David M. Drucker, 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 Images
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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.