- United States
- Neb.
- Letter
The flagrant overreach of executive power by President Trump and his ally Elon Musk poses a grave threat to our democratic system of checks and balances. Their unilateral actions, such as freezing funding, firing civil servants, and granting billionaires undue influence over government operations, undermine the rule of law and the separation of powers enshrined in our Constitution. This disturbing pattern cannot be allowed to continue unchecked. As a coequal branch of government entrusted with providing advice and consent on presidential appointments, the Senate must exercise its authority as a countervailing force. Continuing to confirm Trump's nominees while he openly flouts constitutional constraints would be an abdication of its constitutional duty to act as a check on the executive branch's power. The Senate should firmly oppose all further nominations until the President demonstrates a commitment to respecting the boundaries of his authority and the independence of federal agencies and personnel from undue private influence. Preserving our system of government requires the legislative branch to uphold its institutional prerogatives and responsibilities.
Failing to do so would set a dangerous precedent that imperils our democracy. Your constituents are counting on you to do your part to defend our democracy. Please take action to stop this authoritarian overreach out of respect for the ideals this country was founded on and the many people who died to free us from our last king.