Open Thread

What’s on your mind?

Comments

[Kazinski]

The War Powers act resolution failed in the Senate leaving Trump a free hand, at least for now, in Iran

"WASHINGTON, March 4 (Reuters) - U.S. Senate Republicans backed President Donald Trump's military campaign against Iran on Wednesday, voting to block a bipartisan resolution aiming to stop the air war and require that any hostilities against Iran be authorized by Congress.
The Senate voted 53 to 47 not to advance the resolution, largely along party ‌lines, with all but one Republican voting against the procedural motion and all but one Democrat supporting it."

I realize there are many Senators that have longstanding and legitimate objections to the current state of the law with regard to the President's authority to use force.

But reading this from the Senate Majority Leader I am perplexed about what his real objection is:
"Today senators face a choice, stand with the American people who are tired of war in the Middle East, or side with ​Donald Trump, who bumbled America into another war most Americans fiercely oppose," said Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, a co-sponsor of the resolution."

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-lawmakers-set-vote-war-powers-iran-conflict-widens-2026-03-04

Just a few months ago Schumer said this about Trump and Iran:

Schumer warns Trump on Iran: ‘No side deals’
- 06/03/25

"Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Monday warned President Trump not to sign a watered down nuclear deal with Iran.

Officials within the Trump administration previously suggested that Iran would not be allowed to enrich uranium under a proposed agreement, but new reports say the nuclear deal would allow the country to enrich a limited low-level uranium for a period of time.

Low-enriched uranium is used in power plants, while highly enriched uranium is used for nuclear weapons.

“If TACO Trump is already folding on Iran, the American people need to know about it. No side deals,” Schumer said of the proposal in a video posted on the social media platform X.

The lawmaker used the new “TACO” term coined on Wall Street which stands for “Trump Always Chickens Out” to describe the leader’s shifting perspective amid negotiations.

Schumer alleged in his Tuesday post that the president was hammering out a private deal with Iran that accounts for less restrictions and dampers the traditional U.S. stance on nuclear weapon development.

“When it comes to negotiating with the terrorist government of Iran, Trump’s all over the lot. One day he sounds tough, the next day he’s backing off. And now, all of a sudden, we find out that [special envoy Steve] Witkoff and [Secretary of State Marco] Rubio are negotiating a secret side deal with Iran,” Schumer said.

https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5330381-schumer-trump-iran-nuclear-deal/

How can those two statements be reconciled?

[Kazinski]

Speaking about "longstanding and legitimate" principles, here is former Senator Marco Rubio during the JCPOA debate.

https://x.com/i/status/2029347188577288428

[jb]

I think it's fair to say that one of Schumer's biggest weaknesses as Minority Leader is having clear messaging.

Having said that, it doesn't seem crazy to have a hard line position on what a negotiated outcome should be, but to still be opposed to the use of military force to get there. I don't see any inherent contradiction in the two statements you quoted, especially since even Trump seems to acknowledge there was no urgency to resolve negotiations.

[Martinned]

Schumer is the Senate Majority Leader?

[Kazinski]

Former Majority Leader, current Minority leader, thanks for the correction.

[Martinned]

Speaking of someone who had strong opinions about how Presidents end up starting wars: https://www.ndtvprofit.com/world/donald-trumps-old-tweets-mocking-barack-obama-on-iran-comes-back-to-haunt-him-heres-what-he-had-said-11153961

[Kazinski]

Been a couple of back and forth's here lately about whether Iran was plotting to assasinate Trump.

The court case is going on now charging a Pakistani man for working with the IRG to assasinate Trump. The primary contention of the defense is that he was only working with the IRG under duress, the prosecution claims it was voluntary:

"March 4 (Reuters) - A Pakistani man accused of planning to kill President Donald Trump told jurors on Wednesday that he did not willingly work with Iran's elite Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps to devise the plot, media said.
The Justice ‌Department accused Asif Merchant of trying to recruit people in the United States in the plan targeting Trump and other U.S. politicians in retaliation for Washington's killing of the Corps' top commander, Qassem Soleimani.

The Corps has a central role in Iran, with its combination of military and economic power and an intelligence ⁠network.
"I was not wanting to do this so willingly," the New York Times quoted Merchant as telling a court during his trial for terrorism and murder-for-hire charges, adding that he participated to protect his family in Tehran."

So whether you believe the defense or the prosecution, the IRG was behind it.

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/pakistani-man-says-iran-forced-him-into-plot-kill-trump-media-say-2026-03-05/

Can we call this controversy settled?

I should know better, but I can hope.

[Mr. Bumble]

" Supreme Court Rules Courts Must Defer to Immigration Agencies on Asylum Cases"
9-0 PBJ writes the opinion.
https://legalinsurrection.com/2026/03/supreme-court-rules-courts-must-defer-to-immigration-agencies-on-asylum-cases/

[Martinned]

Supreme Court Expands Access To Roofies

[Michael P]

The New York Supreme Court (yes, I know) endorses lawlessness.

https://www.foxnews.com/media/columbia-university-occupiers-who-held-staff-hostage-have-discipline-overturned-ny-judge

[Martinned]

It looks like the US Regime is still not sure whether its Special Military Operation is a war.

RAJU: You'll concede this is war?

MARKWAYNE MULLIN: We haven't declared war. They declared war on us

RAJU: The president called it war and Secretary Hegseth called it war

REPORTER: When you walked up just now, you called it war

MULLIN: Okay. That was a misspoke.