President Trump has created strategic maneuvering space way short of war in Venezuela by picking up the phone and engaging with President Putin.  One goal agreed on during the historic call is the need for significant humanitarian aid to Venezuela in support of acting President Juan Guaidó and the people of that artificially impoverished nation.

It is tragically obvious that Nicolás Maduro, the strongman socialist, has totally failed to help his fellow citizens.  Now it is time for all parties, including Russia and China, to join with President Trump to demand that the failed socialist leader get out of Venezuela right now.

It looks as if this all may happen, without any combat action, because of President Trump's leadership.  Current reporting tells us four people have perished.  Even a single death of someone questing for freedom and a better life is tragic, but in these situations, it is a small number and may give hope that the physical transfer of power can go safely.  But only time will tell.

Prior to the fateful call to President Putin, President Trump dispatched his vice president to the U.N. to provide "nearly $61 million in additional humanitarian assistance to support the regional response for the 3.4 million Venezuelans who have fled the man-made crisis in their country."

President Trump is a successful executive who well knows the saying "if you can't delegate you are dead" (symbolically).  On November 9, 2018, President Trump nominated John Barsa, a capable person, to be the assistant administrator for USAID/Latin America and the Caribbean.  So last November, 181 days ago, the key individual capable of bringing humanitarian relief to Venezuela as a presidential appointee was selected and put forward for the Senate's constitutional "Advise and Consent" role.

"Mr. Barsa served with the United States Army Reserves for nearly a decade and was a member of the 11th Special Forces Group and the 450th Civil Affairs Battalion.  In the U.S. Congress, he worked for Representative Lincoln Diaz-Balart."

Then, on December 4, 2018, Mr. Barsa had a successful hearing in front of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.  That was 155 days ago.  His thoughtful statement began:

If confirmed, I look forward to working closely with the U.S. Congress to ensure that USAID's programs in the region advance U.S. national security and geopolitical interests.

So enough.  It is now time to bring sunlight and accountability to the U.S. Senate's actions during this time of Venezuela's life-and-death struggles.  We are a remarkable country that has demonstrated over and over the ability to generously provide immediate humanitarian aid throughout the world.

An essential presidential nominee to lead humanitarian relief to Venezuela is still pending for Senate confirmation.  The Trump administration is taking every measure possible to ameliorate the suffering of a country literally starving.  Meanwhile, Democrat senators are posturing and fussing but not even doing the minimum necessary in performing their most important job.

Several thoughtful senators proposed last month a bill to authorize appropriate money to bring aid to Venezuela, as seen in this Senator Menendez (D-N.J.)'s press release:

WASHINGTON — Today, Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Senators Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Dick Durbin(D-Ill.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-La.), and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) introduced new comprehensive legislation to help restore democracy and address the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela.

Yet it has been widely reported and applauded by the Left that the Democrat plan all along has been to cripple the Trump administration by slow-rolling the advise-and-consent Senate requirements.  Currently, for some appointees absent a 60-vote Republican margin, the Senate rules can permit Democrat senators the power to be obstructionists.  This is a vivid and tragic example of putting partisan games in play against helping destitute and starving people.  I guess the posturing Democrat senators truly have no shame.