I don’t care if you’re on here to play this as the new 4D move, to doom harder than you’ve ever doomer, or if you’re seriously just confused. Give everyone the chance to catch up with the news first and a fair shake at understanding it before preaching which path you would have taken and why.
Trump’s Statement (Not on Twitter) https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/statement-from-the-president-122720/
What’s This Impoundment Act All About? https://budget.house.gov/publications/report/impoundment-control-act-1974-what-it-why-does-it-matter
The Options Trump Had on a Poison Pill Bill:
Remembering your civics class, Congress has the most authority/power in government (and also carries most of the blame). BOTH HOUSES OF CONGRESS WANTED THIS BY OVERWHELMING MAJORITY. Trump had only a handful of civil options to take at this time, and none of them were going to be a win-win. I list the options that I believe he had to consider, but other creative / law-oriented peeps can discuss in the thread.
Option 1: Sign Outright
This is the “Give Up” Option. No one on here wanted this. The left would not have cared if we took this option (poison pill). It makes Trump look “nice” to those currently looking for any relief from COVID / unemployment, but it also signals a loss at a very bad crossroads for him.
Option 2: Veto Outright, Then Attempt Impoundment Afterward
This is the “Hard Line” Option. We wanted this, but the left would not have cared if we took this option (poison pill). This option gives a minor ideological victory for Trump’s base (us) that would have been overridden immediately by Congress by overriding the veto, and gives them headlines for days/months (CNN: Trump hates the Unemployed, See Why). It would have demotivated some supporters who are dependent on unemployment / COVID relief. It ALSO would have distracted everyone from Trump’s core arguments against the bill (vote on Section 230, increase funds to citizens, remove pork), which Congress would have dealt with behind the scenes.
Option 3: Sign, but Attempt Impoundment Afterward
This is the “Covert” Option. It demotivates some of the base (us) that are hard liners. It selectively delays the poison parts of the bill past Jan 20th (45 days), and disperses the good parts of the bill immediately. It also forces Congress to consider Trumps core arguments against the bill in the limelight instead of being able to distract behind the scenes through line item veto, delay, or as contingencies to pass.
Option 4: Allow Bill to Die and be Handled by Next Congress Before Acting on Above Options
This is the "Passive / Stall" Option. It tries to play the clock out for maximum effect by first letting the bill die before the next Congressional session. Then, Congress must re-introduce and re-vote on the bill, restarting the 10-day countdown at that time. The most likely option I could see would be for the new Congress to vote on the bill as-is with no amendments just to force the same poison pill decision above, but now a few days later and with no support for unemployment / COVID relief in the meantime. If Congress had real moxie, defectors could try to stall the bill, but I doubt that would happen with near unanimous support prior.
I believe it is important for all of you to at least be informed on the decision made and some options on what could have been done, regardless of where you fall on the support spectrum.
More than anything else, this should wake you up to the DISASTER that is our Congress and the fight we have ahead of ourselves as we make this a nation “Of the People” again instead of “For the Elite”.
So he can hold it up for 45 days then they can just ignore his objections and do whatever they like? How is this any kind of win. He should have used his veto. They don’t even have to make a case or fight for it, they will just ignore him and laugh all the way to bank.
The veto was definitely the option we wanted. But what would the veto have accomplished?
It would have forced Congress back into session. They would, in turn, just override the veto and pass it into law. MSM goes on the offensive against Trump, Congress pats themselves on the back and says "good enough" instead of fixing the problems with it. No opportunity for Section 230, no $2000. Some portion of COVID / unemployed pedes would walk away from Trump.
Impoundment would look more petty at that point; he could try it, we'd be happy and it would delay, but the effects are unknown for normies and could blow up in Trumps face at a time when he's trying to round up a mandate on his own election.
If you can think of a better move, I'd be down to hear it. Again, many of us were expecting the veto, so I sympathize that you're in disagreement on it.