, Columnist
Congress Began Ceding Power to Presidents Long Before Trump
Senators and representatives from both parties have turned Congress into a quasi-parliament, not a check on the power of the executive.
Not known for his independence.
Photographer: Drew Angerer/AFP/Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
Some years back, I fired off a forgettable social media post referencing the “three co-equal branches” of government. A friend — a smart journalist steeped in American political history — responded with a gentle correction reminding me that Congress was the “supreme branch,” befitting its Article I status in the United States Constitution.
Turns out we were both wrong, albeit for slightly different reasons.
