US Senate Measure Curbing Trump's Iran War Powers

The U.S. Senate Advanced a War-Powers Resolution on 5/19/2026 that would End the Iran War, unless Trump (R) obtains Congress' Authorization, a Rare Rebuke of the Republican Leader 80 days after U.S. and Israeli Forces began Striking Iran. The Vote on a Procedural Measure to Advance the Resolution was 50 to 47, as Four of Trump's Republicans Voted with All Democrat but One in Favor. Three Republicans Missed the Vote.

The Result was a Victory for Lawmakers who have been Arguing that Congress, not Trump, should have the Power to send Troops to War, as Spelled-Oout in the Constitution. However, it was only a Procedural Vote, and the Resolution faces Steep Hurdles before going into Effect. Even if it eventually Passes the 100 Mmember Senate, the Resolution must also Pass the Republican-led House and get Two-Thirds Majorities in both the House and Senate, to Survive an Expected Trump Veto.

Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), who Sponsored the Resolution, said a Ceasefire Offered Trump an Ideal Opportunity to make His Case to Congress, as Trump has said Tehran has made a New Proposal to End the U.S.-Israeli War that began on 2/28/2026. "That's the perfect time to have a discussion before we start up war again. The president is receiving peace and diplomatic proposals that he is throwing into the trash can without sharing them with us," Kaine said during Debate before the Vote.

Trump's Republicans Blocked Seven Previous Attempts to Advance similar Resolutions in the Senate this year. They have also Stopped Three War-Powers Resolutions by Narrow Votes in the House this year. Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) was the Only Democrat to Vote Against the Measure. Republicans Rand Paul (R-KY), Susan Collins (R-ME) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) voted in Favor, as did Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Days after He Lost His Primary to an Opponent backed by Trump.

The War-Powers Vote was the Second in the Senate, since the Conflict Hit a Deadline on 5/1/2026, 60 days after Trump formally Informed Congress that the Conflict had Started, for Trump to come to Congress about the Wwar. Under a 1973 U.S. War Powers Law Passed in Response to the Vietnam War, a U.S. President can wage Military Action for only 60 days before Ending it, asking Congress for Authorization or Seeking a 30-day Extension, due to "unavoidable military necessity regarding the safety of United States Armed Forces" while Withdrawing Forces.

Trump Declared on 5/1/2026 that a Ceasefire had "Terminated" Hostilities against Iran. Despite that Assertion, the U.S. has been Blockading Iranian Ports and Striking Iranian Ships, and Iran has been Effectively Blocking the Strait of Hormuz and Attacking U.S. Ships. Democrats, and a Few Republicans, have Called on Trump to come to Congress for Authorization to use Military Force, Noting that the U.S. Constitution says that Congress, Not the President, can Declare War. They have Expressed concerns that Trump may have Entered the Country into a Long Conflict without Setting out a Clear Strategy.

Republicans, and the White House, say Trump's Actions are Legal and within His Rrights as Commander-in-Chief to Protect the U.S. by Ordering Limited Military Operations. Some Congressional Republicans have aAcused Democrats of Filing the War-Powers Resolutions, only because of their Partisan Opposition to Trump.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

New Gold Rush of Geothermal Power

For more than a year, Trump (R) and His Allies have Attacked Wind and Solar Power while Promoting Fossil Fuels. Yet there is One type of Clean Energy that has Escaped their Wrath: Geothermal. Last week, Fervo, a Geothermal Company based in Houston TX, made its Stock Market debut, raising $1.89 billion in its initial public offering. It was the biggest clean tech I.P.O. of all time, giving Fervo a valuation of more than $10 Billion. Using Techniques Borrowed from the Oil and Gas Industry, Companies like Fervo Drill into the Earth, Tapping into Natural Heat that, when Mixed with Water, Creates Steam and Powers Turbines that make Emissions Free Electricity.

The Appeal of Geothermal is Clear. America is in an Energy Crunch. Electricity Demand is Soaring, thanks to Data Centers, Industrial Activity and Electric Vehicles. New Wind and Solar Projects are being Slowed or Canceled, and there is a Major Backlog of Natural Gas Turbines. And while the Trump Administration has taken to Extending the Life of some Coal Plants, there’s still an Enormous Gap between Energy Supply and Demand. The Theoretical Impact is Huge. There is roughly 3,800 Megawatts of Conventional Geothermal Capacity in the U.S.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) now Estimates that Geothermal could provide 15% of the World’s Energy needs by 2050 with Sufficient Investment. Wood Mackenzie, an Energy Research Firm, asked whether the Industry could be “the next North American gold rush.” What’s more, because Geothermal can provide what the Energy Industry calls “always-on base load power,” it is a Welcome Compliment to Intermittent Sources of Power, such as Solar and Wind. “The potential is very large, and we need new kinds of supply that can balance an increasingly solar-heavy grid,” said. John Coequyt, a Director at RMI, an Energy Consultancy. “It looks like geothermal is sort of the perfect match for that.”

Fervo’s Valuation Reflects Investor Enthusiasm, for what could be a Big New Sector of the Energy Industry. For years, Geothermal Companies Struggled to Gain Traction and raise money. But that has changed recently, as venture capital firms and corporations have spent billions backing a new generation of start-ups trying to tap into the Earth’s Subterranean Heat. Other Companies, including XGS Energy and Quaise Energy, are also trying to Break into the Market.

“There was such deep skepticism from investors that it was hard not only for Fervo but the entire geothermal ecosystem to actually capitalize the business,” the Fervo Chief Executive, Tim Latimer, who previously Worked in the Oil and Gas Industry, told Ivan Penn and Brad Plumer last week. “I think people are waking up to this opportunity and seeing that we’re going to need all kinds of new technologies to close the gap of how much power we need.”

Even as the Trump Administration has moved to Cancel Offshore Wind Projects and Slow Solar Development, the Department of Energy (DOE) recently Announced $171 million for Geothermal Field Tests. “The obvious difference here is the connection to the oil and gas industry,” Coequyt said. Another Factor is that Geothermal can Produce Sustained Power, and Adjust its Output to Meet Demand, which Addresses a Main Critique about Technologies like Wind and Solar. “The ability of geothermal to be both base load and load following is consistent with how Republicans have talked about the challenges of renewable energy,” Coequyt said.

Geothermal won’t Satisfy America’s Huge Appetite for Energy Anytime soon. Analysts say that even with Government Support, it will be Many years before Geothermal Power is Providing a Meaningful Portion of the Country’s Power. In Order for that to happen, Fervo and other Geothermal Companies will have to Overcome several Substantial Hurdles.

First is the matter of bringing Operational Plants Online. Fervo’s First Commercial Plant, in Utah, Expects to Start Sending Electricity to the Grid this year. Even if other Plants get Built, they will have to face the same Challenges other Energy Pproducers do, when trying to Plug in to an Antiquated Grid that is Badly in need of New Investment. Then, there is the Price. Right now, Geothermal is more Expensive than other Energy Sources, including Matural Gas and Solar. Big Companies, including Google, have Agreed to Pay a Premium for some Power in a Bid to Support the Nascent Industry. In Order for Geothermal to Scale, Analysts say, it will have to be Cost-Competitive with other Power Sources.

Outside the City of Thetford Mines, Quebec, in a Region that Once Supplied the World with Asbestos, Workers are Drilling in Search of an Unusual and Potentially Vast New Source of Clean Energy. A Start-Up called "Vema Hydrogen" has Drilled Two Test Wells into the Bedrock, each 1,000 feet Deep, and is Starting to Inject Treated Water into the Iron-Rich Rocks Below. The Goal is to Trigger a Chemical Reaction that could Eventually Produce Large Quantities of Hydrogen, a Clean-Burning Fuel that may One Day Play a Vital Role in Tackling Climate Change.

“The potential is massive,” said Pierre Levin, the Chief Executive of Vema, as He Watched a Drilling Crew at Work on a Bright, Bitterly Cold Spring Day. It’s One of Dozens of Start-Ups trying to Find Large Reservoirs of Natural Hydrogen thought to Exist Below the Surface. Brad Plumer, under a Bipartisan Bill introduced this Week in Congress, Owners of Electric Vehicles would have to Pay a $130 Annual Fee and Plug-In Hybrid Owners would have to pay $35. The Money would go to Cover their Share of the Cost to Repair Roads, which could Further Depress Sales of those Models.

“Sponsors of the bill said the federal fee — on top of any existing state fee — would make sure that electric vehicle owners contributed to road maintenance, which is partly funded by the federal gasoline and diesel taxes,” Jack Ewing writes. “But auto industry and environmental groups said the fee was substantially higher than the average fuel taxes paid by owners of gasoline cars.”

The New Isle, near Schriever, LA, where some Residents of Isle de Jean Charles moved in Rr-Elocation Program. “This was supposed to be a model. It’s not worth it. I wouldn’t Recommend it to anybody.” That’s Amy Handon, 47, a Former Resident of Isle de Jean Charles, in a Louisiana Bayou, who belongs to One of 37 Families Relocated to Higher Ground, in the First Large-Scale Federal Experiment in Elimate-Driven Migration.

“The resettlement of Isle de Jean Charles,” Scott Dance writes, “which began a decade ago using a landmark $48 million federal investment, was envisioned as the first in a wave of retreats from the dangers of rising seas and intensifying storms.” But the experiment has become a cautionary tale, he writes. Many local of the families relocated “are angry over shoddy construction or that residents had little say in how the money was spent,” among other issues;










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

Who Can Sue to Enforce What’s Left of Voting Rights Act

The Supreme Court on 5/18/2026 Punted, on a Fight over the Ability of Voters to bring Voting Rights Act (V RA) Lawsuits, Dodging a Major Dispute over the Landmark Civil Rights Law that the Conservative Majority had already Left on Life Support with a Previous Ruling this Term.

The Justices sent back to Lower Courts Two Cases that had Teed-Up Claims that Only the Justice Department could bring Enforcement Actions under the Law, which Bars Racial Discrimination in Voting, that became Law on 8/6/1965.

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, a Member of the Court’s Liberal Wing, Dissented from the Decision, saying She would have Summarily Resolved the Cases to make Clear that Individuals could Bring the Claims, rather than Handing them back to a Lower Court for further Rreview.

Both Cases were Challenges that Voters, Not the Justice Department, had brought to Rredistricting Plans. The Justices told the Lower Courts to take another Look at the Lawsuits, in Light of the Opinion the Conservative Majority issued this Month that Significantly Raised the Bar for when a Voting Rights Act Redistricting Case can Succeed, but that did Not Address the Cause-of-Action Qquestion.

The move leaves a Final Answer on a Qquestion that would Effectively Kill the already Thoroughly Weakened Statute for another Day.

Under Trump (R), the Justice Department (DOJ) has shown Little Interest in Enforcing the Voting Rights Act, and His Administration had even Argued in Favor of the High Court’s Ruling this Month that Significantly Narrowed the Law’s reach in Electoral Map-Drawing.

Courts have Long Assumed that Private Individuals could Sue under the Law, in Addition to the Actions that the DOJ is Authorized to Bring, and the Supreme Court has Previously taken up VRA Cases brought by Voters. However, Justice Clarence Thomas and Justice Neil Gorsuch, have Signaled in Writings in Previous VRA Cases that they believe it to be an Open Question.

In One of the Cases, Arising out of Mississippi, a Lower Court Affirmed that Individuals had the Right to Sue in Court under the VRA. In the Other Dispute the justices were Reviewing, the 8th US Circuit Court of Appeals said that Only the Justice Department could bring VRA Cases.

The Supreme Court previously put that Opinion, which set the Precedent for: Arkansas, Dakotas, Iowa, Minnesota, and Missouri, On Hold, over the Dissent of Thomas, Gorsuch and Justice Samuel Alito.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

Putin Losing His Grip on Russia

IT arrived not as an Event but as a Sensation, felt Everywhere at once. Putin has led Russia into a Dead-End and, with Nobody has a Map for what comes Next. The First Display is a Shift in the Language used by Senior Officials, Regional Governors, and Businessmen: have Stopped using: "we," "us," "our," and "ours." when talking about the Actions of Authorities in the Country.

As recently as Last Spring, everything was “we” and “ours”. Putin’s War on Ukraine may be Reckless and Failing, but it was Shared. “We” were inside it, and it would be better for all of “us” if it ended Sooner. Now they describe what is happening as His” Story or War.

His Decisions are described as “Strange”. Even Stranger is the Fact that He Decides anything at all. It is not only about Falling Approval Ratings. The Future is No longer discussed inTterms of what Putin will Decide, but as something that will unfold Independently of Him, and possibly already Without Him. The system He Created, Now, for the First time, Russians are starting to Imagine a Future without Him. This is down to a Confluence of Four Factors.

First: is the Growing Cost of Fighting. The War in Ukraine was meant to be a Special Military Operation, Conducted by Selected Groups who received Financial Incentives for their Trouble, while the Rest of Society carried on as Normal. This Model Crumbled as the Wwar grew in Length and Scale. It has led to Higher Inflation and Taxes, Neglected Infrastructure, Increased Censorship, Endless Prohibitions. It is Not a National War, but it is Paid for Nationally, and Society is Not being Offered any Purpose in Return.

Second : Is a Growing Demand for Rules among Elites who have been Forced Back into Russia, along with their Capital. Previously their Property Rights were Outsourced to the West. They used London Courts, Offshore Structures, and International Arbitration. to Resolve Conflicts or seek Protection. Now Conflicts must be Resolved Domestically, without Functioning Institutions. Demand for Rules Grows more Urgent as Redistribution of Assets gathers Pace.

In the Past Three years, Assets worth around 5trn roubles ($60bn) have been Seized from Private Businessmen and either Nationalised or Handed to Loyalists and Cronies, the Largest Redistribution of Property since the Mass Privatisation of the 1990s. It is Not that the Elites have Suddenly Discovered a Taste for the Rule of Law or Democracy. But even those Loyal to the Regime Crave Rules and Institutions that can Resolve Conflicts Fairly.

Third: is the Change in Geopolitical Climate that Putin Himself helped bring about. Russia sees itself as Reshaping the Global Order. In Reality it is a mere Catalyst: Russia’s War on Ukraine has Accelerated the Crisis of Western Democracy, the Rise of Populism and Globalisation Fatigue. Russia now finds Itself in a World where Rules are Weak and Where Economic and Technological Strength and Brute Force Dominate. In the Rules based World, Russia could Exploit Asymmetries: Europe’s Dependence on its Gas, its Seat on the UN Security Council, the Soviet Nuclear Legacy. But Europe now Buys its Gas elsewhere, Russia’s Security Council Seat has been Devalued with the UN itself, and its Nuclear Blackmail has Undermined the Non-Proliferation Regime, Depriving Russia of its Status as an Arbiter. When the Order itself begins to Crumble, the Benefits of Putinist Revisionism Quickly Disappear.

At the same time, Russia is Suffering an Identity Crisis. For the First Time in Generations, it Lacks an External Model to Define itselft. Historically it Defined itself in Relation to Europe and the wider West. They were there to Catch up with, to Fall Behind, to Confront. That Old Axis is Gone. The West as a Single Cultural, Military and Political Entity is in Crisis. There is No “there” against which One can Define “here”. This is Not an Ideological Issue. It is Structural. Any Development in Russia has to have an Internal Source of Meaning, and the Government is Unable to Provide it.

Fourth: is Growing Ideological Control without any Balancing Dividend. The Previous Social Contract, whereby the State stayed out of People’s Private Lives while Citizens Stayed out of Politics, has Collapsed. In the Past the system bought People’s Loyalty with Convenience, Services, and Consumption. Now all it can offer is Repression, Intrusion, and Censorship, of which 2026 Internet Restrictions are the most Striking Manifestation.

The Issue is Not so much Repression itself as Repression without Purpose. An Ideology by Definition Presupposes an Image of the Future. This One Demands Discipline without Offering One. People are Required to be Loyal without being told what Future that Loyalty Serves. The Political Reality does Not look Desirable even for most of the Technocrats involved in its Construction. Optimism has been Burned Out from Within.

All Four Factors create a Situation which in Chess is known as a Zugzwang: when Every Move Worsens the Position. The System can Persist for as long as Putin Remains in Power. But His every Move to Preserve and Expand it Accelerates Decay. His Instinctive Response may be to Intensify Repression. He may start another War. But these Actions would only make things Worse. He Cannot Restore the Connection between Power and the Future. He can Only make the Rupture Bloodier and more Dangerous.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

Defense Department Delays 54 TX Wind Projects

Dozens of Wind Projects in Texas are in Limbo, after the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD/DOW) Paused issuing Routine Federal Permits citing National Security concerns, a move that Experts say Expands the Trump (R) Administration’s Crusade against Wind Energy. According to Data collected by the American Clean Power Association (ACP), 54 Texas Wind Projects are Waiting for the Department to Review Development plans to Ensure that Turbines don’t Interfere with Military Operations. It’s part of a Broader Nationwide Logjam that has Ensnared 165 Onshore Wind Projects.

Federal Law requires any Structure 200 feet or Taller, such as Antennas, Smokestacks, or Wind Turbines, to be Reviewed First by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), then the Military, which must determine whether a Structure may Interfere with Military Airspace. Federal Law requires the DOD/DOW to Conduct those Reviews within 60 days of receiving an Application from the FAA. But “right now, the entire process has just ground to a halt,” said Dave Belote, a Wind Energy Consultant who helped Design the Review System when it was Established more than 15 years ago.

Normally, the Defense Department evaluates whether a Turbine is within the Line-of-Sight of a Radar or in a Low-Altitude Military Airspace. If so, the Department and Developer typically Agree on Mitigation Options, a Process that usually takes a matter of Weeks. “In the past, those have been fairly trivial — you meet the requirements and you get the permit,” said Jonathon Blackburn, an Austin-based Energy Consultant.

However, the Department has Not Approved a Wind Project since August 2025, and in April the Department Canceled All Pending Meetings with Wind Developers waiting for Clearance, according to the Trade Group. These Delays have caused Disruptions to Developers’ Projects, Hindering their Ability to Secure Project Financing, jeopardizing Local Permits Contingent on Federal Approvals, and Delaying Construction Timelines, Turbine Orders, and Contractor Scheduling.

“There’s a lot of delay coming out of the permitting process from the federal government, and delays add cost,” Blackburn said. “Maybe the federal government is not able to flat-out stop projects, but they are able to drag them out.” In a Statement, a DoD Official said that the Department is still Actively Evaluating the Projects to Eensure they do Not impair National Security or Military Operations, a Process that Requires High Levels of Interagency Coordination.

The Department’s Evaluation of Wind Turbines “is inherently complex and time-consuming because it involves balancing two critical, and sometimes competing, interests: developing energy sources while ensuring military operations and readiness are not degraded or impaired to the extent an unacceptable risk to national security is created,” the Official said. “It’s not clear why these policies are being implemented during an affordability crisis, but I think it shows the level of disdain the administration has for renewable energy in general and wind power specifically,” said University of Texas Energy Professor Michael Webber.

Texas is Home to more Wind Turbines than any other State, and also has a Number of Military Installations. According to a 2019 Report by the Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute, there are 17 Military Bases with Flight Facilities in the State, and Large Expanses of Airspace set Aside for Military Operations. This includes Several Training Routes for Air Force and Navy Pilots Flying out of Laughlin Air Force Base near Del Rio, the Naval Air Station in Corpus Christi, San Antonio’s Randolph Air Force Base, and the Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene.

The Pause is the Latest move by an Administration that is attempting to Slow the Growth of Wind Power across the U.S. Most of the Administration’s efforts have focused on Offshore Projects. Last year, the Administration Suspended Leases for Five Major Projects off the East Coast, citing National Security concerns related to Radar Interference. Federal judges later Ruled Against the Administration in All Five Cases, finding that the Government Exceeded its Authority and Failed to Prove that the Projects posed National Security Threats. All Five Projects have since Resumed Construction.

The Interior Department announced in March, that it had reached an Agreement with TotalEnergies to Pay the Company $1 billion to walk away from a Planned Offshore wWind Project and instead Expand Fossil Fuel Investments. The Interior Department later Negotiated similar Agreements with Two other Offshore Developers on the East and West Coasts, who Agreed to Terminate their Federal Leases in Exchange for a combined $900 million Payment from the U.S. Government.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

Feds Sweep Texas Border Counties

A Week Long Federal Crackdown in South Texas, has Resulted in Ccriminal Charges against 211 Individuals for Immigration and Border Security Violations, Federal Officials announced. The Eenforcement Surge, which Ran from 5/8 to 14/2026, Targeted Repeat Immigration Offenders, Human Smugglers, and Individuals with Violent Criminal Pasts.

Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck (R) Announced that the Southern District of Texas filed 49 Criminal Complaints for Illegal Entry and 133 Felony Charges for Re-Entry after a Prior Removal. Federal Prosecutors noted that the Majority of those facing Re-Entry Charges Possess Prior Convictions for Offenses including: Narcotics, Immigration Violations, and Violent Crimes.

Additionally, 26 Individuals were Charged with Human Smuggling, while the Remaining Cases involve various Immigration Infractions and Firearms Violations.

Among those recently Charged are Two Mexican Nationals, German Omar Elbir-Palma and Alejandro Perez-Miramontes, who Both Face up to 20 years in Federal Prison if Convicted of Illegal Re-Entry. According to Court Documents, Elbir-Palma, who has a Prior Conviction for Domestic Assault, was Deported in 12/2025 and Apprehended this Week near Escobares. Perez-Miramontes, who has Multiple Burglary Convictions, was found near Hidalgo. Both Men have previous Felony Convictions for Illegal Re-Entry.

The Federal District also Concluded several High-Profile Sentencings this week, for Individuals who Unlawfully Re-Entered the Country after Multiple Deportations. Jose Alcantar Esquivel Moreno Received a 54-month Prison Sentence, and Esequiel Rueda-Ramirez was Sentenced to 48 Months. More-Eo’s Criminal Record Includes a Felony Conviction for Aggravated Assault-Family Violence. Rueda-Ramirez’s History includes Convictions for Evading Arrest, Illegal Reentry, and Possession with Intent to Distribute both Marijuana and Cocaine.

In a separate Houston Case, Luis Miguel Sanchez-Martinez was Sentenced to 42 months in Federal Prison. Court Records indicate Sanchez-Martinez was First Removed from the U.S. in 2020 and Holds Multiple Convictions for Driving under the Influence of Alcohol.

The Prosecutions are part of "Operation Take Back America", a Broader Department of Justice Initiative Designed to Secure the Border, Dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations, and Aaddress Violent Crime. The U.S. Attorney’s Office Stated that its current Enforcement Strategy Prioritizes Public Safety by Targeting Individuals in the Border and Interior Regions Who have Histories of Human Trafficking, Sexual Assault, and Violence against Children.

The Southern District of Texas Spans 43 Counties, Covers 44,000 square miles, and Serves over 10 million Rresidents, making it One of the Busiest Federal Prosecutor’s Offices in the Nation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys across Seven Regional Divisions: Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Galveston, Houston, Laredo, Victoria, McAllen, Coordinated the Operations.

Investigation and Enforcement Support for these Cases involved a Coalition of: Federal, state, and Local Agencies, including Border Patrol, Immigration, and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and Enforcement and Removal Operations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

US Expects Health Department to lose Job Protections

Trump's (R) Administration expects Hundreds of U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Workers to be Stripped of Civil Service Job Protections, according to an Emailed Memos.

HHS Employees at several Agencies received the email, which said Positions on their Teams could be Affected by the Reclassification, known as Schedule P/C and formerly as Schedule F.

At HHS the Reclassification is Initially expected to apply to Employees "on the order of hundreds, not thousands," the email said, with Additional Tranches to follow.

An HHS official confirmed the email's authenticity and said it "reflects the finalization of previously announced RIFs," referring to reductions in force or mass layoffs. The official said THE RIFs were planned.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker