President Donald Trump’s project to build a triumphal arch in Washington won approval Thursday from a federal planning commission. A federal judge, however, temporarily blocked work from starting, Politico reported.
The National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) voted 8-4 to approve the decision. Commission members tied to the administration or to Trump voted in favor of allowing construction, the AP reported.
“President Trump, as a leader and an outstanding builder, understands that it is important for our national identity to show who we are through magnificent monuments,” said commission chairman Mark Paoletta.
Construction could have begun as early as this week, according to earlier announcements, but on Thursday it was blocked for two weeks by federal judge Tanya Chutkan. Earlier, among others, authorities in Arlington, near Washington, where the arch is to be built, sued the Trump administration, seeking to have construction blocked.
The triumphal arch is to stand over the Potomac, between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery. It is unclear who will pay for it or how much it will cost, but some estimates put the cost at as much as $100 million, the AP reported.
Trump has said the structure is meant to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, which is being marked this year, and to honor American history and the service of soldiers. The project is to be inspired by the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.
The media note that such a large structure could pose a hazard to air traffic at nearby Ronald Reagan airport. Preservationists also warn that the structure would disrupt views of historic significance.
According to the design, the structure would stand 76 meters (about 249 feet) tall, topped by a golden Statue of Liberty guarded by four golden lions. (PAP)
OUR COMMENTARY:
The case above may demonstrate that judges appointed for life terms often block initiatives of a democratically elected president, shifting the burden of governing from politicians to the judiciary. From this perspective, every large architectural or political project becomes the subject of permanent courtroom disputes, which makes it harder to govern the country effectively.
Political scientists typically classify this mechanism in the U.S. as the traditional system of checks and balances, in which courts resolve legal disputes between different levels of government, although the scale and number of such blocks in recent years continue to fuel debate about the role of the judiciary.
PJ
