It has been several decades since Kortatu sang that Don Vito and the revolt in the asylum. So much time later, another Don (for Donald Trump) is provoking with his war in Iran that the Republican Party enters a phase of derangement and political schizophrenia. Revolt among the Republicans
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The House of Representatives, controlled by conservatives, launched this Wednesday an unusual reprimand against President Trump by approving a measure pushed by the Democrats to end the war conflict in the Middle East, despite objections from the Republican leadership, which was defeated.
The vote is largely symbolic, as the measure would still have to be approved by a Senate also under Republican control and, even in that case, Trump could simply veto it.
But the warning is severe. In mid-May, the Senate already accepted in committee to debate this issue in the full chamber thanks to Republican defection, after seven failed attempts. In the Lower House, this Wednesday’s approval was reached after three other attempts denied by the conservative machinery.
This resolution on war powers regarding Iran, presented by legislator Gregory Meeks of New York, the leading Democrat on the Foreign Affairs Committee, was heading to a vote before the House of Representatives began recess for Memorial Day, celebrated last May 25.
But the Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, abruptly withdrew it from the floor when it seemed that too many Republicans were absent, which prevented defeating it. Returning this week, it was approved this Wednesday by 215 votes to 208, with four Republicans joining all Democrats to vote in favor.
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The measure orders Trump to withdraw U.S. armed forces from hostilities with Iran, unless Congress votes a declaration of war or authorizes the use of military force against the Islamic republic.
The decision would not obligate him to end the conflict, although it therefore represents a disapproval of the war with Iran that the president launched on February 28. The most recent vote, prior to this one, ended in a 212 to 212 tie, and was not adopted. But the Democrats celebrated it stating that more and more Americans are turning against this conflict and that it was only a matter of time before they managed to prevail.
Wednesday’s vote gives momentum to the resolution in the Senate, which had already advanced its own war powers initiative last month, although it has not yet held a final vote.
The House resolution was rejected by Speaker Johnson and by the majority of Republicans, who complained that it undermines Trump and his main negotiators at a time when they are trying to secure a nuclear deal with Iran.
The chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, conservative Brian Mast, called this initiative “a totally absurd vote.” And argued: “I don’t think there is any Democrat or Republican who can say which forces they would want to withdraw from Iran. In reality, there is nothing they want to withdraw from there. The only thing they want is a stupid political vote, and that is exactly what this is.” According to Mast, this vote “does not weaken the president’s position while negotiating with Iran.” But it shows that the single thought is cracking, as the Democrats pointed out.
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