To the Editor:
I am writing this letter to urge you to contact our legislators. In this incidence I believe it is beside the point whether you are a Republican, Democrat, or independent, an enthusiastic supporter of our president or one of his detractors.
Recently, the president declared a national emergency to advance his agenda, circumventing the will of the legislative branch of our government. Our constitutional democracy has survived throughout our sometimes tumultuous and still young history largely because of the persistence and resilience of the separation of powers and the willingness of most of our elected officials to honor and, when necessary, sacrifice for this principle.
Invoking a national emergency when clearly one does not exist in order to circumvent or override another branch of government is a time-worn tactic of dictatorships, not a political "reality" of a healthy democracy. We have selected a handful of men and women to be honored with the title of Senator or Congressman/woman. Our constitution charges them with the wise exercise and preservation of legislative power.
We can and must do our part as citizens in a democracy to ask our congressional leaders to be quick and decisive in correcting this mistake by our president. I urge you to contact them today.
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William Hogan
Emery
