I am seeing many people praising President Trump for his Executive Order yesterday to provide relief for Covid-19. I applaud Trump for what he hopes to accomplish and it is a shame that Congress will refuse to work together on real relief efforts, however, I disagree with the way it was done.
The Constitution clearly states in Article I, Sec 8 “The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defense and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;” This principle of Congress controlling the purse strings actually goes back to the British and the Magna Carta. It is an important check on power. Nowhere in the Constitution does it give presidents executive order power, it is something that has been applied. The Constitution does give the Congress taxation power; it is in black and white.
If you agree with what the president did, you just have to remember that this will set a dangerous precedent for future presidents. You may agree with this decision, but you may not agree with the next president.
Historically Speaking 