I wouldn't call what is unfolding now "lawfare". Perversely and perhaps ironically, this is how the system is supposed to work.
This is why Frederick Douglass spoke of "three boxes" holding American civil liberties: the ballot box, the jury box, and the cartridge box.
Campaigns, Congress, and courtrooms are the crucibles in which American government policy is to be hashed out by the people.
If the Democrats want to "resist" Donald Trump they can begin by striving to reclaim the Congressional powers that have been ceded to the Executive over the years--or they can let Donald Trump proceed.
If the Republican Establishmentarians want to "resist" Donald Trump they can begin by articulating a governing philosophy to counter Trumpism, and not merely mouth meaningless paeans to the past.
America rejected the status quo when Donald Trump was elected. Those who champion the status quo are swimming against that very powerful stream.
We definitely needed a shake up, but I would like to see a return to a Constitutional government, not rule by executive order or appointed technocrats. Thank you for this helpful information. I haven't had time to read much lately, lots going on at home. My mom passed away on Monday after a year and a half battle with ALS. She made it to inauguration day and God called her home. I hope to start reading and writing again soon.
You are not alone in wanting a return to the proper Constitutional order.
Unfortunately, achieving that requires Congress to rouse itself from its decades-long indolence and torpor, whereby it has steadily ceded its governing prerogatives to the President.
We need a Congress that sets its own legislative agenda, not one that rubber stamps the President's agenda.
We need a Congress that, independent of the President, decides how much to appropriate for each government agency.
We need a Congress that, independent of the President, decides what to tax and how much to tax.
We need a Congress that not resemble quite so much the Roman Senate in the waning days of the Roman Republic--dysfunctional and largely impotent in the face of an increasingly authoritarian Executive.
To get a Congress like that, we need to primary all 535 members of Congress each and every election. All elections need to be truly competitive, with multiple candidates vying for every seat. Until we get that, I fear we will continue to see more governing by Executive Order. And that is not a good thing.
I wouldn't call what is unfolding now "lawfare". Perversely and perhaps ironically, this is how the system is supposed to work.
This is why Frederick Douglass spoke of "three boxes" holding American civil liberties: the ballot box, the jury box, and the cartridge box.
Campaigns, Congress, and courtrooms are the crucibles in which American government policy is to be hashed out by the people.
If the Democrats want to "resist" Donald Trump they can begin by striving to reclaim the Congressional powers that have been ceded to the Executive over the years--or they can let Donald Trump proceed.
If the Republican Establishmentarians want to "resist" Donald Trump they can begin by articulating a governing philosophy to counter Trumpism, and not merely mouth meaningless paeans to the past.
America rejected the status quo when Donald Trump was elected. Those who champion the status quo are swimming against that very powerful stream.
We definitely needed a shake up, but I would like to see a return to a Constitutional government, not rule by executive order or appointed technocrats. Thank you for this helpful information. I haven't had time to read much lately, lots going on at home. My mom passed away on Monday after a year and a half battle with ALS. She made it to inauguration day and God called her home. I hope to start reading and writing again soon.
My condolences on your mother's passing.
You are not alone in wanting a return to the proper Constitutional order.
Unfortunately, achieving that requires Congress to rouse itself from its decades-long indolence and torpor, whereby it has steadily ceded its governing prerogatives to the President.
We need a Congress that sets its own legislative agenda, not one that rubber stamps the President's agenda.
We need a Congress that, independent of the President, decides how much to appropriate for each government agency.
We need a Congress that, independent of the President, decides what to tax and how much to tax.
We need a Congress that not resemble quite so much the Roman Senate in the waning days of the Roman Republic--dysfunctional and largely impotent in the face of an increasingly authoritarian Executive.
To get a Congress like that, we need to primary all 535 members of Congress each and every election. All elections need to be truly competitive, with multiple candidates vying for every seat. Until we get that, I fear we will continue to see more governing by Executive Order. And that is not a good thing.