Posted on 10/17/2025 2:33:33 PM PDT by RandFan
Amid a wave of U.S. military strikes in the Caribbean and plans for covert operations in Venezuela, Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., is leading a bipartisan effort to force a vote to stop President Trump from unilaterally declaring war on the South American nation.
Kaine, a longtime proponent of Congress' powers to declare war, filed the resolution late Thursday, a move that will force the Senate to take up the legislation after a 10-day waiting period. Sens. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and Rand Paul, R-Ky., co-sponsored the plan.
Kaine said concerns about war in the Latin American region are growing.
"The pace of the announcements, the authorization of covert activities and the military planning makes me think there's some chance this could be imminent," Kaine told reporters.
(Excerpt) Read more at npr.org ...
The problem now is that the US became a huge military power during WWII and decided afterwards on a policy of forward defense, which requires a large standing military and a large number of foreign bases.
People need to understand the Declaration of War power in its original context, which is tied to the treason clause. A DoW gives tremendous novel internal powers to the Federal government, especially the President: Americans can be charged with treason, foreign ships and assets in the US can be seized without legal redress, foreigners interned or expelled, and trade banned, etc., etc.
The notion that the President can't use the military against a foreign power without a DoW is hippie BS from the 1960s. The Congress can't think the world is dangerous enough to fund a $1 trillion military and then say, "But you can't use it without our say so."
“The Congress has no power to substitute their authority for the President’s over the military under the Constitution.”
Yeah, they literally do. Article I, Section 8, Clause 11: Congress has the power to declare war, issue letters of Marque and Reprisal etc. Congress is the superior branch of the US government and has the ultimate say.
The President cannot simply make war as he pleases until that years defense authorization runs out. Not even the modern war powers act tries to say that. Where did you get that deranged idea?
I agree. Self defense from drug traffic does not warrant starting an aggresive war with another Nation. Especially a Nation that could become Nuclear capable in just a few days if their allies move a couple subs in. Russia and China both would do this in a heartbeat. The risk is far far greater than is being considered. We will not be going to war with Venezuela, we will be going to war with China and Russia and they will move Nukes in way too close for comfort. It is a mistake and we will absolutely be sorry we did it.
Desert Shield was just a deployment. No hostilities commenced on our part until Congress acted.
Senate Joint Resolution 2 was approved in the United States Senate on January 12, 1991, by a vote of 52 to 47.
House Joint Resolution 77 was approved in the United States House of Representatives on January 12, 1991, by a vote of 250 to 183
True. My point was it wasn’t a war declaration as the two idiot Senators demand.
Kim taine needs unelecting. Stop the steal, watch out it’s real!
“The Congress can’t think the world is dangerous enough to fund a $1 trillion military and then say, “But you can’t use it without our say so.”
Yes, the President is not a dictator and cannot take the nation to war on his own whim. Even the war powers act requires him to notify congress for brief defensive actions, and Congress can disapprove anything beyond that initial period.
They can stop any military action they please.
Does this mental midget believe that he has any chance after the first fail?
I'm sorry but that's exactly what the 17th century English history with which the Founders were familiar taught them.
The Declaration of War power is tied to the treason clause: the Founder's primary fear about the war power was that it would be used to convict political opponents of treason.
Look at it the opposite way: If Congress declared war, and the President refused to fight, could they force him? They have no power to do so.
Similarly, if Congress sued to have SCOTUS order Trump to cease and desist, what do you think they would do? They would say that's a political question not within our purview to decide.
Clearly though, a conventional invasion of Venezuela is not a minor defensive action and a Declaration of War should be taken is Trump wants to make the case.
Nam....Did Congress forget to declare war? How many of our guys died?
No they cannot, because they have no legal power to do so. They cannot pass an act stripping the President of command.
As I said, they can impeach or refuse to fund: but those are political acts by Congress against the Presidency. That's what a separation of powers means when push comes to shove.
You've drunk too much libertarian hippie Kool Aide.
Agreed. But that isn’t the issue now. So far it’s only attacking drug boats in international waters.
It does look more like an Ortega thing. Or the plot of Die Hard 2.
Nope. Back off.
Not true at all. Congress has supreme authority on setting the rules of the military, telling forces to stop piracy, insurrections and invasions. The entire point of it, is for congress to tell a potus what to do, and such potus execute the war when directed. Congress and a State are the only authorities granted the ability of war.
There isn't any way to square this circle assuming Congress gives the President a large military. Again, it's a political, not a legal issue.
And the article is so poorly written I can't understand what they are trying to pass to stop Trump.
if I am not mistaken, he can do “special Operations” without a declaration of war for up to 90 days.
Afterwards a Declaration is needed for further military action.
I, of course, could be wrong.
I don’t think this will be an invasion.
I think their goal on a perfect day is to sweep down pull up into a chopper the 19 or 20 most wanted in Venezuela including Maduro himself, leave and call it a day.
No “regime change” is needed.
The Venezuelan people already voted for a regime change but the Maduro regime refused to step down.
The Venezuelan elected officials are on the sidelines
That plus we need to send home a few thousand illegals.
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