Gallup Presidential Approval poll. As of this week, Trump has a NINETY PERCENT APPROVAL rating (that's right - 90%!) with Republicans. Put this together with the Faux propaganda machine, willful ignorance of a nation, and foreign powers corrupting our dialogue and processes....and you have a very real possibility of a second term. For real.
9
To think that Mitch McConnell and Lindsay Graham voted against the constraint on emergency powers....
That says a lot about those two men
24
The sad truth is, the day the Republicans find a spine is the day a Democrat is in the White House.
14
"12 Republican senators abandoned the president to pass legislation..."
Looks like the Rent-A-Spine store re-opened.
8
@AWENSHOK The Republican Senator from my state was one of the 12 who voted against the emergency powers fraud. While I am grateful that he did, he won’t be up for re-election until 2022 so it did him little damage from the state’s Trump base.
2
@Bashh
2022...I believe they carry grudges and payback impulses for a lot longer than that...some still fighting the civil war, I believe.
@AWENSHOK. What you say is true but a good part of my state clings to their guns and Bibles and never votes for a Democrat.
I am a cynic and think this was a carefully calculated and controlled vote that allowed the Republicans to lie out of both sides of their mouth at the same time. They knew they would actually do no damage to Trump but would fool moderates into thinking there were cracks in the Republican lines. If they override the veto I will give credit to Rent-a-Spine.
,
In Nov. of 2022, when the senator will be up for re-election, the voters in my state will be oiling up their hunting rifles and readying their gear for the opening of deer season, a month away I think. Since the newspapers in these small towns don’t carry much news except for the scores from the local high school sports teams it is a pretty good chance that the voters here have no idea what the vote was all about, how their senator voted, remember how he voted, or ever cared. Their newspapers are owned by Republicans and if they endorse anybody it will be the Republican. All these voters know is that the senator is a Republican and that is the lever they always pull.
My state was blue in the Civil War. It seemed to be turning redder all the time, although in 2018 things looked a little hopeful,
If he runs in 2020 as an outsider, we can close the door and lock it. Better yet, LOCK HIM UP!!!
4
Trump is probably suffering from dementia and is unfit to serve. Why do people continue to defend and support someone who is clearly ill?
12
Since his election Mr.Trump has been taking apart the Constitution piece by piece.The FBI, The CIA, The Justice Department , The State Department have all been marginalized.Things were going swimmingly until the New Democratic House came to town and declared themselves an important check on the Executive Branch.Republicans suddenly woke up and realized that they had already ceded too much power to Trump.They re now finding their voices on some issues which set a dangerous precedent.It has taken them so long to,reclaim some authority for the Senate.They May have given away more than they can claw back!
5
Please do not be fooled into thinking that some GOP senators have suddenly remembered what their job is and decided to do it. Remember that their actions are not driven by a sense of what is right and wrong, or what is just. Their sole motivation is self preservation and they will do whatever it is that they think gives them the best chance of reelection, regardless of the ethical or moral implications. Those that broke with Trump did not do so because it was the right thing to do, they did it because they feel more threatened by Trump opposition than the Trump base. They are still bad people.
12
This would be Time. This would be the time for Republican Congressman to heroically stop our deeply flawed and dangerous president in his anti-constitutional tracks by overriding his veto.
- Dangerous precedent
- Dangerous president.
5
Congress found it only after the Democrats took the House, otherwise the prior 2 years had the Congress kowtowing to the President on his every whim and fancy. Consider Obama’s last two years where pretty much he had to veto every month to keep Obamacare alive.
3
What is with those 41 senators who voted in favor of the emergency declaration of the failing New York president?
When did they become his servants instead of his equals?
Are they that afraid of him and his base?
5
The Senate can override the veto. All they need is more republicans to join the democrats. But we know that these craven lemmings will follow Trump off a cliff. Hence, this is just a useless stunt to make some of them feel good about themselves, not some dim sign of a soon to be breaking point.
6
@dba The House also has to override the veto and that takes 2/3 of the members there as well.
"Trump: You wouldn’t like my supporters in the military if they got angry" (Washington Post, 14Mar2019) As an Independent voter, I would say unbelievable, but no longer. Mr. Trump has painted himself as a person who truly believes he is above the law, above the people. The people who have worked hard to build up our democracy, and now have a POTUS who sees it as his own little sandbox. He has to go, and his Republican congressional enablers with him - looking at you, Misters McConnell and Graham and Cruz.
11
Steve, Trump threatened us with his now deleted tweet. An American president threatens America with violence from his “friends, in the Military, Bike gangs....” .....dangerous.
1
Lamar Alexander was more honest than the headline of this article when he said "The Senate’s waking up a little bit to our responsibilities" Unless there are another 9 GOP senators who will vote against the Liar in Chief's veto, the GOP will have sold out the 3 equal branches of the US government and their responsibility concerning spending.
4
@stefanie. Not only do they have to find 9 more Republican Senators to vote to overturn a veto when the vote comes up, they have to make sure that the 12 Senators who voted against the President haven’t returned those rent-a-spines to the shop mentioned by AWENSHOK in a comment above.
1
If it's so clear that in this case that the President is off the wall in his decision-making, overcome his veto. If that cannot be achieved then everyone has to accept the outcome and that he's made legitimate use of authority conferred on the president (whoever he might be at any time).
An election can change that, but we're not having one right now. Go on to other things. Playing politics -- and this disagreement admittedly has some continuing viability there -- is not supposed to be a full-time job.
Republicans are still very much putting Trump over America! Which is completely against our Constitution. The executive branch, judicial branch and legislative branch are CO-EQUAL branches! All working together for the good of Americans! NOT for one man! Someone needs to inform Republicans that they are behaving like traitors to our nation and Constitution!
Remember, when Republicans would tout being more holy, more family values and more patriot than Democrats?! They used to preach about how “character matters” and how integrity was king! Republicans are....hypocrites!
When ONLY twelve out of fifty three Republicans vote against the Fake Emergency, we know they are all compromised by Putin’s puppet!
Blue tsunami 2020!
12
As with all things GOP vis-a-vis Trump it may be too late. He has consolidated his power in the agencies and doesn't give a hoot in Hades what the GOP, the Dems or anyone thinks.
He has been coddled, deferred to, shown respect, handled with kid gloves, praised, adored, keep going. Nothing has happened to convince him he is losing. The press gaggle continues to loft him softballs in his wheelhouse of lies.
As we are seeing this very week, he is laying the groundwork to either suspend or waive the result of the '20 general, and he is doing it on Breitbart, the propaganda organ of the NeoNazis/White Supremest wing of the GOP.
Whomever the Dems pick to face this walking talking crime wave, they will have to devise some sort of new campaign paradigm, similar to Trump's. Yeech! I know, but the cautious policy based narrative of Hillary, Kerry, and Gore won't work with Trump.
Just as Trump uses a reality TV format for his major rallies, so the the Dem will have to contrive a late night comedy show format, where Trump is ridiculed, belittled and insulted on a massive scale, along with big screen monitors showing the tapes of the lies and hypocrisies. He need to be made a fool.
And it all wouldn't all have to be knee-slappers, but could be flipped to frightening in an instant. Yes, we will have to get down in the muck with Trump, using ridicule, fear and anger to pass on the truth to American voters.
Then too, he may win it outright.
6
North Carolina voters were saddened when it became apparent that Senator Thom Tillis had self-aborted the tiny spine that had begun to develop.
6
Rebuke? Hardly. A scattering of cowards in both directions. Cowards who were frightened by the midterm results vs. cowards frightened by Trump.
The Constitution is being trashed by the President and the majority of Republicans are firmly in his corner.
10
“It’s about separation of powers,” Mr. Toomey said. “It’s about respecting the principles of the Constitution.”
You folks pretty much demonstrated how little you actually care about the principles of the Constitution when you made Mitch McConnell your leader. He doesn't give a fig about the institution in which you serve.
12
Rebuke? What nonsense. Trump uses his veto, his "national emergency" stands and he get his wall money. Sounds like he got exactly what he wanted. His fans will cheer his thumbing his nose at Congress, will buy into his message that no one can stop him from getting his way and they, and he, will be emboldened and ready for the next fight. How anyone can think Trump will take this as anything but another win is beyond me. If there were votes to overturn his veto, that would be a rebuke. This is nothing.
8
According to this article,..."the Senate joined the Democrat-led House in voting to end American military aid to Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen in protest over the killing of Jamal Khashoggi, a columnist for The Washington Post."
So the Times links the vote exclusively to the Khashoggi murder and fails to mention the fact that the war in Yemen is an outrageous act of aggression, directly supported by two U.S. administrations, that has caused tens of thousands of deaths and produced a massive humanitarian catastrophe. This framing is quite consistent with the fact that the Times barely mentioned Yemen in its reporting until the Khashoggi case became an irresistible news story and has since turned a nearly blind eye to Yemen now that Khashoggi has fallen out of the news.
Is it possible that at least some of the Republicans joined the Democratic sponsors of the bill in voting to end U.S. support of the war out of concern for the people of Yemen rather than the comparatively small matter of Jamal Khashoggi's brutal assassination?
3
Congress has a breaking point in the power struggle and so has Trump if he does go through his veto and secures the border and resolves the crisis at the Southern border. Ultimately, Trump's presidency is not going to be judged by whether he was nice, forgiving and friendly to his critics but on whether he did his best to take care of situations and problems that needed attention. Trump is not politically correct nor does he cow tow to the establishment limits on governing and that is precisely why he was elected and that is precisely he will be reelected. This is not any wishful thinking, it is is just the reality and the truth.
1
@Girish Kotwal - So where is the great infrastructure and health care he promised us?
4
@DR We do have the great infrstructure that is being rebuilt. Just look around. Take a small trip to NY Laguadia and you will see a multibillion dollar construction project underway. As far as health care Obamacare has not been repealed and if you considered it working well why would you want new health care.
1
Where's the end of that quick trade war he promised? Peace with N. Korea? Affordable drugs? What a failure this man is.
I'll join the chorus of comments here: It's about time! (Hoping it's not a fluke or just posturing for eventually not overriding the veto)
2
There's a new term to use during our political debates: Taking a Tillis. That shall forever be a way to describe, in just three words, allowing ones reelection to take precedence over prior good judgement. It's almost as simplifying as is the -gate suffix. Maybe we can use the term in sports. When a ref or commissioner reverses his stand upon having his voice drowned out by the fans, he or she is "Taking a Tillis." Maybe I took a Tillis ages ago when I gave in to my young son's bawling demand.
1
Quite the contrary, the fact that 41 Republican Senators voted to protect their own legislative branch of government means that Congress has no breaking point when it comes to Trump's Constitutional overreach. The choice in 2020 couldn't be more clear, more dangerous or more urgent. If you value America, it's laws and it's principals, we must rid ourselves of those who do not. Vote them out. It is the only weapon that has not been totally obliterated from our quiver of responses. Until then pray there are still patriotic Americans in our police departments, our military, and for reasons that can only be described as intimidating and counterproductive, our biker culture? Here in Florida every other car seems to have a "Watch out for motorcycles" bumper stickers. I'll never think the same way about that warning.
5
From the article: "And they underscored a deep frustration in Congress about the president’s supposed scorn for a coequal branch of government."
"Supposed" ??? "Obvious" would be a more apt choice.
2
Will not believe this until GOP lawmakers break with the President in a way they know will actually work. This vote, striking though it is, is just a toothless, aspirational statement.
3
This article is nothing but wishful thinking. The fact is the president will get away with violating a central tenet of the Constitution because although the Congress "rebuked" him, they did not do so strongly enough. Hopefully the Supreme Court will step in to reign in the executive branch -- but who knows? What we do know is that 41 senators effectively abdicated the power of the legislative branch, which includes oversight.
As a progressive, I expect nothing less from a Democratic president than an immediate declaration of an emergency over climate change and gun control. When 41 Democratic senators go along with the declaration despite the howls on the other side, I hope the media takes an equally sanguine view of this disastrous precedent that threatens the very structure of our democracy.
210
@Gabriel H He's certainly setting a dangerour precedent, isn't he? But I expect that the Republicans will try to push through legislation that will limit this authority of the president just so this doesn't happen again with a Democratic president. He's said he doesn't need to do it, so why won't the so called responsible people in Congress overturn the expecrted veto? Dangerous times!
8
I am glad to see that Congress is pushing back a bit, but it should have pushed back much earlier, and much harder. In our Constitutional system of checks and balances, Congress is supposed to check the president. Unfortunately, too many Republican senators and representatives are placing partisanship and their desire to win reelection ahead of their Constitutional duty.
3
Congress might find itself more popular if its members actually did their job, compromised and passed bipartisan legislation advancing the many interests the vast majority of Americans support!
4
Means little to nothing. It does send a message to the President but unless the veto is overridden he'll do as he pleases and misappropriate the funds for his wall anyway.
1
So some Republicans voted against the emergency declaration—there are not the votes to override a veto.
I never heard that President Trump objected to the releasing of the Mueller report so not sure why that was thrown in.
SCOTUS will decide.
That 41 out of 53 Republican Senators still voted to support President Trump's blatant autocratic overreach attempting to breach the Constitution's separation powers is still extremely troubling. They have violated their oath of office and betrayed the very foundational document and the "rule of law" that's the heart of our democracy. They are the enablers of the very dark heart that threatens to impose an autocracy. They have identified themselves as anti-Consitutional, and indicated that they will prevent it from being used to impeach the president. This is the message they have sent, and it's chilling.
6
The headline suggests a bigger sea change among Congressional Republicans than the actions warrant. In particular, Senators like Thom Tillis of North Carolina showed utter spinelessness when they appeared to be more concerned about being "primaried" than about the Constitution.
3
Many in Congress (especially Republicans but not only them) will only respect the Constitution when it is their interest. They also only care about the deficit when it is in their interest. They act like the United States is something to be manipulated for their own short term gain, and the gain of their rich patrons, rather than for long term success. Short term gain is often long term pain. The voters must focus on this.
2
This has a familiar feeling.
I'm old enough to remember the Nixon fiasco and how it progressed:
1) It became obvious to many that he'd done some serious wrongs, but he and his supporters brushed it off and went on with business as usual.
2) For way too long, his toadies surrounded and protected him, and the part of the media that supported him said it was much ado about nothing.
3) Then more evidence came out which was hard to deny. A few in his party questioned him, but largely they stuck together or stayed silent.
4) Then it became glaringly obvious that he and his close associates had done a great deal wrong, and a few more GOPs pulled away.
5) Once the party and his supporters started to splinter, there was a sudden vacuum of support for him and things fell apart relatively quickly.
6) But in the aftermath, there was dead silence from most of the people and media who had staunchly supported him.
We are at stage 4, after lingering in stage 3 for much too long.
We may be seeing the beginnings of stage 5, after Cohen-2, the N Korea fiasco and FBI's report all hit him at about the same time. This week's trifecta by Congress may be the first clear sign of stage 5. Fasten your seatbelts folks; it's going to be a bumpy ride.
And it will be interesting to see what happens in stage 6, whether any of his current still-loyal supporters will acknowledge they stuck with him, or whether they'll claim they didn't like the guy, barely even knew him.
3
@Mark Miller
Well analysed
1
The breaking point is only when the members of congress think they can vote for or against anything and will not be voted out by their constituencies. Be it in a primary or general election.
1
This is a frightening time. The majority of the former Republican Party, now the Party of Trump, does not recognize the Constitution.
2
@Tom Garlock- last night the national news reported that "Trump has a 90% approval rating from his base; Republicans". 90%!!!!
1
Give me a break. The Republicans in the Senate and House are probably just waking up to the latest polls and their ability to be re-elected if they hitch their horse to Slumping Trump.
They care about nothing except being re-elected and being able to feed from the special interest trough to line their pockets and set themselves up for a cushy retirement.
1
This is nothing and may just be a distraction to make the public think the GOP is still relevant, independent thinkers. None of the Republicans were directly against Trump. It is still the Party of Trump and still on a course to destroy everything most of us call American.
2
"He feels like his commitment to build the wall is moving forward.”
This is not the entire commitment, as we all heard and some chanted, he also promised Mexico would pay for the wall.
A more interesting aspect is the cost has continued to climb and absent any final and complete request for quote, this ridiculous vanity project has the capability to balloon even more.
As with all things related to Trump, follow the money to see who is enriched by the turmoil engendered through the diversion of this tax money from programs which sustain the basic needs of citizens including but not limited to: Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.
As each of us prepares our tax returns, we need to be mindful of the fact that tax cuts for the wealthiest citizens DO NOT expire, not so the rest of us. Whatever short term gain you may realize will be offset when the cuts expire and the social programs are slashed.
3
Republicans have allowed the”de-education of America
Republicans have allowed the EPA to be battered and bruised.
Republicans have allowed healthcare to be chipped away bit by bit.
Republicans have allowed the rich to pay less than the rest of us in taxes.
Republicans have been side by side with Trump through all the hypocrisy this country now is.
As the rest of us have waited and prayed for our democracy to heal and Congress to do the American people’s will 12 republicans out of their group stand up and vote for what everyone of them years ago should have said. No to thugs, no to criminals, no to self serving pretenders. Enough.
2
A moment of soul searching? If there were a soul to be searched it would have been done already.
2
Reports of Republican spine transplants are premature. Let’s see if they override his veto.
2
Congress needs to wake up more than a little to its responsibilities. This national emergency issue is a major issue to see if the Sentaors and Congressmen support the Constitu tion or a particular person. Article I is a foundation ofr country governamcee. The separation of powers prevents a dictatorship or kingdom. The citizenry is watching all this. We are looking to see who are looking out for their jobs as opposed to those who are looking out for our country.
1
“May 16, 2012 (still in effect): Blocking Property of Persons Threatening the Peace, Security, or Stability of Yemen, continued in May 2012.”
Can we ignore trumps emergency declaration for a wall since he’s ignoring the above emergency declaration?
Not only are we allowing Saudi Arabia to continue its assault in Yemen, we are selling US arms to assist the assault.
This could be the beginning of the end for Trump's presidency. Congress voted to curtail support for the Saudi war with Yemen. The Senate voted against Trump's emergency declaration on the wall. And yesterday (two days after Trump brags that "tough people" who support him may do some "very bad things" to those who oppose him), the senseless slaughter of 49 Muslim's in New Zealand. And it appears that the person who committed the mass murder was influenced by Trump's hate-filled anti-Muslim rhetoric. But fear not. Trump will not lose a single vote in his base (of mindless supporters).
They all turn on a dime, don't they?
They are simply amazing little creatures, and would provide a fine arena for the study of self preservation.
1
The power of the Executive has grown since Jefferson after he agreed to buy Louisiana and "spent" the money without the approval of Congress. That power has grown since then. The problem is mot in the Executive, but in the Legislative branch. It is they to keep the Constitution in focus regarding the separation of the Branches of Government. The issue is not the Wall, the issue is the Branches of Government as designed by a French in the 17th Century. Momntesquieu was the political philosopher.
Yes, Triump has gone over the cliff here but since Jefferson, Presidents of the U.S. have kept taking more power of the Congress and the Congress let them do it. Finally, the Congress (both parties) said, "No Mr. President, not this time."
For most of our history, we've had presidents who were good men and didn't test the outer limits of power. Now, we have a man as president who cares little for anything except his own bravado. He is more than willing to test the outer limits of his power or even exceed those limits. He does not share a respect for the rule of law his predecessors had. He is more interested in winning than in doing what is right. Congress must show him his limits. They must show him there are boundaries.
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@John Most Republicans are more interested in power than doing what is right.
13
@John
And yet, sadly, I think we'll all find out that Republicans will place no limits on him when Trump's veto stands. The so-called defectors made a token resistance, knowing full well that they couldn't effect the eventual outcome anyway.
11
Breaking ranks because they're worried about their jobs?
At any rate, it's about time!!!
7
The grim reality that occurs to me again and again is that by suppressing the vote in so many ways, we have backed ourselves into corners at the extremes of our political process. Republican politicians, in particular, live in fear of being "primaried" because only a scant percentage of their party members vote in primaries. Centrist positions are silenced, candidates willing to work across the aisle or compromise when appropriate are annihilated. Thus, they can write "principled" op-eds and give pompous speeches but then cave in to their fears of losing their power and positions.
Can they not see how important it is to educated our citizens, to make voting as easy as possible? In strangling our voting process, Republicans have not noticed the hands squeezing their own throats closed. If they cannot vote their "principles" and conscience, let them choke.
10
“Waking up A LITTLE BIT to our responsibilities?” Mr. Lamar openly admits to being irresponsible. Great. Just what they were elected for. He should think seriously about retiring. Getting re-elected time and time again builds complacency and clearly laziness. Mandatory retirement laws at 65 or two term limits for senators will keep them awake and active to their “responsibilities.” Despite all the goods insane quotes from Trump, this one Lamar makes is the most revealing and disgusting quote of GOP madness that shows how blind loyalty is extremely pervasive.
13
Congress MUST override the VETO. Any Republican not voting to override the veto shall not be re-elected! The American people will not allow it. DJM
12
Give me a break. Wake me up when these brave Republican Senate enablers override Trump's veto. They're all about as courageous as Paul Ryan. In the meantime, I'll just keep snoring.
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"Constitutional weaklings," indeed. For about half of my adult life, this has been the Congress of the United States, and I yearn for the level-headed, charitable debaters of years past. They seem like a relic from my history books. Trump? He's the stereotyped used car salesman: greasy, insincere, and ridiculous. There needs to be more "breaks" in the congressional polemical status quo. Everyone ready for the next election cycle?
17
@Paula M. OBuckley Already sending my Benjamins to those organizations and politicians who stand against trump and his enablers.
1
Not yet. Not one senator discredited Trump for calling it a National Emergency.
4
Demonstration that experience matters — Pelosi guiding all this.
3
This isn't about vertebrate vs invertebrate. This is about believing in the primacy of the Constitution vs the primacy of the Party. The 41 Republican holdouts believe that the will of a Republican president must be upheld and will tie their beliefs in knots to achieve that. Presumably some of these 41 also voted to convict Bill Clinton in 1998, because lying to Congress about oral sex is a much more serious offense than thwarting the will of Congress about the budget.
9
Every Democrat in both houses of congress voted to uphold and protect the constitution, only a minority of Republicans did. What does that tell you?
14
Republicans complained that Obama was defying the legitimate authority of the Presidency with executive orders but they knew it was hyperbolic rhetoric to express their anger. They knew Obama was acting legally and not anything which they could challenge. Trump’s misuse of the national emergency authority is illegitimate if the Congress votes to terminate the declaration, which they have. That that will not be upheld against the President’s veto is a national disgrace because even those who will not oppose Trump and even Trump himself know that the declaration was bogus.
4
Much ado about nothing, it's still solidly the party of trump. 40 GOP Senators still voted with trump, and the handful who voted against him are largely in safe states for them. Lastly, it's a symbolic, meaningless vote as trump has vowed to veto it to send a signal to the extremist talking heads about his vanity wall.
Now, they'd have my attention (and a tiny bit of my respect) if they grew spines (and consciences) and voted to override the veto.
9
@J Darby Both of Utah's Republican Senators voted to respect the Constitution's separation of powers and disapprove the presidential power-grab. That's significant, and encouraging.
@John Ogilvie
One of them is a never-trumper and with star power that will protect him from risk in Utah (Romney). And both will vote with him 98% of the time. Color my not encouraged.
I used to live in Sandy many years ago, Tynedale Court. Loved it.
“The Senate’s waking up a little bit to our responsibilities,” said Senator Lamar Alexander, Republican of Tennessee.
Don't worry----with leadership from McConnell and cheerleading by Lindsey Graham, they will very soon doze off again.
4
Lindsey Graham is such a lot of hot air, reassuring Trump. “Moving forward” on the wall? Really? Haha.
4
Eight more Republicans have to step up to the plate to override Trump's veto. When that happens, the Senate will have reached the breaking point. And we don't need the hypocrisy of namby-pamby senators like Tillis who speak loudly and carry a toothpick.
9
I’ve always prayed that at one point the chips would fall quickly. The republicans are spineless. Maybe this is the beginning and the mueller report will nail it shut. I keep praying.
7
It will only mean something if they over ride his veto which they won't. If they were true conservatives they would as true conservatives would have respect for the Constitution.
These are fake conservatives which means they will cave to keep some right wing goofy talk show host happy.
5
Get the rails ready because Lindsay Graham and Mitch McConnell are about be ridden out on them.
1
The senate is "waking up a little bit to our responsibilities" under the constitution? Excuse me, but anybody is not yet fully awake is derelict in duty. The passivity of the GOP senate is appalling. The lack of courage is pathetic. I salute those members of the GOP who voted for principle knowing they would suffer the consequences. Those who sided with Trumpism over the constitution will be remembered by history the same way the Vichy are remembered in France and the appeasers are remembered in Britain.
7
Nothing the republicans can do now or in the near future will rewrite history. They and I mean all have been complicit in the destruction Trump has made of our country. Our country not his, not theirs. Putin has motorcycle thugs who threaten and attack the citizens of Russia. Are we next? A so called president who threatens his own citizens with harm? My god the GOP should and the rest of Congress go after him for that alone. Words matter. What a poor excuse for a louse.
4
I can't see that voting for something with 12% or less of the Republicans is really much of a change. They vote their conscience then change their votes or are torn because they vote with Trump instead? If it cannot override his veto on something as important as protecting the Constitution, the Congress is still a paper dragon.
12
The depressing part is that 41 GOP Senators and 194 GOP members of the House thought that supporting Trump is more important than upholding and protecting the Constitution.
Both votes should have been unanimous....
19
Oh, please.
Only 12 Republicans voted against Trump's 'emergency.' Most of them aren't on the ballot in 2020. Trump will veto and Republicans will cower, as they always do.
This is no 'breaking point.'
16
This really signifies no such thing. Anyone who has thought about it at all at this point knows that Trump is manifestly unfit for office. But because he has the support of the all important GOP base they still support him. The only thing we know is that the GOP never cared about the constitution or budgets. They exist pretty much only to cut taxes for the rich and corporations. This is of course generally not a popular position so they stir up racism in order to mask what they are actually doing.
10
This sole purpose of allowing the vote to proceed was to engage and enrage Trump's base. Mission accomplished.
5
@Martin, I disagree. What this will do is show the base that Trump will not back down. He will veto the bill and we go back to where we were before.
@DSS - Of course we will be back to where we were. But Trump's refusal to back down is exactly what engages his base.
Two firsts are two firsts. That's the main point of the article. A more important point which was touched upon, but not developed, is what will the courts do with Congress stating there is no emergency. This action has real meaning because it was done pursuant to the statutory scheme which specifically empowers Congress to rebuff the President. A veto means the issue will be decided by the courts. In my opinion, it is an issue that needs to be decided by the courts.
3
It can only be regarded as a "breaking point" when Congress overrides Trump's veto. Otherwise it's much smoke about not too much. The overwhelming number of republicans are still firmly hitched to Trump and his policies. This story could have been presented a little less dramatically. The end result of Trump's power grab remains the same, despite the theatrical presentation.
36
@KB Exactly! It is symbolic but it accomplishes nothing. The press has overstated the importance of this.
2
@KB
If the courts cite the majority vote of Congress in opposition to this action in lawsuits challenging it, it could make a difference, even if the veto stands. That, and the fact that Trump himself said he didn't need the emergency declaration, he just wanted it. The end result has not yet been revealed.
2
That Congress may have a breaking point is a positive. When the founding fathers established Congress as the First Branch of government and a check on the Executive Branch, voters were white male property owners and the districts were much more homogeneous than they are today. Even disregarding Congress members' proclivity for giving their own re-election priority over their duty to serve the country, they have a difficult job reconciling the interests of the widely varying populations of the different districts. It is so much easier to let the president, who can make unilateral decisions, do the job of governing, especially in the area of foreign policy. We the people must hold Congress accountable. Any member of Congress who acts as a mindless puppet of the president should be voted out of office.
20
I tend to agree with the comments that this was no hoped for recognition of a bridge too far by just a few Republicans. I don't believe they would have strayed at all without approval of McConnell.
I think McConnell is starting to recognize that they may be circling the drain with Caligula as one or more new scandals land each day and has decided it may be safe to have a few members test the waters of public reaction. The rest of the GOP is still there to safely sacrifice the Constitution for the sole purpose of their job and power preservation knowing they will not override the veto. They all abandoned the integrity and purpose of their representative seats long ago.
25
@Andy McConnell doesn't care-- he's retiring. Whatever he does or has done during this awful administration amounts to the bomb he throws as he heads out the door.
1
When was the last time the House vote was unanimous on any issue? Surely it has happened; surely it hasn't happened lately.
5
Somehow the momentous occasion has escaped me. Let me know when real push back occurs not just votes with little accountability for the GOP.
20
I support a reassertion of legislative power, especially under this president. However, I do have an important qualifier. Legislative power is only when pursuing an end to unrepresentative governance in the form of gerrymandering and so many other partisan fiats. An honest legislature should absolutely diminish the power of the presidency but they have to be honest first.
3
I think this headline is overblown. Republicans voted just enough over the line in an attempt to try to prove they have some backbone, but not enough to override a veto. Seems calculated. This senate has a long way to go when it comes to executive oversight.
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@MissyR
Until they marshal a veto proof vote on any issue they remain a profile of timidity fecklessness.
23
@MissyR
While it's true that some Republicans mostly voted against the President merely as a show, we still have a long way to go before Congress does the job it was designed to do.
All of us are sick and tired of hearing about Trump's men warning those "on the fence" about the negative consequences of not voting with the President. On that I reply, "bah humbug"
Let them do the job they were elected to do and move ahead with following the basic principles of our Constitution.
By the way, I have a few more years before retirement. Do you think I will get to read the Mueller report before then?
12
Is the camel ready for the straw? Opinions differ. One hopes.
21
Some breaking point.... Trump will use his veto and republican senators will abrogate their duty as senators. Democrats as usual are on the sunny side, for whatever reasons. Some republicans visited the sunny side for this issue but are shamefully in the dark for most others, as they will be when asked to override the veto. Shame on the GOP. (so what's new, I ask?)
30
“And on Thursday afternoon, 12 Republican senators abandoned the president to pass legislation”
Breaking point for congress is overstated? This is pathetic; there were only 12 Republican senators out of 53 blocking this national emergency declaration. WHY didn’t the Senate Republicans make it unanimous? WHY did it take over 2 years for these 12 to wake up? What sense does this all make when the President can veto the legislation?
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@A.A.F.
Some of "the twelve" were only elected this past November.
1
After his disgusting remarks to Brietbart, all Trump needs is a toothbrush mustache for the transformation to be complete. The members of this Congress may retain their positions, as well as their K Street prospects, but it comes at the cost of their integrity. They will go down in history as craven cowards who ignored their oaths of office to protect their own self interests.
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@frederick10280
We need not the luxury of time to establish that they are "cowards who ignored their oaths of office to protect their own self interests". We are seeing it in real-time.
5
@frederick10280. Those members of Congress have already shown themselves to be common trollops!
2
@frederick10280: Let's not forget the fancy fake generalissimo uniform, you know he's dying for that, especially if he can finally get his tank parade.
5
The Republican defectors to the Trump cause had better worry that they're not assaulted violently by the Bikers For Trump as he just threatened in his latest tweets.
Those tweets also show now that Trump is now totally convinced he can take over the country because law enforcement and the military will do whatever he tells them to.
I guess all that socializing with Vladimir and Kim Jon and XiPing has gone to his head and he just can't wait to be just like them/.
150
" The Senates waking up a little bit to our responsibilities ". Real profile in Courage, NOT. Go home old fool, and enjoy your taxpayer funded benefits. In the meantime, WE must live with your dereliction of duty.
2020 : Vote Democratic. Straight Party Line.
94
If congress doesn't like what the President did, change the law. But what is happening is mostly political posturing on both sides. The American people are watching.
1
No, it is not political posturing. The President brought his case to the Congress and got a deal that did not please him. So he claimed an exceptional power reserved for immediate threats to the whole nation even as he stated that it was not necessary but he just wanted things to move faster. He misused his authority and made no serious effort to claim otherwise. The Congress is obliged to stop him but his base is so complacent about his bad conduct that they will not back up their own representatives when he messes up.
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@Tony J Mann
The law did not give the President the power to veto any Congressional termination of a declaration of national emergency. The courts ruled that the President must be allowed to sign or to veto all bills. So there are no changes short of denying the President authority to declare national emergencies.
1
This is shock therapy, but for whom: Congress, the Republican Party, the president or the American people. Was this congress’s “Network” moment; “We can’t take it anymore!” Let’s hope so.
5
@David J
Doubtful at best.
Wow! Republicans would like us to believe that they have finally grown a spine. Never mind that it is the responsibility of Congress to deliver a veto proof vote on this "emergency". What we are witnessing here is the application of swine lipstick.
93
Nonsense the GOP finally found the strength to oppose trump. This was a safe vote on the emergency declaration.
The real test: do they have the guts to override his veto? No.
Add to that, spineless flipper Sen Graham blocked a symbolic vote on releasing Mueller's report.
They are the same gutless wonders they were before.
115
''This is not the end, this is not even the beginning of the end, this is just perhaps the end of the beginning.'' - Winston S. Churchill
15
Nope. This article will look really dumb by next week when the Republicans all side with Trump on the next outrageous thing they'll side with him on.
63
Yes, please let's not protect our borders. How about we change asylum loopholes?
2
@NYC Dweller
How about we prosecute employers who hire illegals? No jobs, no reason to come. We need real immigration reform not a ridiculous wall that won't do a thing. We need guest worker status. Who do you know who is willing to go out into the fields and harvest lettuce? They aren't taking our jobs, they are fulfilling a need and it needs to be done in a legal fashion.
2
@NYC Dweller It's the home grown terrorists I'm most afraid of.
To Senator Alexander and his GOP colleagues in the Senate (I exclude McConnell because he is a dishonorably lost cause) I can only say, "It's about time", after over two years of what the military would call "neglect of duty".
In this case, I might go so far as to call it treasonous neglect of duty, the neglect and violation of Constitutionally mandated duties--principally those that protect the rights of the American people and the fundamental checks and balances that enable governance in a democratic republic such as ours.
Now, get on with it: Do Your Duty!
30
the title of the article is very deceptive. there was no "breaking point." - the outcome was due to democrats voting together without dissent - it is disturbing they vote that way, as if they are just robots of their leadership. and the vote was not bipartisan, only a handful of republicans joined the democrats. many will just read the headline and not know about the details of the vote. this is just more deceptive anti-trump editorializing in the news section
5
@sh: 'Robots of leadership" Ah, the projection!
20
Martha McSally of Arizona took an oath as one of the first female fighter pilots in the military. With her vote she has abandoned her promise to protect the constitution of the United States. She has become a chicken. And remember chickens can't fly. From fighter pilot to grounded chicken. Sad.
38
Oh please, let's stop with the hopeful. The Senators who "stood up" to Trump deserve no respect, they were doing their jobs.
We should have disdain for the rest of the Senate who folded like cheap lawn chairs because keeping their job was more important than protecting and defending the Constitution which was their sworn oath.
603
@AusTex
There is no violation of the Constitution, he is following the law.
@AusTex I agree with you totally. Senators who did not vote in favor of blocking Trump's emergency declaration are only concerned about their job and their re-election.
Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina is a prime example for he wanted to vote in favor of blocking Trump's emergency declaration however, he was more concerned about the backlash hence changed his mind and voted in favor of supporting Trump's emergency declaration.
Unfortunately, most Republican Senators are cowards and fear Trump's ire and will suppot him "'til death do as part".
Shame on them and their lack of conscience.
46
@AusTex: If we don't have "hope" AusTex then we are finished as a democracy - with all of its problems and very serious issues - let's see where we are in a year. This country and its Constitutional principals are worth fighting for even if the day to day seems overwhelming and just not worth it. Hang in there!
27
At last, a spark of life in an otherwise silent and acquiescent Congress content to let this president rule by whim and decree. One could count on half of one hand how often they've been able to rise to the occasion since they first ushered Donald Trump into the White House.
It's bad enough that during his tenure he has idolized every autocrat and strongman on the planet while alienating our allies and ripping up the treaties that prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons, but to sit idly by while U.S. bombs starve and decimate a civilian population and remain silent while a dissenting journalist and U.S. permanent resident is murdered in cold blood because he holds his personal relationship to the Saudi throne more relevant, is something this Congress had every right to stand up and speak out against.
And even though their act was doomed from the start by an inevitable presidential veto, for brief moment we got to re-live the glory of our Revolutionary past by flexing our Constitutional muscles and the right to dissent.
THIS IS WHAT DEMOCRACY LOOKS LIKE.
38
I don't believe there is any breaking point signaled by the Republicans, when you look at the amount of votes cast for not allowing this phony emergency declaration and the overwhelming majority of Republicans that supported this charade, it is disgraceful.
Lindsey Graham the ultimate Trump Bootlicker and Toady, is about as hypocritical as one gets.
I have to wonder if Lindsey would have still voted with Trump, if John McCain were still alive?
Lindsey Graham has proven to be a two-faced phony, then there is "Mel" Tillis, oops, I mean Thom Tillis who wrote that Op-ed which rightly stated why it should be overturned only to tuck his tail between his legs and cower like a weakling before Donald Trump; let's not ignore the another ultimate phony who writes books about character and morality, only to be shown to big another hypocrite not worthy of a senate seat, Ben Sasse.
Mike Lee is acting like a whiny little coward, as he is being chased around by the bully, offering to agree only if the bully promises to sign in an act to prevent it in the future; what a joke.
This vote alone demonstrates and shows exactly why the Republican congress when they had the leadership under a majority of President Obama's 8 years and the first 2 years of Trump, were known a Dysfunctional and Obstructionist Do Nothings; it cost the Republican's the majority in the House, but the Republican Senate has proven themselves unworthy as Public Servants, they are mostly Trump sycophant's.
56
@Chico, It makes you wonder what dirt Trump has on Graham, McConnell and Cruz that they have done 180's on their prior positions.
19
@Chico
Of course Lee would like to make it illegal for future Presidents to do the same thing. That is an effort to give the Republicans a free hand while cobbling future Democratic Presidents.
4
Are we supposed to applaud the 12 Senate Republicans for doing the right thing? No. We should be calling out all those spineless and hypocritical ones who voted for Trump's bogus plan out of fear of incurring his wrath and facing a Trump zealot in a primary. For any of them to call himself/herself a constitutional conservative is a joke. Allowing the executive branch to usurp the authority of the legislative branch is nothing short of an assault on the Constitution.
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@nzierler
Well, yes, applauding 12 for doing the right thing seems reasonable.
I agree with your larger point—it shouldn’t be exceptional that senators do the right thing. But for now I guess they deserve a participation trophy. Or one of those Pelosi snark-claps.
3
Where have these people been for the past two years?
Alexander kept his mouth shut, but now that he isn't running for reelection he has woken up.
Too little too late.
73
Oust King Donald!
11
12 Republicans do not make a revolution, particularly with the assurance of a veto. And Lindsay Graham is a hypocrite and turncoat.
78
Headline: Senate Republicans rediscover their Constitutional obligation to the American people.
10
It should be bi-partisan agreement in the Constitution of the United States that there are three legislative branches of government to prevent one branch from exceeding boundaries of control in making decisions. This is what a Democracy is. Lest we lose sight of the big picture over small details, both the Democrats and Republics surely want to uphold the values of our founding fathers in working together. To have the President plan to veto a bill it has been passed by the many elected officials in the House and Senate by the people, to work for the people, is wrong in so many ways, and not the way our government has been established. For both Republican and Democratic officials, who have been elected to represent the people in their constituencies, a planned Presidential veto is a slap in the face to every one of the Senators and Congressmen and women.
15
@Deirdre Lamb
What is a slap in the face is the one being given Americans when Congress refuses to override that veto. Congress has a choice and refuses to do it's Constitutional duty.
3
Well finally. In my youth I read with admiration of the checks and balances in the American constitution and wondered what had happened to them after January 2017 when the wheels seemed to come off. But let’s not just make this a ‘one off’ senators, there have been plenty of other occasions when you should have stepped in. When the inevitable veto comes from himself, slap it down with a two thirds majority, or better yet, unanimous agreement to remind the little man that he is a public servant not master of all he surveys.
44
We'll see about this pushback? Yes they voted their conscience and perhaps put country before politics (this time) but I can see every one of these Republicans caving in to Trump the next time. The only Republican that stood firm against Trump was McCain.
12
Kudos to the republicans in the Senate who value the Constitution over party loyalty. For decades we have been moving toward an "imperial presidency", dismantling the separation of powers and thereby imperiling our democracy. Perhaps some of this phenomenon can be laid at the feet of our increasingly polarized society and politics. It is time to reconsider our loyalty: is it to party politics or our country and each other. Even our currency states: "E pluribus unum".
14
What a relief to see Republicans using their heads and not letting Trump trash [more of] our system. Sidestepping congress and seizing the purse strings is not the function of thr national emergency system.
8
@Kajsa Williams
41 spineless Republicans are cowering in their offices, hoping the press does not hound them for choosing this national disgrace, Donald Trump, over our U.S. Constitution.
1
Trump's warning, threat of violence could not have come at a more innapprobriate time.
(Tump) "didn’t define what that “certain point” might be in the Breitbart interview published Tuesday. But the implication was that his supporters (police, bikers and soldiers) would stand for a limited amount of political decisions that they opposed until the “tough people” made things “very, very bad.”
15
There is no independent Republican Party - the measure passed, but the fact that ANY senators voted against it is unconscionable. This was a constitutional issue, not a political one. Our only hope is that these spineless senators get voted out of office next year.
32
You can see a few cracks in the GOP's facade, but none are appearing at the foundation. What holds the GOP together is not principle, you can be sure, for they will bend their principles to the wind as if they were sails, as long as they are charting a course for their donor class and re-election. No, what holds the GOP together is a slavish dedication to power and Trump's base, and using one to obtain the other. This ties them effectively to nativism, white supremacy and Fox News. As the cracks spread from the facade to the foundation, the party will need to reform itself. Not "re-brand." Reform.
18
Seven Republicans in the Senate voted to defend the Constitution. Seven out of 51. In other words, 86% of Senate Republicans are still firmly behind Trump. The GOP is still the party of Trump. He is their master and they are his servants. Do not give the GOP one inch of slack on this one-time anomaly.
31
Two images come to mind:
1. This is like a family that has been terrorized by domestic abuse, where one or two members finally stand up to the abuser. And that shows the others that it’s possible to escape the domination and propaganda of the abuser. Once that happens, it’s much harder for the abuser to gain back the power that has held them all captive.
2. I think of someone with flabby muscles who, for whatever reason, starts going to a gym and lifts a bit of weight. And gradually finds it easier to lift a bit more. And becomes more independent, more assertive, in the process.
The GOP Congress has been in thrall to a tyrant. Once the scales fall from the eyes of a few, others notice.
I feel a tiny sense of relief. But I’m not holding my breath. Sometimes people return to an abuser. We can’t let that happen!
59
None of this matters until McConnell and his minions remember that they are Americans first, before being Trump's little friends. Hardly a stinging rebuke.
4
So disappointed in Cory Gardner, our Senator form the Great State of Colorado. You Swore to protect the Constitution.
For a guy who in 2017 said there is no crisis at the border, and billions are not needed, he has completely drank the cool aid.
The Denver post Yesterday acknowledged the mistake of endorsing you. Let's hope we vote you out in 2020 as well.
47
Faint signs of life have been observed. No, I'm not talking about
Mars. I'm referring to the Republican brain. But I suspect this is a phantom echo of a once living, reasonably stable governing
body that now remains pretty much inert and lifeless. What we are witnessing here is most likely a involuntary spasm, a twitch after life has ceased.
11
It really beggars belief to listen to think these Republicans have suddenly become responsible, principled lawmakers, just because their self-laudation echoes in the halls of Congress. They're still the same hypocritical, self-interested, corrupt bunch that just this week appointed a woman whose nomination should not even have been considered to the federal bench. Besides, if they can't override Trump's veto, what's the point?
6
Lindsey Graham the sycophant must be totally out of his mind and John McCain must be spinning in his grave. But how does Ben Sasse one of the few remaining dare I say thoughtful Republicans sleep at night. This was an easy vote, I'm sorry, standing up for the constitution is basic tenet for the GOP and easy to defend. The GOP now stands for nothing since they have already abandoned the rule of law, fiscal stewardship, personal responsibility, and family values.
33
I don't think "Breaking point" is an appropriate term for an institution that is already profoundly broken.
11
@Terry
That may be true. But that's what we've got, and it's a lot better than some other places on the planet.
This is the breaking point.
"I have the support of the police, the support of the military, the support of Bikers for Trump -- I have tough people, but they don't play it tough until they go to a certain point and then it would be very, very bad." - Donald Trump.
Trump is saying again, as he has said before, that there will be no peaceful transfer of power. When the violence breaks out in November 2020, Trump won't be the only one with blood on his hands.
Stand up for the country Republicans or those Trump police, military and biker gangs will be gunning for you next.
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@Pen Vs. Sword
Pray tell Sarah, Kellyanne, Rush and Sean:
How do "spin" these very clear threats of violence by "Dictator Don" posing as President of the United States?
4
That republican politicians in congress have defaulted in their obligation to defend the constitution is evident...and deeply shameful. They accepted Trump's abusive stance to bypass congress and do as he pleases. The McConnell's Ben Sasse's and Ted Cruzes of this worrld are hypocrites and ruffians (thugs), by being traitors to the constitution, all to keep their miserable seats in congress. They are undeserving to be called legislators, as they have allowed Trump to trample on them with 'gusto'. This is an awfully sad chapter in what used to be a healthy balance of the independence of the various branches of government. What next, is the military, and the police, going to pay allegiance to the vulgar bully in-chief now, trampling on 'law and order', and the constitution? Let's hope not.
11
"Mr. Trump could use the congressional votes to his advantage on the 2020 campaign trail, portraying himself once again as the outsider candidate battling an unpopular Congress and the establishment in Washington." I don't think that dog will hunt. The reason the Republicans lost the House, and the reason so many GOP Senators bailed on Trump, is that all but about a third of the electorate is fed up with the crook. It is more likely that, now that they have a taste of breaking with him, there will come a day when most Republicans understand that their party will get murdered in 2020 unless they get rid of this guy, and then the Trump tower of cards will collapse very rapidly. Day or two after the Mueller report, perhaps?
7
Congressional Republicans are like little kids who put one foot over the line and run back in abject terror. Once safely away they will boast about their own courage (in private). This will change nothing. And Susan Collins is still going down next year.
6
I lean Democrat, but here we have to give credit to brave GOP senators who broke rank to defend the Constitution. Those folks have shown more principle and love of country than any of their peers in either house or either side of the aisle.
5
Are you kidding me?
They have stood silently by trump and voted for his racist, anti-American, anti-worker, anti-democracy policies for two years, and you’re saying “you’ve got to give them credit”?????!
28
@GCM that is what passes for bravery these days? We're doomed.
11
@GCM, what? I don't consider it all that brave to defend the constitution; that's their JOB. It's what we should expect, but you act as if they are glorious warriors. When 12 GOP senators do the right thing, you swoon as if they personally pulled people out of a burning building.
Our standard of GOP behavior has fallen pretty low, when when they had to be shamed into doing the right thing. Tillis is more an example of republican 'bravery' than anything, flipping at the last minute in a threat-based cold sweat.
So when a few republicans finally do the right thing, you yell Bravo and extol them over the Democrats who called for this vote? Hmmm. "Either house or either side of the aisle"?? You really hang onto that 'bothsides' thing, but it's the Democrats who are leading here.
19
Our democracy is being tested by this presidency, his administration and his supporters. Every generation in the history of our country has had to do what it must to assure that our nation endures. trump and his world view is being repudiated daily. We need to learn from this experience as Americans and I am confident that we are doing just that and will vote him out of office come November 2020. Congress can and must work together to support and encourage the further growth and development of our democracy which is so very important and vital and then act accordingly.
17
Sure, the Senate voted against spending billions of our hard-earned tax dollars for Trump's wall. But it's an empty gesture. Unless both the Senate and the House provide a two-thirds or greater vote to override Trump's veto, the Senate's vote is not a breaking point. It's just one more in the endless series of initiatives, actions and statements made by Trump that goes against the fabric and core of the strong majority of Americans.
The only way to override Trump and his base on the border wall, the trade sanctions, the disrespect and denigration of immigrants or for that matter any people of color or of 'different' religions, the cuts to medicare, the deregulation of worker health and safety and environmental health protections, the removal of support for health care insurance for everyone, the tax cuts for the rich, the disparagement of our allies and the glorification of dictators, the championing of gun manufacturers over public safety, and the continuous sale of access to America's public officials, offices, and systems which diminishes America's prestige in order to add money to Trump's bank accounts, is to vote Trump out on November 3, 2020.
Only then will America start on the path back towards global leadership towards values that are actually, distinctly American.
96
All of this is good news and once again, we see our Constitutional process of checks and balances at work with both Democrats and Republicans drawing a line in the sand by circumventing a man occupying the Oval Office who is simply completely unfit - on every single level - to hold not only the highest political position in this country - but globally. This year will mark not only the nadir of who we are as a free, democratic nation but one that will rise victoriously from the ashes of a leader who tried to tear it apart with help from many sources including Russia. We await the findings of Special Counsel Robert Mueller, III who will bring sanity to an otherwise highly tumultuous period in our country.
27
"Thom Tillis of North Carolina, one of the first Republicans to declare his support for overturning the emergency declaration, faced a huge backlash from conservatives and flipped his vote at the last second." In other words, his newly-found spine immediately turned back into jello once it became clear his political career might be harmed. Got it.
443
@JenD
I wouldn't be surprised if Trump promised a primary election opponent. Yes, jello. How about Tillis explaining to his constituency why he would vote on "principle," instead of turning to jello. Maybe if we had more politicians explaining to their constituency why they voted the way they did, they would help educate the public. Instead of ethical behavior we get the Rs every time.
18
@JenD
I almost- almost- started to give Thom Tillis a second look when he wrote that editorial for the Washington Post about the need to overturn the emergency declaration. For a moment, maybe there was more to him than I thought. However, the reasoning in the missive against the emergency declaration that he had posted on his website (undoubtedly gone now) was pretty sophomoric- we can't do it or the Democrats will do it even worse- so I'm not entirely shocked he flipped. This is not a person who thinks deeply. I guess I was naive, but I was genuinely surprised that Graham and Sasse didn't vote to overturn it. They do talk a good game, but just empty words.
9
Question will be if it is too late?
IF Trump veto's the bill and Congress does not override Trump knows he is one step closer to a forever term.
It just amazes me the limb Republicans can't come up with a bill providing actual border security and see if Democracts will support that.
15
After 2 years of dysfunction, I should be thrilled 12 Republicans have finally stepped up? The lies and cover ups of this president should have been brought to the forefront long ago. I continue to ask, why does this president continue to have a hold over the Republican party? There is right and there is wrong. The difference is black and white, but remains gray for the majority of republicans.
157
@Bella There about 17 states in the union that strongly support and believe in Donald Trump and the way he wants to operate the country...I believe even to the point of Trump running the country like he runs the Trump Organization. These Senators and Congress men and women do not mind having an autocrat as their president because their voters want Trump as their leader. What is a Senator and Congressperson to do?...they are afraid of the base...the 30 - 40 percent of the country (not the 60 to 70 percent of the country).
The election of 2020 will be the point of no return for this country if the great minority start ruling America with President for life Donald Trump as their dear leader.
11
@Bella: As always, it comes down to money - those who have it make the rules and love the power it brings.
1
Mitt Romney is smart, honest, accomplished, a committed family man, devout Mormon and quite possibly the worst politician since before Thucydides began chronicling same. He’s wooden and has an absolute tin ear. Maybe he could actually bore the country back to political amity.
19
Of all the Republican Senators, surely Lindsay Graham is the one you love to hate the most. In front of the camera he always manages to sound like he could have integrity and moral courage. But as soon as the public eye looks elsewhere, he is back to being Trump's yes man.
266
@RHR
You would be right if not for the existence of one Mitch McConnell.
31
@RHR. I’d call graham trump’s pet dog, except a dog would have more self-respect.
16
@RHR
Don’t sleep on Ben Sasse.
2
7 Republicans is not “remarkable”. It’s not even a bare minimum. The bar is now so low that a mere ripple is considered a tsunami.
191
There is no Republican pushback here. They have not, all of a sudden, reached a breaking point or grown a spine. Look at the vote numbers. They knew perfectly well that there would be a veto and that they made sure not to be able to override it. A small subset of Republicans just did what they always do: Make a statement about how independent they are. And then cave to Trump.
520
@Mr. SeaMonkey
It was said by a commenter yesterday that Mitch McC just wanted a few volunteers who were not up for re-election to vote for a big show. Now they only need a few more to override the veto. Maybe this time......
21
It’s heartening to see that some Republicans are coming to their senses and admitting that Trump is overstepping his authority and is a true and present danger to our Constitutional laws. What is puzzling to me is understanding what Lindsey Graham really believes. He’s changed sides so many times that it’s obvious that his only real belief is self-preservation. It will be interesting to see how he reacts to the Mueller report. My guess is that he’ll wait and see how damaging it will be to Trump before deciding which side he’ll be on.
58
@VMG True. He'll be on whatever side he perceives to be of benefit to him, not to the country. He's pathetic.
13
@VMG: So true. Do you remember during the primaries in 2016 where he said Trump was like a cancer and would destroy the republican party if he were elected. Then after he was elected, he jumped with both feet onto the trump train. Sad.
4
@VMG McConnel and Graham must be twins. I don't recall two more similarly despicable men in congress.
3
The "president" just stated on Brietbart that “I have the support of the police, the support of the military, the support of Bikers for Trump,” and that his supporters would stand for a limited amount of political decisions that they opposed - then take action - presumably on trumps command.
Words of a dictator that every "Republican" should take seriously and yet, they do not. How has a "breaking point" been established if the Republicans allow this incendiary rhetoric to continue?
461
@Allen82 EXCUSE ME, Mr. Trump? Is the military coup you've been dreaming about? Bikers for Trump enforcing martial law?
51
The GOP love Trump. Do not expect any changes. He is the mouth-piece for their values. Do not underestimate the depth of this attachment to him.
44
@Allen82 So Trump has blatantly just threatened the Republic with a military coup if he does not get his way.
I guess we now know why "police" departments have been getting para-military gear.
7
After Donald Trump vetoes the rejection of his false emergency declaration and end run around Congress for further funding for that idiot wall, I sincerely hope that 8 more Senators step forward in order to override his veto.
It is way past time for the Legislative Branch (Republican Senators and House Members) to assert their proper Constitutional authority.
245
I believe that the federal judiciary will not support Trump’s pseudo—emergency. It won’t even be close.
9
@James Barth Not a chance in Hades that that will happen. This was a show vote, and this article is yet another that's looking for breadcrumbs that lead to a break in the stranglehold grip that Trump has over spineless/stupid/hate-filled (take your pick) his supporters. A political reporter in Michigan wrote the other day that, based on talking to dozens and dozens of Trumplovers, that they support him "unconditionally. UNCONDITIONALLY -- do you get that?" (his quote, not mine). This is what thinking people are up against.
11
@Garry But it will be years before the Judiciary settles this gross overreach by the WH.
NOW is the time for the Congress to act decisively to protect the power granted to it by the Constitution.
OVERRIDE TRUMP’S VETO!
7