Thoughts for the Day, March 10, 2026: From that bastion of liberal bias and fake news, here comes the Wall Street Journal. How dare they criticize the president's non-war in Iran.

WSJ Politics

The following two articles appeared in the Wall Street Journal’s daily email entitled WSJ Politics. We know that the WSJ is a bastion of liberal politics, so it is not surprising they are pointing put the problems of President Trumps current military action in Iran that is not a war. I am sure that Trump and his MAGA base will write these articles off as more of the same from liberal fake news.

Are we at War?

President Trump on Saturday said that “we’re winning the war by a lot.” He was returning from Dover Air Force Base, where he had attended the dignified transfer of the bodies of six servicemembers killed as part of the U.S. action against Iran. “It’s a sad part of war,” he said of the deaths.

But ask members of Congress if the U.S. is at war with Iran, and suddenly a reticence to use the word “war” appears.

“No, by definition, we’re not at war,” said Republican Sen. Thom Tillis on CNN on Sunday. Mike Waltz, the U.N. ambassador, tiptoed around the word. “I describe it as Iran’s been at war with us,” he said on NBC.

It’s a classic “only in Washington” moment to see missile exchanges, drone attacks and the resulting deaths divorced from the plain meaning of the word “war.” But the tortured locution speaks to one of the most pressing challenges facing Congress: The Constitution gives lawmakers powers that they aren’t using.

Under the Constitution, Congress holds the power to declare war. Congress hasn’t done so in the case of Iran—so, in that sense, we are not at war. But lawmakers have given presidents wide latitude under the War Powers Act, which allows a president to deploy U.S. forces for 60 days before a vote of Congress is needed to continue the action.

Chances are growing for a new vote that could push lawmakers to affirmatively back or reject the war. (They have voted once to reject limits on Trump in Iran). If the U.S. places troops on the ground, that could bring the War Powers Act into play, Tillis said, by pushing the military engagement beyond 60 days and forcing Congress to hold a vote. That prospect has gained more attention, as Trump this weekend declined to rule out ground troops, as the U.S. and Israeli military campaign tests the limits of air power.

Off Ramp or On Ramp

I’m Dave Brown, filling in for Damian Paletta. At 2:25 p.m. Monday, the Defense Department’s “rapid response” account posted on X that “We have Only Just Begun to Fight.” Less than an hour later, CBS News reporter Weijia Jiang posted that President Trump had just told her that “I think the war is very complete, pretty much.”

And he wasn’t just popping off. He later told an audience that the military operation in Iran was a “very short excursion” and will be over “very soon.” Gone was the tough talk from just last Friday, when he said the only way to make a deal with Iran was “unconditional surrender.”

So what changed over the weekend? For starters, the price of oil shot well past $100 a barrel, and gas prices immediately soared. The war continued to poll poorly. And nervous Republicans were dialing up the White House, saying the war could hurt them in the midterm elections.

Worse yet, Iran’s government tapped hard-line cleric Mojtaba Khamenei—son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei—to be its new leader. That choice presented only bad options for Trump. Does he try to make a deal? Does he hope the people rise up and unseat the new leader? Does he keep bombing Iran until they choose someone more palatable?

One thing is certain: Even if Trump says the war might be winding down, his quickly shifting messaging means it could all change later today. Indeed, right after telling reporters on Monday that the war could be over soon, he quickly followed up, saying the U.S. could “go further.”

*******************************************************************************************************

Oops, disregard my tweet.

More from that bastion of liberal politics the Wall Street Journal.

For days, the global oil market has swung wildly while traders from New York to London to Singapore have watched footage of drones and missiles flying across the Middle East. Tuesday’s selloff was sparked in part by a social-media post.

A plunge in oil prices intensified in the early afternoon after Energy Secretary Chris Wright said on X that “The U.S. Navy successfully escorted an oil tanker through the Strait of Hormuz to ensure oil remains flowing to global markets.” The prospect of a prolonged energy shock momentarily dimmed. Futures for oil, diesel and gasoline slid. Stocks jumped.

But the message vanished within minutes, leaving investors the world over struggling to see through the fog of war emanating from the Trump administration itself. U.S. officials soon after said that the military isn’t currently escorting commercial ships through one of the world’s chokepoints for oil and natural gas.

The since-deleted post was enough to wipe out million-dollar trades. Benchmark U.S. crude futures plunged by as much as 19% at one point. During a roughly 10-minute span when Wright’s post appeared, an exchange-traded fund linked to oil futures saw $84 million of its market capitalization evaporate.

“That’s an unforgivable error right there,” said Robert Yawger, commodity specialist at Mizuho Securities.

********************************************************************************************************

Power Play or Negotiating Strategy on the Save Act?

President Trump says he will not sign any future legislation into law until the Save Act is passed.

From the Blind Spot: On Mar 8, President Donald Trump vowed on Truth Social he would not sign any bills until Congress passes the SAVE America Act, urging Republicans to bypass the filibuster.

The House of Representatives passed the SAVE America Act last month; it stalls in the U.S. Senate where Republicans hold 53 seats and would require proof of citizenship and photo ID to vote.

Demanding additions, Trump pushed strict voter-ID and proof-of-citizenship rules, limits on mail-in ballots with exceptions for military and voters with illness or disability.

Senate Democrats say they will oppose the SAVE Act and warned Trump’s signature blockade could imperil must-pass Department of Homeland Security funding, with Congress able to counter using veto, pocket veto, and 10-day enactment rules.

With midterms looming, Democratic Party leaders say the SAVE Act would suppress votes for college students, senior citizens, Americans living abroad, and adoptees.

*******************************************************************************************************

Contact your Congressperson

Contact your congressman by following these easy steps

This can be done in a few easy steps.

Step 1: find your congressman by clicking on this link, Find Your Representative | house.gov

Step 2: Put your zip code in the proper space.

Step 3: Click the button “find your representative””

Step 4: In the new page that comes up you will see a picture of your congressman. Click on your congressman’s name under the picture.

Step 5: In the new page that comes up, Click on Contact Me at the top of the page and then click on Email me.

Step 6: Fill out the information as required.

***************************************************************************************************

Quote of the Day: “High times on Wall Street. Hard times on Main Street.” Bruce Springsteen at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 25 anniversary concert at Madison Square Garden in 2009. It applies today.

Orchid of the Day: To an unknown patron at the Bay Side Restaurant in Petoskey. On Sunday morning, just as I was settling into my seat in the restaurant an unknown patron on the other side of the restaurant sneezed. I reacted by saying “bless you”. When I went to pay my bill, I was told the patron who was sitting with his wife, had paid my bill. As I was leaving I went over to thank him and ask why he paid my bill. He said it was because I said “bless you” when he sneezed. I thanked him and told him, I would pay it forward.

There is still kindness out there. I was fortunate enough to be a recipient on Sunday morning.

Onion of the Day: We the people, who are paying more at the pump because of the non-war in Iran.

Question of the Day: Power Play or Negotiating Strategy on the Save Act?

Lyrics of the Day: In the tunnels uptown The Rat’s own dream guns him down As shots echo down them hallways in the night No one watches when the ambulance pulls away

Or as the girl shuts out the bedroom light Outside the street’s on fire
In a real death waltz Between what’s flesh and what’s fantasy
And the poets down here Don’t write nothing at all
They just stand back and let it all be

And in the quick of the night They reach for their moment
And try to make an honest stand But they wind up wounded
Not even dead

If you know the answer, please feel free to use the comment section of the blog to respond.

Lyrics of the Day for March 9, 2026. I still haven’t found what I am looking for by U2

Video of the Day: BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN Jungleland HD Madison Square Garden, NYC Subtitulado 2009 This goes out to Leah. This was playing as part of my playlist as Leah and I were coming home from the gym today. Leah wanted to know if this was one of Bruce’s B-side songs. I told her no. Please enjoy the last quarter of the video as the Big Man plays the sax.

I write reflective, opinionated essays on leadership, politics, sports, and life—grounded in experience rather than ideology. If this perspective resonates with you, you can subscribe here for free.