The Guardrails of American Democracy Can't Contain Trump

[EasyAce]

But that doesn’t mean he should be removed via the 25th Amendment.
By Charles Krauthammer
http://www.nationalreview.com/article/447748/donald-trump-american-democracy-25th-amendment-removal-bad-idea

The pleasant surprise of the first 100 days is over. The action was hectic, heated, often confused, but well within
the bounds of normalcy. Policy (e.g., health care) was being hashed out, a Supreme Court nominee confirmed, foreign-
policy challenges (e.g., North Korea) addressed.

Donald Trump’s character — volatile, impulsive, often self-destructive — had not changed since the campaign. But it seemed
as if the guardrails of our democracy — Congress, the courts, the states, the media, the cabinet — were keeping things
within bounds.

Then came the last ten days. The country is now caught in the internal maelstrom that is the mind of Donald Trump. We are
in the realm of the id. Chaos reigns. No guardrails can hold . . .

. . . Republicans are beginning to panic. One sign is the notion now circulating that, perhaps to fend off ultimate impeach-
ment, Trump be dumped by way of the 25th Amendment.

That’s the post-Kennedy assassination measure that provides for removing an incapacitated president on the decision of the
vice president and a majority of the cabinet.

This is the worst idea since Leno at 10 p.m. It perverts the very intent of the amendment. It was meant for a stroke, not
stupidity; for Alzheimer’s, not narcissism. Otherwise, what it authorizes is a coup — willful overthrow by the leader’s own
closest associates . . .

. . . Trump’s behavior is deeply disturbing but hardly surprising. His mercurial nature is not the product of a post-inaugural
adder sting at Mar-a-Lago. It’s been there all along. And the American electorate chose him nonetheless.

What to do? Strengthen the guardrails. Redouble oversight of this errant president. Follow the facts, especially the Comey
memos. And let the chips fall where they may.

But no tricks, constitutional or otherwise.

[geronl]

This is the worst idea since Leno at 10 p.m. It perverts the very intent of the amendment. It was meant for a stroke, not
stupidity; for Alzheimer’s, not narcissism

*snicker*

[Cripplecreek]

If we had required candidates to pass a basic civics test for ballot access, Trump would have been out before he ever started. It just doesn't seem to be that high of a hurdle to expect candidate to have a clue about how govt works before getting the job.

Even Vermin supreme understood that there are constitutionally mandated duties of government and that the limitations far exceeded the duties.

The utter lack of understanding of what a president can and can't do is causing most of Trump's problems.

[EasyAce]

The utter lack of understanding of what a president can and can't do is causing most of Trump's problems.

That's caused problems for a lot of modern presidents, of course. But as you noted, they had a minimal
comprehension of the basics involved in the office. Donaldus Minimus is learning the hard way that
this isn't exactly the same thing as presiding over a television show or a real estate business or managing
his coverage on tabloid television.

[Cripplecreek]

That's caused problems for a lot of modern presidents, of course. But as you noted, they had a minimal
comprehension of the basics involved in the office. Donaldus Minimus is learning the hard way that
this isn't exactly the same thing as presiding over a television show or a real estate business or managing
his coverage on tabloid television.

Trump fell for the old canard that running government is just like running a business but it isn't and shouldn't be.

Business exists to produce goods and services while maximizing profits and hiring employees. Exactly what we don't want government doing. If anything, government should be restricted in how much revenue can be taken in.

[EasyAce]

If anything, government should be restricted in how much revenue can be taken in.

Bull's eye.