Trump’s Refusal to Work With Congress Breaks From Clinton, Nixon History
The White House response has been to say “no” in nearly every case. That has led to several court proceedings, two of which have led federal judges side with Congress so far (although both rulings are being appealed).
But the struggle to date has been largely a Washington matter, a serious and even desperate confrontation to be sure — but one that seems remote from most Americans’ lives and reality.
Now, by declaring that he would no longer work with Congress on infrastructure – or on anything else of substance – the president has dramatically escalated this struggle. In his determination to pressure his antagonists to relent, he suddenly seems ready to renounce the governing obligations of his own office.
This takes the confrontation between coequal branches of government to a level far more likely to concern the interests of average citizens.
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