The U.S. Constitution gives Congress sole authority over the federal budget, but in a 2023 campaign video, Donald Trump said he has a plan to circumvent that. @ProPublica looks at what would happen if Trump asserted a power to kill congressionally approved programs, the Nixon-era law he would be contravening, and how a similar power grab over military aid to Ukraine led to his first impeachment.

https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-impoundment-appropriations-congress-budget

#USPolitics #DonaldTrump #TrumpAdministration #USConstitution #USCongress #News #Newstodon #NewstodonFriday #FollowFriday

Christmas tree up? Stockings by the fire? Guys, it’s not even December yet! @thetyee’s Harrison Mooney has a theory on why this year, people seem “desperately festive.” It’s all about control. “If we can’t change the world, we change the world inside our homes,” he writes. “Christmas is perfect for that. Decoration and reorganization reduce stress. Same goes for sugary snacks, or a big glass of eggnog and rum. At Christmas, we look back on happier times and lean into long-held traditions. It’s a way to make the darkest days and darkest timeline bearable.”

https://thetyee.ca/Culture/2024/11/28/Is-It-Christmas-Yet/

#Holidays #Christmas #Lifestyle #Newstodon #NewstodonFriday #FollowFriday

@stevefoerster @thetyee Harrison is Canadian so Dec. 1 is perhaps a more meaningful date for him (he also wrote a brilliant book, https://steerforth.com/product/invisible-boy-9781586423469/)

@Flipboard @thetyee Yes, I suppose in Canada, the day after Thanksgiving would be far too early. 😉

@stevefoerster @thetyee Certainly when we first moved to Canada there was a consensus that Dec. 1 was the correct date, and anything before Nov. 11 (Remembrance Day) was absolutely unacceptable.