The Opinions Congress Is Dying in Real Time
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Nov 1, 2025 
Jamelle Bouie, an Opinion columnist for The New York Times focusing on politics, and David French, a commentator on constitutional issues, dive into the current chaos in Congress. They discuss how executive power undermines legislative authority, the abdication of Congress to the presidency, and how this crisis affects governance. Bouie highlights the dangers of a weakened Congress, while French emphasizes the need for reforms to limit executive overreach. They explore potential strategies for Congress to reclaim its power amidst a tumultuous political landscape.
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Shutdown Reflects New Level Of Indifference
- Jamelle Bouie argues this shutdown is a novel, different-in-kind crisis because House Republicans show indifference and no negotiation on SNAP benefits.
- He emphasizes many SNAP recipients live in Republican districts, making their indifference striking and consequential.
Compromise Seen As Political Defeat
- David French calls this a difference in kind: Congress has utterly abdicated its legislative power and views compromise as humiliation.
- He warns that treating compromise as defeat destroys the legislative process and governance norms.
Congress Subservient, Article I Eroding
- French and Bouie highlight extreme congressional subservience to the president and erosion of Article I authority.
- They argue this produces unstable governance where executive actions are ephemeral and Congress is functionally irrelevant.