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President Donald Trump's United States of America

PL1 said:
Its almost like the sitting president and administration have exposed that the whole "checks and balances" doesn't work in this reality
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I agree. Out of expediency or whatever other reason, over the years, Congress has devolved some of its authority to the Executive and now its coming back to bite them in the butt (or working as intended, depending on what side you are on). The President has been granted significant power to act unilaterally on matters of 'national security' which the Tangerine Toddler is using with much glee. I don't know the legislation but it is possible that it devolves the power without sufficient checks.

It has been said by observers that the 'checks and balances' built into the US system led to stagnation and gridlock. Perhaps these devolutions were intended as a way to streamline processes. I guess they never intended the American public would elect a ranging maniac who would, in turn, appoint absolute numpties to his cabinet.
 
Northern Light said:
In the U.S. system the extent of 'checks and balances' is more often cover for getting little or nothing done and being able to blame 'the other guy'.
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The US system is like Communism. Good in theory.

It was devised in an era where the Founding Fathers thought Americans shouldn't have parties. And then immediately fell into partisanship after the country was independent. And have stayed in that mode since. We're now getting to the ultimate endpoint of partisanship where politics is reduced to team jersey. In the American system this negates checks and balances.
 
kEiThZ said:
The US system is like Communism. Good in theory.

It was devised in an era where the Founding Fathers thought Americans shouldn't have parties. And then immediately fell into partisanship after the country was independent. And have stayed in that mode since. We're now getting to the ultimate endpoint of partisanship where politics is reduced to team jersey. In the American system this negates checks and balances.
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It will be interesting if the Democrats will both the Senate (unlikely) and House in Nov 2026 and Trump just ignores their demands and decisions. Even if the Supreme Court sides with Congress, what can they do? Arrest POTUS? Unlikely.
 
Admiral Beez said:
It will be interesting if the Democrats will both the Senate (unlikely) and House in Nov 2026 and Trump just ignores their demands and decisions. Even if the Supreme Court sides with Congress, what can they do? Arrest POTUS? Unlikely.
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I would say yes. The military will have their day.
 
old boy said:
I would say yes. The military will have their day.
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Congress does not have its own police force, while the troops swear allegiance to the Constitution, not the President. Criminal contempt referrals from Congress go to the Department of Justice… which works for the President, so that won't work. The only tool Congress has is impeachment, which tabled by the House, is almost impossible to get through the Senate.
 
PinkLucy said:
Pete Hegseth tried to have Sen Mark Kelly demoted, but Kelly knows his rights and is no pushover. A judge denied Hegseth's request today. Oh and Pete, what was that about free speech again?
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Their attacks on Sen. Kelly will turn him into the favourite among the 2028 Dem candidates.
 
Admiral Beez said:
That’s a ceremonial role like our Governor General, meaning the PM as head of government acts as head of state.

The Australians seem to have it figured out, with ranked ballots, mandatory voting, while keeping the foundations of the Westminster model, minus the dog show.
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Ranked ballots in theory seem smart. However, they would favour a centrist party by a large margin. It’s an entire voting system made up of strategic voting and deserves no place in any fair electoral system.

Proportional representation now.
 
Admiral Beez said:
It will be interesting if the Democrats will both the Senate (unlikely) and House in Nov 2026 and Trump just ignores their demands and decisions. Even if the Supreme Court sides with Congress, what can they do? Arrest POTUS? Unlikely.
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They would have to impeach. That is the only way. But they can simply get the courts to order the bureaucracy to comply. No random public servant is going to be willing to defy a court order and go to jail for Trump.
 
zang said:
Ranked ballots in theory seem smart. However, they would favour a centrist party by a large margin. It’s an entire voting system made up of strategic voting and deserves no place in any fair electoral system.

Proportional representation now.
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Nah. I want the centrist parties favoured. Coddling the extremists and enabling them is how we got here in so much of the world. Anybody who wants to upend society should face substantial obstacles and a high bar to do so.
 
old boy said:
I would say yes. The military will have their day.
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The military is expressly forbidden by law from getting involved at home. And most military personnel would have ethical objections to doing so anyway. The military ousting an elected leader is something that would make anybody who grew up in a democratic society extremely uncomfortable. Even if it's Trump. The courts would (and should) use law enforcement to enforce the law. It's why they exist.
 
kEiThZ said:
The military is expressly forbidden by law from getting involved at home. And most military personnel would have ethical objections to doing so anyway. The military ousting an elected leader is something that would make anybody who grew up in a democratic society extremely uncomfortable. Even if it's Trump. The courts would (and should) use law enforcement to enforce the law. It's why they exist.
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Trump is raising a personal militia called ICE. Could get messy if it came down to it.
 
afransen said:
Trump is raising a personal militia called ICE. Could get messy if it came down to it.
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It's pretty much guaranteed to be messy regardless. They're going to have ICE at polling stations during mid-terms. There'll be lots of instances of them pulling people from lines for being "illegal" or "unable to vote". Cool country.

The only way Trump leaves office is if he dies. There will be no peaceful transfer of power while he's alive, and ICE will ensure that.
 
No fireworks at this year's Munich Security Conference, although presumably an air of 'apart from everything else Mrs Lincoln....' hanging over procedings.

Elbridge Colby gave a cautiously well-received speech to NATO Defence Ministers, nothing surprising. Even being reported as conciliatory, with a statement of commitment to Article V and the US nuclear deterrent. The term 'NATO 3.0' was coined, aka Cold War-lite.

NATO Defense Ministerial

Politico: Top US Official calls for NATO 3.0
 
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