Monday, January 30, 2017

Republicans and Democrats Trade Sides in an On-Going Battle

So Republicans and Democrats have traded sides in the virtues and drawbacks of Executive Actions - no surprise there.

Where Republicans called Obama's Executive Actions "illegal" and "attempting to make our democracy a monarchy"; those same Republicans find Trump's Executive Actions "refreshing" and "just".  Democrats now complain bitterly about the Unconstitutionality of them.

And when Democrats railed against the actions of one lone (Republican) Texas Judge to slow down the entire executive branch one Executive Actions - they find the rare (Democratic) Judges slowing down Trump's Actions to be brave and just. Republicans are not pleased (now) with "judicial activism".

But, if I may, I would like to step back a minute to remind us how we got here.

This isn't the work of a Dictator or Lunatic (depending on your thoughts on Obama or my thoughts on Trump). These actions do not occur because Presidents Obama or Trump hate America. Just as they didn't mean hatred when used by Presidents Carter, Reagan, Bush, Clinton or other Bush.

Presidential Executive Actions occurred (back the days of the twentieth century) - as a way to set guidelines around areas that laws hadn't covered. Or to cover areas lawmakers had not gotten to yet.

Once our Congress stopped working altogether (pick a date - by for ease, let's go with 1/1/2000), Presidential Executive Actions were used not because Congress hadn't addressed items YET, but because they wouldn't address them at all.

Sometimes, okay - often, it was partisan gridlock that meant nothing happened in a specific legislative sphere (cough - immigration - cough).

But, more often, it was Congressional chicken-shit'edness. Afraid to do something that might get them beat in a vote, they ABDICATED their responsibility to the Executive Branch and encouraged Executive Actions.

Don't believe me? Look at the wars we are in. We have combat troops in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Yemen.  Yemen!  Hell, we just lost a Navy Seal in Yemen - we aren't even "technically" in that country!!!

And, President Obama submitted to the Congress, over 4 years ago, a War Authorization to replace the general sloppy law justifying extra-territorial combat that has been used since 2001.  Congress didn't even vote on it. So they get to sit on their big, fat, lobbyiest bought rear-ends and complain,  AND take credit, about the outcome no matter how it turns out.

Now look at ObamaCare. President Trump has issued two Executive Orders that will slowly and painfully kill it - slowly and painfully for those Americans using it. Which is hard to believe since the House has voted to repeal ObamaCare (or parts of it) 60 times since it was put into effect. SIXTY -  and yet not once since they have a President that will sign the legislation.

So, now Presidents use Executive Actions. Now we have a vote every 4 years that would allow those actions to be overturned by a new President. But that wasn't enough for our idiot Congressmen. I mean, if they can't gum up the works, what are those lobbyists paying for? So, originally to thwart President Obama, they found a new (and questionable) legal tactic of "the Brave Federal Judge" to stop Executive Actions.

Now Democrats are using this to stop Trump - well different "Brave Federal Judges", but same idea.

But NEVER FORGET, the whole reason this mess is occurring is that those lazy, self-serving assholes in Congress will NOT govern. They are so afraid of being voted out and losing their place at the pig trough that they won't do what we (stupidly) elect them to do year after year - that is to make the laws that run the country.
(this cartoon is pre-Obama and pre-Trump)