Political Quotes

On the recordFebruary 25, 2025
did you see over the weekend Elon Musk, the richest man in the world, dancing on a stage with a chain saw? Did you see that? Most Americans did. That was his approach to DOGE government efficiency--take a chain saw to it, put an Agency like USAID in the ``wood chipper,'' in his words. Does this sound like a thoughtful approach to making government more efficient or does this sound like a meat-ax approach from a man who has no business being there, an unelected individual who somehow has been given authority by this President to lop off tens of thousands of jobs day in day out? Yes, we have gone to court. Many of the Agencies in the government-- the employees and their representatives--have gone to court to question this ham-handed approach to making this government work, and they have been successful in the overwhelming percentage to receive temporary restraining orders and the like because on its face, serious questions are raised as to the authority of this President. We have time-honored traditions when it comes to things like impoundment of Federal funds. The President cannot make that decision unilaterally. The power of the purse happens to be with the article I agency of the government, the legislature, not with the article II agency, the executive. As a consequence, when the President decides to do this unilaterally, he is being challenged in court, and he should be challenged in court.…
Said by
Dick Durbin
Democratic · Illinois

Share

More from Dick Durbin

Jul 19, 2026

But President Trump’s constant rhetoric belittling the alliance and dreams of conquering Greenland have been ill timed, boorish, and counterproductive.

durbin.senate.gov
Jul 17, 2026

Set aside two hours, four hours, whatever it takes. So that there is clearly an effort by this government to get all the information and make a judgment as to what to do with it.

durbin.senate.gov
Jul 22, 2026

It is a disgrace that Senate Republicans are moving forward on this nomination while Senator McConnell is still in the hospital and so soon after Senator Graham’s passing.

durbin.senate.gov
Jul 18, 2026

But to shun you and to snub you at this point, there is something else going on here.

durbin.senate.gov

Other voices in this conversation