How was your day? (Random off topic chat)

Trump's agenda is a hissy fit - scorched earth. Poisoned well. Saving face. So, Kathryn's #1.

Now, the Republican party... they're playing the long game, so Kathryn's #2. I don't think they're consciously trying for fascism, but they definitely want control of the courts so they can structure society to their liking, "for our own good". They want the country the way it used to be, when it was automatic that educated, well-off, old white men would be in charge. In a way, it's a collapse of Empire, although "empire" in our case doesn't mean overseas territories/influence, but the domestic power structure.

The part I don't get is how so many blue-collar workers think that the Republicans will use them as anything other than cannon fodder.

I look forward to seeing the plays that will come over time with perspective and insight into what's going on!

Trump currently has 1 million more voters than the Obama landslide of 2008, and way more than Obama in 2012.

I find, again, I'm so glad to have seen Sweat by Lynn Nottage.

Remind me, when does the next presidency begin?

Going to be some interesting pardons. Hoping Snowden is one.

January. 

Over the genuine evils of Bush and Blair, I'd take a buffoon any day.

Yeah good point that

Actually presidents can pardon people for a crime that has not even been indicted never mind convicted. Nixon wasn't charged with anything when Ford gave him a pardon for anything he might have done whilst in office...

I wouldn't be surprised if the next four years see some restrictions put on what the president is permitted to do. The president is supposed to be a temporary benevolent dictator, and I don't think it ever occurred to those who established the system that the position might be held by someone who saw it purely as an ego trip with no regard for the long term consequences for the country as a whole.

Anyway, I guess we now have to get ready for the inevitable memoirs, in which Trump will claim to be the the greatest of all presidents brought low by the evil conspiracies of jealous liberals who were unable to cope with his genius and strong leadership. I'm sure he won't be able to resist the desire to tell of his struggle.

Although I would think it would be fairly easy to ignore any egregious/damaging EOs and just say, "We'll get right on that, Mr. President". If they're fired, if they're partisan members of the administration, they'd be gone in January anyway; if they're career bureaucrats, I suspect they could reapply for their jobs under Biden.


I think it's more like the 3rd leg of a triumvirate, except with the three branches of government being equally balanced in terms of power. And the Founders did have a remedy to prevent any plausible demagogue on "an ego trip with no regard for the long term consequences for the country as a whole" from becoming president... that is one of the tasks that the Electoral College was originally envisioned to carry out. Unfortunately, it's morphed over time and in 2016, failed in this critical task.

From an article in The Atlantic: "It is “desirable,” Alexander Hamilton wrote in Federalist 68, “that the sense of the people should operate in the choice of” president. But is “equally desirable, that the immediate election should be made by men most capable of analyzing the qualities adapted to the station.” These “men”—the electors––would be “most likely to possess the information and discernment requisite to such complicated investigations.” And because of their discernment—because they possessed wisdom that the people as a whole might not—“the office of President will never fall to the lot of any man who is not in an eminent degree endowed with the requisite qualifications.”"

This is a bit old, but just seen it!