I support the need for strong physical barriers on our borders as well as insuring our leaders to usurp their constitutional authority. That is why I’m a bit torn on the President’s Emergency Declaration which allows him to fund the wall. Let us explore this subject together (below).
FOR
- The Emergency Act- allows the President to make such a determination of what is and what isn’t an emergency. When such a determination is made he has the Executive Power to act on it.
- Congress has funded several projects that can be legally used for such purposes even they weren’t directly advocated as such. The President has that discretion as administrator of such funds.
- Money for border wall funding has already been approved by this Congress even though a smaller amount and with restrictions the Presidents doesn’t want.
- The Congress can take action on their own behalf to stop any Emergency act if they so deem that it isn’t a quote “emergency”.
- President Obama unilateral declared that DACA residents were legal without any congressional or judicial approval.
AGAINST
- It’s not an actual emergency such as a Natural Disaster or a threat that “suddenly occurred”
- This sets a bad precedent for other Presidents to declare national emergencies on global warming, poverty, medicare for all etc.
- Congress right to purse strings has been hampered.