Jamelle Bouie:
I think this effort on part of the Department of Government Efficiency to unilaterally slash spending, to cancel congressional corporations, I do think that constitutes a constitutional crisis, because it’s a direct attack on Congress’ constitutional right to determine what this country spends.
And the executive branch has an obligation to follow that. But I will say that, as far as policies goes, it is interesting because we’re still at the stage in sort of public opinion where people are giving the president the benefit of doubt.
I will say that 45 percent is among the lowest approval ratings for a new president. That is not something I would brag about if I were the president. But the public is giving him the benefit of the doubt. But it remains to be seen what happens, for example, when the public learns that the administration wants to cut 45,000 workers from the Department of Veterans Affairs, and they want to slash half the work force in the Social Security Administration, when they want to cut Medicaid $880 billion, the Republican budget framework calls for removing from Medicaid.
Those are things that help ordinary people. My parents are veterans and depend on the Veterans — Department of Veterans Affairs. People like my parents may end up having a hard time getting the medical care they’re entitled to because of these cuts. And I think that, as that stuff becomes apparent, as that stuff reaches the American public, Trump will lose, and is, I will say, losing — will lose the benefit of the doubt.
