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This piece was featured in The Logoff, a regular bulletin that aids you in remaining informed concerning the Trump government without permitting political tidings to dominate your existence. Subscribe here.
Welcome to The Logoff: The Trump government is pursuing extraordinary — and seemingly unlawful — actions to compensate individuals in the US armed forces as a federal government closure carries on.
What’s happening? Today marks payment day for the military, and under typical conditions, they would not receive their salary for the inaugural occasion due to the government cessation, presently in its third week. Instead, the Trump government articulates it is reallocating previously designated Defense Department finances to remunerate soldiers.
What’s the context? Military remuneration constitutes merely one avenue through which the Trump government is bypassing certain repercussions of a shutdown; the government is additionally utilizing tariff earnings to subsidize a vital sustenance initiative for parents and offspring with limited resources.
For countless other federal employees, nonetheless, the sustained cessation implies no compensation and prospective economic predicament.
Why does this matter? During prior shutdowns, military compensation has evolved into a sensitive subject that can compel legislators to convene and reestablish the government — or at a minimum sanction an independent measure to recompense servicemembers. That might transpire if the cessation endures, given the ambiguity surrounding the amount of surplus funds DOD can identify to sustain payroll issuance. But for the interim, it permits legislators to sidestep the matter.
President Donald Trump’s tactic also highlights the challenge Democrats encounter when voting to finance the government. The fundamental concern — salaries for soldiers — possesses unequivocal bipartisan backing, but the modality — shifting around dollars appropriated by Congress arbitrarily — is improbable to augment Democratic assurance that the government will adhere to the stipulations of any fresh funding agreement.
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What’s the big picture? This extends beyond merely the shutdown. By devising a strategy to pay the military personnel without involving Congress, Trump is infringing upon the constitutional prerogative of fiscal authority that is categorically allocated to Congress exclusively. Concurrently, Trump is additionally withholding funding sanctioned by Congress when he desires. It signifies a maneuver circumventing Congress from both vantage points, and an unparalleled concentration of authority for a US president.
And with that, it’s time to log off…
The Seattle Mariners, needing two triumphs for an initial American League pennant, are competing at their home venue this evening. The team has already had a remarkable postseason run, with noteworthy showings during pivotal instances — including from Humpy, the team’s unlucky salmon mascot.
As chronicled by Yahoo Sports’s Jake Mintz, Humpy — given this designation owing to the humpback salmon, coupled with his compatriots King Salmon, Sockeye Salmon, and Silver Salmon — had no victories in the team’s home-game mascot contests until the preceding week. Subsequently, on Friday evening, 15 innings into the game, he ultimately secured a victory, and the stadium erupted. The comprehensive piece is accessible here. Best of luck to Humpy and the M’s; have a delightful evening!
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Source: vox.com
