David Reel’s recent articles about President Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) miss some important constitutional problems. None of us know exactly how the Supreme Court will rule on DOGE, but it clearly undermines the balance of power between the branches of government. The U.S. Constitution gives Congress the authority to create and fund government agencies — not the president. Letting the president restructure or close agencies without Congress’s approval takes away power from Congress and weakens the system of checks and balances that protects our democracy.
What makes this even more troubling is that Trump doesn’t need to bypass Congress. He has a majority in both the House and the Senate. If Trump wants to restructure the government, he could go through Congress and follow the constitutional process. But instead, DOGE allows him to act unilaterally, cutting Congress out of decisions that should involve all three branches of government. That’s a dangerous step toward giving too much power to the executive branch.
Making the government more efficient is important — but it must be done in a way that respects the Constitution and preserves the balance of power.
Sarah Gavian
Cambridge
Jeff Hart says
Agree with your comments totally. Accept that the president sees himself as the supreme being with the power to say and do anything thing he wants. And some of his minions in congressional positions agree with his power because if he agrees with the president he keeps his job. Not the one he was elected to fill (the will of the people).
Michael Davis says
Thank you, Sarah, for raising this point.
Donald Trump believes he is a Unitary Executive. Under this theory, he has total power over the Executive Branch. Congress has no authority whatsoever to question his decisions. Most Republican members of Congress also believe this theory and they have exercised none of the powers granted to them by the Constitution during Trump’s administration. One draft of the Continuing Resolution that may be passed this week was designed by Speaker Johnson to give Trump authority of the federal budget. Congress will have even less authority.
Fortunately, there are groups of people fighting this in the courts. Trump and his lawyers have failed so far to convince courts that he has the absolute power of a Unitary Executive. There is still hope for our Constitutional democracy. I suggest checking out groups such as Democracy Forward and the ACLU. They are winning in courts where judges still honor the Constitution’s balance of powers. Let’s hope that continues.
Karen Footner says
I agree with all of the above and want to note that only a handful of department civil service employees have access to any of government databases. This includes the IRS, Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, and others I am unaware of. Any official who gives DOGE team access has broken the law. It is likely a well known law, but….