Article I Was First for a Reason

This is your Content Warning: this is going to be a Political Rant

Flexing the power of Article I, this bold graphic underscores the enduring strength and influence of legislative authority across diverse global arenas.

Where is Congress while Trump talks like a king? I am going to let everyone in on a little secret. Congress, the Article I institution, is supposed to be the most powerful branch because it is closest to the people. Article I comes first in the Constitution and is the longest. The Founders had just fought a war against a king and were deeply wary of executive power. Alexander Hamilton called the judiciary the least dangerous branch in Federalist 78.

Think about it: the Judicial Branch is unelected and can be constrained by Congress. Both Article II (the President) and Article III (federal judges) can be impeached and removed by Congress. The only way to get rid of a member of Congress is expulsion by their own chamber or being voted out by the people. And high crimes and misdemeanors? That's whatever Congress decides it is. Gerald Ford said it best: an impeachable offense is whatever the House considers it to be. Congress holds the power to remove, and that is not an accident.

Congress is the only branch allowed to impeach, override vetoes, make laws, tax and spend, declare war, and issue letters of marque (government licenses authorizing private ships to attack enemy vessels, essentially legalized piracy. Famous examples include Sir Francis Drake, who raided Spanish ships for Queen Elizabeth I, and Jean Lafitte, whose privateers helped Andrew Jackson defend New Orleans in the War of 1812). But when I see and hear Trump say that the only thing that can stop him is his own morality and his own mind, that makes me so mad. That is the talk of a king, not a president. He is going to take on this country and that country. The military is not his personal henchmen.

At what point is he going to get us involved in something that Congress and We the People are going to regret for generations? Russia thought they could roll into Ukraine in a matter of days. They were the number two military in the world. Look what that got them: a meat grinder with no end in sight. And now Trump wants to play empire?

And by what authority is he running Venezuela? I don't remember them surrendering. I don't remember them electing him. There is nothing in the Constitution or any law that lets a president run another country. He can call himself whatever he wants, but proclaiming yourself the virtual president of a sovereign nation is not how any of this is supposed to work. And I don't care what he says about drugs or criminals or national security. This was about oil and money. It was always about oil and money.

The same Congress that tells us we can't afford healthcare or infrastructure suddenly has money for buying islands and invading countries? Why is he going after a fellow country that has done nothing but support the US throughout history? Leave Greenland alone. If we need to defend it, we will as part of NATO; otherwise, we don't need it. If he wants to buy it, where is that money coming from? Kings buy territories. Presidents serve the people. I am more interested in spending money on this country. If we have money to buy Greenland, we have money to properly fund health insurance and do needed infrastructure.

At what point do we run out of ammunition, ships, planes, and troops to take on all these things he wants to do? I read an article the other day that military recruiters were having trouble getting younger men and women to join the military, and frankly, with this president who acts more like a mafioso than a president, I wouldn't join right now. It is one thing to protect our nation; it is a whole other thing to help a bully.

I can't wait to hear the excuses for what Republicans are going to say other than Trump wasn't on the ballot. A lot of his supporters are turning on him, and they should. Most of this economic mess is self-inflicted by the stable genius.