by Rod Williams, May 22, 2025 - On May 20th, U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel ruled that the Trump administration must restore $14 million in transit grants that had been frozen. These grants were $4.7 million for charging stations and $9.3 million for bike lanes. The ruling prohibits federal officials from freezing or terminating the grants. This ruling restoring the grants were part of a lawsuit filed by Metro and other cities and nonprofits against the administration.
Time and time again this has been the pattern. The Trump administration has ended a program or cancelled an awarded grant, and the Courts have reinstated the program. This should be celebrated. Even if you think Nashville does not need more bike lanes or improved bus transit and even if you voted "no" in the referendum approving the Mayor's transit program, you should be pleased with this ruling.
The power of the purse belongs to Congress. These grants were part of congressionally approved funding and awarded based on approved procedures. I don't doubt that the Trump administration has attempted to end some programs and cut some spending that is wasteful. I am sure I would approve some of the Trump cuts. I am a small government conservative and want the government to do less and tax and spend less. However, following the Constitution is more important than any particular cut to spending.
If we are a democracy, government spending can be cut if we elect people who think spending should be cut. If we are a dictatorship, then the president can determine how our tax money is spent. Democracy is messy and slow and requires persuasion and compromise. Dictatorship is much more efficient. We are not a dictatorship yet The President does not have the power to unilaterally impound funds.
In 1974, Congress enacted the
Impoundment Control Act in response to attempts by the executive branch to refuse to spend congressionally appropriated funds. The act says the President must spend funds appropriated by Congress, unless otherwise authorized to withhold them. If the President wants to impound funds, there is a procedure for that.
It is easy to get discouraged as we watch our country slide into authoritarianism, but so far much of what Trump has tried to do has been thwarted. Much that he has done is by executive order and can be undone by the next administration.
After each new exposure of corruption, illegal impounding of funds, generating unnecessary chaos, security breach, violation of the rule of law, or act of cruelty, I keep thinking Republicans will finally say "enough already" and stop supporting him. It hasn't happened yet, but I keep thinking he will cross a line, and Republicans will rediscover they values and man-up and reign him in. Unfortunately, it has not happened yet. However, the 2026 mid-term elections will most likely result in a shift of power in the House and then Trump's wings can be clipped.
While the administration has talked of suspending the Constitution, I do not think between now and the mid-terms, Donald Trump can transform America into a dictatorship. Our institutions and Constitutional order are badly battered but not broken. As we hold on and wait for this ugly period in our history to pass, be thankful for small victories like the court ruling restoring Nashville's transit grants.
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