Thread by @axidentaliberal

This is about so much more than Trump’s wall

It’s about the Constitutional limits of executive power; a showdown over who controls our government; whether Republicans will stand up for themselves or meekly follow Trump; and a struggle for who we want to be

#TrumpVeto

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https://twitter.com/rawstory/status/1106653188973883393

We all know the predicate

Trump declares a national emergency because we have a “humanitarian crisis” at our southern border

He claims we need a wall to stop undocumented immigrants, illegal drugs and human trafficking

We also know this is a lie

#FakeNationalEmergency

Border crossings are at historic lows

Most drugs come in through legal ports

People coming here are mainly families, not criminals

And a wall won’t solve these problems

But WOULD mark intolerance for immigrants consistent with Trump’s racist comments that Mexicans are rapists

In fact, the need for a wall was so minimal that the Department of Homeland Security budget for 2019 for border wall construction was only $1.6 billion

It was only after the Senate passed this budget that Trump raised to $5.7 billion

But he couldn’t get it

So, like a child, Trump threw a temper tantrum

Only this child shut down the government, hurting millions of people

But that didn’t work either, as @SpeakerPelosi shut his wall funding down instead

The power had shifted

Nancy Pelosi was in charge

politico.com/story/2019/01/…

Trump ended the shutdown without getting wall money

But he wasn’t done. He declared his #FakeEmergency to get his power back

Throwing the efficacy of the Constitution into the balance, since he said he made the declaration just to get the wall faster

nytimes.com/2019/02/15/us/…

@SpeakerPelosi continued to consolidate her power, getting a BIPARTISAN resolution passed in both houses to rescind the emergency

Unsurprisingly Trump vetoed the resolution

But Pelosi has made her point: that she has credibility with both parties

usatoday.com/story/news/pol…

And now we get to see whether Republicans will vote to override

Whether they will defend their Constitution or their party’s leader

Because they know that if they side with Trump, a President Beto O’Rourke might declare an emergency to address climate change-a REAL emergency

BUT they also know if they vote against him, they give #TeamNancy more power and will face primaries when up for re-election

And if they are honest-big if-they know that a vote for Trump supports lies and xenophobia while taking billions away from people who desperately need it

So will they be courageous, support the Constitution and do their job as Congresspersons:check an unprecedented extension of presidential power

Or will their self-interest and lust for party power be too strong

History says these Congressional Republicans will choose the latter

PS-a little history on veto overrides

It happens on about 5% of vetoes

Last-2016, overriding Obama to let citizens sue the Saudis for 9/11 (the same Saudis we cozy up to now)

1st-1845, when Tyler sought money without Congressional approval (sound familiar?) to build ships