Lawmakers move to limit Trump authority to launch nuke after nuclear button size tweet

[nitpicker]

https://www.militarytimes.com/congress/2018/01/03/lawmakers-move-to-limit-trump-authority-to-launch-nuke-after-nuclear-button-size-tweet/

Lawmakers move to limit Trump authority to launch nuke after ‘nuclear button’ size tweet

By: Joe Gould ?  16 hours ago

WASHINGTON — U.S. lawmakers are offering legislation to limit President Donald Trump’s ability to launch a nuclear first strike after he heckled North Korea’s leader about the comparative size of his “nuclear button.” Democratic Sen. Ed Markey, of Massachusetts, and Rep. Ted Lieu, of California, have sponsored legislation that would require the president to receive congressional approval before initiating a first-use nuclear strike from the United States.

The two took to Twitter to rally support for their legislation after Trump bragged in a tweet Tuesday evening that he had a “much bigger” button than North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. “No one person should have the power to decide when the U.S. will be the first to use nuclear weapons,” Markey’s tweet reads in part. Retweet, if you agree, he asked; and as of Wednesday morning, more than 3,800 had.
(snip)

A handful of congressional Democrats had earlier in the day taken to Twitter to decry Trump’s saber rattling, in somewhat stronger terms. House Armed Services Committee member Ro Khanna, D-Calif., tweeted the Markey-Lieu legislation urgently needs to pass this Monday, the day the House returns. Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth, a U.S. Army veteran who lost both her legs in the Iraq war, dissed Trump as “Cadet Bone Spurs” — a reference to his draft deferment during the Vietnam War — and urged him to worry more about mass U.S. military casualties in such a conflict. Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan, a member of the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee called Trump’s tweet “reckless beyond words.”
(snip)

[murielm99]

1. They need to do more than merely "offer"

legislation. They need to get off their butts and do this. Both parties.

Do repiggies think they are immune to what happens when nuclear weapons are used? Do they think only lib'ruls get killed?

[Perseus]

7. No, they think that because they voted republican

all the stupidity and corruption that affects the country will not affect them, that somehow the nuclear explosion will "know" they voted republican and just curve out of their way making sure not to harm them.

That is how stupid they are...Tax Bill? Hooray, let the libs suffer...Repeal Obamacare with no real substitute? No problem, it will only affect the libs, I voted for Trump, I am immune...Unfortunately, that is the reality.

[Buns_of_Fire]

2. A work-around to attempt to protect the US from a home-grown imbecile. nt

[Lee-Lee]

3. I dont think such legislation would ever pass Constitutional muster

The President is the Commander in Chief, even when it’s a person with the IQ of a scrambled egg and impulse control of a juvenile chimp, and Congress can’t legislate away his power or authority and assign it to themselves. That would be a pretty blatant violation of the separation of powers.

[Kentonio]

6. I don't remember the part of the constitution..

..that grants the President the right to wage war without Congressional approval. Congress has allowed Presidents to use military force on their own volition, but I can't see any constitutional reason why they couldn't take it away.

[ProfessorGAC]

8. Declaration Of War Is A Congressional Duty

By definition, a first strike nuke is a declaration of war. Hence, i think it's actually a demonstration and cementing of the separation of powers.

[Cheviteau]

9. Whoa !

Only Congress can authorize war. It's in the Constitution. Look it up. They can set any limits they want...or give free rein. As they did in the War Powers Act. As stupid and cowardly as that act was.

[Scarsdale]

4. Lindsey Graham

will fight this. He is all for war.

[patricia92243]

5. They are all Democrats. Unless the Republicans do something, it will

not get done. If they will, remain to be seen.

[groundloop]

10. Not to mention the hurdle of overriding a veto

Repubs will never get behind this, it would be admission that their party screwed up. They'll never put country before party.

[NoMoreRepugs]

11. Spot on groundloop.