Showing posts with label executive orders. Show all posts
Showing posts with label executive orders. Show all posts

Sunday, August 09, 2020

Brilliant!!


Trump’s bypassing of Congress with his four executive orders yesterday was brilliant politically! He has not been known as a good politician ... but he just proved the pundits wrong. Yes, these executive orders may not pass judicial muster ... but they do show the American public what the Republicans are willing to do ... and what the Democrats are unwilling to do ... and may actually force the Dems back to the bargaining table. His executive orders did the following:

- temporarily suspended the payroll tax (social security tax) through the end of the year

- reinstated the prohibition against evictions due to lack of rental payments

- augmented state unemployment benefits by $400 per week (replaced the expired $600 per week)

- suspended student loan repayment through the end of the year ... and continued zero interest costs for same

Nancy Pelosi had thought she had a winner with her $3 trillion “my way or the highway” boondoggle ... and she did have the Republicans boxed in. So, what did the Orangeman do? He went outside the box and showed America how far he was willing to go. I believe that these executive orders might be vacated by the courts ... and possibly should be. But Trump has made his political hay ... while the sun wasn’t shining. And I expect the American people will appreciate his efforts.

Of his four executive orders, his only error might be his temporary suspension of the payroll tax for people earning less than $100,000 per year. The problem here is that many retired people and people on Medicaid automatically jump to the conclusion that their benefits will be jeopardized ... and the Dems will be sure to try to push this half truth. But this needs to be recognized as a potential problem and maybe needs to be let slide.

(Interesting sidelight: Trump’s aggressiveness with these executive actions may be inspired by the recent Supreme Court decision upholding the constitutionality of President Obama’s executive order protecting illegal immigrant children, known as DACA).

STAND UP FOR AMERICA!

Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Sand in the Gears



I think I saw Trump do what no politician is supposed to be see doing ... sweating ... two casual swipes across his forehead with the back of his finger the other day at one of his public meetings. It is becoming more and more obvious that Congress, in particular the Democrats in Congress, are slow-walking the process of government. Certainly the very few cabinet confirmations enacted so far ... two (Obama had 11 at this point) ... are evidence of this obstruction to Trump's agenda. But Trump is doing his side of things with a flurry of executive orders ... the last of which, the temporary immigration ban from seven terrorist-rich countries, caused a liberal explosion due to its poor implementation planning. Now some on the right are grumbling because no progress is being made on tax cuts and Obamacare reform ... see: Matt Drudge Complains.

Now Trump's really hard work begins ... getting a snippy Congress to do his bidding. Even Obama had the benefit of a fiercely loyal legislative majority when he took office. Trump does not enjoy the same advantage. He has only a luke-warm majority. And Chuck "Tiny Tears" Schumer now is frustrating Trump with every legislative and public relations trick to make his life difficult ... knowing that the American people will take a long time to realize how he is throwing sand in the gears of government. But, it is also clear that Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan are also not all that upset about this obstruction. All three probably smiled a little when the saw Trump's finger flick across his forehead.

Will Trump and his Twitter account be able to get things moving on Capital Hill? (I'm sure he realizes what is going on.) This is his first really important test as president ...

Monday, February 17, 2014

A Simple Solution


The President is using and has threatened to use executive actions and executive orders to get his way … circumventing Congress, the courts, and the Constitution.  Senator Mike Lee of Utah has, this past Sunday, expressed American frustration at these executive exploitations … see: Fox News Interview … but feels that there is little that can be done to remedy them.

Au contraire dear Senator … there is a simple solution … in its upcoming budget resolution, Congress should just remove all specific funding for pens and phones in the White House.