Trump, the Midterm Elections, Congress, and the War
TRUMP, THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS, CONGRESS, AND THE WAR. In 2002, in the run-up to the war in Iraq, President George W. Bush went through a long and elaborate process to secure the approval of Congress for going to war. On Oct. 10, 2002, the House passed an Authorization for the Use of Military Force by a vote of 296 to 133; the total in favor of going to war included 81 Democrats. The next day, Oct. 11, the Senate voted to authorize the war by a vote of 77 to 23. Support for the authorization included 29 Democrats.
TL;DR
- President George W. Bush sought and received congressional authorization for the Iraq War, with significant bipartisan support.
- Public support for the Iraq War declined over time.
- President Donald Trump did not seek congressional approval for a current war, leading to resolutions of opposition from Congress.
- Public and political opposition to Trump's war has emerged more quickly than for the Iraq War.
- Higher energy prices, attributed by Democrats to Trump's war, are a major concern for voters heading into midterm elections.
- Trump views the higher cost of energy as a necessary price for preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons.