at his discretion

obviously, the administration can keep open whatever bits of the government it pleases. e.g. chuck hagel recalled the defense department. and though they have suspended many programs that help people, they have preserved all oppressive mechanisms: the military, fbi, our amazing structure of universal surveillance. so let me ask you this: does or does not the budget of the us government have to originate in and spending be authorized by the house of representatives? i propose not at all, and if congress went on strike, the whole thing would just keep right on. obama seems to be shutting down bits in the order in which it makes for the best propaganda, but i don't detect the limits: what can he not spend without authorization, etc? anyway, if you think the constitution has any connection to the way this sucker is actually governed, i say you're wrong. it's like, you know, the soviet constitution: a beautiful model of reason and freedom that had nothing to do with anything in the actual world.