Trump to declare national emergency

[pbrower2a]

Congress always has the power to end a national emergency, so it's not like there aren't checks and balances to this type of move. By announcing now, he gives the Dems enough rope to hang themselves if they renounce support for the compromise bill and cause another shutdown.

This is the language of dictatorship.  It is an attempt of the Executive to take over powers that the Constitution delegates to the Legislative branch (the budget) and avoid oversight of the Judicial branch (legal oversight).

Dictatorships invariably gut the authority of the legislature and turn the judiciary into an enforcer. Donald Trump acts as if the knowledge that a high-school kid gets in a civics class if he does not fall asleep in it. This President is a Constitutional crisis.

Presidents can declare emergencies, but those almost invariably entail a limitation of geographic scope and a short period of relevance, as after such natural disasters as riots, floods,  hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, volcanic eruptions, and wildfires. Those are intended to get life back to normal as soon as possible. Of course there are war powers, but the United States has not been in a declared war against a sovereign state since World War II officially ended.

[pbrower2a]

The fact that Congress won't hold him accountable here is what disgusts me. This patently isn't an emergency. This is gross misuse of the office of president. It's time to impeach. Well. It was already time long ago because emoluments but now we've also got attempting to subvert the Constitution.

But no, Democrats as well as Republicans are going to continue acting like this is okay as long as there's no proof of a criminal offense. Impeachment isn't a punishment; it's an investigation. It's not a part of the justice system; it is unique. Stop acting like it's okay for Trump to be a mini dictator as long as he doesn't break criminal law. That's the opposite of the spirit of the Constitution.

The President can be impeached for 'high crimes and misdemeanors' 'Crimes' obviously include overt violations of felony statutes, as for murder, rape, embezzlement, money laundering, drug trafficking, tax fraud, perjury, and obstruction of justice.

It is the 'misdemeanors' that can also take down a President. For good reason the President does not drive a motor vehicle because practically any minor violation of traffic laws constitutes a misdemeanor.

The Constitution delineates the roles of the President, Vice-president, Congress, and the federal courts. We have checks and balances to keep one branch of Government to not misbehave. The Constitution is full of constraints upon the President to prevent the President from acting as a despot.

Congress controls the budget. The President does not get to impose taxes or exempt people from them -- and does not have the right to apportion money contrary to the instructions of Congress. The President cannot dispose of federal property solely to get funds for expenditures not authorized by Congressional acts.

A President acting as a dictator or despot is a Constitutional crisis in its own right. There are no emergency powers of the federal Government except in a declaration of war or its effective declaration.  -- or, as in response to riots, wildfires, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, or volcanic eruptions, and then at the request typically of state and local government and for limited purpose.