Why does a President have the power to even shut down the Government?

[smooth64]

Just a question in this craziest.

[beachbum bob]

1. No funding bills...they need presidential signature, civics 101

[PoliticAverse]

5. Congress can enect legislation without presidential signature. n/t

[beachbum bob]

7. Only with a veto override, civics 101

[unblock]

12. that begs the question.

the president can shut down the government because the system is set up so that the president's signature is required each year in order to keep it running.


so why couldn't congress and the president pass a law that says enough of this stupidity and ineptness, from now on there's an automatic extension/renewal at the old budget levels, or maybe at 90% of those levels, so that government continues operations while washington negotiates the next budget?

the real answer is because washington wants this kind of drama and power each year. both congress and the president want to have maximum leverage in budget negotiations. so they keep this stupid brinksmanship structure and the rest of us suffer accordingly.

[guillaumeb]

13. An excellent analysis. eom

[PoliticAverse]

14. Congress could actually pass such a law without a President's signature if they wanted...

as they can override any active (or 'pocket') presidential vetoes.

[unblock]

16. congress could do a lot of things if they could find such overwhelming agreement on such things.

as a technical matter, a "pocket" veto cannot be overridden, as congress's session is, by definition, over at that point.

[cynatnite]

2. It's veto power...

If congress has enough to override, then he doesn't have any power.

The question will be what kind of power will he have if he declares a national emergency. That's when things get dicey.

[Renew Deal]

3. He sort of doesn't

Congress can pass bills and override a veto. They just don't want to.

[PoliticAverse]

4. The President didn't shut down the government. The government "shut down"...

because Congress didn't pass a bill to fund non-essential operations.

[beachbum bob]

10. Congress had an agreement and at least minute trump pulled out...

McConnel, Ryan and trump had it worked out with democrats

[onenote]

15. But only through February 8

Based on what has happened, passing a short term stop gap might have put off the shutdown, but I don't see how it would have prevented it.

[beachbum bob]

17. Buying time is always good. Still in trumps...GOP corner to shutdown govt

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

6. He doesn't, by himself. Funding comes from legislation in the House, agreed to by the Senate.

But the bill has to be signed by the president, and McConnell won't send the bill to Trump because he won't sign it. They could override Trump's veto but the GOP controls the Senate so there won't be a 2/3 vote to do that. So one might say it's the fault of both Trump and the GOPers in the Senate, who are afraid of being primaried by Trump's MAGAts.

[Mme. Defarge]

8. Courtesy of Mitch McConnell

who’s gone MIA

[manor321]

9. He doesn't, really. The Congress can override his veto.

[bluestarone]

11. THIS president has this power ONLY

Because of the TRAITORS in CONGRESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!