President Trump’s attempted freeze on discretionary federal spending has run into a buzz saw of condemnation in Washington. As with several of Trump’s initiatives, opponents claimed that he had violated the Constitution and threatened the American system of government. They even convinced a federal judge in Washington, D.C., to temporarily block the order. But what critics, and perhaps even Trump, may not understand is the greater significance of this fight: it represents an effort to free the presidency of the Watergate “reforms” that have long handicapped it.
In the disputed order, the White House directed federal agencies to “temporarily pause all activities related to obligation or disbursement of all Federal financial assistance” and “identify and review all Federal financial assistance programs and supporting activities consistent with the President’s policies and requirements.” After the federal court injunction, White House officials backpedaled, at first conceding that they had rescinded the freeze but then claiming that it remained in effect.
Comments