Impeach Trump, but limit future presidents too

Professor Richard Davis calls on a Democratic-controlled Congress to move on two fronts: hold President Trump accountable through impeachment and pursue constitutional amendments to limit certain executive authorities. He frames impeachment as a necessary immediate political response while urging lawmakers to pair it with longer-term institutional fixes. Davis identifies three areas where he believes presidential power should be constrained. First, he argues for curbs on the pardon power, which would reduce a president's ability to unilaterally absolve individuals of federal crimes. Second, he advocates changes to the president's war-making capacity so that decisions to engage in hostilities would require greater congressional involvement. Third, he recommends limiting the executive's authority to impose tariffs without legislative approval. The proposal envisions using the Democrats' prospective congressional majority to advance both accountability and constitutional reform. Davis presents impeachment and amendments as complementary: impeachment addresses current conduct, while constitutional changes aim to prevent similar concentrations of power by future officeholders. If pursued, these measures would involve complex legal and political processes. Impeachment requires House action and a Senate trial, and constitutional amendments need broad support across Congress and the states. Davis's approach therefore ties an immediate partisan remedy to a more ambitious, structural agenda that would reshape the balance of powers between branches of government.