Caffeinated Politics

Process matters.

People who engage with me about topics of the day, whether it is stated in words or not, know that I am a process democrat. I firmly believe that the manner in which governing takes place is the ultimate test of a republic. 

I know this line of thinking seems as if we are heading deep into the tall grass, but it is very germane to what makes a nation credible. Any nation wishing to be viewed favorably must adhere to laws. When those laws and processes are discarded or tossed aside, the very structure of government starts to lose credibility, and the citizens are the losers.

That is why I listened today as United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the recent U.S. military operation in Venezuela, which included airstrikes and the capture of President Nicolás Maduro. The UN official saw this action as a violation of international law that could fuel instability across the region. He was deeply concerned that “the rules of international law had not been respected.”

It goes without saying that he reasoned this operation sets a “dangerous precedent” for how relations between nations are conducted. His words and understanding emphasized the importance of the principles of the UN Charter, including the prohibition of the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, stating that the “power of the law must prevail.” 

I understand that in the MAGA world, it is not fashionable to be proud that the U.N. Charter—an agreement the United States helped write and has long championed—prohibits using military force against another sovereign state except in self‑defense or with explicit authorization from the Security Council. What we witnessed this weekend is how Donald Trump violated both international law and domestic laws that govern the use of American force. There was no imminent threat to the United States, no attack to repel, no multilateral mandate. The operation was launched anyway, as if these constraints were optional rather than binding. That alone places the action outside the framework of international law.

But the breach of law was domestic, too. The constitutional architecture that governs war-making was simply ignored. Congress was not asked for authorization. The Gang of Eight—the small, bipartisan group of leaders who must be notified of sensitive national security actions—was not briefed. The legal processes designed to ensure democratic oversight were treated as inconveniences. When a president bypasses these mechanisms, he is not merely bending norms; he is discarding the very procedures that distinguish a constitutional republic (democracy) from unilateral rule.

This matters because process is not a technicality. It is the mechanism by which power is restrained, legitimacy is earned, and the public is protected from the whims of any single leader. Domestic law requires congressional authorization because the founders understood the dangers of concentrating war powers in one person. International law requires justification because the world has seen what happens when powerful nations decide they can invade weaker ones at will. These rules exist because history has already taught the lessons that Trump prefers to ignore.

When those rules are broken, the harm radiates outward. The immediate damage is obvious with the destabilization in the targeted country and diplomatic fallout. But also the erosion of America’s credibility abroad. Also, factor in the internal harm to our political institutions. Once a president demonstrates that he can deploy military force without legal authority, the precedent lingers. Future leaders—of any party—may feel emboldened to do the same. Congress becomes sidelined. Public debate becomes irrelevant. The constitutional balance tilts toward executive dominance, and the people lose their voice in the gravest decision a nation can make.

I had to hunt a while this afternoon to locate what I knew was a news story a few years ago. In the days after South Carolina Republican Rep. Trey Gowdy announced he would retire from Congress at the end of this term, he told CNN’s Alisyn Camerota this:

“I like jobs where facts matter. I like jobs where fairness matters. I like jobs where, frankly, where the process matters. It’s not just about winning and it’s not just about reaching a result.”

I wish we had a Republican Party today that echoed Goudy’s words.

Say it with me.

Process matters.

.