We are in a crucible and being forged for a “more perfect union” under God. This is a searing civics education for a sleepy electorate. Hopefully, we will awaken, arise to a supermajority in the midterms.
Sadly the Roberts Majority is as fixated on increasing presidential power as is Dear Leader. The recent Slaughter limited Congressional power to create independent regulatory agencies that have been around for well over a century. By granting this particular president complete control over the executive branch (and creating absolute immunity for any criminal acts conducted while president), Roberts and Friends have allowed corruption to become embedded in government action (want to avoid FTC regulation? Engage in unfair, predatory, or monopolistic practices? Just pay the trump family business and your problems go away). Our constitution was structured to diffuse power, not to concentrate it. The current Roberts Majority is intent on concentrating power in a president who abuses power on a regular basis while also aggregating power to itself by being unbound by long standing precedents that allow them to achieve their desired political outcomes.
Trump's pay-to-play and pardon-for-a-price machine has taken Nineteenth Century "ward healing" and put it on steroids. His cherry-picking phrases from Article II without a full consideration of the rest of the Constitution and its Amendments, reminds me of the Christian Nationalist view touting certain passages of the Bible that further their agendas, while ignoring the mass of Christian biblical and theological doctrine (e.g., love thy neighbor, welcome the stranger, comfort/minister to the poor and afflicted, etc).
The issue of limitations on executive power, as well as the need for and appropriate use of executive power, were contentious in the formation of our constitution. While I am not a constitutional scholar, i believe that the fact that the war that had just been fought earlier in our governmental revolution specifically addressed the lack of governance without representation (addressed to parlement) and the "tyranny" of the King. The limitation of power on the executive was an issue that was in part seen through the lens of a group who saw public service as the motivation of people in government, a limited term of office needing to be evaluated before continuing, the direction to execute the laws made by congress (a government of laws not men), which in and of itself limits executive power, placing the power of the purse in the arm of congress, and the fact that everybody expected Washington, whose integrity was recognized, would be the first president to create the precedents needed to form the office, as well as the impeachment clause would protect the people from a Tyrant. Some, like George Mason, felt this was not enough. It seems that Trump is no Washington, and a congress without virtue and integrity is allowing the destruction of the American Experiment. SO SAD
Exceptional post Charles. You addressed the things we need to continue to fight for to save our democracy. The sooner this criminal clown car of a regime is gone the sooner we can begin to heal. We also need to replace the lame ducks in congress.
We are in a crucible and being forged for a “more perfect union” under God. This is a searing civics education for a sleepy electorate. Hopefully, we will awaken, arise to a supermajority in the midterms.
One wonders what's now going through the minds of the 78 million Americans who voted to give Donald Trump a second term.
Sadly the Roberts Majority is as fixated on increasing presidential power as is Dear Leader. The recent Slaughter limited Congressional power to create independent regulatory agencies that have been around for well over a century. By granting this particular president complete control over the executive branch (and creating absolute immunity for any criminal acts conducted while president), Roberts and Friends have allowed corruption to become embedded in government action (want to avoid FTC regulation? Engage in unfair, predatory, or monopolistic practices? Just pay the trump family business and your problems go away). Our constitution was structured to diffuse power, not to concentrate it. The current Roberts Majority is intent on concentrating power in a president who abuses power on a regular basis while also aggregating power to itself by being unbound by long standing precedents that allow them to achieve their desired political outcomes.
Trump's pay-to-play and pardon-for-a-price machine has taken Nineteenth Century "ward healing" and put it on steroids. His cherry-picking phrases from Article II without a full consideration of the rest of the Constitution and its Amendments, reminds me of the Christian Nationalist view touting certain passages of the Bible that further their agendas, while ignoring the mass of Christian biblical and theological doctrine (e.g., love thy neighbor, welcome the stranger, comfort/minister to the poor and afflicted, etc).
The issue of limitations on executive power, as well as the need for and appropriate use of executive power, were contentious in the formation of our constitution. While I am not a constitutional scholar, i believe that the fact that the war that had just been fought earlier in our governmental revolution specifically addressed the lack of governance without representation (addressed to parlement) and the "tyranny" of the King. The limitation of power on the executive was an issue that was in part seen through the lens of a group who saw public service as the motivation of people in government, a limited term of office needing to be evaluated before continuing, the direction to execute the laws made by congress (a government of laws not men), which in and of itself limits executive power, placing the power of the purse in the arm of congress, and the fact that everybody expected Washington, whose integrity was recognized, would be the first president to create the precedents needed to form the office, as well as the impeachment clause would protect the people from a Tyrant. Some, like George Mason, felt this was not enough. It seems that Trump is no Washington, and a congress without virtue and integrity is allowing the destruction of the American Experiment. SO SAD
We are being told to get used to it.
Exceptional post Charles. You addressed the things we need to continue to fight for to save our democracy. The sooner this criminal clown car of a regime is gone the sooner we can begin to heal. We also need to replace the lame ducks in congress.
As usual Charles, a superb essay. Thank you.