Official LRC President Donald J Trump Thread

agip wrote:

Trollminator wrote:

My point exactl... not only did trump fill the swamp, he built a dome around it to protect these creatures. Oh yeah, but of course Trump doesn’t gain a penny from any of this, he’s Robin Hood!

and the spankers will just point at any investigation at the 'politics of personal destruction' they complain about.

they really don't care about corruption and ethics violations - they do not care whatsoever.

A significant fraction of the population of this country does not care whatsoever about this country. They are generally easy to spot. They are the ones who shout the loudest about patriotism.

This may resolve as the silver lining of the Trump Admin. Congress simply must claw back all the power it has given to the Exec Branch. Giving power works when the president is wise and good, but it is a disaster when the president is dumb and amoral. All these tariffs should be impossible for the WH to do...but the congress at some point gave the WH the power. I hope the next president will agree and sign the bills.

https://twitter.com/axios/status/1137872001870077952

Answer: Mitch McConnell is the one who conceded several Congressional powers to the president, BUT only after a pliable Republican was elected.

agip wrote:

Congress simply must claw back all the power it has given to the Exec Branch. Giving power works when the president is wise and good, but it is a disaster when the president is dumb and amoral. All these tariffs should be impossible for the WH to do...but the congress at some point gave the WH the power.

McCONnell wrote:

Answer: Mitch McConnell is the one who conceded several Congressional powers to the president, BUT only after a pliable Republican was elected.

agip wrote:

Congress simply must claw back all the power it has given to the Exec Branch. Giving power works when the president is wise and good, but it is a disaster when the president is dumb and amoral. All these tariffs should be impossible for the WH to do...but the congress at some point gave the WH the power.

Rs will just accuse Dems of trying to change the rules because they lost. This type of change can only get done when a sitting president and ruling party gets behind it.

Kushner is working as an unpaid staffer for Trump. He has to make money "somehow"—and Saudi money is his to be had.

Sunshine is the best disinfectant.

I’m sure our liberal friends won’t dare read the entire article, but there are some damning facts in it and the investigation has only begun.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/durham-investigating-non-governmental-organizations-and-individuals-potentially-including-fusion-gps

A Stinker wrote:

Sunshine is the best disinfectant.

This observation from SCOTUS in widely quoted, but IRL it is inaccurate.

Alcohol is a *much* better disinfectant. True story.

A Stinker wrote:

Sunshine is the best disinfectant.

I’m sure our liberal friends won’t dare read the entire article, but there are some damning facts in it and the investigation has only begun.

True, I probably won't take the time to read that particular article.

However, most liberals do welcome investigation into any abuses by our government.

That's the difference between Republicans and Democrats these days.

Democrats want honest, well-functioning government.

Republicans want corrupt, inept government. Republicans seem to think it's cute how the president lies, cheats, steals, and gets away with it.

A Stinker wrote:

Sunshine is the best disinfectant.

I’m sure our liberal friends won’t dare read the entire article, but there are some damning facts in it and the investigation has only begun.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/durham-investigating-non-governmental-organizations-and-individuals-potentially-including-fusion-gps

So this is investigating the investigators. Fine.

Mostly it is picking at the Steele Dossier.

Saying it was a "largely discredited dossier"

It was also largely confirmed. So I guess largely is not majority..

There were citings of the dossier in the investigation but the investigation went after many sources.

It concluded that there was Russian interference.

It also concluded that there were many links between the Trump camp and the Russians.

It just could not conclude there was a conspiracy of working together.

The investigation turned up many occurrences unrelated to the Steele Dossier.

And the Dossier itself was never used as a political weapon.

The public did not find out about it until after Trump was elected.

Hillary had it and could have leaked it to the public at any time before the election.

But since a lot was unverified she didn't. It would not be ethical.

Meanwhile Trump was touting Wikileaks publicly as they hacked the DNC.

He doesn't worry about ethics.

Sunshine is a better disinfectant if you’re broke because it’s free, it’s abundant, far less toxic, easier to use, traditional, etc.

L L wrote:

And the Dossier itself was never used as a political weapon.

The public did not find out about it until after Trump was elected.

Hillary had it and could have leaked it to the public at any time before the election.

But since a lot was unverified she didn't. It would not be ethical.

Meanwhile Trump was touting Wikileaks publicly as they hacked the DNC.

He doesn't worry about ethics.

Correct. Republicans like corruption and dishonesty.

Not really true. I can't think of a single significant concession under this president. The problem is structural and much longer lasting than that. I was pointing this out during the last election as it was clear, for example, that the Obama administration was abusing the discretion it had under the AUMF (drone program). It goes well beyond tarriffs. Congress has exclusive authority under the Constitution to declare war, raise an Army and Navy, and to establish laws on immigration and naturalization. In the current very warped version of our system we tend to think of these things as primarily executive branch activities, but this is not the original design. Congress has systematically delegated these powers to the executive since WWII (some even before).

McCONnell wrote:

Answer: Mitch McConnell is the one who conceded several Congressional powers to the president, BUT only after a pliable Republican was elected.

agip wrote:

Congress simply must claw back all the power it has given to the Exec Branch. Giving power works when the president is wise and good, but it is a disaster when the president is dumb and amoral. All these tariffs should be impossible for the WH to do...but the congress at some point gave the WH the power.

learn you something wrote:

Not really true. I can't think of a single significant concession [of Congressional powers to the president] under this president.

Trump declared a national emergency to shift funds to build his wall.

Congress passed a law to overturn that declaration.

Trump vetoed that.

Congress did not have the votes to override that veto.

That was a significant concession of Congress giving their power of the purse to the president.

L L wrote:

learn you something wrote:

Not really true. I can't think of a single significant concession [of Congressional powers to the president] under this president.

Trump declared a national emergency to shift funds to build his wall.

Congress passed a law to overturn that declaration.

Trump vetoed that.

Congress did not have the votes to override that veto.

That was a significant concession of Congress giving their power of the purse to the president.

I think you and I may not be talking about the same thing. The national emergency declaration was for sure an example of Trump using powers in a manner that is different from the constitutional framework. But the power for Trump to declare an emergency and shift funds is codified in the National Emergencies Act, which was codified in 1976 (I think there is also a military section involved, but the Emergencies Act is the main one involved). The National Emergencies Act was when Congress delegated its own powers to the executive branch. Obama (or Bush, or Clinton) could have done the exact same thing. You are point to a particular exercise of that power, I am pointing to the structural shift.

In order to fix the structural issue Congress needs to change the National Emergencies Act (and the War Powers Act, the AUMF, a host of other legislation). Overriding Trump on this one issue wouldn't fundamentally alter this imbalance.

Of course part of the reason for this delegation and the failure of congress to fix it are the same as the reason they couldn't override this particular act: Delegating power to the executive insulates Congress form having to take difficult votes. The Executive Branch pretty much always acts to maximize executive power. The Legislative Branch has a difficult time getting 2/3rds to change that structural because legislatures generally only object to delegating to the executive when the executive is of a different party.

learn you something wrote:

Obama (or Bush, or Clinton) could have done the exact same thing.

I don't think they would have attempted the exact same thing. That's one point.

There are lots of things Trump does that no other president would consider.

And I think if they would have attempted it, the Congress of their time would have had a veto proof response to block it.

But mostly it's the fact that Trump pushes limits that have not been pushed.

Like blocking these subpoenas.

Obama warned trump to follow legal counsel’s advice. In one ear & out the other (nothing in between).

L L wrote:

learn you something wrote:

Not really true. I can't think of a single significant concession [of Congressional powers to the president] under this president.

Trump declared a national emergency to shift funds to build his wall.

Congress passed a law to overturn that declaration.

Trump vetoed that.

Congress did not have the votes to override that veto.

That was a significant concession of Congress giving their power of the purse to the president.

And tariffs.

:sigh

Like the OP said, you didn't (wouldn't) read the article.

Keep sticking your fingers in your ears and only listen to liberal-leaning sources.