Collin Willis

I don’t post about politics on here often. Granted, I don’t post on this blog all that often either. However, there is a current political issue that bothers me greatly. That issue, is rather a series of issues, but has come to a head within this past week. So, while my opinion is bound to be lost in a sea of other opinions, I’m going to put it out anyways. Agree or Disagree with it at your own leisure and do with it what you will.

The Issue

The issue that I am writing about is Donald Trump’s recent decision to declare a national state of emergency. This follows the longest government shutdown in history, and an off and on two year campaign promise to “build the wall”. If you’re reading this, you’re probably well aware of what ‘s going on, so I won’t go into it too much.

The President of the United States has the right to declare a state of emergency. Most famously, President Wilson declared a state of emergency at the start of the U.S.’s formal involvement in World War I. Traditionally, states of emergency have been declared to deal with acts of war, terrorism, or financial crisis. In more recent Presidencies, the declaration of a state of emergency has been used to place sanctions in order to shape foreign policy. Basically, the ability to declare a state of emergency is used to either force immediate action to protect the US when congress would act too slowly (Wilson in 1917, Bush in 2001), or to place sanctions or trade restrictions on POTUS’ undesirables (Obama in 2015, Trump in 2017).

Breaking with the Norm

This isn’t Trump’s first declared state of emergency, this is his forth. However, this one differs from the other three. The first three, much like the majority of Obama’s declarations, were to place sanctions on “bad hombres”. At first glance, his declaration isn’t unlike Wilson or Bush’s most famous declarations of a state of emergency.

Remember that Wilson declared a state of emergency to address emergencies in water transportation. George W. Bush declared a state of emergency shortly after the September 11 Attacks to start clamping down on potential terrorists. The commonality between these and other declarations is that they mostly follow some sort of disaster or cataclysmic world changing event.

Remember hearing about any disasters or world changing events in recent memory? Me neither. In fact, there hasn’t even been any comparatively nasty activity at the border in recent years. The number of arrests and seizures has been steadily decreasing for over a decade. The time, if it ever existed at all, to declare a crisis at the border has long since passed.

Yet, here we are. A crisis has been declared, and it sets an alarming precedence.

Precedence

Precedence is a cornerstone of American Government. The Supreme Court and the Presidency derive most of their power and decision making from precedence. Precedence is good, because it keeps the government in check with its previous limitations. This encourages the Supreme Court to honor past decisions, and the Presidency to execute their duties with the same capacity and commitment as those who have held the office before.

By declaring a state of emergency to unlock funding for the border wall, Donald Trump has set a dangerous precedent. When the usual and effective tools of negotiation at his disposal proved that the country is not on board with his wall, he decided to open a door with starting implications.

The fact of the matter is that Donald Trump has opened the political equivalent of Pandora’s box. Unsupported by the bulk of American voters and/or congress, Donald Trump is attempting to force his whim on the country through his declaration. If he is able to fund the wall through this declaration, then what is to stop future presidents from declaring emergency for even more preposterous and unsupported policies. Imagine if Obama had decided to fund Obamacare through the declaration of a state of emergency? The outrage would be unmatched to any political decision in American history. And that is the danger in what Trump is doing. If this declaration leads to a wall, it also leads to a nearly incomprehensible expansion of the President’s unchecked power. Mind you, this would apply to any President, Democrat or Republican.

Star Wars Analogies

I find that most situations in life are better explained with Star Wars metaphors. This particular fiasco is no different. Let’s think back to the prequels.

Senator Palpatine has usurped the Chancellor ship, and the Republic is divided. The Chancellor, secretly playing both sides of the war, needs to corner the Senate into providing for his secret clone army. He manipulates dim-witted Representative Jar Jar Binks into sequestering emergency powers for his position. The Chancellor then seizes said power and uses it to continue the war and secure the formation of his Empire.

In this analogy, President Trump is somehow both Jar Jar Binks and Chancellor Palpatine. Not only has he repeatedly bungled the position he holds, but he’s also found a way to unceremoniously, and slightly unconstitutionally increase his own power. To top it all off, this death to liberty is being thunderously applauded by certain sects.

Danger

Whether you’re Democrat or Republican, Pro-Trump or Anti, or even Pro-Wall or Anti, this should startle you. No policy, practice, or platform is worth the erosion of the foundational aspect of checks and balances. Congress and the President have tools at their disposal to solve differences and come to agreements. When those tools have been used, it is up to both parties to be adults and move on. However, the President has decided not to move on, but to act like a child and throw the board on the ground simply because he isn’t winning.

Fortunately, this declaration doesn’t officially give Donald Trump his wall. The Supreme Court can still counter his declaration if the President were to be sued for his shrewd tactics. The event of this is extremely likely, it’s almost improbable that several parties aren’t already forming their suit against him. Still, the door has been opened and the American people will have to face the consequences whenever this President or one that follows after will inevitably take what Donald Trump has done with this declaration a step further.

Closing Thoughts

I am a registered Independent. However, I have previously registered as a Republican. That being said, I also side with Democrats on certain issues. While the term is oft cast aside, I do consider myself to be a centrist. I believe that both sides of the political spectrum have genuinely decent ideas and that both have something to bring to the table.

I think that the current political climate is an abomination. I believe that both parties have abandoned many of their principles in order to garner both public and financial favor. I love the Republican party, but I do not believe that the current President lives up to its ideals as established by such political champions as Abraham Lincoln and Ronald Reagan. This recent declaration of a state of emergency is further evidence to heap on the claim of my belief. Whether you support him or not, please be aware of the dangers that this precedence sets. Hopefully, like I do, you will see this as an abhorrence of the President’s power and a neglect of his responsibility to the American people.

This issue extends beyond your thoughts of immigration, border security, and your impression of the President. This issue is rooted in the foundation of our Constitutional form of government. This issue could cripple the separation and balance of powers if overlooked. This issue is much bigger than party lines or personal bias, this issue affects every American that currently is or will be.

Finally, these facts and opinions expressed above are reflective of my personal beliefs and that alone.