The Trump Administration

[kscarbel2]

Although Friday is technically Trump’s first day in office following his swearing in, I think Monday (Jan 23) is more realistically his first "wide open" day in office.

He looked Americans in the face and made 21 promises*. It will be interesting if he follows through. I wouldn’t expect many politicians** to keep their word, but Trump campaigned as the "anti-politician" who would.

*  http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/47669-trumps-promises/#comment-351852

**  “Listen, I'm a politician which means I'm a cheat and a liar. And when I'm not kissing babies, I'm stealing their lollipops.”

[kscarbel2]

The Inaugural Address

The White House  /  January 20, 2017

Remarks of President Donald J.  Trump

Chief Justice Roberts, President Carter, President Clinton, President Bush, President Obama, fellow Americans, and people of the world: thank you.

We, the citizens of America, are now joined in a great national effort to rebuild our country and to restore its promise for all of our people.

Together, we will determine the course of America and the world for years to come.

We will face challenges. We will confront hardships. But we will get the job done.

Every four years, we gather on these steps to carry out the orderly and peaceful transfer of power, and we are grateful to President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama for their gracious aid throughout this transition. They have been magnificent.

Today’s ceremony, however, has very special meaning. Because today we are not merely transferring power from one Administration to another, or from one party to another – but we are transferring power from Washington, D.C. and giving it back to you, the American People.

For too long, a small group in our nation’s Capital has reaped the rewards of government while the people have borne the cost.

Washington flourished – but the people did not share in its wealth.

Politicians prospered – but the jobs left, and the factories closed.

The establishment protected itself, but not the citizens of our country.

Their victories have not been your victories; their triumphs have not been your triumphs; and while they celebrated in our nation’s Capital, there was little to celebrate for struggling families all across our land.

That all changes – starting right here, and right now, because this moment is your moment: it belongs to you.

It belongs to everyone gathered here today and everyone watching all across America. 

This is your day. This is your celebration.

And this, the United States of America, is your country.

What truly matters is not which party controls our government, but whether our government is controlled by the people.

January 20th 2017, will be remembered as the day the people became the rulers of this nation again. 

The forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer.

Everyone is listening to you now.

You came by the tens of millions to become part of a historic movement the likes of which the world has never seen before.

At the center of this movement is a crucial conviction: that a nation exists to serve its citizens.

Americans want great schools for their children, safe neighborhoods for their families, and good jobs for themselves.

These are the just and reasonable demands of a righteous public.

But for too many of our citizens, a different reality exists: Mothers and children trapped in poverty in our inner cities; rusted-out factories scattered like tombstones across the landscape of our nation; an education system, flush with cash, but which leaves our young and beautiful students deprived of knowledge; and the crime and gangs and drugs that have stolen too many lives and robbed our country of so much unrealized potential.

This American carnage stops right here and stops right now.

We are one nation – and their pain is our pain.  Their dreams are our dreams; and their success will be our success.  We share one heart, one home, and one glorious destiny.

The oath of office I take today is an oath of allegiance to all Americans.

For many decades, we’ve enriched foreign industry at the expense of American industry;

Subsidized the armies of other countries while allowing for the very sad depletion of our military;

We've defended other nation’s borders while refusing to defend our own;

And spent trillions of dollars overseas while America's infrastructure has fallen into disrepair and decay.

We’ve made other countries rich while the wealth, strength, and confidence of our country has disappeared over the horizon.

One by one, the factories shuttered and left our shores, with not even a thought about the millions upon millions of American workers left behind.

The wealth of our middle class has been ripped from their homes and then redistributed across the entire world.

But that is the past. And now we are looking only to the future.

We assembled here today are issuing a new decree to be heard in every city, in every foreign capital, and in every hall of power.

From this day forward, a new vision will govern our land.

From this moment on, it’s going to be America First.

Every decision on trade, on taxes, on immigration, on foreign affairs, will be made to benefit American workers and American families.

We must protect our borders from the ravages of other countries making our products, stealing our companies, and destroying our jobs.  Protection will lead to great prosperity and strength.

I will fight for you with every breath in my body – and I will never, ever let you down.

America will start winning again, winning like never before.

We will bring back our jobs. We will bring back our borders.  We will bring back our wealth.  And we will bring back our dreams.

We will build new roads, and highways, and bridges, and airports, and tunnels, and railways all across our wonderful nation.

We will get our people off of welfare and back to work – rebuilding our country with American hands and American labor.

We will follow two simple rules: Buy American and Hire American.

We will seek friendship and goodwill with the nations of the world – but we do so with the understanding that it is the right of all nations to put their own interests first.

We do not seek to impose our way of life on anyone, but rather to let it shine as an example for everyone to follow.

We will reinforce old alliances and form new ones – and unite the civilized world against Radical Islamic Terrorism, which we will eradicate completely from the face of the Earth.

At the bedrock of our politics will be a total allegiance to the United States of America, and through our loyalty to our country, we will rediscover our loyalty to each other.

When you open your heart to patriotism, there is no room for prejudice.

The Bible tells us, “how good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity.”

We must speak our minds openly, debate our disagreements honestly, but always pursue solidarity.

When America is united, America is totally unstoppable.

There should be no fear – we are protected, and we will always be protected.

We will be protected by the great men and women of our military and law enforcement and, most importantly, we are protected by God.

Finally, we must think big and dream even bigger.

In America, we understand that a nation is only living as long as it is striving.

We will no longer accept politicians who are all talk and no action – constantly complaining but never doing anything about it.

The time for empty talk is over.

Now arrives the hour of action.

Do not let anyone tell you it cannot be done.  No challenge can match the heart and fight and spirit of America.

We will not fail. Our country will thrive and prosper again.

We stand at the birth of a new millennium, ready to unlock the mysteries of space, to free the Earth from the miseries of disease, and to harness the energies, industries and technologies of tomorrow.

A new national pride will stir our souls, lift our sights, and heal our divisions.

It is time to remember that old wisdom our soldiers will never forget: that whether we are black or brown or white, we all bleed the same red blood of patriots, we all enjoy the same glorious freedoms, and we all salute the same great American Flag.

And whether a child is born in the urban sprawl of Detroit or the windswept plains of Nebraska, they look up at the same night sky, they fill their heart with the same dreams, and they are infused with the breath of life by the same almighty Creator.

So to all Americans, in every city near and far, small and large, from mountain to mountain, and from ocean to ocean, hear these words:

You will never be ignored again.

Your voice, your hopes, and your dreams, will define our American destiny. And your courage and goodness and love will forever guide us along the way.

Together, We Will Make America Strong Again.

We Will Make America Wealthy Again.

We Will Make America Proud Again.

We Will Make America Safe Again.

And, Yes, Together, We Will Make America Great Again. Thank you, God Bless You, And God Bless America.

[kscarbel2]

Nominations Sent to the Senate

The White House  /  January 20, 2017

Iowa Governor Terry Branstad to be U.S. ambassador to China

Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson to be Secretary of Housing and Urban Development

Elaine Chao to be Secretary of Transportation

Wall Street lawyer Jay Clayton to be a member of the Securities and Exchange Commission for a term expiring June 5, 2021, replacing Daniel M.Gallagher, Jr.

Ex-Indiana Senator Daniel Coats to be Director of National Intelligence, replacing James Clapper

Billionaire republican donor Elisabeth DeVos to be Secretary of Education

Orthodox Jewish bankruptcy lawyer David Friedman to be U.S. ambassador to Israel

South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley to U.S. representative to the United Nations

Retired USMC Gen. John F. Kelly to be Secretary of Homeland Security           

Trade lawyer Robert Lighthizer to be United States Trade Representative

Retired USMC Gen. James Mattis to be Secretary of Defense

Billionaire and ex-World Wrestling Entertainment CEO Linda McMahon to be Administrator of the Small Business Administration, replacing Maria Contreras-Sweet

Former Goldman Sachs partner and hedge fund manager Steven Mnuchin to be Secretary of the Treasury

Steven Mnuchin to be U.S. Governor of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, U.S. Governor of the African Development Fund, and U.S. Governor of the Asian Development Bank, replacing Jacob Lew

Steven Mnuchin to be U.S. Governor of the International Monetary Fund, U.S. Governor of the Inter-American Development Bank, and U.S. Governor of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development for a term of 5 years, replacing Jacob Lew

Ex-Texas governor James Richard “Rick” Perry to be Secretary of Energy

Kansas Representative Mike Pompeo to be Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, replacing John Brennan

Georgia Representative and ex-orthopedic doctor Tom Price to be Secretary of Health and Human Services

Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt to be Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Fast-food restaurant CEO Andrew Puzder to be Secretary of Labor

Billionaire investor Wilbur Ross, Jr. to be Secretary of Commerce

Chicago Cubs co-owner Todd Ricketts to be Deputy Secretary of Commerce

Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions to be Attorney General

Current Under Secretary of Health for the U.S. Dept of Veterans Affairs David  Shulkin to be Secretary of Veterans Affairs

Ex-Exxon Chairman and CEO Rex Tillerson to be Secretary of State

Health policy consultant Seema Verma to be Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, replacing Marilyn Tavenner

Billionaire Florida Panthers owner Vincent Viola to be Secretary of the Army, replacing Eric Fanning

Montana Representative Ryan Zinke to be Secretary of the Interior

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Statement By The President On Cabinet Nominee Confirmations

The White House  /  January 20, 2017

“I am pleased by the confirmation votes of Generals Mattis and Kelly. These uniquely qualified leaders will immediately begin the important work of rebuilding our military, defending our nation and securing our borders. I am proud to have these two American heroes join my administration.

I call on members of the Senate to fulfill their constitutional obligation and swiftly confirm the remainder of my highly qualified cabinet nominees, so that we can get to work on behalf of the American people without further delay.”

[kscarbel2]

On Friday night after taking office, Trump signed a multi-part executive order stating the administration's official policy is "to seek the prompt repeal" of the Affordable Care Act.

The order does not change the law, directs the secretary of health and human services, as well as other agencies, to interpret regulations as loosely as allowed to minimize the financial burden on individuals, insurers, health care providers and others.

It stressed that agencies can "waive, defer, grant exemptions from or delay implementation of any provision or requirement" of Obamacare that imposes a burden "to the maximum extent permitted by law."

That all said, little can be done until a new health secretary is confirmed. Tom Price, faces the Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Also on Friday night, White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus issued a memo to all executive departments and agencies to freeze new or pending regulations -- giving the new administration time to review them.

The memo instructs those regulations to be delayed for 60 days for review -- with a potential that a new notice for reopening the regulation could occur.

The memo makes an exception for "critical health, safety, financial, or national security matters," and asks agencies to identify any regulations that can't be delayed for other reasons.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gen. James Mattis was confirmed as Secretary of Defense, and Gen. John Kelly was confirmed as Secretary of Homeland Security, in a pair of Friday evening votes.

Trump earlier Friday signed into law a waiver allowing Mattis to serve as Defense Secretary. The bill, passed by Congress last week granted Mattis a one-time exception from federal law barring former U.S. service members who have been out of uniform for less than seven years from becoming defense secretary. Mattis, 66, retired from the Marine Corps in 2013.

[kscarbel2]

President Trump Signs Series of Memoranda Dealing with Trade and Other Issues

The White House  /  January 23, 2017

Soon after taking the oath of office, President Donald J. Trump signed a series of Presidential Memoranda to fulfill his promise to make America Great Again on trade and other issues.

Presidential Memorandum Regarding Withdrawal of the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership Negotiations and Agreement

The first executive action the President took was to permanently withdraw the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a multinational trade agreement that is not in the best interest of American workers.

This action ushers in a new era of U.S. trade policy in which the Trump Administration will pursue bilateral free trade opportunities with allies around the world, wherever possible, to promote American industry, protect American workers, and raise American wages. It is the policy of the Trump Administration to represent the American people and their financial well-being in all negotiations, particularly the American worker, and to create fair and economically beneficial trade deals that serve their interests.  

Presidential Memorandum Regarding the Hiring Freeze

President Trump issued a memorandum which imposes a hiring freeze on the executive branch to counter the dramatic expansion of the federal workforce in recent years and the costs attendant to that expansion.

The Federal workforce has expanded significantly during the last two Administrations, from approximately 1.8 million Federal civilian employees during the Clinton Administration to approximately 2.1 million as of 2016 (an approximately 17 percent increase).  Meanwhile, Federal employee health and retirement benefits continue to be based on antiquated assumptions and require a level of generosity long since abandoned by most of the private sector.  Those costs are unsustainable for the Federal government, just as they are proving to be unsustainable for state and local governments with similar health and retirement packages.

Presidential Memorandum Regarding the Mexico City Policy

President Trump issued a memorandum reestablishing the Mexico City Policy. Under this initiative, the United States will end the use of U.S. taxpayer dollars to fund abortions overseas, along with coercive abortion and sterilization practices.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Presidential Memorandum Regarding the Hiring Freeze

MEMORANDUM FOR THE HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES

SUBJECT:  Hiring Freeze

The White House  /  January 23, 2017

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby order a freeze on the hiring of Federal civilian employees to be applied across the board in the executive branch. As part of this freeze, no vacant positions existing at noon on January 22, 2017, may be filled and no new positions may be created, except in limited circumstances. This order does not include or apply to military personnel. The head of any executive department or agency may exempt from the hiring freeze any positions that it deems necessary to meet national security or public safety responsibilities. In addition, the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) may grant exemptions from this freeze where those exemptions are otherwise necessary.

Within 90 days of the date of this memorandum, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), in consultation with the Director of OPM, shall recommend a long-term plan to reduce the size of the Federal Government's workforce through attrition. This order shall expire upon implementation of the OMB plan.

Contracting outside the Government to circumvent the intent of this memorandum shall not be permitted.

This hiring freeze applies to all executive departments and agencies regardless of the sources of their operational and programmatic funding, excepting military personnel.

In carrying out this memorandum, I ask that you seek efficient use of existing personnel and funds to improve public services and the delivery of these services. Accordingly, this memorandum does not prohibit making reallocations to meet the highest priority needs and to ensure that essential services are not interrupted and national security is not affected.

This memorandum does not limit the nomination and appointment of officials to positions requiring Presidential appointment or Senate confirmation, the appointment of officials to non-career positions in the Senior Executive Service or to Schedule C positions in the Excepted Service, or the appointment of any other officials who serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority. Moreover, it does not limit the hiring of personnel where such a limit would conflict with applicable law. This memorandum does not revoke any appointment to Federal service made prior to January 22, 2017.

This memorandum does not abrogate any collective bargaining agreement in effect on the date of this memorandum.

DONALD J. TRUMP

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Presidential Memorandum Regarding the Mexico City Policy

MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE
                                    THE SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
                                    THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE UNITED STATES AGENCY
                                    FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

SUBJECT:                    The Mexico City Policy

The White House  /  January 23, 2017

I hereby revoke the Presidential Memorandum of January 23, 2009, for the Secretary of State and the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (Mexico City Policy and Assistance for Voluntary Population Planning), and reinstate the Presidential Memorandum of January 22, 2001, for the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (Restoration of the Mexico City Policy).

I direct the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, to the extent allowable by law, to implement a plan to extend the requirements of the reinstated Memorandum to global health assistance furnished by all departments or agencies.

I further direct the Secretary of State to take all necessary actions, to the extent permitted by law, to ensure that U.S. taxpayer dollars do not fund organizations or programs that support or participate in the management of a program of coercive abortion or involuntary sterilization.

This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

The Secretary of State is authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register.

DONALD J. TRUMP

[kscarbel2]

'Sanctuary cities' undaunted by Trump move to cut funding

Associated Press  /  January 25, 2017

Politicians in New York, Seattle and other "sanctuary cities" that [illegally] protect immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally declared Wednesday they won't be intimidated by a move by President Donald Trump to cut off millions in federal funding to such communities.

Many cities vowed legal action, arguing that the threatened punishment would be unconstitutional.

Boston Mayor Marty Walsh promised to let immigrants who feel threatened by the administration's actions take shelter in City Hall if necessary.

"This city will not be bullied by this administration," Seattle Mayor Ed Murray said, adding that he instructed city departments to rework their budgets to prepare for the possibility that federal dollars could be lost. "We believe we have the rule of law and the courts on our side."

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee called Trump's executive orders on immigration mean-spirited and unnecessary.

California Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon, a Los Angeles Democrat, tweeted: "See you in court."

In New York, Trump's hometown, city officials said the administration's action could take away over $150 million in law enforcement funding mainly for counterterrorism efforts, protecting international missions and dignitaries and, arguably, safeguarding Trump Tower, city officials said.

"Here in New York City and in cities across this nation, this order could in fact undermine public safety [creative excuse]," Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio said Wednesday evening - a concern echoed by District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser.

While there is no formal definition of the term "sanctuary city," it generally refers to jurisdictions that do not cooperate with federal immigration officials.

In some cases, these cities tell police not to inquire about the immigration status of those they encounter, or they decline requests from immigration officials to keep defendants in custody while they await deportation.

Others say they do cooperate with such "detainer" requests as long as they're backed by court-issued warrants, but won't allow local officers to enforce federal immigration law.

Advocates say such noncooperation policies protect people who may not have exhausted their rights to apply for U.S. residency. They also say that crime victims and witnesses are more likely to cooperate with police if they are not afraid of being deported.

"We're not going to sacrifice any of our folks [illegal immigrant] here in Providence," said Jorge Elorza, the mayor of Providence, Rhode Island. "My job is to represent every single [legal and illegal?] resident in the city of Providence, and we will continue to do that."

Supporters of a crackdown on sanctuary cities point to cases like the fatal shooting of Kate Steinle in 2015 on a San Francisco pier. A man who had been previously deported and had been released by local law enforcement was charged in her death.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer said the Trump administration is going to "strip federal grant money from the sanctuary states and cities that harbor illegal immigrants."

Trump signed an executive order that appeared more limited than that. It referred to withholding Justice Department and Homeland Security funds from only those jurisdictions that bar local officials from communicating with federal authorities about someone's immigration status.

Peter L. Markowitz, a professor at Cardozo Law School in New York, said such an attempt to cut off funding would face strong legal challenges.

"The Constitution prohibits the president from defunding jurisdictions that won't do his bidding," Markowitz said. "There's nothing in federal law that requires localities or states to participate in federal immigration enforcement. Second, the Constitution grants Congress - not the president - the power to determine how federal dollars are spent."

In California, local law enforcement officials are barred from holding immigrants arrested on lesser crimes for deportation purposes.

More than 100 immigration rights advocates crowded on the steps of San Francisco City Hall, holding signs that said "Undocumented & Unafraid" and "Don't let hate Trump our [criminal] values."

"When we know that there is a violation of human rights here [???], this is where we excel," San Francisco Supervisor Sandra Lee Fewer said to cheers. "This is where we lead the nation and we say, 'We will not back down and we will stand up for what we believe is right [i.e. illegal immigration].'"

[kscarbel2]

Are Trump administration press office members university graduates?

First I noticed they spelled energy without a “g’……”enery”

“President Trump Takes Action to Expedite Priority Enery and Infrastructure Projects”

Then they mistakenly posted the same press release on Jan 25 and Jan 26......"President Trump Approves Georgia Disaster Declaration"

".................https://www.whitehouse.gov/blog

Then they title a press release without spaces between the words......"President TrumpReleasesNationalSchool Choice Week Proclamation"

Now they repeatedly spelled the UK’s visiting prime minister’s name without an “h”, Teresa May rather than Theresa May, which went over like a lead balloon with one of our oldest allies.

The rule of thumb is, in the world’s greatest country, our White House staff ensures they spell……correctly. Misspelling the name of a head-of-state simply isn't allowed, and there's no excuse for it.

.

[kscarbel2]

Aaron Blake, The Washington Post  /  January 27, 2017

President Trump's first week in office has been marked by two things, controversy and executive orders.

The first is old hat for Trump. But for casual observers — and even some political junkies who are paying close attention to Trump's policy moves — the second might be a little foreign. Trump signed two more executive orders on Friday, attempting to fulfill his promise of “extreme vetting” to keep potential “radical Islamic terrorists” out of the United States.

What is an executive order?

Basically, an executive order is an official statement from the president about how the federal agencies he oversees are to use their resources.

It falls under the broader umbrella of “executive actions,” which derive their power from Article II of the Constitution, and it is the most formal executive action. Executive actions also include presidential memorandums (which are a step below executive orders and basically outline the administration's position on a policy issue), proclamations and directives.

An executive order is not the president creating new law or appropriating new money from the U.S. Treasury — both things that are the domain of Congress; it is the president instructing the government how it is to work within the parameters that are already set by Congress and the Constitution.

Trump's executive order on building a border wall, for example, basically establishes building the wall as a federal priority and directs the Department of Homeland Security to use already-available funding to get the ball rolling on its construction.

The president's executive orders are recorded in the Federal Register and are considered binding, but they are subject to legal review. (More on that next.)

How can a president do this?

In a word: carefully. Executive orders have often been the subject of controversy, with the opposition party accusing the president of overstepping his authority and acting like a dictator. Basically, they're arguing that he's changing the law rather than working within it.

This came up most recently after former president Barack Obama signed executive orders exempting the children of illegal immigrants and parents of legal children from deportation. They are known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals — or DACA — and Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents — or DAPA.

The plans would shield about 4 million undocumented immigrants from deportation, but Republican governors and attorneys general have sued, alleging that Obama was essentially implementing immigration reform on his own — overstepping his authority. In June, the Supreme Court deadlocked, leaving a federal judge's ruling blocking the programs in place.

And questions have already arisen about the legality of an early Trump executive order involving illegal immigration: his order denying federal funding to sanctuary cities. Expect a court fight there, too.

What is the history of executive orders?

They have been around for as long as we've had presidents, in fact — all the way back to George Washington.

Some of the most historically significant — whether for good or ill — include:

• The Emancipation Proclamation (Abraham Lincoln)

• The suspension of habeas corpus during the Civil War (Lincoln)

• Sending federal troops to integrate Little Rock, Ark., schools (Dwight Eisenhower)

• The internment of Japanese Americans (Franklin Roosevelt)

• The desegregation of the Armed Forces (Harry Truman)

How do Trump's number and scope of executive orders compare, historically?

While Trump's first days in office have seemed to be full of executive actions, that's not really all that uncommon. A new president often shows up with many directives for the agencies he takes oversight of.

Back in 2009, for example, Obama signed nine executive orders in his first 10 days and 16 total in January and February.

Trump is under that curve so far. Through his first seven days, he has signed six executive orders (along with eight memorandums and one proclamation).

Of course, many executive orders can be pretty mundane; the true measure is how far he goes with his orders. That's a measurement that's both subjective and subject to legal review. To judge for yourself, see the orders and memorandums for yourself here.

Trump's executive orders before Friday — the border wall, sanctuary cities, beginning the repeal of Obamacare and expediting the Keystone XL pipeline — rankled Democrats who disagree with those policies. And that is even more the case with Friday's executive orders, which Democrats have argued amount to a thinly veiled ban on Muslim immigrants and refugees.

Whether any of them overstep Trump's authority or the spirit of the Constitution, though, is a debate that will occur in the coming weeks and months.

What are the political advantages and disadvantages of executive orders?

Executive actions are sometimes derogatorily referred to as “legislating by executive order” — basically, what a president does when Congress won't comply with his wishes.

That's not always the case — especially on more minor executive orders — but often, it is. Obama's executive orders on immigration, for example, came after years of failed attempts at comprehensive immigration reform, and Obama cited those failures when pitching the need for executive action that even he once suggested was beyond his authority. And any president would rather have Congress's stamp of approval on something controversial like that.

The political downside to executive orders, then, basically boils down to two things: 1) Getting struck down by the courts, and 2) Looking like you can't pass your agenda through Congress and are acting as an all-powerful executive — in a system designed to limit absolute power.

The upside is, of course, that you can try to do this all by yourself, with just the stroke of a pen. (And then hope for the best.)

[david wild]

So what's he done wrong ????? nothing  he's fixing the problems form turd and doing it fast, he has a plan and he's working the plan like any good manager. have a plan, work the plan, that's good management.

[kscarbel2]

On 1/27/2017 at 9:27 PM, kscarbel2 said:

Are Trump administration press office members university graduates?

First I noticed they spelled energy without a “g’……”enery”

“President Trump Takes Action to Expedite Priority Enery and Infrastructure Projects”

Then they mistakenly posted the same press release on Jan 25 and Jan 26......"President Trump Approves Georgia Disaster Declaration"

".................https://www.whitehouse.gov/blog

Then they title a press release without spaces between the words......"President TrumpReleasesNationalSchool Choice Week Proclamation"

Now they repeatedly spelled the UK’s visiting prime minister’s name without an “h”, Teresa May rather than Theresa May, which went over like a lead balloon with one of our oldest allies.

The rule of thumb is, in the world’s greatest country, our White House staff ensures they spell……correctly. Misspelling the name of a head-of-state simply isn't allowed, and there's no excuse for it.

.

Now this.....it should read "too, not "to"

Wrong       "no challenge is to great."

Correct      "no challenge is too great."

.

[kscarbel2]

 

[kscarbel2]

"deep state" - a body of people, typically influential members of government agencies or the military, believed to be involved in the secret manipulation or control of government policy.

.

.

 

[TeamsterGrrrl]

Step one for dictatorships: Eliminate the free press.

[Brocky]

19 minutes ago, TeamsterGrrrl said:

Step one for dictatorships: Eliminate the free press.

That is what Obuma did!! Nothing could not be printed unless it praised him!!!

[Wobblin-Goblin]

16 hours ago, TeamsterGrrrl said:

Step one for dictatorships: Eliminate the free press.

The press should be free to be the PR wing of the Democratic National Committee, which it is, and anyone should be free to criticize the press for it.

[Underdog]

Step one for dictatorships: Eliminate the free press.

There has been no effort to eliminate the free press. If they can't take criticism, it's more their problem than it is a problem for our president.

[kscarbel2]

1 hour ago, Underdog said:

There has been no effort to eliminate the free press. If they can't take criticism, it's more their problem than it is a problem for our president.

I understand what you mean. But I suspect the major press has been controlled, so as to be utilized as a tool, for well over a century. There are few better ways with which to influence and manipulate the masses.

[Underdog]

I understand what you mean. But I suspect the major press has been controlled, so as to be utilized as a tool, for well over a century. There are few better ways with which to influence and manipulate the masses.

Rush Limbaugh said it best on Fox News Sunday... The media did not make Donald Trump, therefore they cannot destroy him.

[41chevy]

3 hours ago, Underdog said:

There has been no effort to eliminate the free press. If they can't take criticism, it's more their problem than it is a problem for our president.

AND this is the same people,NYT, CNN, CNBC, MSNBC and ABC who commented on the Trump Administrations secrecy as opposed the the Obama administration, who was the most open and transparent in U.S. history?

Most all show you what is only necessary for their ratings and agenda.The last true unbiased news reports ended with the showing of the dead G.I.'s and Marines in Vietnam, after that it was 100% politically biased for propaganda . 

[kscarbel2]

11 minutes ago, 41chevy said:

AND this is the same people,NYT, CNN, CNBC, MSNBC and ABC who commented on the Trump Administrations secrecy as opposed the the Obama administration, who was the most open and transparent in U.S. history?

Most all show you what is only necessary for their ratings and agenda.The last true unbiased news reports ended with the showing of the dead G.I.'s and Marines in Vietnam, after that it was 100% politically biased for propaganda . 

I'd argue this goes back far longer. During the Civil War, WW1, WW2 and Korea, for example, any bad news was suppressed or distorted. If deemed desirable and possible, it was squelched altogether,

[41chevy]

9 minutes ago, kscarbel2 said:

I'd argue this goes back far longer. During the Civil War, WW1, WW2 and Korea, for example, any bad news was suppressed or distorted. If deemed desirable and possible, it was squelched altogether,

Of course it does, but the Vietnam era was news bordering on out right lies and censorship, and in that matter is never changed, only got worse with each administration. With the coming of age of Blogs and E news the mainstream dug in an went on the attack.   Paul

Edited February 21, 2017 by 41chevy

[41chevy]

Our medias hitch is now I can watch a dozen U.S. news programs and add in BBC, Polsat, Rt Reussia, China Today, Telemundo, The Shalom News Network and more, plus online news . How many in the U.S. watch, sort out  glints of fact and decide what is true. A very small percentage. 

Edited February 21, 2017 by 41chevy

[kscarbel2]

Like him or not, Snowden verified that we were not being told anywhere near the truth.

Oliver Stone hits the nail on the head at 4:40

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[kscarbel2]

“The government has the ability to repeat and control the commercial airwaves. In a sense, they repeat every so often: terrorism – fear – terrorism – fear. Repeat, repeat, repeat, that works – propaganda.”

“What Washington seems to want to do is lock up and only give the leaks they want, the leaks that favor the U.S., like the Panama Papers. They control those leaks, but not the ones that are critical of the government. We're living in a closed news environment. It's an information war in a bad way."

Oliver Stone

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[Underdog]

I consider Oliver Stone a propagandist as well. Do your research and take his point of view with a grain of salt as well.