-
1 week ago | 
tcpalm.com | Kevin Wagner
UPDATE: President Donald Trump’s “one big, beautiful bill” is now in the Senate where its fate ultimately depends on an obscure Senate rule: the Byrd rule. Republicans are trying to pass the bill through the budget reconciliation process, which allows the Senate to close debate with a simple-majority vote — an exception to the usual 60-vote filibuster threshold.
-
1 week ago | 
yahoo.com | Kevin Wagner
UPDATE: President Donald Trump’s “one big, beautiful bill” is now in the Senate where its fate ultimately depends on an obscure Senate rule: the Byrd rule. Republicans are trying to pass the bill through the budget reconciliation process, which allows the Senate to close debate with a simple-majority vote — an exception to the usual 60-vote filibuster threshold.
-
1 week ago | 
palmbeachpost.com | Kevin Wagner
UPDATE: President Donald Trump’s “one big, beautiful bill” is now in the Senate where its fate ultimately depends on an obscure Senate rule: the Byrd rule. Republicans are trying to pass the bill through the budget reconciliation process, which allows the Senate to close debate with a simple-majority vote — an exception to the usual 60-vote filibuster threshold.
-
2 weeks ago | 
floridatoday.com | Kevin Wagner
So why does international trade have its own dedicated court? Trade laws must be applied consistently across the country to ensure fairness and predictability in commerce. Show Caption Hide Caption What is ‘TACO trade,’ a new phrase angering President Trump? 'TACO trade' is a jab at President Donald Trump’s propensity to impose or threaten tariffs and later back off. Established in 1980, the CIT replaced the U.S. Customs Court, expanding its jurisdiction and responsibilities.
-
2 weeks ago | 
news-journalonline.com | Kevin Wagner
COLUMNSSo why does international trade have its own dedicated court? Trade laws must be applied consistently across the country to ensure fairness and predictability in commerce. Kevin WagnerPalm Beach PostQuestion: What is the U.S. Court of International Trade? Answer: The U.S. Court of International Trade (CIT) is a specialized federal court that forms part of the judicial branch of the federal government.
-
3 weeks ago | 
palmbeachpost.com | Kevin Wagner
Question: Can a U.S. President suspend the "writ of habeas corpus"? Answer: The writ of habeas corpus is a safeguard against unlawful detention. It requires the government to justify, under the law, holding someone in custody. The U.S. Constitution mentions only a few rights explicitly in its original text, and habeas corpus is one of them.
-
1 month ago | 
floridatoday.com | Kevin Wagner
Since the 1930s, dozens of proposed Constitutional amendments have been introduced to limit debt spending, but none have come close to passing. Show Caption Hide Caption Disabled protesters removed from House committee hearingDisabled demonstrators protesting a Republican proposal to cut benefits were forced to leave a House committee hearing and arrested. Question: Has Congress ever been "required" to balance the budget?
-
1 month ago | 
palmbeachpost.com | Kevin Wagner
Question: Has Congress ever been "required" to balance the budget? Answer: The U.S. Constitution gives Congress a great deal of leeway over the spending of money. As we have discussed before, Congress has the power of the purse, which means it has the power to collect (tax) and spend (appropriate) money. When Congress spends more than has been collected in taxes the U.S. has to borrow the money.
-
1 month ago | 
usatoday.com | Kevin Wagner
Question: Should there be a maximum age for elected officials? Answer: If it seems like members of the our government from presidents to legislators seem to be getting older, it is largely because they have. Earlier this year, Donald Trump, at age 78, surpassing Joe Biden by 5 months, became the oldest person to be sworn in as U.S. President. Historically, the majority of U.S. presidents, including George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, were elected in their fifties.
-
1 month ago | 
yahoo.com | Kevin Wagner
Question: Why doesn’t Congress act more as a check on the President? Answer: Political science has spent a fair amount of time studying how and why members of the U.S. Congress make the decisions that they do. One of the most significant early books on the issue was written by David Mayhew in 1974 titled, “The Electoral Connection.” Mayhew essentially argued that you can understand the choices made by members of Congress when viewing it through their desire to be re-elected.
