ITC says kudos to Congressman Thomas Massie. Massie voted Tuesday along with House Democrats in support of a resolution to block President Trump’s declaration of a “national emergency” along the southern border.
House Democrats have said the President’s declaration is unconstitutional. Trump declared a national emergency recently when Congress passed a funding bill that did not include $5.7 billion for construction of a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Under declaration of a national emergency, Trump can transfer funds to free up billions of dollars to pay for the wall.
ITC rarely agrees with Massie. Massie has often been viewed, and correctly so, as a maverick, a loner, not a team player, and to some degree, an ineffective outcast. He has been in the past a member of the so-called Freedom Caucus and was one of a very few to vote against John Boehner as Speaker, which eventually forced Boehner to resign. Then, he did not support Paul Ryan when Republicans elected Ryan as their new Speaker. However, Massie was right on this vote. A presidential declaration of “national emergency” when a President does not get his way, or simply to bypass Congress, is just wrong, not only in the current instance, but for future precedent.
Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has already agreed to support the “national emergency” declaration of Trump. It appeared McConnell’s support was necessary to avoid another federal government shutdown as we witnessed recently. ITC believes the declaration of a national emergency is wrong constitutionally, is wrong for separation of powers and balance of power between the executive and legislative branches of government, and yes, does set a bad precedent.
So, kudos to Rep. Massie. Now, when a Democratic president uses the same power in the future (and you can bet your sweet petunia they will) for an issue of which Republicans oppose, only Representative Massie will have the credibility to be critical and stand in opposition.
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