Trump’s Dictatorial Power Grab: Chaos, Cruelty, and Constitutional Collapse

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UNDERSTAND

Donald Trump isn’t governing—he’s launching a coup against the American people. In an illegal and devastating move, he has frozen billions in federal funding for programs that keep kids fed, families housed, and students educated. This isn’t just a policy memo—it’s a direct assault on the Constitution and the lives of millions of Americans. Let’s be clear: Trump’s latest move is illegal, dictatorial, and Americans will die as a result.

Trump isn’t testing the boundaries of presidential power—he’s blowing them up. He’s claiming the authority to decide which laws to enforce or ignore, fundamentally reworking the Constitution’s balance of power. If Congress no longer controls federal spending, our democracy is dead in the water.

The result? Families will lose food, homes, and healthcare. Lives will be destroyed. People will die. Trump’s chaos is intentional, and the stakes couldn’t be higher.

What Did Trump Do? On January 27, Trump’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued a two-page memo freezing nearly all federal grants and loans. The memo, which claims to be temporary, provides no clarity on when—or if—funding will resume. Programs vital to feeding, housing, and educating millions of Americans are now in limbo.

The justification? A rant about “Marxist equity” and the “Green New Deal.” This is Trump’s latest authoritarian move: bypassing Congress and using executive power to destroy programs that serve millions of people.

This is the most radical action a president has taken in modern history. Trump is shredding the Constitution by seizing Congress’s power of the purse and daring anyone to stop him.

The Human Cost: Chaos That Will Kill Trump’s freeze isn’t a technical adjustment—it’s a death sentence for millions of Americans. Here’s what’s threatened:

Kids will go hungry at school. School meal programs are halted, leaving children without basic nutrition. Families will lose their homes. Rural housing assistance and other support for keeping families in their homes are paused, putting thousands at risk of eviction in the dead of winter. Parents will lose jobs. Without childcare block grants, parents—especially mothers—will be forced out of the workforce. Students’ futures are in jeopardy. Student loans are frozen, slamming the door on college dreams for countless young people. Medical research will stop. Groundbreaking studies on cancer, Alzheimer’s, and other diseases are now on hold. And that’s just the start. While the White House is claiming that the holds will be temporary and only impact some programs, we should not believe them. The chaos and confusion is already taking down life-saving programs across the country.

This isn’t about government inefficiency. It’s about lives on the line. Trump’s chaos will mean hunger, homelessness, and despair. Period.

Why This Is Illegal Trump’s freeze isn’t just cruel—it’s blatantly unconstitutional. Here’s why:

Congress Controls Federal Spending. The Constitution explicitly gives Congress—not the president—the power to allocate and control federal funds. By freezing funds Congress appropriated, Trump is undermining a foundational principle of democracy. The Impoundment Control Act (ICA). Enacted after Nixon’s abuses, the ICA explicitly prohibits the president from withholding funds appropriated by Congress without following a strict process. Trump has not followed this process, and in many cases, the ICA outright bars the impoundment of these funds. Supreme Court Precedent. Legal scholars—including conservatives—agree: presidents cannot unilaterally impound funds. The Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel has consistently rejected claims of inherent impoundment authority. Trump’s actions defy the Constitution and decades of legal precedent. Trump’s freeze isn’t just a political stunt—it’s an attack on the structure of our government. If the president can ignore Congress’s decisions, the separation of powers ceases to exist.

What Senate Democrats Must Do This isn’t a moment for half-measures or political games. Democracy is at stake, and Senate Democrats must respond as if the Constitution is on the line—because it is.

Shut Down the Senate. Use every procedural tool—quorum calls, endless amendments, and withholding consent—to grind Senate business to a halt. No votes, no deals, no cooperation until Trump’s freeze is rescinded. Specifically, they must:

• Commit to oppose all nominees while this freeze remains in place
• Reject every request for Unanimous Consent to advance Senate business
• Vote NO on all Cloture votes, Motions to Proceed, or any other procedural vote
• Request Quorum Calls at every possible opportunity to slow things down

Refuse to Negotiate. Trump is using federal programs as hostages in a power grab. Democrats must refuse to engage in any funding or debt ceiling negotiations while this freeze remains in place. No compromises with dictatorship. Sound the Alarm. Every senator must become a megaphone for what’s at stake. Go on TV, hold town halls, and flood social media with the stories of families who will lose food, homes, and healthcare because of Trump’s chaos.

Back Legal Challenges. Support every lawsuit challenging this freeze. File amicus briefs, amplify cases, and make it clear this isn’t just morally wrong—it’s illegal.

Hold Republicans Accountable Republicans aren’t bystanders to Trump’s chaos—they are enablers. Their silence and refusal to act make them complicit in the suffering his freeze will cause. These questions aren’t about asking their opinion—they’re about exposing their role in this disaster. Hold them accountable:

“Why are you letting Trump starve kids and evict families in your district?” Call out their silence while programs like WIC, SNAP, and housing vouchers are in jeopardy. Demand to know why they’re doing nothing while their constituents suffer. “What gives Trump the right to ignore Congress and decide which laws to enforce?” Force them to answer why they’re letting Trump shred the Constitution and rewrite the balance of power. “When families in your district lose food, housing, and healthcare, how will you explain your inaction?” Don’t let them off the hook. Make them own the consequences of their complicity. “Do you support Trump’s illegal freeze that targets families, students, and seniors in your community?” Frame the question as one of direct support for the chaos Trump is causing. No room to hedge “Why haven’t you stood up to Trump’s assault on democracy?” Call out their failure to defend the Constitution and protect their constituents from harm. They are accessories to this coup.

NOW TAKE ACTION

Tell our VT senators to fight back against Trump’s unconstitutional power grab with every tool they have.

CALL PETER AND BERNIE or SEND AN EMAIL NOW

Demand that our VT Democratic representative expose the devastating harm of Trump’s funding freeze, hold Republicans accountable for enabling this chaos, and back legal challenges to stop it.

CALL BECCA BALINT

Posted Jan 29, 2025