Constitutional Crisis!

[Captain Picard's Hair]

It didn't take Trump long, just eight days into office he and his Executive branch are defying court orders. Several Federal courts across the country have issued orders staying his executive order banning Muslims (let's call it what it is). Several airports ignored the orders, and statements from the White House make it seem they don't think those orders are binding. So, apparently nobody in the WH has actually read and understands the constitution: even the President must obey court orders. Beyond breaching the letter of the highest law of the land, it violates the principle of rule of law.

The USA is officially a banana republic.

Alas the inevitable impeachment of Trump leaves Pence and a Republican congress still in charge, which isn't much of an improvement. Oh, and apparently they're now deciding on who to appoint to the Supreme Court.

[Sonic Glitch]

To borrow a phrase, "The Court has made their decision, now let them enforce it."

[Captain Picard's Hair]

To borrow a phrase, "The Court has made their decision, now let them enforce it."

Technically it can, through the US Federal Marshals.

* Though even with this President it seems unlikely, the prospect of a confrontation between Marshals serving an order to bring POTUS before a Federal judge and the Secret Service is rather interesting to ponder

[Bryan Moore]

There is something frighteningly admirable about a man that is so obsessed with upholding his campaign promises that he will push the boundaries of constitutionality to do so. It has all the makings of an insecure megalomaniac worthy of the Roman Empire but has disguised it as adherence to democracy. Yet, if it weren't for the terrifying absurdity of the whole situation, even the staunchest Trump-hater out there would have to admit that in his first week of rule, he has shown an unprecedented (though very flawed) dedication to stay true to his word.

[Griffin]

...Alas the inevitable impeachment of Trump leaves Pence and a Republican congress still in charge, which isn't much of an improvement...

I’m still not convinced that wasn’t the plan all along.

[IanKennedy]

Who's plan. I would be pretty sure it wasn't Trumps plan. He's not the kind to through himself under the bus to help another.

[Mikey]

There is something frighteningly admirable...

No, there isn't. I mean, I get your point, but no. There was nothing admirable about Hitler's monomania with an incorrect notion of Indo-Aryan genetic descent as an excuse to torture and murder those of other descent; there was nothing admirable about Pol Pot's "vision" for his nation's direction, with or without most of the people involved; there was nothing admirable about Amin's dedication to royal privilege to include unchecked capital punishment for untried political prisoners; and there is nothing admirable about a man who is using his office to attack people of a certain ethno-religious background. In fact, it gets into the negative-admirability situation when that man claims to have national security for a motive, but targets people from nations who have never committed terror attacks against us and ignores the nations who have - but with whom that man has business relationships.

[RK_Striker_JK_5]

It's beyond a clusterfuck right now. And yeah, trrump is a short-sighted asshole who is about him. And only him.

[Bryan Moore]

There is something frighteningly admirable...

No, there isn't. I mean, I get your point, but no. There was nothing admirable about Hitler's monomania with an incorrect notion of Indo-Aryan genetic descent as an excuse to torture and murder those of other descent; there was nothing admirable about Pol Pot's "vision" for his nation's direction, with or without most of the people involved; there was nothing admirable about Amin's dedication to royal privilege to include unchecked capital punishment for untried political prisoners; and there is nothing admirable about a man who is using his office to attack people of a certain ethno-religious background. In fact, it gets into the negative-admirability situation when that man claims to have national security for a motive, but targets people from nations who have never committed terror attacks against us and ignores the nations who have - but with whom that man has business relationships.

Remember when Roosevelt imprisoned Japanese and is hailed as a hero? "Admirable" was perhaps a bit of hyperbole or at least an improper term, but I also think there's a far cry between Hitlerian comparisons and this jackass.

[Mikey]

FDR was, IMHO, the best president this nation ever had. That said, what he did to Japanese-Americans was execrable and unconscionable, and let the opinion of the majority of America at that time be damned. And I don't think that it's wrong to compare Hitler, Pot, or Amin with what Trump is doing; certainly there's a difference in degree, but I know folks who were around the last time a popular government began registering people based on faith and cultural origin in the interest of national security. You can tell the people who were there, because they have the reminders tattooed on their forearms.

[Bryan Moore]

FDR was, IMHO, the best president this nation ever had. That said, what he did to Japanese-Americans was execrable and unconscionable, and let the opinion of the majority of America at that time be damned. And I don't think that it's wrong to compare Hitler, Pot, or Amin with what Trump is doing; certainly there's a difference in degree, but I know folks who were around the last time a popular government began registering people based on faith and cultural origin in the interest of national security. You can tell the people who were there, because they have the reminders tattooed on their forearms.

FDR was an interesting case - he was probably the first modern liberal and was the first CIC to break from the classically conservative laisez-faire economic standpoint on a national scale. I would absolutely include him in the pantheon of greatest American presidents, and yet I cannot help lament the fact that he really helped set in motion (however inevitable, justified, and morally correct it may be) the policies that have led to necessary government intervention in the economic system that has grown exponentially to this day. If/when the artificially propped up American economy finally breaks and the entire world's economy ultimately shatters, those who will go back and cry for a gold standard and complete libertarian economic policy can rightfully point to FDR as one of the men who made it all possible, and did so by acting on previously unheard of executive action.

[Mikey]

FER was a great president who also happened to be a huge asshole of a person. It is inevitable that bits of one side of that equation should leak into the other. Nor do I lay at his wheels the current SS/Medicare/Medicaid crisis, because those things were designed and built as solutions to an acute issue. I have no problem with those programs continuing; but there have been a metric fuckton of administrations since who could and should have evolved those programs to a more chronic situation rather than just continue to apply and-aids.

[McAvoy]

Previous administrations did do their part in Fucking up the programs laid out originally by FDR. Notably Social Security.

But there is alot of blame to go around outside the previous presidents as well.

[Bryan Moore]

FER was a great president who also happened to be a huge asshole of a person. It is inevitable that bits of one side of that equation should leak into the other. Nor do I lay at his wheels the current SS/Medicare/Medicaid crisis, because those things were designed and built as solutions to an acute issue. I have no problem with those programs continuing; but there have been a metric fuckton of administrations since who could and should have evolved those programs to a more chronic situation rather than just continue to apply and-aids.

See, I almost wholly agree with this. I just enjoy the devils advocate side of that argument. I wish I could find this article about that opinion I read a while back.

[Mikey]

Hmm. I was expecting more flak about the "lay the problem at his wheels" comment.