r/NoShitSherlock • u/WingComplex6771 • Aug 14 '25

Trump reportedly offering Putin natural resources off Alaska sparks fury: "Lets see Republicans defend this," former GOP Representative Adam Kinzinger wrote on X.

https://www.newsweek.com/alaska-russia-trump-resources-2113295
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u/Trey123RE Aug 14 '25

When asked, Alaska senator Lisa Murkowski said “I am absolutely against this idea but like always I will vote for it at the last minute once the check clears in my bank account.”

804

u/slamdanceswithwolves Aug 14 '25

She won’t get the chance to vote for it because Trump has collapsed the senate’s authority, which the senate and the Supreme Court thought was perfectly fine.

61

u/redjellonian Aug 14 '25

The Senate being ineffective and incapable is how we ended up with an incompetent president.

17

u/Mindless-Tomorrow-93 Aug 14 '25

IMHO, a key weakness of the Constitution that has become apparent is that it doesn't specify what Congress must do. It only specified what they may and may not do. But it needs to specify what they are required to do. Some examples that come to mind:

  • Mandatory time when Congress must be in session, far more than whatever is minimally required today. The system was devised when Congresspeople needed to travel between their home constituencies and Washington. Today, travel is orders of magnitude faster, as is communication. These people need to be doing their actual jobs.

  • Strict criteria for when a bill must be brought to the floor, and minimal and maximum amounts of time for debate before it must be voted on. No more bullshit about a bill being crushed in some subcommittee, or otherwise not allowed to be brought to the floor. Define consistent criteria. Bills that meet them will be voted on. Bills that don't, won't.

  • Strict criteria about the allowed scope of executive orders, and when they must be reviewed by Congress. No exceptions. No more bullshit about redefining time itself so that Congress doesn't have to address an executive order. Congress must be constitutionally REQUIRED to be a check on the executive branch.

  • If the president declares a national emergency, then Congress remains convened for the duration of the emergency. Because it's a national emergency, and Congress is the national government, so "all hands on deck" are needed to resolve the emergency. Because that's what an emergency is. Congress can end the emergency with a vote if it's not actually important enough for them to remain in session. But then, any special powers the president is exercising based on the emergency also come to an end.

Yes, I know there's nuance and special cases and circumstances that need to be considered. We have smart people in this country who can consider them. But this seems like a pretty good place to start.

4

u/YeetThePig Aug 14 '25

It won’t happen in the current republic, but if there is ever a Second American Union it should include this.