Where is Congress?
Dear Editor: For the past 17 days the Trump Administration has frequently overstepped the authority of the Executive Branch, disregarding U.S. law and the rights and wellbeing of Americans.
The president has frozen $3 trillion in domestic grants (temporarily blocked by courts) and has frozen foreign aid, both appropriated by Congress. He has rushed to dismantle the Congress-created U.S. Agency of International Development, which I fear will result in disastrous human costs and national security impacts. He has, without notifying Congress, fired 17 inspectors general, multiple federal prosecutors and a member of the National Labor Relations Board.
The unelected billionaire Elon Musk, who bought power by spending more than $290 million in the 2024 election cycle, runs amok through our government, aiming to gut public institutions, creating a climate of fear for federal workers, and gaining access to Americans’ most personal data. This week Musk barged into NOAA, threatening an agency that protects our fisheries and provides free public weather forecasting and storm alerts (which corporations would love to sell). Already, Musk has access to systems that would allow him to block tax refunds, Medicare payments, and Social Security payments. He can see confidential data from employers, including his many business rivals.
Musk owns multiple businesses, which together have received more than $15 billion in government contracts over the past decade. His conflicts of interest are enormous and his willingness to engage in misinformation is dangerous. He appears to be breaking things, seizing power, and generally clearing the way for a much weakened democracy, difficult to repair even after the courts (hopefully) put a stop to actions determined to be illegal.
Republicans control both the House and the Senate. They have the power and a constitutional duty to serve as a check and balance to the Executive Branch. Please call the Alaska delegation and other states where you have connections and urge Congress to end hearings and confirmations until it has blocked and rectified illegal actions by the president and Musk. The 5 Calls app makes this an easier task.
Chandler O’Connell, Sitka
