His position is grounded in concerns about the separation of powers that presidents of both major parties have raised for many years.
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DonaldTrumplikestofirepeople,andheresentscongressionalconstraintsonthatpresidentialprerogative.WhileTrump’sopponentsmayviewthatattitudeasonemoremanifestationofhisautocraticinstincts,hiscomplaintisgroundedinlegitimateconcernsabouttheseparationofpowersthatpresidentsofbothmajorpartieshaveraisedformanyyears.
Acenturyago,theSupremeCourtheldthatCongressoversteppeditsconstitutionalauthoritywhenitdecreedthatpresidentscouldremove“postmastersofthefirst,second,andthirdclasses”only“withthe adviceandconsent oftheSenate.”Basedonextensivehistoricalanalysis,themajorityconcludedthatArticleIIoftheConstitution“grantstothePresident”the“generaladministrativecontrolofthoseexecutingthelaws,includingthepowerofappointmentandremovalofexecutiveofficers.”
Inthatcase,itwasaDemocraticpresident,WoodrowWilson,whowasassertingthatpowerbydismissing
