The Republican Party is a bunch of sniveling weaklings
“President” Donald Trump declared a national emergency so that he could build his border wall. By resolution, Congress has the ability to reject the declaration if both the House and the Senate agree. Recently, the House voted to reject Trump’s “Fake (Emergency) News” and the Senate is up for a vote later this week. Word was that enough Republicans, including Rand “Russia Lovin’” Paul, were behind sending Trump a message – just say no to his border wall.
In recent days, reports have emerged that Trump is strong arming Republican Senators to try to avoid defeat. Now, The Washington Post is reporting that Senator Michael Lee is trying to introduce legislation to give Trump a narrow victory from the jaws of defeat. Lee proposes to amend the National Emergencies Act, which likely would face a defeat in the House unless it at same time really limited or constrained the executive’s powers.
With that legislation introduced, the Post has indicated some Republicans would have cover to vote against rebuking Trump. Senator Lamar Alexander expressed concerns and reservations about how much power any president has, noting: “I know the concern that I have and that most Republicans have is that the Congress has ceded too much authority to the president — not just this president, but any president. We’re looking for ways to get the power back where it constitutionally belongs.”
Senator Alexander is right about that. The Executive Branch has become too powerful in the Constitutional system of checks and balances our founders installed in our system of government. However, while he and others are right and trying to get some power back, most of them are trying to appease Trump and stay in his good graces. It is not for the purpose of actually checking this president, Corruptus Maximus, from his trampling of the norms. The GOP in the Senate should reject this emergency, then turn to addressing the power grab that has existed for many decades by the Executive Branch.
Daniel is a lawyer writing and teaching about SCOTUS, and is the author of the book “The Chief Justices” about the SCOTUS as seen through the center seat.