Well, howdy there, Internet people, it's Bell again.

So today, we're going to talk about Trump's pocket and purse.

Now that even Republicans are bucking Trump's cuts and spending plans,

or at least concepts of a plan,

the White House is looking at openly attempting to undermine a basic premise of the

Constitution. This is going to get into some technicalities of the budget, but it's important

because this is something that no hyperbole could trigger a constitutional crisis. Even a grade school understanding of the Constitution

tells you that Congress has the power of the purse, not the president.

But the White House is entertaining something it calls a pocket rescission.

It's a maneuver that relies on sending a rescission request to Congress, which is a request

to stop Congressional appropriated funding, less than 45 days before the end of the fiscal year.

So the funding is on hold when the fiscal year ends, and then pretending like that cancels the

funding permanently.

This maneuver basically takes the power of the purse and puts it in the president's pocket,

because Trump believes that Americans don't care about the Constitution.

The government accountability office says it's unlawful.

Republican Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins said plainly, quote, pocket recisions are illegal. Republican Representative Mike Simpson of Idaho said,

quote, it undermines Congress's authority. Republican Representative David Joyce of Ohio said, quote, it undermines Congress's authority. Republican representative David Joyce of Ohio

said, quote, it's going to change the course of conversations and how each side works toward

coming to resolution going forward. Simpson of Idaho went on to say, quote, what I have been saying is if the president doesn't like a bill, he has to look at it just like we do every appropriation bill. I can find something I don't like in there. He has to look at it and say, is it good, is it bad, in total? And then you have to live with the parts that you might not

like. That's the way it's supposed to work. Republican Senator Ron Johnson seemed to indicate

he thinks the White House is bringing it up as an intimidation tactic aimed at congressional Republicans,

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