Folks, I almost spilled my coffee reading this one. It seems like President Donald Trump’s administration has been playing a game of “catch me if you can” with the law. The president’s face is on coins, despite a law that says a living president’s face shouldn’t be on currency. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The administration has been exploiting loopholes and pushing the limits of executive power, often in ways that are “likely unlawful,” as Chief Justice John Roberts put it.
The law says that a president must not commit the US military into hostilities for longer than 60 days without congressional approval. But the US has been in a conflict with Iran for more than six months, and the administration says it has taken time-outs in the war. Previous presidents have danced around this requirement, but nothing on the level of Trump’s war on Iran. It’s like they’re trying to see how far they can stretch the rules before someone blows the whistle.
The administration has also been tearing down parts of the White House to build a new ballroom, despite Chief Justice Roberts calling it “likely unlawful.” And if that’s not enough, they’re planning to add an inscription to the Kennedy Center, giving Trump credit for the rehab job. It’s like they’re trying to leave their mark on everything, no matter what the law says. Bless their hearts, they’re certainly confident in their ability to get away with it.
The law says that Congress decides where money should go, but that didn’t stop Trump’s administration from cutting research funding and aid money it simply disagreed with. And let’s not forget about the time the administration tried to end agencies like USAID, the US Department of Education, and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. It’s like they’re playing a game of “Simon says” with the law, and they’re the only ones who get to make the rules.
The Supreme Court has been trying to keep up, but it’s hard when the administration is moving so fast. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson blasted the court’s conservatives for allowing Trump’s executive order to cut down on mail-in voting to proceed. She said the White House has a “Catch-Me-If-You-Can approach,” and it’s hard to argue with that. The administration is like a kid in a candy store, grabbing as much as they can and running with it.
In the end, it will be up to the next president to try to clean up the mess. But it won’t be easy. They’ll have to figure out how to tear down the East Wing behemoth that Trump is building, and how to rebuild the system of scientific and medical research funding that the administration cut back. And let’s not forget about the coins with Trump’s face on them – those will be a nice souvenir of his time in office. It’s a good thing I’m sipping on a strong cup of coffee, because this is going to be a long and wild ride.
Armchair patriot. Believes in the free market, cold beer, and that there’s always a guy named George behind every CNN segment.
Former remote-throwing champion turned #1 couch commentator on liberal panic in the media. Born in Texas (or so his mug says), he earned a degree in Fake Newsology & Beer Philosophy from YouTube University.
