1. United States
2. Mich.
3. Letter

The radical overhaul of government agencies and programs currently underway under the Trump administration is a flagrant violation of the constitutional separation of powers. Congress alone has the authority to make laws and appropriate funds for the operations of the federal government. The president's role is to faithfully execute the laws passed by Congress, not to unilaterally remake the government as he sees fit. The sweeping changes being imposed without congressional approval mock the foundational principles that we are a nation of laws, not the whims of any single person, and that the legislative branch controls spending and policy. Campaign promises cannot become binding policies unless enacted into law by Congress. The recent federal court rulings blocking aspects of this overhaul are simply upholding the Constitution by insisting the executive branch follow established laws and procedures. For the Trump administration's desired reforms to be legitimate, the president must work through the proper constitutional process - identify necessary policy changes, provide justification to Congress and the public, and allow Congress to debate and ultimately authorize any transformative measures through legislation. Attempting to bypass the legislative branch is an unconstitutional power grab that undermines our system of checks and balances. Congress must act to rein in this unlawful restructuring, or the Supreme Court will be compelled to intervene to uphold the constitutional order.