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I’m old enough to remember when the GOP railed against the purported “imperial presidency” of Barack Obama — how dare that tyrant try to give Americans health care! — so I never miss an opportunity to highlight Republicans’ hypocrisy as they’ve prostrated themselves to Donald Trump and seemingly tried to march the country into a dictatorship.
In the latest news, several House Republicans want Congress to relinquish control over the budget process and hand it over to the incoming president after he takes office in January.
As I’ve reported previously, some conservatives — including Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy — contend that the Impoundment Control Act, a 1974 law that requires all funds authorized by Congress to be spent, gives the president broad latitude to determine whether the funds are spent at all. You may remember this issue coming up during Trump’s first impeachment over his withholding of aid to Ukraine for personal, political reasons.
And Republicans now seem intent on removing all doubt that Trump’s power is supreme.
And Republicans now seem intent on removing all doubt that Trump’s power is supreme.
More than a dozen House Republicans sponsored a bill earlier this month that would repeal the Impoundment Control Act entirely, giving Trump unprecedented power to determine which funds are spent. (You can read more about Trump’s hopes for impoundment in this ProPublica article.)
It should go without saying that giving a vindictive man known for his business failures effective control of the federal budget is a bad idea. But today’s Republican Party seems to exist for little more than stroking Trump’s ego and lining his pockets.
Business Insider got quotes from some of the GOP lawmakers backing the bill that would let Trump usurp their budgetary powers, and they’re just as sheepish as you might imagine:
I think the spending is just out of control, and I think Congress is gutless. I just don’t think we’re capable of making changes without some other interference, whether it be the executive branch or the voters.
Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn.
Quite ironic for Burchett to accuse others of being gutless precisely as he tries to pass the buck to Trump. But he wasn’t alone in his deference:
If the power is reducing expenditures, then I’m all for it. Something has to be done.
Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Mo.
And there was more:
You look at where we are in this country, why not give him that power? At this point, I’m willing to take that risk. Anything can be abused. I can drink too much water, and suffer from it.
Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C.
This bill attempting to repeal the Impoundment Control Act would face hurdles if it’s reintroduced in the upcoming House session, given that Republicans will hold an even smaller majority than they do now. And the repeal could face an even steeper climb in the Senate, if it were to reach that point. But with a budget fight on the horizon, the proposal to hand Trump complete control of the federal coffers shows we’ve reached new — and even more dangerous — levels of pro-Trump obsequiousness.
At minimum, it’s a warning about the fervent horde of Trump sycophants who are eager to give him whatever he wants.