I’m not sure if Steve Benen is serious or not when he’s urging Congressional leaders, clearly dismayed at President Trump’s profligate use of tariffs, to pass legislation retracting the President’s authority to create tariffs:
For now, let’s put aside the oddity of hearing these two GOP leaders insist that Congress should only tackle legislation the White House is inclined to support. They didn’t seem to feel that way in the Obama era – how many dozens of votes did they hold on ACA repeal? – but let’s not dwell on recent history.
Instead, let’s remind Congress’ most powerful Republicans that the legislative branch has a remedy for dealing with a president who vetoes popular bills: lawmakers can override a veto.
Specifically on the issue of Congress, presidents, and tariffs, there’s some precedent to keep in mind: as we discussed the other day, in his final year as president, Jimmy Carter created oil tariffs, which Congress – led by a Democratic majority – quickly overturned.
There’s no reason this couldn’t happen again. It’s a matter of political will, not institutional constraints.
And in this case, the political will is pretty one-sided: Trump’s tariffs have very few proponents on Capitol Hill. Corker’s bill, or one like it, would likely pass with considerable bipartisan support. Enough to override a presidential veto? I think that’s likely, but there’s only one to find out.
So what do you say, Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan? If you agree with the Corker bill on the merits, why not give it a try? What’s Trump going to do, tweet at you?
Recall that Representative Roby (R-AL), currently the owner of a 97% Trump Score, has been constantly challenged from within her own party because she withdrew her endorsement of Trump after the release of the Access Hollywood tapes. 97%, yet she’s deemed too disloyal to deserve her seat.
As former House Speaker Boehner himself observes, this is the Party of Trump. It’s no longer the Republicans, a party of principles or policies or positions. It’s all about the personality, and loyalty to same.
The Republican members of Congress are upset because of the tariffs? A whole bunch of them are staring at mid-terms and thinking about how angry the base will get if Congress removes his tariff making powers. Many of them are in unexpectedly fierce battles, and if the base walks away, they will go down to defeat before a re-energized Democratic Party and an appalled Independent and youth movements.
They. Don’t. Dare.
Let’s face it, the Republicans are a bunch of little mice, helpless to do much of anything. They brought this on themselves by letting the extremists run most of the moderates out of the party. Now it’s extremists, racists, and folks who can’t understand the meaning of compromise, howling for Trump to have his way, and if the mice get in the way, well, being tossed out of Congress may be the least of their worries.
Don’t expect the Republicans, especially McConnell, to try to face Trump down. They can’t afford it. Speaker Ryan’s temperamentally unfit to do so.
Yeah, I think Steve was just joshin’. He knows the troubles facing McConnell & Co.
