ANOTHER EXCESS OF EXECUTIVE BRANCH POWER
Is there any structure more iconic in our history than the White House? It has been called “The People’s House,” but I guess that is no longer true. For our current president to tear down the East Wing and build an enormous (90,000 square feet) ballroom is beyond crass, bordering on the sacrilegious, at least from a historical standpoint. This project demonstrates the extent to which this president believes he can do anything he wants to any of our institutions, no matter how important they are to us. This is a crass, shameful and egotistical excess that practically leaves me speechless. We are not seeing much “separation of powers” these days! Nor are there any real checks on executive branch power! Whatever your political affiliation, this should alarm all of us who believe in our democratic republic!