Pelosi, Trump, and the State of the Union

By Douglas V. Gibbs
Author, Speaker, Instructor, Radio Host

Can Nancy Pelosi, as Speaker of the House, constitutionally deny President Trump from giving his State of the Union speech in the House of Representatives?

That is the most common question I've been getting of late.

The short answer is, "Yes."

In Article II the President is required to present a State of the Union speech to Congress.  The word "shall" is quite definitive.  However, it does not state "where" he may give his speech.

Traditionally, the Capitol where the House of Representatives meets, has been the stage for the State of the Union, and this is arranged by invitation by the Speaker to the President.

This time, due to the government shutdown and the border wall issue, Speaker Pelosi, like a zombie that has been resurrected to grab the gavel, has refused to extend the invitation.

So, that means the President must find a different venue.

The Senate may be too small.

I say, hold a giant rally at a stadium with Trump supporters and the members of the two Houses of Congress willing to show up, and make it a major event.

All of my life I have had to hear the Democrats scream how the Republican Party is the Party of "No," that the GOP is filled with obstructionists, and that whenever the party of the mighty elephant holds the reins of government they are a "do-nothing" Congress and an authoritarian President who has no regard for the United States Constitution.  Then, whenever the Democrats are in a place of power, they prove to us that all of their allegations against their opposition is projection.  The true obstructionists, the true party of "no", and the true party of authoritarian anti-constitutionalism is the Party of the Democrats.

Talk about whoever smell't it dealt it.

In the 2018 mid-term elections the Party of the Jackass, in a stunning performance the Republican faithful did not even see coming, took back the House of Representatives and reinstalled Nancy Pelosi as their Speaker of the House.

The Democrats have always been radical, but now they are as radical as ever, and Pelosi has been encouraged by the leftist's maniacal fervor.

Meanwhile, in addition to the rabid hate the Democrats have for President Trump (mainly because he's the first Republican since Ronald Reagan that they've been unable to control) the battle over funding for a border wall has raged to the point of a government shutdown.

Using the government shutdown as an excuse, petulant Pelosi has, as I stated earlier, denied President Trump from having the opportunity to deliver a State of the Union speech at the House.

Don't worry, I have a feeling the President has an even better idea than my stadium rally idea.

Once again, the Democrats will be revealing how petulant and obstructive they truly are.

I just hope the American People are paying attention.

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