Event examines President's constitutional powers

ASU students delved into what the President of the United States is and isn’t allowed to do at an event called “What is Constitutional” at the Westward Ho in downtown Phoenix February 28. Most of the 50 people in the audience remained afterward to watch President Donald Trump address a joint session of Congress and discuss his proposals. The event was sponsored by the College of Public Service and Community Solutions, the Congressman Pastor Center for Politics and Public Policy and Downtown Phoenix Undergraduate Student Government. 

“The purpose of this discussion came from my desire to create some venue for constructive engagement around the issues of the day,” Jonathan Koppell, dean of the College of Public Service and Community Solutions, told the audience.

Koppell cited the emotional tenor of political discussion during and after the presidential campaign.

“One of the positive thing that's come of the events over the last several months is that there's a renewed interest in politics and a renewed understanding that elections matter and that votes matter,” Koppell said.

Over the next hour, Koppell examined executive orders from the current and past presidential administrations to show the true extent of power held by the White House. ASU law professor Paul Bender helped answer questions. A constitutional expert, Bender is a former deputy solicitor general for the Justice Department during the administration of President Bill Clinton.

Koppell and Bender started out discussing the role courts played in blocking a travel ban issued by executive order by President Trump. A U.S. Circuit Judge stopped the ban which prevented people from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States.

Koppell noted that while President Trump’s executive order drew widespread criticism, the same people did not object to major immigration policies issued by President Obama through executive order. Obama’s deferred action order allowed undocumented immigrants brought to this country as children to lawfully remain. Another executive order allowed undocumented parents of children born or legally authorized to live here remain in the U.S. as long as they didn’t commit serious crimes. Several states sued on the later policy. A federal court in Texas found it to be unconstitutional. The U.S. Supreme Court split 4-4 on the case, meaning the executive order concerning parents was nullified.

“I think there are ways in which aspects of the Trump presidency are unprecedented, but there are a lot that are not,” Koppell said after the event. “And so, it’s important as we look at what’s going on to situate things in a historical context, so attention is put in the right place.”

After the constitutional discussion, students watched President Trump address a joint session of Congress. Alberto Olivas, director of the Ed Pastor Center for Politics and Public Service, handed out a paper to help them note specific policy proposals. Olivas then lead a lively discussion on what stood out about the president’s ideas on taxation, terrorism, education and other issues.

Nina Hurtado is a graduate student majoring in social work. She found the event enlightening and positive.

“I'm just glad there are people from different majors getting together and discussing what's going on, because--seriously--social media is just so toxic right now,” said Hurtado. “So getting people that are actually analyzing policy is really helpful.”

That’s just the kind of reaction dean Koppell was hoping to get from those who attended.

“We are not passive actors here,” said Koppell. “We have an opportunity--not to just be activists and agents in terms of driving a political agenda or policy position. But we have an opportunity to be active citizens and know what we’re talking about and not simply allow ourselves to be swayed by incorrect information, supposition and alternative facts. So hopefully, people left with a feeling like they’re empowered to know what the real deal is.”