Ladies and gentlemen, grab your Constitution and buckle up. Because Donald Trump just turned Civics 101 into must-see TV.
If you think Trump’s appointments are just about Senate confirmation hearings, think again. Trump is about to give a masterclass in “checks and balances.”
Trump isn’t just nominating people for his cabinet—he’s throwing down the gauntlet against decades of Congressional overreach. Every nomination, every tweet, every media meltdown is deliberate. He’s forcing a long-overdue public debate over the balance of power between the Executive Branch and the Senate’s “advise and consent” role. And if you’re not seeing this, you’re missing the biggest civics lesson of our time.
The Genius in the Chaos
Trump isn’t submitting the usual polished, Beltway-approved candidates. Nope. He’s picking fighters—people the political establishment loathes. And the Senate’s response? A collective gasp, followed by accusations of “unqualified” left and right. Coincidence? Hardly. Trump wants this fight out in the open.
This isn’t about one or two nominations. It’s about whether a president elected by the people has the right to appoint a team to deliver on campaign promises. It’s a referendum on separation of powers and whether Congress can keep vetoing a president’s authority to run the Executive Branch.
And here’s where the genius lies: Trump just won a mandate, and he’s using that political capital to shine a spotlight on how Senate obstruction has turned into standard operating procedure. He’s forcing the establishment to defend their gatekeeping while exposing just how far they’ve drifted from the Constitution.
The History Lesson You Didn’t Know You Needed
Let’s rewind to the founding of this great nation. The framers gave the Senate and president shared power over appointments—key word: shared, not commandeered. Early on, this process operated under something quaintly called senatorial courtesy. Senators didn’t block nominations; they just wanted a heads-up about nominees in their states. It was collaboration, not combat.
Fast forward to the late 19th century, and suddenly senators are wielding their “advise and consent” power like a sledgehammer. By the 20th century, the federal government expanded, and so did the Senate’s appetite for control over appointments. By the 1980s, the nomination process had turned into a political circus, prompting Congress to scale back on the number of positions requiring confirmation. But even with those reforms, the Senate’s encroachment on the Executive Branch remained intact. And now the Senate interferes with the president’s ability to pick his team, based on petty partisan politics.
And now? Trump is flipping the script, dragging us back to the original intent of the Constitution: A president chooses the team, and Congress doesn’t get to play referee every step of the way. This isn’t just a power struggle—it’s a constitutional challenge.
Why This Matters
If the Senate keeps expanding its reach, the Executive Branch becomes a toothless tiger. Every election becomes a farce because presidents can’t deliver on their promises without jumping through Senate hoops. It’s like hiring a CEO but letting the janitor decide who gets to sit on the leadership team–my apologies to janitors.
This fight has everything to do with the people. If Congress can override the president’s appointments, they’re effectively overriding your vote. Trump is standing up and saying, “Not on my watch.” He’s drawing a line in the constitutional sand.
A Fight Worth Watching
Trump’s strategy is as bold as it is brilliant. By nominating controversial figures, he’s forcing the establishment to show their cards. They can’t just rubber-stamp the status quo; they have to publicly explain why they oppose his picks. And in doing so, they’re revealing their allegiance—to the system, not the people. And this part of the strategy is already playing out, as I watched how CNN’s Scott Jennings got a naysayer to admit he that he thinks. At the 55 second mark you get his actual problem with RFK Jr.
Scott Jennings wipes the SMUG elitist look off of CNN panel faces on the RFK nomination
Memorize what Scott Jennings says here and repeat it to family members at Thanksgiving and Christmas
Leftists earned a trip to obscurity🔥 pic.twitter.com/RygUVoi9zc
— 🇺🇸 ʟᴇғᴛ ᴄᴏᴀˢᴛ ᴠᴀɢʀᴀɴᴛ 🇺🇸 (@Baklava_USA) November 16, 2024
Trump’s strategy also gives voters a front-row seat to the glaring contrast between Trump’s vision and the establishment’s. His nominees, whether you like them or not, reflect his promise to drain the swamp. The Senate’s rejection of them reflects a commitment to keeping the swamp as murky as ever.
What’s Next?
Trump is reshaping the conversation around presidential power. Win or lose, he’s setting a precedent: No president should have to fight Congress tooth and nail to assemble a cabinet. If the Senate overplays its hand, it risks a backlash from voters who are sick of politics-as-usual. But Trump has a couple of remedies:
- Recess Appointments: If the Senate is in recess, the president can temporarily appoint officials without confirmation. These appointments last until the end of the next Senate session.
- Interim Appointees: The president can appoint acting officials under the Federal Vacancies Reform Act.
With recess appointments, this still requires maneuvering on behalf of a Senate controlled by RINOs. Newly appointed Senate Majority Leader Thune has already signaled that he’s not willing to fight for Trump’s people. This would leave Trump no choice but to appoint interim people. That is where President Trump can and likely will have the most leverage. An interim appointee can do as much damage as the actual appointee. Because an interim appointee can actually prove his or her ability to do the job. And what about this irony shown graphically? Four former Democrats.
So, what’s the takeaway?
Trump is rewriting the civics textbook, one nomination at a time. He’s reminding us that power belongs to the people—not the politicians. And love him or hate him, you’ve got to admit: This is political theater at its finest.
As Trump would say: “It’s not just about me. It’s about you, America.” And for a guy who thrives on chaos, this might just be his most orderly move yet.
