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Stand for Something: Campaign Promises are Not National Emergencies

When I came up with "Stand for Something" as the title of this column, the intent was to force myself to always take affirmative stances. Criticizing the ideas and actions of others is easy, knowing what should be done instead is hard.
Shakeel Dalal - Longmont Observer
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This content was originally published by the Longmont Observer and is licensed under a Creative Commons license.

When I came up with "Stand for Something" as the title of this column, the intent was to force myself to always take affirmative stances. Criticizing the ideas and actions of others is easy, knowing what should be done instead is hard.
So here's my affirmative stance: Follow the Constitution.

This morning, President Donald Trump declared a state of national emergency in order to reappropriate money which Congress has allocated for other purposes to the building of a wall along the southern border. I could write an entire column on the many hypocrisies of Donald Trump and the cowardice of Republicans on this. I will limit myself to just one.

I agree with 2014 Donald Trump. The president should not subvert the intent of the Framers and the plain text of the Constitution because he's unable to negotiate with Congress to get the things he wants. Even if the thing he wants is stupid. Even if the thing he wants was a campaign promise. Even if the president wants it really, really, really badly and if he doesn't get it he's going to throw a tantrum and embarrass us in public (again).

I am officially laying down the gauntlet to any Trump supporter: I want you to defend the declaration of this national emergency. Explain how it is not a gross violation of Article 1 Section 9 of the Constitution, which explicitly gives Congress the exclusive right to determine how money shall be spent. E-mail me at [email protected]. I am open to any and all arguments which are based on objective reality.

I am on record that most statements regarding the looming authoritarian nightmare are somewhat overstated. But you know how you get there? When the leader of a country is able to subvert the rules in order to get what he wants, even when it flies in the face of the country's rules, laws and norms. Remember when Republicans hyperventilated about presidential overreach every time President Barack Obama issued an executive order? Where's the outrage now?

General media commentary so far has focused on the fact that essentially the only thing between us and infinite dictatorial allocation of funds by this president and all the ones in the future is the coming lawsuit filed by the House of Representatives against President Trump.

This isn't the only option. The National Emergencies Act gives Congress the ability to vote to end an emergency declaration by the president.

What the general media narrative is forgetting to do is state their assumptions: that Congressional Republicans are cowards putting their desire to hold power and get re-elected above the good of the country. I look forward to being proven wrong, but Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell won't bring such a bill up for vote when it passes the House. And even if he did, it wouldn't pass the Senate where Republicans hold a majority. And even if it did pass, the president would veto it. And Republicans in the House and Senate are too cowardly to put up the votes for a veto override.

This cowardice can be seen in Longmont's representative in the House, Congressman Ken Buck. In a statement to the Greeley Tribune he said, "Both Presidents Obama and Clinton made similar declarations in the past. I respect his decision, and I expect to see military construction operations begin on the border, but I remain concerned about the precedent this sets for future presidents."

Allow me to translate for you: "I am required to engage in false equivalence. However, I am comfortable with this Constitutional violation because it is compatible with my short term desires. I will be sure to hyperventilate appropriately when, in the future, a president of a different political party does something I don't like."

Longmont's other Republican federal official, Senator Cory Gardner, has been less bullish on a national emergency declaration. In an interview with Colorado Public Radio, he said he would not support a declaration. He should be lauded for doing so. However, given his high ranking position in the Republican Party and penchant for appearing in photos with President Trump when he thinks it is politically expedient, I wonder if Senator Gardner isn't simply feeling the heat of re-election in 2020 with a cavalcade of Democrats lining up to oppose him. I look forward to his vote in the Senate in support of ending the national emergency.