“Constitutional Crisis”

 Monterey Herald—Feb. 19, 2025

I keep hearing this term, “We’re in a constitutional crisis.” But many people don’t know what that is. Why was there an indefinite detention law passed in 2012, part of the 2012 NDAA, authorizing indefinite detention of U.S. citizens and residents without charges or trial? What of the secret kill list that was developed during the Obama administration, designed to target U.S. citizens who would be killed without due process? Why was the Department of Defense allowed to finalize a rule in 2013 (FR Doc No: 2013-07802, 32 CFR Part 182) which enabled combatant commanders to assume Presidential authority, and after its effective date would not even require them to report to the President or Congress when they exercised the power of the President?  We’ve been in a constitutional crisis for a while, and we now have someone as president who might be willing to undo some of the federal agency abuses of power.  But if that is to be the case, we will have to ensure that we do not waste time claiming that the new President is creating a constitutional crisis when he is not.

— Colin Gallagher, Monterey