Trump is trying to shred the constitutional separation of powers

Dear Editor:

The Constitution divides the government authority between the three branches of the government: legislative, executive and Judicial.  The legislative branch (congress) has the power of the purse: “Article I, Section 9, Clause 7: No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law; and a regular Statement and Account of the Receipts and Expenditures of all public Money shall be published from time to time.”

The executive branch is tasked with faithfully enforcing laws passed by Congress.  The Executive branch does not have the authority to impound funds approved by Congress and it does not have the authority to disburse funds not appropriated by Congress.   Offering government employees a buyout with monies not appropriated by Congress is a usurpation of power by the executive branch.  Closing governmental agencies, such as U.S.A.I.D., that have been supported and funded by both Democratic and Republican Congresses without Congressional approval, violates the separation of powers detailed in the Constitution.

While you can argue that the government spends too much money or is wasteful, the Constitutional way to choose which programs get monies or which programs are closed is through the congress – the people’s house. Having a president with authority to close programs, or decide which programs to fund, totally bypasses Congress and makes Congress useless.  That is how authoritarians govern, that is how dictators rule; that is not how the U.S. government is set up and it violates the oath of office taken by our elected leaders to uphold the Constitution.

William Fine

Brockport, New York  14420