By declaring a "national emergency" it allows Trump to set aside a great number of legal guardrails on his power. It's time to start freaking out.
February 14, 2019

President Trump declared a national emergency to get money his wall. It's time for Americans to officially begin freaking out, and way post time for weak members of Congress to stand up to him.

When a President declares a "national emergency" it allows him to set aside a great number of legal guardrails on his power.

Now the guardrails are off Trump, a leader who is likely compromised by a hostile foreign power. Taking limitations off the President who Justice Department officials contemplated calling a Cabinet meeting to discuss the 25th Amendment is a bad thing.

Elizabeth Goitein wrote an great article for The Atlantic today, laying out the extraordinary power that can be granted in a national emergency. Goitein likens national emergency power to a loaded weapon as she explains:

The moment the president declares a “national emergency”—a decision that is entirely within his discretion—more than 100 special provisions become available to him. While many of these tee up reasonable responses to genuine emergencies, some appear dangerously suited to a leader bent on amassing or retaining power. For instance, the president can, with the flick of his pen, activate laws allowing him to shut down many kinds of electronic communications inside the United States or freeze Americans’ bank accounts. Other powers are available even without a declaration of emergency, including laws that allow the president to deploy troops inside the country to subdue domestic unrest.

Republicans Stand With Trump or Stand With Democracy

President Bush declared a national emergency after 9/11. Trump would be declaring a national crisis to get funding for a vanity wall so he won't look bad to Ann Coulter and Sean Hannity. The Republicans in Congress, especially in the Senate, must take stand. They either stand with Trump or stand with Democracy. Sadly, this won't happen.We will see Republicans sending stern-ish tweets about Trump declaring a national emergency but they won't use their Constitutional power to stop him.

Richard Stengel, former Under Secretary of State in Obama administration made a great point during an interview with Nicole Wallace on MSNBC:

Congress, looking at the usurpation of its own power, could say, ‘You know what, Mr. President? This is not a real emergency. It’s not an emergency by any definition, and we are going to annul what your declaration of national emergency.'

Even the National Review hates the idea of a national emergency to fund the President's wall!

It's Officially Freakout Time

Make your voice heard. Call your representatives and call the Senate leaders! We cannot let the latest dangerous Trump action pass. Don't let anyone calm you down because it's freakout time!

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