I have to say as someone living in England I've always marvelled at what US presidents appear to be able to do without going through Congress. I'm sure our prime minister in the UK would never be able to do these kinds of things. As much as I am rooting for Trump and his tariffs, it does seem crazy to me one person can have the power to do these kinds of things without going through some kind of parliament or Congress. It seems more like a monarchy than a presidency to me.
Phil, the Coronavirus Bill was fast tracked through the 2 chambers and passed very quickly. I think there was an element of vagueness to it as it did then allow HMG to procure alot of PPE without open competition, leading to fraud plus sub standard purchases. So not quite the same as what you put forward by the US, but did allow latitude without appropriate oversight.
Hi Misbah! Well that certainly did get allowed through. I guess similarly to when Congress leaves the president to push do things and just doesn't get involved. But at least parliament COULD have blocked it if they wanted to. So there is a stopping point if a prime minister tries to do something parliament doesn't want. You'll remember this made completing Brexit very tricky. But I like your point that the covid bill was 'vague' and that helped provide the prime minister with lee-way. But then, what we have to remember at that time is people were behind the prime-minster regarding fast tracking covid policies. Covid triggered some very primal fears in people (like a war) and so people were happy to let the prime minister act quickly. I am appauled by what we did during that time, so in no way a supporter of what was done in response to covid. But to be brutally honest, it's taken me a long time to come to these conclusions. At the time I too was scared and supported it all!
And I'm not saying it's a bad thing that the President should be able to have that kind of power. But it's definitely an interesting thing: and one that is very alien to us in the UK.
Thank you John! I would gladly make the coffee, sweep the floor whatever it takes, just to be IN your office…it ranks higher than Laurel Canyon at this time.
I knew you were going to get busy, so I backed off writing you directly. Now I “pester” Erik, Misbah, Kieran & Dianne who graciously put up with me.
Some issues we discuss I really have to study, ponder over and over again.
But I understand clearly what Trump as The New York property developer is doing. We cannot be 40 trillion + in debt, this issue actually frightens me ALOT
I agree with Erik that regulation and bribery go hand in hand in hand. Erik also taught me about how corrupt foundations are..
But I really feel a lot of the pushback is from TDS. Many cannot get past his off script comments… (Bruce Springsteen) I fully support Trump, but I cringe when I hear him say those undignified things.
Terri, Absolutly outstanding!!! asking the right questions key to unlocking meaningful answers. Precision sometimes matters more than strength.
John, this was outstanding overview, Thanks!!
I personally find this extremely troubling and see ever more clearly How the hate for Trump/America is stronger than the Love for this country to succeed. It makes me ill. Yes, agree..Trump is not perfect.
Yes, more Lawrence tomorrow. I bought the 27 articles when I bought the to begin the world over. Happy you will dig into your into your introduction and thoughts in 27 articles.
Hopefully you are all set for your US stops and War Games.
Misbah, you could not be more correct….this really scares me. 40 trillion in debt, massive internal strife. As John taught me about the Twain quote… history doesn’t repeat but often rhymes, and as the amateur here, I think about Rome, The Ottoman Empire, Greece, the British Empire after WW2. I will never know the history as deeply and intricately as you, John and others here… but I know it’s not good!
Now Misbah, you know I have to look up De Tocqueville 😉
And I also have to finish my Lawrence of Arabia assignment TODAY, so glad the “teacher” allows us to write in the textbook! Take Care!!!
I reread my post, and I know it sounds like weak analysis. But this is my experience. TDS runs deep and is so “triggering “ that it is impossible to have any civil conversation about it. I see it at work, in my family, both being a subset of social media.
People just hate the man, but few can give solid examples of why.
Terri, one of my observations/concerns, which I've raised directly with John, about the US is the polarisation of the public, the tribal political identification taking priority over the shared heritage of being a US citizen. De Tocqueville commented on the clubs and gatherings prominent in society which increased social connectivity between all stripes. Now Americans seem to have retreated into echo chambers of like minded people. Something has been lost and not easily rectified.
The Congress abdicates virtually all of its power because of its inaction, its inability to vote for actual outcomes. Policy chatter is not implemented policy, outcomes.
Let stand alone that a policy can be implemented. Most of it is fluff for the gallery, but not things you can actually DO without blocking the entire economy and the entire country.
In the mean time, China, India, Indonesia etc. build out more capacity and acquire market share. So do others.
This brought Milton Friedman to declare bribery a economic positive, a strict requirement in every "socially corrected, regulated" economy: it eliminates unworkable regulations out of the way of those who actually want to achieve a positive outcome. Regulation and bribery go hand in hand, they exist for each other.
Agreed Erik, Congress has voluntarily made itself a major part of the policy problem, so gutless is it about taking on the controversial (it has to be so) process of actually governing. Be the issue the debt, abortion, war declarations, they have happily ceded their power to preserve their re-election prospects. They are the ultimate problem here, even more than the other two branches.
The continued existence of these problems is often an appealing platform for political positioning and campaigning the next election. I.e. people campaign on flagship issues that in office they would never even want to resolve.
We saw this in Italy (where the tribunals simply felt they knew better than the voters who elected Berlusconi repeatedly) and in Spain (judge Baltasar Garzon, who was himself convicted later, but not after terrorising Spanish politics for well over a decade with erratic judgements, extraterritorially all the way to Chile even).
We saw it late last year and this year in Romania.
Hi John, and well done Terri! Isn’t an independent judiciary, free from political influence and vested interests, a good thing for freedom and liberty? Probably through my own ignorance, I’ve never quite understood how a politically motivated appointment process can fully uphold that ideal.
Could it also be important to consider why those who brought this to federal court felt compelled to do so, rather than just the court’s decision? Might that underlying motivation offer some insight into the outcome of all this?
I have to say as someone living in England I've always marvelled at what US presidents appear to be able to do without going through Congress. I'm sure our prime minister in the UK would never be able to do these kinds of things. As much as I am rooting for Trump and his tariffs, it does seem crazy to me one person can have the power to do these kinds of things without going through some kind of parliament or Congress. It seems more like a monarchy than a presidency to me.
Phil, the Coronavirus Bill was fast tracked through the 2 chambers and passed very quickly. I think there was an element of vagueness to it as it did then allow HMG to procure alot of PPE without open competition, leading to fraud plus sub standard purchases. So not quite the same as what you put forward by the US, but did allow latitude without appropriate oversight.
Hi Misbah! Well that certainly did get allowed through. I guess similarly to when Congress leaves the president to push do things and just doesn't get involved. But at least parliament COULD have blocked it if they wanted to. So there is a stopping point if a prime minister tries to do something parliament doesn't want. You'll remember this made completing Brexit very tricky. But I like your point that the covid bill was 'vague' and that helped provide the prime minister with lee-way. But then, what we have to remember at that time is people were behind the prime-minster regarding fast tracking covid policies. Covid triggered some very primal fears in people (like a war) and so people were happy to let the prime minister act quickly. I am appauled by what we did during that time, so in no way a supporter of what was done in response to covid. But to be brutally honest, it's taken me a long time to come to these conclusions. At the time I too was scared and supported it all!
And I'm not saying it's a bad thing that the President should be able to have that kind of power. But it's definitely an interesting thing: and one that is very alien to us in the UK.
Thank you John! I would gladly make the coffee, sweep the floor whatever it takes, just to be IN your office…it ranks higher than Laurel Canyon at this time.
I knew you were going to get busy, so I backed off writing you directly. Now I “pester” Erik, Misbah, Kieran & Dianne who graciously put up with me.
Some issues we discuss I really have to study, ponder over and over again.
But I understand clearly what Trump as The New York property developer is doing. We cannot be 40 trillion + in debt, this issue actually frightens me ALOT
I agree with Erik that regulation and bribery go hand in hand in hand. Erik also taught me about how corrupt foundations are..
But I really feel a lot of the pushback is from TDS. Many cannot get past his off script comments… (Bruce Springsteen) I fully support Trump, but I cringe when I hear him say those undignified things.
My fear is that it will harm JD.
I am going to guess you take your coffee black…
Hi Terri, right about the coffee! And the highest praise indeed to be compared favourably with Laurel Canyon!
Terri, we are all nodes on this network, no precedence here. But you are ahead by a nose/prominent by asking the right question early. :)
Beginners luck
Just string three good calls together and it becomes a track record.
Give me a topic, this will be fun!
I'm out on official representation at the moment, will give some thought to. My initial advice is pick an issue that matters to you and is current.
Terri, Absolutly outstanding!!! asking the right questions key to unlocking meaningful answers. Precision sometimes matters more than strength.
John, this was outstanding overview, Thanks!!
I personally find this extremely troubling and see ever more clearly How the hate for Trump/America is stronger than the Love for this country to succeed. It makes me ill. Yes, agree..Trump is not perfect.
Yes, more Lawrence tomorrow. I bought the 27 articles when I bought the to begin the world over. Happy you will dig into your into your introduction and thoughts in 27 articles.
Hopefully you are all set for your US stops and War Games.
Misbah, you could not be more correct….this really scares me. 40 trillion in debt, massive internal strife. As John taught me about the Twain quote… history doesn’t repeat but often rhymes, and as the amateur here, I think about Rome, The Ottoman Empire, Greece, the British Empire after WW2. I will never know the history as deeply and intricately as you, John and others here… but I know it’s not good!
Now Misbah, you know I have to look up De Tocqueville 😉
And I also have to finish my Lawrence of Arabia assignment TODAY, so glad the “teacher” allows us to write in the textbook! Take Care!!!
I reread my post, and I know it sounds like weak analysis. But this is my experience. TDS runs deep and is so “triggering “ that it is impossible to have any civil conversation about it. I see it at work, in my family, both being a subset of social media.
People just hate the man, but few can give solid examples of why.
Terri, one of my observations/concerns, which I've raised directly with John, about the US is the polarisation of the public, the tribal political identification taking priority over the shared heritage of being a US citizen. De Tocqueville commented on the clubs and gatherings prominent in society which increased social connectivity between all stripes. Now Americans seem to have retreated into echo chambers of like minded people. Something has been lost and not easily rectified.
And the most “triggering” question….. “ What don’t you like about him?”
Btw, I am a little mad at The Boss right now too.
The Congress abdicates virtually all of its power because of its inaction, its inability to vote for actual outcomes. Policy chatter is not implemented policy, outcomes.
Let stand alone that a policy can be implemented. Most of it is fluff for the gallery, but not things you can actually DO without blocking the entire economy and the entire country.
In the mean time, China, India, Indonesia etc. build out more capacity and acquire market share. So do others.
This brought Milton Friedman to declare bribery a economic positive, a strict requirement in every "socially corrected, regulated" economy: it eliminates unworkable regulations out of the way of those who actually want to achieve a positive outcome. Regulation and bribery go hand in hand, they exist for each other.
Agreed Erik, Congress has voluntarily made itself a major part of the policy problem, so gutless is it about taking on the controversial (it has to be so) process of actually governing. Be the issue the debt, abortion, war declarations, they have happily ceded their power to preserve their re-election prospects. They are the ultimate problem here, even more than the other two branches.
The continued existence of these problems is often an appealing platform for political positioning and campaigning the next election. I.e. people campaign on flagship issues that in office they would never even want to resolve.
YES!!
It is lawfare as before.
We saw this in Italy (where the tribunals simply felt they knew better than the voters who elected Berlusconi repeatedly) and in Spain (judge Baltasar Garzon, who was himself convicted later, but not after terrorising Spanish politics for well over a decade with erratic judgements, extraterritorially all the way to Chile even).
We saw it late last year and this year in Romania.
We are seeing it in France and in Germany.
Hi John, and well done Terri! Isn’t an independent judiciary, free from political influence and vested interests, a good thing for freedom and liberty? Probably through my own ignorance, I’ve never quite understood how a politically motivated appointment process can fully uphold that ideal.
Could it also be important to consider why those who brought this to federal court felt compelled to do so, rather than just the court’s decision? Might that underlying motivation offer some insight into the outcome of all this?
TDS…
Yes, I guess it is a good possibility!