Yuval Levin

But part of it is also just the sense that doing everything right away, everything at the start, and creating this sense of disjunction, of a break... actually doesn't give people the impression that things are under control. It gives people the impression that things are out of control. Bye.

But part of it is also just the sense that doing everything right away, everything at the start, and creating this sense of disjunction, of a break... actually doesn't give people the impression that things are under control. It gives people the impression that things are out of control. Bye.

Well, it's a lot depends on exactly what they mean by presidential priorities here. So the OMB memo was about federal grants and loans. And the thing about grants and loans is they're not specified. Their recipients are not specified in law. They are an amount of money that is designated for a specific purpose.

Well, it's a lot depends on exactly what they mean by presidential priorities here. So the OMB memo was about federal grants and loans. And the thing about grants and loans is they're not specified. Their recipients are not specified in law. They are an amount of money that is designated for a specific purpose.

And then the executive branch is charged with deciding among applicants who should receive them. And in making those decisions, there is a large amount of discretion afforded to the executive branch. Those grants do represent the president's priorities. And, you know, in a sense, they could have done what this memo wants to do without the pause.

And then the executive branch is charged with deciding among applicants who should receive them. And in making those decisions, there is a large amount of discretion afforded to the executive branch. Those grants do represent the president's priorities. And, you know, in a sense, they could have done what this memo wants to do without the pause.

They could have just told all the agencies, review all the grants you're giving. And if there are places where they clearly violate one of these new executive orders or something else on this list we give you. You're empowered to stop that now and provide the grant to another recipient or open it back up for competition. They could have done that without a pause and therefore without the chaos.

They could have just told all the agencies, review all the grants you're giving. And if there are places where they clearly violate one of these new executive orders or something else on this list we give you. You're empowered to stop that now and provide the grant to another recipient or open it back up for competition. They could have done that without a pause and therefore without the chaos.

I think the decision to stop it all is a way of asserting a kind of authority over all federal spending. and saying, Congress says how much we should spend, but the president says on what.

I think the decision to stop it all is a way of asserting a kind of authority over all federal spending. and saying, Congress says how much we should spend, but the president says on what.

And that's a fight they want to have, a fight over impoundment, where they want to suggest that the president basically has the authority to take Congress's legislative authorizations for spending as just a kind of beginning. And fundamentally, this is an executive decision.

And that's a fight they want to have, a fight over impoundment, where they want to suggest that the president basically has the authority to take Congress's legislative authorizations for spending as just a kind of beginning. And fundamentally, this is an executive decision.

There is a kind of presidentialism here that is, I think, rooted in ultimately in a kind of progressive presidentialism, a Woodrow Wilson argument that the president speaks for the country. Only the president speaks for the entire country. And therefore, presidential actions are more legitimate than congressional actions. And as you say, represent the will of the public.

There is a kind of presidentialism here that is, I think, rooted in ultimately in a kind of progressive presidentialism, a Woodrow Wilson argument that the president speaks for the country. Only the president speaks for the entire country. And therefore, presidential actions are more legitimate than congressional actions. And as you say, represent the will of the public.

I think they're wrong about this. I think they're ultimately going to fail in court on that front. But they are trying to make that assertion.

I think they're wrong about this. I think they're ultimately going to fail in court on that front. But they are trying to make that assertion.

I think there's always a certain amount of where you sit determining where you stand when people talk about politics. And everybody does this. I'm sure I do it too. Where when the people you like are powerful in Congress but not in the White House, you talk a lot about the importance of Congress. We're going to see Democrats do this over the next two years, for example.

I think there's always a certain amount of where you sit determining where you stand when people talk about politics. And everybody does this. I'm sure I do it too. Where when the people you like are powerful in Congress but not in the White House, you talk a lot about the importance of Congress. We're going to see Democrats do this over the next two years, for example.

And when it's the other way around, you talk the other way around. But there's also an actual principle difference about the nature of the Constitution between a lot of Republicans and a lot of Democrats. And I think what we've seen over the last 15 years is a kind of uneasy combination of both of these things. To my mind, this is the way to worry about the Trump administration.

And when it's the other way around, you talk the other way around. But there's also an actual principle difference about the nature of the Constitution between a lot of Republicans and a lot of Democrats. And I think what we've seen over the last 15 years is a kind of uneasy combination of both of these things. To my mind, this is the way to worry about the Trump administration.