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Janet Ybarra
Democrat
Former Washington Journalist
Contributor on The Bipartisan Press
With a vote in the Republican Senate that’s all that could allow his declaration of a “state of emergency” to stand, Donald Trump is warning the GOP senators not to stray and to vote to defeat the expected resolution of disapproval.
The Democratic-controlled House this week is expected to easily pass a resolution of disapproval against the “state of emergency” Trump declared this month in order to bypass Congress and essentially raid the military budget to finance the border wall Trump craves.
Democrats, and some, Republicans, object to Trump’s declaration as unconstitutional, as violations of the principles of Congress maintaining the power of the purse as well as separation of powers.
As the resolution of disapproval is privileged, that means that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky) has no choice but to bring it to a vote.
Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, potentially vulnerable when she seeks re-election next year, is the sole Senate Republican to yet publicly commit to vote for the resolution of disapproval when it hits the Senate floor.
More could join her, which Trump certainly wants to prevent. It would take 21 GOP senators to vote for the resolution to create a veto-proof supermajority, assuming that all Senate Democrats were to vote in favor.
In an attempt to prevent that, Trump tweeted: “I hope our great Republican Senators don’t get led down the path of weak and ineffective Border Security. Without strong Borders, we don’t have a Country – and the voters are on board with us. Be strong and smart, don’t fall into the Democrats ‘trap’ of Open Borders and Crime!”
Actually, the truth is that most Americans oppose Trump’s plans. Some 61 percent oppose the declaration of a “state of emergency,” and a full 60 percent want it challenged in court, if necessary, according to a NPR/PBS Newshour/Marist poll.
Additionally, 58 percent say there is no emergency and 57 percent believe Trump is misusing his presidential powers, according to the same poll.
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