Behind Trump’s latest moves: A return to constitutional government

[aligncare]

What do you believe is an Executive action?  Do you believe that is some type of formal Constitutional device that is used for some reason?

Am having difficulty in understanding what it is you are saying.

In this country, there are clearly defined actions which constitutionally have weight when it comes to direction.  There are laws by Congress, rulings by our court system and, in the case of Executive, Orders and Memoranda that direct the Executive branch.

Where do you believe 'talking' by a President conveys some type of enforceable Executive action?

Are you saying he should never talk unless it is for Executive decisions?

I happen to like his Tweets, as it is unfiltered communications that bypass the biased media.  And nothing he said is enforceable for anything, so once again, what is your complaint?

I like it too. But his rhetoric should come as no surprise to anyone. He told us during the election what his approach to his job would be. He never telegraphs his cards walking in to negotiation. And he comes in asking for the moon. That’s his initial position, accompanied by the appropriate bluster. This just shows he intends to win whatever he takes up, and I would add, for the people.

I understand he’s different then past presidents and why this unsettles some. In terms of optics he’s not “acting” presidential like Clinton or Obama, and that’s a good thing. He’s not doing presidential kabuki, he’s more comfortable with CEO negotiating kabuki. Seems to work for him.

[aligncare]

Brilliant analysis of the reality of the Trump Presidency. Considering all the forces that oppose him, he has worked wonders.

1. He is probably the ONLY GOP candidate that could have won.
2. He has honored Congress' Constitutional responsibility to act on several major issues, but they have thus far failed to act. (Obamacare, immigration, wall, Iran nukes, taxes etc.)
3. He has taken administrative actions within the law, to get the best result possible. IOW to do things conservatives have stated they wanted.
4. Unlike his many detractors, he is NOT on vacation every 3 weeks out of 4. Or when in town, working from Tuesday noon to Thursday noon.
5. His term in not yet 19% complete. Still there is ample time to accomplish a lot of what conservatives have said they wanted.
6. Usually when he pokes somebody in the eye, they asked for it.
7. He is a huge "paradigm shifter," and a "master persuader."

Scott Adams, predicted Trump's win in October 2015

This video is from October 2016, still before the election


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55NxKENplG4

Thanks, ts.

I’m coming around to accept some folks will never cotton to Trump’s personality. But, that’s all it is, a quirky personality. His actions are what count and those have been on balance, conservative.

[DiogenesLamp]

Yes --constitutional government on some things like Obamacare -- and I applaud Trump for that. 

But then he takes to social media and suggests something very unconstitutional -- stifling free press.

Oh,  here we go again.  The existing "press",  really a trillion dollar infrastructure system for monopoly broadcasting of lies/propaganda through the airwaves,  is not "free",  it is heavily controlled by a one party cartel that absolutely prohibits anything remotely like what the founders intended from ever happening. 

You get one side,  and that is the pro-government party's side,  you do not get the other side ever. 

It doesn't need to be "stifled",  it needs to be smashed apart,  hacked apart,  poisoned,  stabbed,   hung and burnt with fire.   It is the primary source of power for the political opposition, did I mention the party of big government ?,  and it is effective government control (Deep State) of the press as it exists now.   

[DiogenesLamp]

For the eight years of Obama there was not a day that those on the right were not complaining that EO's were unconstitutional. Suddenly Trump's EO's are apparently Constitutional..

Okay, you are switching gears faster than I can keep up.  Many of Obama's EOs (executive orders)  were indeed unconstitutional,  but I presume some of them were not.  I do not know to which Trump EO you are referring,  so perhaps if you made that point clearer, we could then discuss whether or not you are correct that some Trump EO or other is unconstitutional,  but not knowing to which EO you are referring makes it a bit difficult to address your point. 

EOs that are within the lawful mandate of Presidential powers are indeed constitutional.  EOs that are not within the lawful mandate of Presidential powers are unconstitutional.   I am currently unaware of any Trump EOs that are illegitimate.

[DiogenesLamp]

Fairly issued licenses are one heck of a lot closer to free press than the President of the United States threatening the licenses of news outlets negative to him.

So you are trying to make the issue of the Democrat propaganda system called the "media"  about Trump.   No,  it's about a lot more than Trump.   It's about "macaca".  It's about Trent Lott.  It's about "Wide Stance".   It's about any number of abuses of power obtained through government licensed monopoly that has been damaging our nation and our people for at least five decades.   

But you want to make it about Trump.   

It is about "Trump"  in the same way that Christians forced to bake homosexual  cake are about "cake."   


It's not about cake,  and it's not about Trump.   It's about abuse of power that needs to be stopped. 

I realized the "media"  was an enemy of the people back in 1992 when they deliberately misreported (lied)  about economic news to create the appearance that the George HW Bush economy was verging on Depression.   

I realized they were our enemy when they kept hyping that "It's the economy stupid"  which was deliberately intended to mock Bush and demean the office of the Presidency.   

The "media"   has long been way overdue for a can of whoop-ass,  and I cannot wait to see them gets some comeuppance for all their past abuses of power.   

[aligncare]

Okay, you are switching gears faster than I can keep up.  Many of Obama's EOs (executive orders)  were indeed unconstitutional,  but I presume some of them were not.  I do not know to which Trump EO you are referring,  so perhaps if you made that point clearer, we could then discuss whether or not you are correct that some Trump EO or other is unconstitutional,  but not knowing to which EO you are referring makes it a bit difficult to address your point. 

EOs that are within the lawful mandate of Presidential powers are indeed constitutional.  EOs that are not within the lawful mandate of Presidential powers are unconstitutional.   I am currently unaware of any Trump EOs that are illegitimate.

Yes, you are right. It’s a challenge to get at the truth of a matter because politics is about blurring the lines, confusing the issues with smoke and mirrors. In short, disinformation. Don’t confuse me with facts, I’m on a crusade.

[Bigun]

Government licensed news outlets are to your mind free press?

There hasn't been anything like a "free press" in this country for at least 100 years and probably lpnger.

[Concerned]

It would sure be helpful if the WH or even Trump himself could find a way to let us know which are "just words" and which are real words we should take seriously.  For someone who speaks english, he sure needs a lot of translation.

He sure does need a lot translation:  negative press here, oh, the President was just joking. Lie exposed over there, don’t take the President literally but take him seriously. Crazy Tweet that the WH Communications Department wants to go away, the President’s Tweets speak for themselves.  Bootish personal attacks complete with childish nicknames,  the President is a counterpuncher.

How much does all this increase his voting base from 46%?  I don’t think it does, but it makes Trump and his supporters feel good.

[endicom]

There hasn't been anything like a "free press" in this country for at least 100 years and probably lpnger.

Broadcast news took the lead in steering opinion.

An NYC newsstand of my youth was a wonderous thing. Many choices. Now there are few print choices and not many broadcast choices and the broadcast choices don't offer much choice.

[Bigun]

Broadcast news took the lead in steering opinion.

An NYC newsstand of my youth was a wonderous thing. Many choices. Now there are few print choices and not many broadcast choices and the broadcast choices don't offer much choice.

And of the few choices available,  how many are truly independent and do their own digging for source material?

[endicom]

And of the few choices available,  how many are truly independent and do their own digging for source material?

I don't watch television but I gather that they all say the same things.

[Bigun]

I don't watch television but I gather that they all say the same things.

That's because they all depend on the same very few sources for what they report.

[roamer_1]

That's because they all depend on the same very few sources for what they report.

Therein the evil of Associated Press.

[Bigun]

Therein the evil of Associated Press.

And the NY Times.