"The power to declare war, long considered a crucial legislative power, has become a murky prerogative of the executive branch in the years since September 11; Trump, in recent months, has claimed even more of that power for himself, conducting strikes on vessels in the Caribbean. The power of the purse seems to have largely been stripped from Congress, too; now, under the office of management and budget director, Russell Vought, much of the power to appropriate federal funds has also defaulted to the presidency,"
"It's not like they're passing any laws, either; virtually all legislation must now be crammed into budget reconciliation bills, massive perennial must-spend omnibus legislation that can circumvent the filibuster. But when those don't pass and increasingly, they don't the government simply shuts down. At least, that is, big parts of the government do and it's not clear how many people notice."
"Currently, the government has been shut down all month; there are no signs of it reopening anytime soon. But the executive branch keeps on humming along. And so the question of control of Congress can seem somewhat moot. Why should Americans care who holds a majority in a body that has largely abolished itself? And yet Proposition 50, California's redistricting referendum that could deliver five additional House seats to the Democrats if it is embraced by voters in a special election next month, has captured"
Congressional authority over war and spending has weakened as the executive branch has assumed greater prerogatives, including unilateral strikes and control over appropriations via the Office of Management and Budget. Legislative output has been compressed into budget reconciliation and omnibus bills that bypass filibuster protections, increasing the likelihood of government shutdowns when consensus fails. Despite shutdowns, the executive branch continues operating, raising doubts about the practical significance of congressional majorities. California's Proposition 50, a redistricting referendum that could add five Democratic House seats, has energized liberals as a counter to partisan gerrymandering in Republican-controlled states.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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