Congress Looks For The War’s Cancel Button

A Reuters/Ipsos poll finds that 71 percent of Americans want Congress to pass legislation ending the Iran war. Trump insists he's won it and says it will continue. Victory apparently works like a subscription: congratulations on completing your purchase, your purchase will never be complete.

The incoming Democratic Congress cannot simply press stop. It can use funding restrictions, legislation and investigations to pressure the president. Republicans would have to help override a veto, which takes two-thirds support in each chamber.

The cancellation button exists. It is behind several menus, a veto and a man explaining that your dissatisfaction proves the service is excellent.

Trump has requested a defense-budget increase from roughly $950 billion to $1.5 trillion, plus $67 billion for the war. Our earlier war bill coverage examined costs already accumulating. Congress now faces the question of what it will keep financing.

Democrats could put restrictions on money for Iran hostilities into spending legislation. Trump could veto it, risking a shutdown. The current funding measure expires December 11, before the new Congress takes office January 3. House Republican leaders say they'll stand behind him.

The country is trying to stop a war through a budget argument that could also stop the government. Elegant. A cancellation process designed by a cable company that owns aircraft carriers.

A previous war-powers resolution passed both chambers and the administration ignored it; legal experts disagree about whether it was binding. Another resolution would not automatically settle the matter.

Hearings, subpoenas and financial pressure offer additional levers. None is a promise that the fighting ends on a convenient congressional timetable.

But winning an election against a war is only the opening transaction. The useful question for the new majority is which powers it will actually use—and how many renewal notices the public must receive before somebody does.