Man proposes but God disposes.
The locution belongs to Thomas von Kempen (1380-1471), Imitation of Christ 1.19. It is the template for the American adage that "the president proposes but the Congress disposes".
In America the power of the purse rests in the people's representatives in the House and Senate assembled. It does not rest in the hands of one man.
Donald Trump has once again been taught this lesson about who's boss around here, and that the president can't always get what he wants.
On Thursday he suddenly sprang the wish for an elimination of the US national debt ceiling entirely, which is what Democrats have long wanted. He then hedged for at least an extension of the time limit for a decision about it through Jan 30, 2027 after the primaries, but he didn't get that either, let alone an extension into 2029 after he's out of the picture. Congress taught him similar lessons multiple times during his first presidency, but he obviously learned nothing.
The compromise passed by the House and the Senate overnight funds the government through March 14, 2025, and forces Trump to deal with the debt ceiling in 2025. He promised to primary any Republican in 2026 who voted for that.
He's going to be very busy!
He'll have to primary 170 Republicans in the US House lol, which I'm sure will smooth the way to getting passed what he wants passed there the next two years lol.
Trump's threats aren't just rash. They are idle, and self-defeating to boot, displaying nothing so much as his impotence.
Democrats who said they feared another Hitler were just lying to their fool followers, or were the fools themselves.
