Evan Kirchhoff's completely gone off the rails as he wonders what's wrong with City Hall issuing invalid marriage licenses. The power of the purse is the fundamental ability of the legislature to control the executive. The executive violates the law anytime they spend even a penny that is not authorized by the legislature. This is at the very heart of our political system and you monkey with this at your peril.
If the executive can make illegitimate expenditures in principle where are we to draw the line? How much money can the executive spend in contravention of the legislature? Do I really need to spell out how stupid and self-destructive this thing is to our free society?
Posted by TMLutas at February 17, 2004 12:05 PM