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Culture War Roundup for the week of April 7, 2025

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what matters is that Trump believed they would, that he was the duly elected head of state, that imposing tariffs was within his legitimate authority, and that he had a majority in the legislature as well.

Limiting the presidency's power was an explicit goal of the founding fathers. They didn't want a system where we elected a single person in a single election to control everything. The entire basis that Trump is even implementing these tariffs under is arguably unconstitutional because the commerce clause explicitly says Congress is the one with the power "to regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes".

The entire point is that you don't just win an election and become the ruler, you have to compromise and negotiate with other representatives and obey the court. "Checks and balances" is so fundamental to our system that it's hard to believe so many people shocked Trump has limits haven't heard about it till now.

Even if we accept the argument that they can delegate this power to the executive for "unusual and extraordinary threat" scenarios as the The International Emergency Economic Powers Act wishes to do (which is very arguable on its own considering the constitution doesn't make provision for that), it's hard to see what threat is so unusual and extraordinary to demand a plan like this.

Especially since this threat is apparently "unusual and extraordinary" but also very open to constant delays and personal negotiations. It doesn't sound very pressing if the claimed solution can be delayed for months without any noticeable problems.

Edit: To be even more nitpicky

and that he had a majority in the legislature as well.

The system wasn't designed for party majority to = complete control either. You still have to get the different factions within them to agree. If Trump is unable to rally the Republican majorities in Congress to pass the bills he wants then that's his failing, not the system. "Mandate" is a word used to describe a political phenomenon, not some encoded thing. If Trump does not have the political influence to push Congress using the bully pulpit then he de facto does not have the mandate to do it.

Supporters should be asking themselves why Congress isn't passing Trumpian tariff bills (most likely answer, they have upcoming elections too where they will be accountable to their constituents), rather than complaining about the intentional distribution of power not creating a king out of the executive.