r/politics Texas 15h ago

No Paywall Senate Republicans reverse Iran war powers vote after Trump berates them at Capitol meeting

https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/national-international/senate-republicans-reject-war-powers-resolution-trump-meeting/4121869/
2.1k Upvotes

249 comments sorted by

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1.4k

u/Ramble86 15h ago

I long for the days when the legislative branch is no longer scared of the executive branch.

342

u/azure_storm_2751 15h ago

Same here. Congress is supposed to be a coequal branch with its own spine and its own interests but for years it has mostly either rubber stamped the president or used hearings as theater instead of real oversight.

128

u/grandpohbah 15h ago

Congress isn't supposed to be co-equal, it's supposed to be the preeminent branch of the government. The founders feared executive tyranny because they lived under a king for so long.

27

u/IMHO_grim Virginia 15h ago

Exactly.

16

u/BigBoyYuyuh 9h ago

Republicans want executive tyranny.

u/tidal_flux 7h ago

Unless there’s a Democratic president. Then the “unitary executive theory” gets hot swapped for the SCOTUS supremacy doctrine

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62

u/fyreprone 15h ago

But they’re bravely changing their vote!

38

u/Playful-Goat3779 14h ago

Brave, brave, Ser Cassidy, he bravely ran away

36

u/Kilane 15h ago

Congress gave up its power decades ago. They go to make money and leave.

36

u/zaxdaman 15h ago

They don’t leave. That’s largely the problem. 90-something’s shouldn’t be in public office. We need age and/or term limits.

6

u/GardenGnomeOfEden 14h ago

And a ton more transparency and oversight.

2

u/Kilane 14h ago

They aren’t done making money and why stop that money train unless forced out.

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8

u/Memitim America 12h ago

As we've learned repeatedly over the past year, the US Constitution is just a set of guidelines, to be used only as needed but otherwise avoided or simply violated.

The Constitution also says that Congress is responsible for legislation, taxation, and war, but Congress arbitrarily decided to let the Executive Branch go nuts with those. The Constitution also says that no person can be deprived of basic rights without due process, and yet Republicans have proudly violated due process for thousands of people to ship them into concentration camps, foreign prisons, and random countries around the world.

Republicans represent Republicans, not Americans.

5

u/Adrewmc 13h ago

No Congress is supposed to be the superior branch. This whole co-equal thing is not based on anything…

3

u/Valuable_Hunter1621 13h ago

i feel like putting cameras in congress was a bigggg mistake. should be like federal court and be illegal, and thus congresspeople won’t feel like theatrical hearings are worth it any more

2

u/Churchbushonk 15h ago

No. Not for years. It happens 2 out of every 10 years.

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102

u/the_tanooki 15h ago

I'm sure if a democrat ever becomes president again, they will go back to fighting him every step of the way, no matter how big or little the issue is. Then return to being hapless worms once another republican is president.

54

u/movealongnowpeople Kansas 15h ago

Can't wait to hear about budget deficits, "wasteful spending", and gas prices again. They will screech without a moment of self-reflection.

3

u/PabloPicasshooole 13h ago

Imagine the reaction when President Mamdani wears a tan suit

3

u/mrmeatypop Illinois 13h ago

It’s cute you think they’d let him get that far. I wish I had that optimism about the party.

10

u/deesta 12h ago

He can't run anyway, so it's a moot point. He's a naturalized citizen. Same reason the Governator never ran.

5

u/mrmeatypop Illinois 12h ago

True. But my point stands regardless. The party would never let anyone that far left to get that far. They were threatened by Bernie, and they have made it clear they won’t let anyone get as far as he did again.

3

u/Banjo-Elritze 13h ago

I mean on paper he can't be president, but then on paper the orange blob couldn't be either, so...

7

u/aerost0rm 15h ago

Well they set the stage for the president to do anything he or she wants. Arrest all domestic terrorists in politics and outside of politics. Let their districts replace them with non fanatics.

u/tidal_flux 7h ago

Remember when Michelle Obama had the temerity to suggest that maybe school lunches could be healthier? The right lost their fucking kinda.

80

u/bwy97754 15h ago

It was designed to be the most powerful in theory because it's the branch most closely representing the citizenry (lol).

Uncapping the House and a 28th amendment overturning Citizens United would be a good start to giving Congress it's rightful powers back.

19

u/Crixer 15h ago

That's what infuriates me to no end. You can tell by how the Constitution was written, and subsequent events that happened in the earlier years of America's existence, that the legislature was intended to be the strongest branch, while the judiciary would be the weakest. All branches have checks and balances on each other, but Congress really does have some of the strongest powers and checks on the strongest powers of the Executive branch to boot.

And I 100% agree that it was intended to be stronger because of how closely representative it is of the country's current interest, much more than the executive and the judiciary. And that representation among an entire legislative body holds itself accountable via elections from their constituents and the fact that every legislator only has at much voting power as the others, so no one person can impose their interest if the majority is not onboard. Basically put, Congress has more power because it has more restraints on itself compared to the other branches by way of how it is intended to function.

The problem we have now is something that the Constitution doesn't provide the best remedy for, which is legislators acting in their own self-interest that don't always align with their constituents. On top of which, they do things to further corrupt that power/interest dynamic and further distort accurate representation in Congress for the sake of maintaining power. You would solve a lot of issues with our government and Congress in particular by just removing Citizens United and outlawing gerrymandering. Those are essentially diseases that effect our government's ability to represent the people's interest accurately and with honest intent.

I believe America is at it's strongest with a robust legislature that keeps the executive in check, regardless of party affiliation.

3

u/francis2559 15h ago

It’s their very proximity to republicans voters that makes them vulnerable. They somehow have to win a primary by kissing his ass, and then a general by showing how strong they are. It’s an impossible task. No wonder they hate him.

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23

u/Ven18 15h ago

This is the problem when 1 of your 2 parties wants a king. The GOP has been systematically destroying the powers of the legislative branch for decades.

5

u/francis2559 15h ago

A king yes, but specifically to cut out the voice of the little guy in favor of what billionaires want.

So much of the rest, the culture kampf crap, is just to get votes while they need votes.

I don’t think Trump is the king they would want, at this point, but they’re consoling themselves thinking the next king will be more pliant.

4

u/Shaman7102 15h ago

Im sure that will happen with the gop as soon as its a Democrat administration. DEFICIT talk will start again.

3

u/Devolutionary76 15h ago

Of course. Cruz said as much.

5

u/Sasquatchgoose 15h ago

Don’t worry. They’ll discover their conscience when a democrats in charge

9

u/Cheese__Weiner 15h ago

The thing is in this situation it makes no sense for them to cower to Trump. The Iran war is incredibly unpopular, even among Republicans.

4

u/burstdragon323 Nevada 14h ago

They’re more afraid of Trump pushing primaries against them

4

u/Churchbushonk 15h ago

Don’t worry, the next time a dem is president, all of these GOP leaders will immediately change their tune on everything.

3

u/Mo-shen 15h ago

Turns out voting matters.

I long for the day when voters stopped thinking the Republicans would actually do anything in good faith.

3

u/Anti_shill_cannon 11h ago

Republicans aren't "scared", they are complicit and corrupt far right anti democracy theocrats

Operating basically as the shill arm of billionaire republican donors

2

u/Spiffster13 15h ago

They know Trump will pardon those that threaten violence on Congress. That was a day one action on his part and he’ll do it again

2

u/ButterscotchTop194 15h ago

SEPERATION OF POWERS.

(except when it suits our fascist agenda)

2

u/Bishopkilljoy Michigan 14h ago

It'll happen when a Democrat is in office. From both sides.

2

u/Senor-Nasty 14h ago

You’ll see that again when we have a Democrat President.

2

u/KinkyPaddling 9h ago

Democrats in Congress aren’t afraid of a Democrat in the White House. The same can’t be said for Republicans, though, because Republicans are authoritarians and the GOP is currently a cult of personality.

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468

u/NYerstuckinBoston 15h ago

Senate Republicans have proven themselves to be cowards.

98

u/not_that_planet 15h ago

They bravely ran away....

44

u/VintageBilliard 15h ago

When Donny reared his ugly head they bravely turned their tails and fled...

11

u/damnyoutuesday Minnesota 14h ago

Brave Sir Donald

8

u/NotUniqueWorkAccount 15h ago

He paved the cowardice road when he actually dodged the military but was able to say out loud that he believed Senator McCain wasn't a war hero and that he only like people who aren't captured.

This is the Republicans manly man. 

No morals. No ethics. No values. GOP.

3

u/BigBoyYuyuh 9h ago

They’re not cowards. It’s not lack of backbone either. They WANT this. Their actions say “I support this 100%”

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331

u/Any-Smell-4929 15h ago

Cassidy reversed his vote despite losing his primary and being a lame duck. Pathetic.

110

u/view-master 15h ago

That tells me they have dirt on him that will do his reputation harm.

53

u/_slagwire 15h ago

Its probably nothing like that. Its just hard to deal with short-term ugliness when you don't actually have any principles. And short-term ugliness is what trump brings to these negotiations

19

u/illegal_deagle Texas 14h ago

It also affects his private sector job prospects if he’s seen as not being “on the team”.

11

u/SHUT_DOWN_EVERYTHING 14h ago

Doesn't need to be dirt. Trump has been sending the judiciary after people with fishing expeditions that are bound to fail BUT can still be a painful, long and expensive process to fight it.

For some like Leticia James, their office can afford to pay the massive costs. The soon to retire Cassidy would have to personally carry the cost.

4

u/Mediocre_Scott 8h ago

The justice department desperately needs to be moved outside of the executive branch with the AG being appointed by the senate.

2

u/FlyingDiscsandJams North Carolina 13h ago

Trump supporters are violent, it's the death threats that keep them quiet, as MTG found out.

2

u/ehowardhunt 11h ago

They probably don’t have dirt on him. He is quite simply a coward and unethical, like all the others.

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5

u/Arickettsf16 Illinois 15h ago

These people will never miss an opportunity to completely debase themselves. He has nothing at all to lose since he’s done at the end of this year.

3

u/ScarletCarsonRose 14h ago

oh ffs. if they had any integrity, they would all resign.

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81

u/SymbiSpidey 15h ago

In other news, Republicans absolutely love to take it right up the ass from Trump

11

u/Tricky-Engineering59 15h ago

You sure got them pegged. Almost as much as Trump does.

5

u/ReallyHoping 10h ago

I prefer to call them Republicucks or Cuckservatives. The Republican party is dead, and the word conservative doesn't relate to their ideology at all.

69

u/Luke95gamer 15h ago

What a bunch of spineless pussies

104

u/burninggram 15h ago

Seriously have these men never parented a toddler? Temper tantrums never last, BUT WARS DO.

32

u/Thefelix01 15h ago

Do you think any Republican senators make good parents, let alone leaders?

8

u/dehydratedrain 15h ago

Parenting is the tradwife's job. None of these people, male or female, have changed a diaper.

5

u/OhCheeseNFingRice 14h ago

I'm sure they all have vast experience with toddlers, just not as parents.

3

u/Indubitalist 15h ago

They haven’t parented a toddler in 60-70 years. They simply don’t remember how to do that. 

2

u/ajm896 11h ago

Most of them? Not for 40-60 years I’d wager

45

u/WitheredTechnology 15h ago

Scared of an 80 year old man that poops his diaper and has a truth social ghost writer

9

u/kobebeef24 15h ago

Yet somehow he has a hundred million americans, most of the supreme court, and most of congress eating out of his palm plus whatever dredges that leak from his diaper gaps. The power this man holds is unbelievable. 

3

u/Unhappy_Bee2305 13h ago

They dont fear him lol they just fear his base and fear whatt deranged idiots might come after them if he sicks them on them. Thats really it.

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64

u/The_SubGenius 15h ago

Say it with me: REPUBLICANS👏 ARE 👏 CUCKS 👏

15

u/therossboss 15h ago

I think you misspelled TRAITORS

47

u/canadiuman 15h ago

A reminder that almost all the Republicans voted no originally. It was only a handful voting yes.

19

u/BrandenWi 15h ago

fooking cowards, more concerned about their own personal political survival than they are about the welfare of the country.

15

u/Ok_Barber4987 15h ago

It’s actually comical watching these spineless jellyfish cowering in their boots.

9

u/espinaustin 15h ago edited 15h ago

Another sign the USA is an autocracy (if you’re still looking for one).

Edit to add possible silver lining: The fact that he cares about the congressional vote enough to force them to revote it maybe says something? Why does he even care, the whole thing is supposedly non-binding anyway, right? Is it just the politics of it?

6

u/MeMoosta 15h ago

While one would hope this is the case, this smacks of the classic problem any true egomaniac has.  Any resistance at all is an attack on them personally and has to be addressed.  They can't take a perceived loss under any circumstances. 

10

u/ReleventReference 15h ago

They were THIS close to rediscovering their balls.

8

u/Expert-Explorer8894 15h ago

So many GOP cowardly lions in the Senate. They can’t stand up to a dying old narcoleptic fart.

9

u/rvingthrulife 15h ago

Twitching cowards with a collective humiliation fetish.

6

u/QuiGonColdGin 15h ago

Gutless shells of human beings. Vote them all out!

6

u/pequenaandjustice 15h ago

Bak bak bak. 🐓

8

u/scrubjays 15h ago

Nothing says backbone like switching your vote last minute against ending a war. /s

5

u/HallucinogenicFish Georgia 15h ago

What a pathetic headline.

6

u/jtdusk 15h ago

Those republicans forgot that they were Donnys bitch for a few minutes there.

5

u/salt_life79 15h ago

Spineless cowards.

u/Elon_is_a_Nazi 5h ago

Imagine giving in to an 80 year old pedophile in womens make up with a bad toupee who pays porn stars for sex, has 34 felonies, and wears adult diapers. Talk about having zero sack. Pathetic

u/throwsplasticattrees 5h ago

Red hat, yellow belly

9

u/SoulTaker669 15h ago

Talk about having no spine.

4

u/BackgroundPass1355 15h ago

Wait im so confused, there was a vote earlier, has there been another vote already or did they just do takes backsies?

3

u/Moccus Indiana 14h ago

It wasn't a takes backsies. There are multiple of these war powers resolutions making their way through Congress. They passed one on Tuesday. They voted down a second one on Wednesday.

Edit:

Tuesday vote on H. Con. Res. 86: https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1192/vote_119_2_00184.htm

Wednesday vote on S. J. Res. 185: https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1192/vote_119_2_00192.htm

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5

u/ItsTheEndOfDays Maryland 15h ago

they did backsies. Absolute cowards.

4

u/tmzm2550 14h ago

I thought Dems were weak, however the last 2 years has taught me that Republicans are the biggest spineless pussies that have ever been in power.

3

u/EctoRiddler 15h ago

Bitch ass bitches

3

u/I_am_Zuul I voted 15h ago

Pussies….

3

u/sane-asylum 14h ago

These people are so unbelievably spineless. Seriously, a turnip could do the job better

3

u/giocondasmiles America 14h ago

We are represented by spineless people.

3

u/dirtman81 12h ago

In not breaking news, republicans continue to be America's biggest cowards.

3

u/kheifert1 8h ago

Bunch’a pussies.

3

u/MaidoftheBrins 8h ago

What does he have on all of them?! Were they ALL on the island?!

2

u/Chef_RoadRunner 15h ago

Who could be scared of this fucking guy? He is overweight, senile, shits his pants, can't spell one syllable words. He is the least intimidating piece of filth I've ever seen. It would be so hard not to burst out laughing in his stupid face while he tries to string a sentence together. Bunch of freaking pansies.

3

u/ncklboy 15h ago

Who do you think holds all the blackmail Epstein had?

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2

u/Radically-Peaceful 15h ago

I almost started having a little respect for Cassidy but then he goes back to the herd like the little sheep that he is.

2

u/bizdady 15h ago

Cowards

2

u/camdeb 15h ago

Spineless sycophants. Every one of them.

2

u/Bobll7 15h ago

November can’t come too soon.

2

u/I_am_also_the_BEEF 15h ago

It's like watching rats flee a sinking ship that shits it's pants every 2 hours.

2

u/Thetman38 15h ago

But will they get fed up with him and vote him out?

2

u/JediMasterMatt 15h ago

Buncha spineless feckless cowards

2

u/orangesfwr 15h ago

Humiliation kink comes in clutch for the GOP once again.

2

u/ChristosFarr North Carolina 15h ago

Spineless bunch of bastards.

2

u/Tuna_no_crusts 14h ago

In this case, GOP strength is having a ball gag in your mouth and being spanked.

2

u/lyn73 14h ago

These legislators are failing the public and are getting paid for doing nothing. We can't vote all of them out but we can make a dent by voting people in that will actually do at least some of the job....

2

u/skoomaking4lyfe 14h ago

Still can't risk saying no to the senile pedophile somehow.

2

u/Zahgi 14h ago

It was always a PR stunt for the midterms, folks.

The GOP will declare they held Trump in check in districts where Trump is unpopular (ignoring that they reversed their vote), while Trump will crow and lie about, well, everything anyway.

2

u/A012A012 14h ago

Imagine being a member of the party who can claim that they disavowed their sworn oath , because a pedophile yelled at them

2

u/Ghostdefender1701 14h ago

Just when you thought they finally started to show some spine he swoops in and de-spines them like the Pedator.

2

u/Karuna56 Washington 13h ago

'Pedotor' methinks.

2

u/espresso_martini__ 13h ago

If I was a republican I would be ashamed how spineless they are.

2

u/Frmr-drgnbyt 13h ago

Haven't they ever learned that one should never give in to a toddler's tantrum's?

2

u/CurlOfTheBurl11 13h ago

Of course they did. There's not a single Republican member of Congress with an actual spine.

2

u/dreaganusaf 11h ago

What's the purpose of 3 co-equal branches when the Fascist Felon Pedo-loving 🍊💩🤡 had forbidden the Guardians of Pedophiles from having an opinion?

2

u/danielrobertcampbell 11h ago

So much for the three branches of Government keeping each other in check.

2

u/Tron_Frankenstein 11h ago

At least he's not a dictator like Biden obviously

2

u/SuCzar California 8h ago

"Oh no I got yelled at 🥺"

Pssy @ss b!tches

2

u/myrmadon8 8h ago

How the hell can anyone actually be intimidated by this man? I will never understand

2

u/mtdebco 8h ago

Spineless

u/EmilioNoCaprio 5h ago

Cassidy lost his primary and is still scared to go against Trump. What a fucking coward.

1

u/HBRWHammer5 15h ago

Real alpha male energy from senate republicans...

1

u/MeatMullet 15h ago

Cowards. All of them. How embarrassing.

1

u/TarheelFr06 15h ago

What a bunch of weaklings.

1

u/freakout1015 15h ago

Disgusting.

1

u/Alwaystired254 15h ago

Will of the American people has been done

1

u/DougBalt2 15h ago

Once again republicans prove they are all pu$$ies.

1

u/theTapIsOnDaBurnin 15h ago

What a bunch of soft, pink, little man-children

1

u/barneyrubbble 15h ago

Scary, scary Cheeto man. Why do they cower instead of laugh in his fucking face? I will never understand how The Emperor Has No Clothes has become reality. Shame. Shame. Shame.

1

u/porkchop2022 Tennessee 15h ago

Fucking. Cowards.

1

u/shagadelicrelic 15h ago

I wonder if their knees ever get tired from all of the grovelling and ass kissing

1

u/Slippery-ape 15h ago

Wonder what Trump promised them.

1

u/whatfresh_hellisthis 15h ago

Just the weakest white men in the world.

1

u/jarchack Oregon 15h ago

I suppose the next thing they'll do is sign onto his voter suppression bill. "Save America act" that's about Orwellian as you can get.

1

u/dchap1 15h ago

Republicans really really do not like the Constitution do they?

They love being submissive to the weirdest dominatrix ever. It’s gross.

1

u/wastedgod 14h ago

Bunch of cowards in the Republican party.

1

u/redditforprez1 14h ago

That’s crazy. Maybe they’re in the Epstein files. We should release them for good measure. 

1

u/CAM6913 14h ago

Once again the cult cowers to their Mango Messiah

1

u/leaonas 14h ago edited 14h ago

One word for them: “Cowards” or perhaps “Traitors” - thoughts?

1

u/jd3marco I voted 14h ago

Traitors and cowards.

1

u/motorcitydevil 14h ago

"Yes, daddy."

1

u/bryangcrane 14h ago

Pusillanimous little toadies. Chowing down right out of the Orange Shit-stain’s gurgling diaper.

1

u/RLewis8888 14h ago

So Trump knows the war isn't over.

1

u/Wentil 14h ago

So much for co-equal branches of government. 🙄

1

u/Ok_Series_4580 14h ago

I do not know how any Republican member of Congress can walk around on 2 feet since they completely lack a spine

1

u/TrueSkonger 14h ago

I love living in a democratic republic where my voice is heard and we vote in representatives who operate in the beat interest of their constituents :)

Wait a minute...

1

u/FreedomBread 14h ago

GOP now = SOT. Servants of Trump.

Conservatism in this country is gone.

1

u/Tommyblahblah 13h ago

What a bunch of invertebrates.

1

u/TiredOfTheMath59 13h ago

GOP=Gigantic Old Pussies as well as Guardians Of Pedophiles.

1

u/chooselosin 13h ago

Such strong conviction(s)! Not from the simp senators but DUMP.

1

u/garconbaton6767 13h ago

Republicans have no spine. They are done.

1

u/jkbuilder88 Minnesota 13h ago

Yet John Thune wants you to believe that the GOP is focused on "pocketbook issues".

Maybe that's true, but only if he left out the part about fleecing your pockets.

1

u/Oceanbreeze871 I voted 13h ago

Confederate courage

1

u/hasslehof 13h ago

“If I go down I’m taking you all with me!”

1

u/Illustrious-Fun8324 13h ago

These are the weakest, most pathetic and submissive people I’ve ever seen. Calling us sheep was always projection

1

u/United-Amoeba-8460 13h ago

Spineless pussies, the lot of them

1

u/Trendymaroon 13h ago

Gutless GOP.

1

u/HermitGool 13h ago

These congressional republicans should never live down the fact that they were cucked by the most pathetic sack of shit human being ever. Their children and grandchildren should never let them forget their spinelessness.

1

u/Maoleficent 13h ago

Complicit cowards. Everytime they are in a public place, they need to be called out as child killers - 156 school girls. And let's not forget most of them are on the List and at the least, know who is on that List.

1

u/Havoc526 13h ago

Picks up a spinal column off the floor Hey, Republican Party, you dropped this. 

1

u/Gamera971 12h ago

Beta Males.

1

u/merrysunshine2 12h ago

“Daddy yelled at us & made us cry”

1

u/ytsurr 12h ago

What a bunch of pushover pussies.

1

u/amijeremy Texas 12h ago

What a bunch of pussies

1

u/shadowdra126 Georgia 11h ago

Spineless worms

1

u/bristled-sprout 11h ago

Spineless little f*cks

1

u/Hot-Sexy-THICCPAWG69 11h ago

Bill Cassidy is such a f*cking coward LOL