Senators Offer Up Unprecedented War Powers to President

[Chosen Daughter]

Senators Offer Up Unprecedented War Powers to President

New AUMF would cement forever war and give the phrase 'world police' new meaning.

By Kelley Beaucar Vlahos • April 18, 2018


WASHINGTON — A bipartisan bill introduced in the Senate Monday would give the president sweeping authority to wage endless war anywhere in the world with limited congressional intervention.

Perversely billed as a plan to “reassert” Congressional power to “authorize where, when and with who we are at war,” the proposal for a new AUMF (Authorization for Use of Military Force) falls way short of that promise. In fact, it achieves quite the opposite. The bill, if passed, would not only codify all of the authority the president has now to fight Al Qaeda and Taliban and “associated forces” as interpreted in the current 2001 AUMF, but allow the president to add as many targets as desired in the future. Congress can only reverse these add-ons with a veto-proof supermajority, and the White House is not mandated to fully disclose any new “associated forces” publicly or even to the full Congress. Nor is there a sunset provision requiring Congressional reauthorization, only a mere “review” every four years.

War critics on both the Left and Right were up in arms Tuesday over the details of the bill, which was introduced by Republican Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) and Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine (Va.). Unlike the 2001 AUMF, it names the Islamic State with the Taliban and Al Qaeda and five designated “associated forces” (Al Qaeda in Syria, Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), Al Shabaab, and the Haqqani Network), which would essentially allow the U.S. military to engage in hostilities in Yemen, several countries in East and North Africa, Syria, Libya, Iraq, Afghanistan and anywhere else these and any new groups may pop up in the future.

In short, it’s a rubber stamp for the global war on terror.

“Beyond being all but a full abdication of war powers vested to Congress in the Constitution, an AUMF that encourages perpetual, indefinite war is fundamentally at odds with fiscal conservatism and wise use of taxpayer dollars, as well as with wise use of our armed forces and its men and women who deserve robust debate over when and where they are asked to put their lives on the line for their country,” exclaimed Sarah Anderson, policy analyst for FreedomWorks, one of the conservative groups in Washington lining up against the bill, in an email to TAC.....................

http://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/senators-offer-up-unprecedented-war-powers-to-president-aumf-kaine-corker/

[ABX]

They are passing off the Constitutional responsibility of their office and the 'check and balance' from the citizens for this critical function.

It never should be easy to go to war.

[Chosen Daughter]

They are passing off the Constitutional responsibility of their office and the 'check and balance' from the citizens for this critical function.

It never should be easy to go to war.

Amen.  We keep going farther and farther from the Founding Guidelines of our Constitution that have served us so well.

[INVAR]

WASHINGTON — A bipartisan bill introduced in the Senate Monday would give the president sweeping authority to wage endless war anywhere in the world with limited congressional intervention.

Amazing how the "Conservatives" once we thought were 'our side' were all upset when these kinds of things were afforded Obama - but now that it's Trump - the cheers and huzzahs are endless.

These are the kinds of things that make Mussolini's and Hitler's when the government hands over such power to the hands of a single office or man.

[To-Whose-Benefit?]

Amazing how the "Conservatives" once we thought were 'our side' were all upset when these kinds of things were afforded Obama - but now that it's Trump - the cheers and huzzahs are endless.

These are the kinds of things that make Mussolini's and Hitler's when the government hands over such power to the hands of a single office or man.

@INVAR

Cheer up old friend.

With the spate of announced coming retirements from the Congressional RINOcracy (who prefer being the Minority since that's an easier place to Whine away the responsibility for their perfidy) it'll save us the trouble (since nobody's going to bother to DO it) of booting them out in Primary challenges.

[endicom]

They are passing off the Constitutional responsibility of their office and the 'check and balance' from the citizens for this critical function.

Congress will have nothing left to do but find ways to spend money.

[Sanguine]

Congress will have nothing left to do but find ways to spend money.

They're pretty much there already.

[INVAR]

@INVAR

Cheer up old friend.

With the spate of announced coming retirements from the Congressional RINOcracy (who prefer being the Minority since that's an easier place to Whine away the responsibility for their perfidy) it'll save us the trouble (since nobody's going to bother to DO it) of booting them out in Primary challenges.

So you think that AFTER Congress has already surrendered it's power and Constitutional Authority to the Executive, you assume after the next set of elections that Trump or the next Democrat President is just going to GIVE BACK these powers and authority that the Senate and the House just surrendered???

Heh heh.

Good luck with that.

Reminds me of this art imitating life piece.

! No longer available

[To-Whose-Benefit?]

So you think that AFTER Congress has already surrendered it's power and Constitutional Authority to the Executive, you assume after the next set of elections that Trump or the next Democrat President is just going to GIVE BACK these powers and authority that the Senate and the House just surrendered???

Heh heh.

Good luck with that.

Reminds me of this art imitating life piece.

! No longer available

Told you already I try to look at the glass being half full.

Just saying we know This crop is good for S^^t.

MAYBE, (thin beats nothing) we Might get an awakened electorate, especially after this knife in the back Porkulus bill, that'll demand more from their replacements.

Because there ain't going to be no 3rd party reaching down like the Almighty in some Stephen King Deux Ex Machina.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_political_parties_in_the_United_States

[To-Whose-Benefit?]

As for Congress surrendering its authority, we Could take that up with the scoundrels under Woodrow Wilson.

Ain't no magic bullets, no short term fixes, for this one.

Gonna take a lot of work, lot of time, and a lot of voters learning to say NO in NO uncertain terms.

That takes education, meaning Jar Jar Binks has to go.

[libertybele]

Amen. We keep going farther and farther from the Founding Guidelines of our Constitution that have served us so well.

   That is exactly why this country is in the trouble that it's in and as citizens of this country, we've allowed it to happen by voting in the same idiots over and over again.

[GrouchoTex]

Not only is the obvious problem of the constitution being ignored, it could have a secondary effect.
Money could be funneled through this continuing war resolution, without fiscal over site, and could be used for anything.
It is ripe for corruption.

We have always been at war with Oceania.

[INVAR]

Told you already I try to look at the glass being half full.

I wonder if the Kulaks tried to look at the Politburo's grant of full power to Stalin as a glass half-full?

MAYBE, (thin beats nothing) we Might get an awakened electorate, especially after this knife in the back Porkulus bill, that'll demand more from their replacements.

It has been demonstrated that Republicans in Congress don't give a flick about what the electorate sends them to DC to do.  Not only that, how is it again that a Constitutional authority and power surrendered to the Executive gets returned back to Congress?  One constant that never changes with human nature and power is that once power is surrendered and given to government, it is never returned.  Ever.

Because there ain't going to be no 3rd party reaching down like the Almighty in some Stephen King Deux Ex Machina.

Then enjoy the blue pill and believe whatever it is you want to believe.

[To-Whose-Benefit?]

I wonder if the Kulaks tried to look at the Politburo's grant of full power to Stalin as a glass half-full?

It has been demonstrated that Republicans in Congress don't give a flick about what the electorate sends them to DC to do.  Not only that, how is it again that a Constitutional authority and power surrendered to the Executive gets returned back to Congress?  One constant that never changes with human nature and power is that once power is surrendered and given to government, it is never returned.  Ever.

Then enjoy the blue pill and believe whatever it is you want to believe.

The only way your 3rd way is ever going to come into power is an armed, violent revolution.

I for one am not willing to roll those dice because the Electorate doesn't posses the political acumen to erect anything but a far worse Tyrant on a White Horse to replace the existing order.

[INVAR]

The only way your 3rd way is ever going to come into power is an armed, violent revolution.

Ever hear of the Whigs?  What replaced them exactly?

But let us assume your assertion is true.  If that is the case, then this experiment in the consent of the governed is already over and we're just pretending that the shell game of corruption that selects and seats our rulers is legitimate.

[To-Whose-Benefit?]

Ever hear of the Whigs?  What replaced them exactly?

But let us assume your assertion is true.  If that is the case, then this experiment in the consent of the governed is already over and we're just pretending that the shell game of corruption that selects and seats our rulers is legitimate.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whig_Party_(United_States)

The party fell apart because of the internal tension over the expansion of slavery to the territories. With deep fissures in the party on this question, the anti-slavery faction prevented the nomination for a full term of its own incumbent President Fillmore in the 1852 presidential election—instead, the party nominated General Scott. Most Whig Party leaders eventually quit politics (as Abraham Lincoln did temporarily) or changed parties. The Northern voter base mostly gravitated to the new Republican Party. In the South, most joined the Know Nothing Party, which unsuccessfully ran Fillmore in the 1856 presidential election, by which time the Whig Party had become virtually defunct. Some former Whigs became Democrats. The Constitutional Union Party experienced significant success from conservative former Whigs in the Upper South during the 1860 presidential election. Whig ideology as a policy orientation persisted for decades and played a major role in shaping the modernizing policies of the state governments during Reconstruction.[9]


With deep fissures in the party on this question, the anti-slavery faction prevented the nomination for a full term of its own incumbent President Fillmore in the 1852 presidential election—instead, the party nominated General Scott.

Makes a great soundbite if today were 1852 instead of 2018's instantaneous Media fix molding opinion second by second Without allowing the malcontents time for sober reflection.

And what Replaced them, according to one malcontent of the day, was a President who raised an army to invade his own country.

[endicom]

Ever hear of the Whigs?  What replaced them exactly?

The Plugs?

[corbe]

   The Tea Party flipped the House and the Senate in less than 2 years under obummer/Reid/Pelosi.  Are there Briefers insinuating that can't happen again because Trump/McConnell/McCarthy are in charge now?
   I beg to differ, the underlying issues are still there and if awoken again the American Electorate will rise again.
   This time we won't be railroaded by the GOP because we've learned they are beyond worthless.
   Am I dreaming again or possibly stoned?

[INVAR]

   The Tea Party flipped the House and the Senate in less than 2 years under obummer/Reid/Pelosi.  Are there Briefers insinuating that can't happen again because Trump/McConnell/McCarthy are in charge now?
   I beg to differ, the underlying issues are still there and if awoken again the American Electorate will rise again.
   This time we won't be railroaded by the GOP because we've learned they are beyond worthless.
   Am I dreaming again or possibly stoned?

Neither.  It's a dream worth putting into action, even if everyone else says we are stoned to even think to do so.

The time to start on making that dream a reality was last decade, last year, last month, last week and yesterday.  Don't let tomorrow slip by without making the effort to get something started outside of the corruption of the existing Oligarchy.

[WingNot]

Not only is the obvious problem of the constitution being ignored, it could have a secondary effect.
Money could be funneled through this continuing war resolution, without fiscal over site, and could be used for anything.
It is ripe for corruption.

We have always been at war with Oceania.

 
Tanagra, on the ocean. Darmok at Tanagra.

[Emjay]

   The Tea Party flipped the House and the Senate in less than 2 years under obummer/Reid/Pelosi.  Are there Briefers insinuating that can't happen again because Trump/McConnell/McCarthy are in charge now?
   I beg to differ, the underlying issues are still there and if awoken again the American Electorate will rise again.
   This time we won't be railroaded by the GOP because we've learned they are beyond worthless.
   Am I dreaming again or possibly stoned?

Not sure but I love the optimism.  Yeah, I was a Tea Party member if you can call it that.  It wasn't a formal organization but I went to meetings.

We can turn the Republican Party around and that is our best hope.

[corbe]

   Trump stole a lot of ideas from the Tea Party, even entertained the Birther Movement to get traction early.  He enticed his base with glitter and gold, all that shined, turned Common Sense into populism.
   This last Budget proves beyond a shadow of a doubt, nothing has changed. 
   We need Leaders, Lee, Cruz, Meadows to take that first step away from the GOP and the people will follow with $$$$, time and effort.   I agree we should have started when the Trumpers shut down the Convention and shoved Trump down our throat or at the very least, Romney. 

[corbe]

Not sure but I love the optimism.  Yeah, I was a Tea Party member if you can call it that.  It wasn't a formal organization but I went to meetings.

We can turn the Republican Party around and that is our best hope.

   I'd rather bury this poor excuse for a party and start over just as they did in 1860.  IMHO Trump has a solid 20~30% that will be in his corner, probably forever, but the other 20~30% is soft.
   I see it everyday, people are losing interest in this Clown Show, regardless of who's to blame and Pelosi could possibly be on his horizon for the next 2 years, it just gets worse.

[INVAR]

We can turn the Republican Party around and that is our best hope.

Have fun with that.

I'm twenty-five-plus years done playing into that false hope as the fruits of the Republican party have proven.

It's time to dump them and do something else outside of the existing corruption.

[Frank Cannon]

It's time to dump them and do something else outside of the existing corruption.

Well here is the party for you then....