"Impounding" Funds?

[DGS49]

I haven't looked closely at the law that supposedly prohibits this practice by the President, or the Constitutional basis for it, but in concept shouldn't the President have the "power" to simply decline to spend funds that in his judgment are wasteful, unnecessary, counterproductive, or even unconstitutional?

Say Congress passes a law funding the purchase of a hundred new airplanes, and the Armed Forces say are not needed. This has actually happened. Should the President be able to tell DoD, "Don't bother with this procurement"?

What if Congress passes a law that provides funding to five selected failing school districts around the country, because they can't afford to pay their teachers "enough"? Shouldn't the President be able to say, "This is unconstitutional," explain why it is unconstitutional, and simply not send out those funds?

Look at USAID, and all the crazy programs around the world that they are funding. Shouldn't the President be able to use his discretion to say, "This is not in the best interests of the U.S.," and simply not fund those programs?

Can't the President be fiscally responsible in executing the office of the Presidency?

 

[sparky]

Understanding what a constitutional expenditure is in the first place might help understanding what would be an unconstitutional one DG

~S~

 

[Care4all]

I haven't looked closely at the law that supposedly prohibits this practice by the President, or the Constitutional basis for it, but in concept shouldn't the President have the "power" to simply decline to spend funds that in his judgment are wasteful, unnecessary, counterproductive, or even unconstitutional?

Say Congress passes a law funding the purchase of a hundred new airplanes, and the Armed Forces say are not needed. This has actually happened. Should the President be able to tell DoD, "Don't bother with this procurement"?

What if Congress passes a law that provides funding to five selected failing school districts around the country, because they can't afford to pay their teachers "enough"? Shouldn't the President be able to say, "This is unconstitutional," explain why it is unconstitutional, and simply not send out those funds?

Look at USAID, and all the crazy programs around the world that they are funding. Shouldn't the President be able to use his discretion to say, "This is not in the best interests of the U.S.," and simply not fund those programs?

Can't the President be fiscally responsible in executing the office of the Presidency?

The answer is NO.

He can challenge it in court, or have his Congress introduce and pass a law that rescinds it...

Our constitution has separation of powers....for a reason.