Can Congress work its way back to relevance?

The Trump administration announced that it will withhold $5
billion in foreign aid that Congress had already allocated. The
“pocket rescission” is Office of Management and Budget Director
Russell Vought’s latest move to give the executive branch control
over America’s spending. House Democrats call it an unlawful
attack on Congress’ power of the purse. The Trump administration
has also imposed tariffs and selected U.S. attorneys without
congressional approval. How can Congress take back its power?
Will Democrats and Republicans work together to prevent a
shutdown before federal funding runs out at the end of the
month? 


The Johnson Amendment (1954) allowed the IRS to
remove tax-exempt status from charitable organizations and
churches if they endorsed political candidates. Although some
outspoken faith leaders disregarded the rule and received no
retribution from the IRS, the Trump administration has now
created an official carve-out for churches to endorse candidates
and keep their tax-exempt status. Proponents of the Johnson
Amendment, like including the 1,000 nonprofits that signed a
community letter supporting nonpartisanship,
believe that the law prevented churches from becoming political
agents manipulated by anonymous donors’ tax-free gifts. Others,
like the National Religious Broadcasters, say the Johnson
Amendment infringed on their First Amendment rights. Will this
new leeway degrade the role of churches as nonpartisan centers of
community? 


Third Way, a left-wing think tank, released a memo urging
Democrats to leave behind language they believe repels voters.
The list includes words such as “privilege,” “systems of
oppression,” “birthing person,” and “Latinx.”  The right has
expressed disdain with “wokeness” and language policing. 


Progressives adopted these terms to be more inclusive and
empathetic, but are they having the opposite effect?