President Trump’s potential unilateral withdrawal from the Paris Accord on Climate should remind all politically engaged Americans that there is a risk when presidents ignore process. Executive orders and executive actions can be undone.
Had the Paris Accord on Climate been ratified as a treaty, by the Senate, no president could then withdraw unilaterally. The Accord was, unfortunately, not entered into with Senate ratification.
The lesson here: executive-only actions are a bad idea. But, Congress is worthless, too.
Our government is broken. Badly. In case anyone was wondering.
People cheer when “their president” does things without Congress. The problem with executive actions is that they are undone just as easily by the next administration. Over time, Congress has abdicated more and more legislative authority to regulators and presidents. The executive was meant to enforce laws, not create them. Too often, Congress has decided it is easier to let the executive branch do what it wishes and hope the courts sort out any confusion.
We apparently elect legislators so they can defer to other people.
Climate change is supported by the preponderance of scientific data. It should be addressed by treaties. It wasn’t. Why not? Congress. In particular, the Senate.
We also shouldn’t enter into armed conflict without Congressional approval. But, why bother with details of the Constitutional process?
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