The key in your comment is "without a vote from Congress". The President's Emergency powers are quite sweeping and are intended to allow him to respond to an unforeseen emergency when there is not the time to consult with Congress and Congress to act. But here, he had time to consult Congress and Congress has acted. This is a direct usurpation of Congressional power by the Executive using a legal loophole.
Horse crap. Its the law. Specifically, 10 U.S.C. section 284, which gives the president and the Defense Department the power to build the wall.
Section 284 provides that the Secretary of Defense “may provide support for the counter-drug activities or activities to counter transnational organized crime” by measures that can include the “construction of roads and fences and installation of lighting to block drug smuggling corridors across international boundaries of the United States.”
While negotiating for a full wall, which requires congressional authorization, he could proceed to construct the section 284 wall in drug corridors. And if this is challenged in court then the president, the DEA and the DOD can provide evidence that the locations for the wall are, indeed, drug corridors, and the construction should be allowed to proceed.
Ten days ago, yours truly, the all-knowing and all-seeing, predicted the following:
So, what is coming up:
- The State of the Union speech which will provide Trump with the best platform to make his case, and which historically provides a small bump in the polls
- The new caravan will reach the border in three or four days
- 2,000 more troops sent to the border, for a total of 4,300
- Government shutdown because of Nancy and Crying Chuck reneging on their promise to negotiate
Oh yes: That last bullet point will trigger the crisis declaration.
I called it a crisis declaration. Whatever. Tomato, Tomato.....
But does anybody ever listen to me? Nooooooooooo..........
TODAYS STORIES:
This congressman in the Air National Guard just got deployed to the border
https://www.militarytimes.com/news/...tional-guard-just-got-deployed-to-the-border/
Which construction projects would be affected if Trump uses military money to build a wall?
https://www.militarytimes.com/news/...-trump-uses-military-money-to-build-his-wall/