To what end?

[berg80]

The Meaning of Article II and 'Executive Power' to Trump​

President Trump has cited Article II to justify everything from deportations to firing civil servants—these assertions present a challenge to constitutional order.

During his first term, President Trump proclaimed, “I have an Article II, where I have the right to do whatever I want as president. But I don’t even talk about that.” In his second term, Trump has talked about Article II a lot. In doing so, he has asserted that he has the authority to violate statutes passed by Congress and orders and precedents of the courts.

In the two months since his inauguration, the government has taken the position in ongoing litigation that Trump’s actions prevail over statutes like the Civil Service Reform Act, the Impoundment Control Act, and the Administrative Procedure Act. Meanwhile, Trump has also openly ignored the Supreme Court’s decision in Humphrey’s Executor and a district court order limiting the deportation of individuals from Venezuela.

Aggregating the administration’s assertions about Article II reveals the challenge that Trump’s vision presents to constitutional order. He has asserted that Article II contains implied powers to remove all subordinates within the executive branch, control spending, punish national security threats, deport immigrants without due process, and ignore judicial orders related to foreign affairs. Many of these actions conflict directly with the express or implied will of Congress and the Supreme Court. At times, the president may have a colorable argument that a given statute does not apply to the current situation or that a given case recognizes an exception. The continual invocation of Article II in the face of interbranch conflict, however, suggests that the president believes Article II takes precedence over Article I and Article III.

The Meaning of Article II and 'Executive Power' to Trump

President Trump has cited Article II to justify everything from deportations to firing civil servants—these assertions present a challenge to constitutional order.

www.lawfaremedia.org

The question here is not whether trump is asserting he has expansive power over the entirety of the government (and even areas outside of it) in ways no other prez in history ever has. That is demonstrably, unequivocally, true. The question is also not whether the unprecedented power grab is legally defensible. The question, as posed in the thread title, is "to what end?"

Is his lust for power and complete control a natural extension of his malignant narcissism? Malignant narcissism is a severe personality construct, not officially recognized in the DSM-5, that combines traits of narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) with antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) and paranoia. It is characterized by an inflated sense of self-importance, a need for admiration, a lack of empathy, and a tendency towards aggression, manipulation, and sadism. Malignant narcissists may also exhibit paranoia, feeling threatened or persecuted, and engage in manipulative or abusive behavior without remorse.

Or is there an even more nefarious design afoot. Is this a conscious attempt to change the nature of governance in the US? Does he have innate authoritarian impulses he can not suppress, surrounding himself with enablers who never question those impulses? Or has the end game always been to transform the nation in to an autocracy?

 

[Hafar1014]

What lust for power Trump is cutting the power of government

 

[citygator]

What lust for power Trump is cutting the power of government

He increased spending and increased the debt by $3T and is all into dictating trade terms on businesses like a planned economy. What are you talking about?

 

[Mac1958]

The Meaning of Article II and 'Executive Power' to Trump​

President Trump has cited Article II to justify everything from deportations to firing civil servants—these assertions present a challenge to constitutional order.

During his first term, President Trump proclaimed, “I have an Article II, where I have the right to do whatever I want as president. But I don’t even talk about that.” In his second term, Trump has talked about Article II a lot. In doing so, he has asserted that he has the authority to violate statutes passed by Congress and orders and precedents of the courts.

In the two months since his inauguration, the government has taken the position in ongoing litigation that Trump’s actions prevail over statutes like the Civil Service Reform Act, the Impoundment Control Act, and the Administrative Procedure Act. Meanwhile, Trump has also openly ignored the Supreme Court’s decision in Humphrey’s Executor and a district court order limiting the deportation of individuals from Venezuela.

Aggregating the administration’s assertions about Article II reveals the challenge that Trump’s vision presents to constitutional order. He has asserted that Article II contains implied powers to remove all subordinates within the executive branch, control spending, punish national security threats, deport immigrants without due process, and ignore judicial orders related to foreign affairs. Many of these actions conflict directly with the express or implied will of Congress and the Supreme Court. At times, the president may have a colorable argument that a given statute does not apply to the current situation or that a given case recognizes an exception. The continual invocation of Article II in the face of interbranch conflict, however, suggests that the president believes Article II takes precedence over Article I and Article III.

The Meaning of Article II and 'Executive Power' to Trump

President Trump has cited Article II to justify everything from deportations to firing civil servants—these assertions present a challenge to constitutional order.

www.lawfaremedia.org

The question here is not whether trump is asserting he has expansive power over the entirety of the government (and even areas outside of it) than any other prez in history. That is demonstrably, unequivocally, true. The question is also not whether the unprecedented power grab is legally defensible. The question, as posed in the thread title, is "to what end?"

Is his lust for power and complete control a natural extension of his malignant narcissism? Malignant narcissism is a severe personality construct, not officially recognized in the DSM-5, that combines traits of narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) with antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) and paranoia. It is characterized by an inflated sense of self-importance, a need for admiration, a lack of empathy, and a tendency towards aggression, manipulation, and sadism. Malignant narcissists may also exhibit paranoia, feeling threatened or persecuted, and engage in manipulative or abusive behavior without remorse.

Or is there an even more nefarious design afoot. Is this a conscious attempt to change the nature of governance in the US? Does he have innate authoritarian impulses he can not suppress, surrounding himself with enablers who never question those impulses? Or has the end game always been to transform the nation in to an autocracy?

For Trump, I think this is far more a function of his profound self esteem and neediness issues than it is about any kind of ideology. He's not ideological, but he gets his desperately-needed adoration by appearing to be. That's his top priority. So is he a neofascist? No, but he definitely is a de facto neofascist.

The problem now, in the second season of this show, he is surrounded by people who come pretty close (or more) to the actual definition of neofascist, the best example being Stephen Miller. And then everyone else around him are either true believers or craven opportunists.

This is a terribly toxic and dangerous combination, and it's already cost us our standing on the world stage and put us at risk of some serious economic problems.

 

[Hafar1014]

He increased spending and increased the debt by $3T. What are you talking about?

In 7 months we are still i the Biden economy based on massive debt based government spending. Trump will need a year to transition from a debt based economy to a wealth based economy

 

[IM2]

What lust for power Trump is cutting the power of government

No he isn't.

 

[Paradoxical#1]

He increased spending and increased the debt by $3T and is all into dictating trade terms on businesses like a planned economy. What are you talking about?

How?

 

[CrusaderFrank]

What lust for power Trump is cutting the power of government

First Fascist dictator to ever cut the government especially their propaganda outlets

 

[Paradoxical#1]

For Trump, I think this is far more a function of his profound self esteem and neediness issues than it is about any kind of ideology. He's not ideological, but he gets his desperately-needed adoration by appearing to be. That's his top priority. So is he a neofascist? No, but he definitely is a de facto neofascist.

The problem now, in the second season of this show, he is surrounded by people who come pretty close (or more) to the actual definition of neofascist, the best example being Stephen Miller. And then everyone else around him are either true believers or craven opportunists.

This is a terribly toxic and dangerous combination, and it's already cost us our standing on the world stage and put us at risk of some serious economic problems.

How? Please explain what he has done that is fascist? Arresting illegals?

 

[citygator]

In 7 months we are still i the Biden economy based on massive debt based government spending. Trump will need a year to transition from a debt based economy to a wealth based economy

You specifically said Trump was cutting the government. I referred you to the budget bill Trump passed with an entire republican congress that INCREASED spending and INCREASED the deficit by $3T. Which is it? Did he cut the government somewhere that I cant see by looking in the budget like you said in your first post OR is he unable to because of "Biden Economy" like you said in your second post? Cult members dont need logic. They just run to defend their god.

 

[citygator]

First Fascist dictator to ever cut the government especially their propaganda outlets

Where is the government cut? He INCREASED spending and INCREASED the deficit.

 

[berg80]

What lust for power Trump is cutting the power of government

Someone said that once recently. Could have been you. It's one of those gaslighting, Orwellian comments I see quite often from trumples that is clearly the opposite of the truth. He has tried to assert control over the media, universities, the military, all government employees (even ones given protections by Congress), the budget, businesses, even the police force of DC.

 

[22lcidw]

You specifically said Trump was cutting the government. I referred you to the budget bill Trump passed with an entire republican congress that INCREASED spending and INCREASED the deficit by $3T. Which is it? Did he cut the government somewhere that I cant see by looking in the budget like you said in your first post OR is he unable to because of "Biden Economy" like you said in your second post? Cult members dont need logic. They just run to defend their god.

We can make comments. Now tell us about the Progressives when in power. Or will we keep playing tennis from one side to the other. You guys carried the House from parts of the Great Depression through the start of our decline a quarter century after WW 2 ended and think you did the greatness. We came out of that War top dog. And through those years and moving forward you put tentacles into everything as the Communists hidden in politics slowly gained control.

 

[berg80]

For Trump, I think this is far more a function of his profound self esteem and neediness issues than it is about any kind of ideology. He's not ideological, but he gets his desperately-needed adoration by appearing to be. That's his top priority. So is he a neofascist? No, but he definitely is a de facto neofascist.

I tend to agree. He is not strategic. Not a long term thinker. He's too impulsive for that. What is happening is a manifestation of his personality disorders. He wants unquestioned power to do as he pleases because he does not want to be questioned out of insecurity that his decisions will be exposed as flawed. Made out of ignorance because his understanding of issues is superficial at best. And outright incorrect at worst. Tariffs, and who pays for them, being a great example.

 

[citygator]

How?

Uh. He raised the spending and cut the revenue stream. Its that simple. All the cuts to the poor and consumer and health protections he sunk into spending for big defense companies and corporate largess.

 

[ColonelAngus]

When you lefties cry about Vance,will you come up with new shit, or will you make all these old posts again and just replace the word TRUMPwith VANCE?

 

[Nostra]

It must really suck to be a Dimwinger these days.

 

[citygator]

We can make comments. Now tell us about the Progressives when in power. Or will we keep playing tennis from one side to the other. You guys carried the House from parts of the Great Depression through the start of our decline a quarter century after WW 2 ended and think you did the greatness. We came out of that War top dog. And through those years and moving forward you put tentacles into everything as the Communists hidden in politics slowly gained control.

The claim was basically "Trump cant be a fascist he is actually reducing his power by shrinking the government". That argument is not supported by the facts - government is not shrinking. He's not reducing it. Shit, he just sent troops into the streets of California and Washington DC. That's not a smaller government.

 

[CrusaderFrank]

Where is the government cut? He INCREASED spending and INCREASED the deficit.

Riiiiiiiiiiight

Because he has the power to unilaterally decide spending

Riiiiiiiiight

What a powerless Fascist dictator

 

[Hafar1014]

Someone said that once recently. Could have been you. It's one of those gaslighting, Orwellian comments I see quite often from trumples that is clearly the opposite of the truth. He has tried to assert control over the media, universities, the military, all government employees (even ones given protections by Congress), the budget, businesses, even the police force of DC.

False Trump cuts the power of government by tax cuts and regulation cuts. Democrats expand the power of government and they were the threat against free speech