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Nevilledog

(53,842 posts)
Thu Mar 13, 2025, 05:38 PM Thursday

Trump Drafts Plans to Take Over Congress's Spending Powers

https://newrepublic.com/post/192733/trump-plans-spending-cuts-congress-shutdown

No paywall link
https://archive.li/bEEeA

Donald Trump and his Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought plan to impound federal spending after Congress passes a budget to avoid government shutdown, setting up a major legal fight with Congress.

Trump and Vought, a Project 2025 alum, plan to impound some of the funds Congress allocates before the government shutdown deadline on Friday, Fox News reports. The move would violate the Impoundment Control Act of 1974, which Trump and his supporters have called unconstitutional, as it prevents the president from spending money appropriated by Congress in a different way.

A direct challenge to the law would prompt a legal fight that would very likely be decided by the Supreme Court and threaten the separation of powers outlined in the Constitution. If the executive branch gains impoundment power, Trump and future presidents would have much more power, with Congress significantly weakened.

Right now, the Senate is at a standstill over budget discussions, with Democrats standing in the way of Republicans’ attempts to pass a continuing resolution. The GOP needs eight Democrats to join them to pass it, and they are having trouble convincing enough to do so.

Vought’s role in Trump’s plans raises serious questions as he was one of the authors of the conservative Project 2025 manifesto, which seeks to completely remake the federal government, and by extension the country as a whole, to serve right-wing cultural and business interests. Impounding funds has worrying short-term consequences, but in the long term, could be part of an even more sinister strategy.

*the end*
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brush

(59,197 posts)
10. Yes, Congress needs to stop it now, because we can't count on the corrupt SCOTUS 6 to stop him.
Thu Mar 13, 2025, 06:07 PM
Thursday

The MFer sees himself as an emperor...given his aims on Greenland, Canada and the Panama Canal.

Aristus

(69,334 posts)
6. I wonder if the Supreme Court understands that if they grant him this, he's coming after them, next.
Thu Mar 13, 2025, 05:55 PM
Thursday

And I don't mean he's going to turn the justice positions into well-paying no-show jobs; I mean he's going to turn them out into the street. See how they like that.

Bayard

(24,468 posts)
8. I don't have an expletive that is strong enough anymore
Thu Mar 13, 2025, 06:00 PM
Thursday

I hope Rachel covers this tonight with one of her legal experts.

maxrandb

(16,367 posts)
11. And when Dems pass the "cloture" vote
Thu Mar 13, 2025, 07:13 PM
Thursday

Donnie Dipshit will claim; "see, we told you what we were going to do, and you approved it!"

"Boom! Mandate to do whatever the fuck I want"!

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