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"Ensuring Accountability for All Agencies" – Executive Order

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Re: "Ensuring Accountability for All Agencies" – Executive Order

#341
post #277

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What the modern Democratic Party knows, but understandably doesn’t go around trumpeting, is that they cannot organize mass collective action because there’s not enough people on their side. You talk about “a coalition of labor unions”, but even union members barely lean Democratic these days. There’s very few groups outside of the Democratic Party infrastructure which are polarized enough to take a side.

I'm confused. 75 million people voted Democrat in the last election. That's quite a few people on their side? And I'm not sure it's a fair assessment to say union members 'barely' lean Democrat https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/10/17/key-facts... > There’s very few groups outside of the Democratic Party infrastructure which are polarized enough to take a side. The last 2 presidential elections saw the high…

I'm not saying that nobody supports the Democrats over the Republicans. There's two interrelated points:

* Supporting the Democratic Party against its main opponent is very different from supporting it in its own right. There's a lot of people in the US who would prefer for Chuck Schumer to be the majority leader, but very few who look to him for cues on what they ought to believe or fight for.

* There's very few spaces where the Democrats are dominant enough to form a nucleus of mass resistance. 50-43 among union members is a nonzero lead, but if you go to your union local to organize an anti-Trump protest, that 43% represents quite a lot of voices who won't agree with the premise that there's anything to protest.

Re: "Ensuring Accountability for All Agencies" – Executive Order

#343
post #128

This new administration lays bare what we've known all along - the legislative gridlock and dysfunction in the house of representatives and senate has made them completely incapable of governing -- the least productive in a generation. This is opened up an opportunity for a well funded strongman, and the checks and balances that were intended to protect our democracy are now mere suggestions.

So your interpretation of "give the elected official oversight" is that "checks and balances" and "democracy" are "mere suggestions". You're mistaking: - bureaucracy with democracy - checks and balances with a neo-priesthood But hey, who needs a functional government when you have a neo-priesthood to keep things 'holy'?"

Bureaucracy is what happens with _any_ large system. It's unavoidable, and the best you can do is to build institutions that know how to manage it.

Re: "Ensuring Accountability for All Agencies" – Executive Order

#345
post #322
post #186

Earlier quoted context omitted.

First, don't listen to the "we're so f*cked" posts on reddit. Only actions lead to results. If you are a Republican but don't approve of how the GOP majority has basically rolled over and abdicated its duty as a check on the president, remind your congresspeople that they owe loyalty to their constituents, not to other politicians. Taxpayers pay their salaries. The Democratic party is also in desperate need of repair…

I am furious at the Democratic Party for bringing this about. They are the only organization capable of losing to this guy TWICE. With everything at stake, they actually thought it was a good idea to put up an unpopular president who had dementia, and tried to sneak him past the electorate like this is Weekend at Bernie’s 3. Then when that idea collapses, they just give it to the default next person in line. This sho…

I will join your party.

Re: "Ensuring Accountability for All Agencies" – Executive Order

#346
post #297

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is the problem with people being OK with executive overreach when "their team" is in power. Eventually, and in fact about 50% of the time - the OTHER team is in power.. and may just push the overreach further. We should desire that the legislative side actually legislates and each branch of the government holds the other two in check, regardless of partisan control. Further having our judicial branch become open…

You've nailed it. I call this the Galadriel Principle and it can be applied to many things: weapons, executive procedures, etc.: “And now at last it comes. You will give me the Ring freely! In place of the Dark Lord you will set up a Queen. And I shall not be dark, but beautiful and terrible as the Morning and the Night! Fair as the Sea and the Sun and the Snow upon the Mountain! Dreadful as the Storm and the Lightni…

The Lord of the Rings movie that that scene so much emotional justice. Visually representing the power corrupting even with but a taste.

Re: "Ensuring Accountability for All Agencies" – Executive Order

#347
post #251
post #165

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>This new administration lays bare what we've known all along - the legislative gridlock and dysfunction in the house of representatives and senate has made them completely incapable of governing -- the least productive in a generation. Yet GOP senators were more than happy to claim credit for infrastructure funding that they opposed.

Trump also rubbished the trade deals that he himself signed!

To be fair it's unlikely he knew what he was signing.

Re: "Ensuring Accountability for All Agencies" – Executive Order

#348
post #279

This EO, combined with his proclamation that "He who saves the country does not violate any law" paint a very concerning picture. This has, historically speaking, been the language of tyrants. No President is above the law, nor does the President "interpret" the law; that is the domain of the Judiciary. “Wherever law ends, tyranny begins”

[flagged]

> I don't really want to agree to it, and I am not really worried that he might do a lot of damage, but it is difficult to see it otherwise.

See perhaps "How Hitler Dismantled a Democracy in 53 Days":

* https://archive.is/https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive...

Re: "Ensuring Accountability for All Agencies" – Executive Order

#349
post #214

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It seems to me that the operative line: > The President and the Attorney General, subject to the President’s supervision and control, shall provide authoritative interpretations of law for the executive branch. conveys respect to the judiciary branch, and states that this only applies to situations where the executive branch is interpreting laws in isolation during their enforcement of them (which happens quite often…

I mean, yes, technically it's "not new" for the President and Judiciary to disagree at this level. But doing so results in events like the Trail of Tears, which is pretty bad . People are alarmed and concerned because they know it's not new. It's not difficult to find horrors in American history. Decorum and norms exist for the purpose of attempting to smooth over these stress points and make a safer power structure…

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