Let's Talk

I attended a panel discussion at Jacksonville University recently that discussed the current President and his quest to expand the powers of the Executive Branch. It was also a discussion of other presidents who sought to expand those powers as well. First, Andrew Jackson for ignoring a Supreme Court judgement which ultimately led to the tragic removal of Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, and Seminole Indians from the Southeast to the Oklahoma Territory in what became known as the Trail of Tears, a forced march of more than a thousand miles that resulted in the death of thousands. Then, Richard Nixon who stated nothing a president did was illegal. He ultimately resigned, realizing that had he not, he would’ve been removed. In both cases the role of the President changed.

There was a discussion of the first two articles of the Constitution noting the first article, that created the legislative branch, was more detailed since the concept of a legislature was a far more familiar subject for the founders, so it was more detailed (10 sections 53 clauses). The second article, creating the Executive Branch, not so detailed (4 sections 15 clauses). The fact was the founders had little to no experience with an executive that was not a monarch. They knew they did not want one but there really wasn’t any template they could look to so, they gave it their best effort. It could be said that they “punted” but they also provided for a remedy when better ideas or functions became available. They allowed for amendments to the Constitution.

The discussion continued with the historical expansion of presidential powers, the role of the courts in dealing with the current number of executive orders, and the apparent abdication of the legislative branch’s responsibilities that should be acting as a governor on the overreach of the executive branch. Though it was noted that there seemed to be movement in the legislature in the direction of assuming that stance. This latter development may be with an eye on recent polling that shows a growing disfavor with the direction the President is heading in multiple areas, chief among them the economy.

All in all, it was a very academic dialogue conducted by very capable people who knew what they were talking about.

Sad to say the powers that be are anything but academic, especially the President, Vice President, the head of the OMB, Homeland Security, Attorney General, and many more. These people are guided by those folks over at the Heritage Foundation, the creator of Project 2025, the blue print that seeks to move the United States back to the antebellum period extant in the early nineteenth century.

The folks at the Heritage Foundation along with those that fund them didn’t consider the fact that drastic change, which is absolutely happening right now, has consequences. Especially on the scale these changes are trying to reach which is the entire United States. Remove a couple or three million people from the workforce, disregard whole segments of the population, raise tariffs, scuttle the alternative energy industry, dump historic allies, and dismiss the very people that make this country run, then get ready for the blow back. Crops won’t get to markets, countries retaliate to tariffs with their own, lose the support of those who voted for you, energy prices skyrocket, allies turn their backs on us, and basic functions of government cease to operate.

Folks, the history of the world is rife with the rise and fall of global powers. It wasn’t so long ago that the international language of diplomacy was French, and the English pound was the international financial standard. The United States was thrust into this role in the 50s and hasn’t done very well with it. But here we are with the leadership we have.

Make note that James Madison, the father of our Constitution, realized that there were no examples of a democratic society that lasted very long yet, he worked tirelessly to forge one here in our United States. But even he didn’t include everyone in the process, just white landed gentry. But again, he included a process to, sometime later, make changes to the Constitution that enabled inclusion of those others that have attained their rightful place, equality.

It’s hard work but many hands make light work. But not doing the work will ultimately lead to major shifts in global power structures. It’s not outside the realm of possibilities that the yuan becomes the international standard of exchange.

At least the Chinese are taking Climate Change seriously.