# Trump the impounder **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [December 18, 2024, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-the-impounder/1011814 "2024-12-18T13:04:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TeroSunbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terosunbear/32/14748_2.png) [@TeroSunbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeroSunbear)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2024, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-the-impounder/1011814/1 "2024-12-18T13:04:19Z")
“We’re going to bring back presidential impoundment authority, which nobody knows what it is,” he [told a crowd of supporters](https://www.npr.org/2024/11/26/nx-s1-5195528/trump-impoundment-government-cuts) at a campaign rally. “But it allows the president to go out and cut things and save a fortune for our country. Things that make no sense.” FROM: [https://newrepublic.com/maz/article/189443/trump-impoundments-supreme-court-congress](https://newrepublic.com/maz/article/189443/trump-impoundments-supreme-court-congress) ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2024, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-the-impounder/1011814/2 "2024-12-18T13:13:31Z")
If Trump tries to use impoundment authority it will be interesting to see what the Supreme Court does. Do they hold the line against unconstitutional presidential power, or can Trump’s lawyers convince five justices to rule in his favor? This could very well start us down a very slippery slope toward authoritarian rule. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2024, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-the-impounder/1011814/3 "2024-12-18T13:41:17Z")
> [@TeroSunbear](#): > > > We’re going to bring back presidential impoundment authority This just in: Trump is a Repo Man. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/KgAuIxj5-cw/hqdefault.jpg "Repo Man - Iggy Pop") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgAuIxj5-cw) ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2024, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-the-impounder/1011814/4 "2024-12-18T13:45:43Z")
Didn’t he effectively try that with the ~$276M in aid allocated to Ukraine (in an attempt to extort Ukraine into fabricating damning information about Biden, his then likely opponent in the 2020 election)? IIRC, it got him impeached. Ah, well. What could possibly go wrong …? ---
**Author:** ![TeroSunbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terosunbear/32/14748_2.png) [@TeroSunbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeroSunbear)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2024, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-the-impounder/1011814/5 "2024-12-18T14:28:40Z")
Impeach him before he is sworn in. The senators will happy to direct Vance to their small government efforts. Vance simply has to agree to pardon Trump. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2024, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-the-impounder/1011814/6 "2024-12-18T14:42:02Z")
I know many here think the Supreme Court is in the tank for Trump, but I have a hard time seeing them going along with Presidential impoundment of Congressionally appropriated funds. The Framers were clear that Congress’ most fundamental authority was the power of the purse. And they might also want to consider that – if the President is able to impound spending at his whim – he just might decide that the Supreme Court doesn’t need it’s operating budget if they issue a ruling he doesn’t like. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2024, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-the-impounder/1011814/7 "2024-12-18T15:54:53Z")
I agree flurb. I didn’t say it would be easy to convince five Supreme Court justices, only that it was what his lawyers would have to do for him to get away with it. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2024, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-the-impounder/1011814/8 "2024-12-18T19:03:27Z")
Alito and Thomas are deeply in the tank for Trump, meaning that he just needs three of the remaining seven. Coincidentally, he appointed three. Trump is setting himself up as king. He’s already threatened to dump billions into primarying anyone in Congress who votes against him. I don’t know what hidden talks have taken place between his team and the Supreme Court but they are unquestionably occurring. If he can flip the Court, he can do anything and proclaim its legality. Try to sleep at night. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2024, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-the-impounder/1011814/9 "2024-12-18T19:05:44Z")
What I can’t figure out is how y’all are discussing this when nobody knows what it is. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2024, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-the-impounder/1011814/10 "2024-12-18T19:07:14Z")
> **[Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congressional_Budget_and_Impoundment_Control_Act_of_1974)** > > The Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 (Pub. L. 93–344, 88 Stat. 297, 2 U.S.C. §§ 601–688) is a United States federal law that governs the role of the Congress in the United States budget process. > Titles I through IX of the law are also known as the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. Title II created the Congressional Budget Office. Title III governs the procedures by which Congress annually adopts a budget resolution, a concurrent resolution that is not signed by the Pr... ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2024, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-the-impounder/1011814/11 "2024-12-18T19:33:59Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > What I can’t figure out is how y’all are discussing this when nobody knows what it is. > [@TeroSunbear](#): > > “We’re going to bring back presidential impoundment authority, **which nobody knows what it is,** ” he [told a crowd of supporters](https://www.npr.org/2024/11/26/nx-s1-5195528/trump-impoundment-government-cuts) at a campaign rally. Emphasis added ---
**Author:** ![TeroSunbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terosunbear/32/14748_2.png) [@TeroSunbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeroSunbear)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2024, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-the-impounder/1011814/12 "2024-12-18T19:39:42Z")
Trump is expert at this. Using things he does not understand. Like tariffs. ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2024, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-the-impounder/1011814/13 "2024-12-18T19:47:02Z")
> [@Horatius](#): > > This just in: Trump is a Repo Man. The life of a Repo Manis always intense. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2024, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-the-impounder/1011814/14 "2024-12-18T19:54:55Z")
> [@TeroSunbear](#): > > “We’re going to bring back presidential impoundment authority, which nobody knows what it is,” In order to understand Trumpspeak, you have to not only look past the atrociously bad grammar and punctuation, but also understand the euphemisms. “Nobody knows …”. or its equivalent, “Most people don’t know …” in Trumpspeak means “I just found out …” ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2024, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-the-impounder/1011814/15 "2024-12-18T20:36:18Z")
> [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](#): > > > [@Horatius](#): > > > > This just in: Trump is a Repo Man. > > The life of a Repo Manis always intense. Sometimes, a Repo Man neeeds a [side hustle](https://www.wrestlecrap.com/inductions/repo-man/). ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2024, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-the-impounder/1011814/16 "2024-12-18T22:10:55Z")
> [@TeroSunbear](#): > > he [told a crowd of supporters](https://www.npr.org/2024/11/26/nx-s1-5195528/trump-impoundment-government-cuts) at a campaign rally. My first thought was “why is he still having campaign rallies?”, then I looked at the linked article and see this is one of the many things he spewed forth earlier this year, it is not new. ---
**Author:** ![TeroSunbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terosunbear/32/14748_2.png) [@TeroSunbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeroSunbear)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2024, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-the-impounder/1011814/17 "2024-12-19T14:25:09Z")
The Trump term will also has rallies, once he gets enough energy. He is always campaigning. He can get his court to approve a third term, he hopes. Because the constitution does not say enough about two or three terms. Just like the constitution does not say you have to be in a militia to own a gun. And keep it under your bed at all times in case your militia is called up. Oh wait, it does say that. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2024, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-the-impounder/1011814/18 "2024-12-19T19:48:37Z")
He’ll cut off funding for the Statue of Liberty, because it sends the wrong message. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2024, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-the-impounder/1011814/19 "2024-12-20T04:23:23Z")
I’m not convinced that Congress as a whole, nor either house is willing to abrogate their power just to please Trump. I’ve long felt that they’ll go along to get along up to a point, but that when it starts being about _their_ power being usurped/taken via impoundments, they’ll stop toeing that line _ **real** _ quick. I can’t see Congress being excited about Trump deciding not to do what they say as Chief Executive, especially the Senate. Nor do I see the Supreme Court being on board with that either; I’m sure they’re jealous of their own power as well. ---
**Author:** ![OldOlds](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a3d4f5/32.png) [@OldOlds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldOlds)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2024, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-the-impounder/1011814/20 "2024-12-20T15:10:31Z")
I believed that for a long time. But what’s going on right now, and what happened with the immigration bill have shattered that belief. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-the-impounder/1011814.md?page=2)