That didn't take long. Writing the lead article over at the Daily Beast.com, Rand Paul say that Pres. Obama is prosecuting an undeclared war in the middle east and subverting the constitution. He goes on to say that now that Republicans control both House and Senate, they are in a position to stop the "power grab" by the president.
1) Rand Paul lays the foundation for an impeachment proceeding. In today's Daily Beast, Sen. Rand Paul writes (here: http://www.thedailybeast.com/...) that the president has launched an illegal war against ISIS. He writes the US constitution requires the president to involve congress in war making plans. He goes on to say this is only one example of many "power grabs" committed by the president - including passage of the Affordable Care Act, and as yet unannounced executive action on immigration.
"I believe the president must come to Congress to begin a war. I also believe the War Powers Act is misunderstood; President Obama acted without true constitutional authority even before the 90 days expired, since we were not under attack at that time.
But in either case, this war is now illegal. It must be declared and made valid, or it must be ended.
Congress has a duty to act, one way or the other.
But it’s not the only area where action is needed. This is, of course, not the only way in which this president is acting like a king."
Though Sen. Paul does not mention impeachment, his words are nonetheless incendiary, and will give impetus to those favoring impeaching the president.
2) It is remarkable to me that the noted liberal news site Daily Beast features an opinion piece by Sen. Rand Paul as it's headline story today. I at least glance at the site on most days, and I cannot recall seeing any another Republican law-maker authoring any article at Daily Beast. The Daily Beast's decision to run Sen. Paul's article is surprising, and I think news-worthy in itself.
3) Interestingly, while criticizing the President's effort to make war against ISIS, Sen. Paul says he supports the war and the fight against ISIS itself. It is not the fighting against ISIS that Sen. Paul opposes, it is the president's use of the War Powers Act to prosecute that war. In my opinion, the Senator is only half-right.
4) Liberals like myself wonder why it is that only Rand Paul speaks publicly against the unlimited war allowed by the War Powers Act, and against drone bombing. It is a shame that there is no member of the Democratic Party or a liberal law-maker writing the lead story at Daily Beast against the war in Syria, or filibustering against drone warfare. It is a shame that all the Democrats and liberals are either approving of the new American war in the middle east, or cannot muster the courage to publicly oppose it. Will the liberals and the Democrats continue their silence when the impeachment proceedings start?