Patterico's Pontifications

10/17/2017

David Harsanyi on Checks and Balances and Trump

Filed under: General — Patterico @ 9:49 pm



David Harsanyi has a nice post at The Federalist about the way that Donald Trump has tended to limit executive power:

Say what you will about Donald Trump — and there’s plenty to say — he may be the first president in memory to actively limit his own branch’s power. Though far from perfect, on immigration, on funding issues, on international agreements, and on the regulatory state, the Trump administration has relinquished executive power.

So while civility, competence, and rhetoric matter, and none of those issues should be ignored, neither should the administration’s numerous actions that have helped reestablish some appropriate checks and balances.

Harsanyi cites the announced phase-out of the illegal DACA executive order, the announced intent to withdraw from the Paris Accord (a treaty-like document never ratified by the Senate), and the abolition of illegal cost-sharing reduction payments (read: subsidies) to health care insurers. In each case, Trump rolled back an illegal action by Obama.

It’s not all champagne and roses. Harsanyi does not mention the Syria missile strike — widely praised by many hawks, but in my view still an act of war without Congressional authorization. Trump’s initial executive order on immigration was a clear overreach born of sloppiness, targeting legal immigrants already in the U.S. as well as others. And I have no illusions that Trump is philosophically interested in limiting the power of the executive branch, as opposed to simply undoing whatever Barack Obama did. Harsanyi’s link to “and there’s plenty to say” slams Trump for threatening NBC in a way no President has a legitimate power to do. I’m sure there are other examples of overreach.

Still, there are positive signs cited by Harsanyi. I’m not going to get too carried away, but they are worth noting. Credit where credit is due. Hey, even a repulsive jackass can guard the sheep.

[Cross-posted at The Jury Talks Back.]

39 Responses to “David Harsanyi on Checks and Balances and Trump”

  1. I like David Harsanyi.

    Patterico (115b1f)

  2. i like sheep dogs

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  3. Except like Reagan’s shot across the bow, in the gulf of sidra, to qadaffi, at roughly the same oiint in his presidency it sent a signal. Tr and perdicaris is similar, it told putin not to abet his proxy so openly.

    The EPA was the closest thing to a gosplan before red squaws consumer bureau came along

    narciso (d1f714)

  4. Trump does something host disagrees with: monstrous insensitivity.

    Trump does something host agrees with: repulsive jackass.

    At least it’s consistent.

    And focus your crystal ball on why Trump does everything he does, not just limiting the power of the executive branch.

    harkin (8789d3)

  5. Limiting? No. Redirecting. He is still exercising the same powers Obama did, just to different ends.

    nk (dbc370)

  6. Maybe Laurence lessigs extended underwear gnome plot makes sense. Now if you want outrage, what happensvto the Kurds like the northern alliance about 20 years will be visited on us.

    narciso (d1f714)

  7. Except that judgevin Massachusetts sawcit clearly, but numbsc0kulls likevrobart and Watson refuse to read the pertinent law. Watson went to Harvard with obama,

    narciso (d1f714)

  8. Limiting? No. Redirecting. He is still exercising the same powers Obama did, just to different ends.
    nk (dbc370) — 10/17/2017 @ 10:09 pm

    So the Big Red Phone has call forwarding?

    Pinandpuller (375f07)

  9. blue heelers is good wuppers border collies too

    but they’re a lot of responsibility maybe if i prove i can take care of my turtles i can have one someday

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  10. A suggestion of reading material for some here.

    In Portland, where I was last weekend, sheep are guarded by a zebra

    Well, goats anyway.

    Mike K (b3dd19)

  11. nevertrump’s very snooty-snotty

    they’re as disdainful of for reals american values as their antifa friends are

    harvardtrash antifa like Bill Kristol take particular delight in getting our tatters killed for brilliant strategic purposes what never quite pan out

    he’s a lot like John McCain except he went to a way way way better school than some trashy military academy

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  12. Sheep are basically perambulating vegetables. They’re easy to herd. The sheepdog’s job is to protect them from predators and to keep them from ambling into the young wheat. It’s kind of allegorical, if you think about it.

    nk (dbc370)

  13. it’s fascinating though how the herding behaviour’s so instinctive

    dogs are cool

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  14. dogs are mans best friend. I have two friends.

    mg (31009b)

  15. Cats have a , almost as powerful as aarp.

    narciso (cf5787)

  16. For those who argue that all of this is nothing more than a malevolent effort to sabotage the Obama administration’s accomplishments, perhaps there is a lesson to be learned: Your legacy is going to be a rickety mess if you build it using imperious diktats rather than consensus.

    ‘Zactly..

    Those who claim Trump isn’t undermining the healthcare and thereby intentionally harming the Public can take a long walk on a short pier.

    Ben burn (b3d5ab)

  17. on-OFF

    mg (31009b)

  18. A business model should not depend on illegal payments.

    The subsidy payments were illegal and the courts have agreed.

    Frederick (8a82ba)

  19. On topic if you think taxes are germane..

    http://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a13039679/to-regain-its-sanity-the-republican-party-must-give-up-voodoo-economics/

    You knew this was coming when the president* tweeted out how proud he was that his tax plan was praised by Arthur Laffer, the cocktail-napkin Kreskin of supply-side economics, the original sorcerer who concocted the spells that produced those magical tax cuts, and, finally, the guy who fed the Republican Party a bowl of the very tastiest monkeybrains. The prion disease’s first symptom was the adoption of what Poppy Bush called, correctly, the “voodoo economics” of Ronald Reagan’s first budget. The Republican Party bought into an economic theory that was just as detached from reality as anything Reagan ever said about trees and air pollution, or anything the current president* has said about anything

    Ben burn (b3d5ab)

  20. Greetings, happyfeet: ( @10 above (28a91b) —10/18/2017 @ 6:04 am )

    Me, too (to coin a phrase that my parents proscribed in my very early years), all my turtles died of Vrooom, Vroom.

    11B40 (6abb5c)

  21. Those who claim Trump isn’t undermining the healthcare and thereby intentionally harming the Public can take a long walk on a short pier.

    Says the policy expert who knows how to fix healthcare.

    You smell like a single payer type.

    Mike K (b3dd19)

  22. my turtles is still hanging in there bless their hearts

    they’re having a quiet morning cause their water’s on the cold side right now

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  23. Throw in the “actions taken” pile the EPA’s termination of the outrageous “sue and settle” policy of rule-making, as well as the waters-of-the-U.S. rule overreach, as important rollbacks of federal agency power extensions from the Obama years.

    His style is not your style, but as you reluctantly acknowledge, he *is* indeed rolling back burdensome and/or unconstitutional actions taken during the Obama years. And, his tactic of goosing a recalcitrant Congress by warning of future [limited] executive action in the absence of Congressional legislation is wholly deferential to the separation of powers doctrine. (Bear in mind, that his administration is focused on reducing government intrusions into the private spheres of individuals and business, rather than extending them. I do believe that difference should be highlighted.)

    That said, he does indeed love stirring the pot with his direct-to-the-public tweets. And from the sidelines I do so love watching the media’s immediate slobbering Pavlovian group-think response.

    I’ll judge his effectiveness by what gets done, not by what gets said.

    ColoComment (13c772)

  24. The other constitutional move I like is decertifying the Iran deal and then turning it back over to Congress for its prescribed action. I’m sure Congress is angry and scared: stop making us do our jobs!!

    Patricia (5fc097)

  25. Those who claim Trump isn’t undermining the healthcare and thereby intentionally harming the Public can take a long walk on a short pier.

    Once again Ben, your inability to focus is causing you a problem. Like most leftists you fail to understand Trump is doing absolutely nothing to healthcare, it remains the finest on the planet. Trump is trying to undo the mess created in health insurance by Obumble.

    Rev.Hoagie® (6bbda7)

  26. Trump doesn’t actually build anything of import. He’s more of a wrecking ball even in bizness.

    demolition of viable structures leads to more depreciation/write-offs..and Leasing deals maximize the fake growth numbers

    Ben burn (b3d5ab)

  27. Hoagie: You’re actually invoking focus as a recommendation for others

    Ben burn (b3d5ab)

  28. Counting on illegal subsidies to sell people plans they don’t want was never a good business model.

    H/t Instapundit.

    harkin (8789d3)

  29. Does anyone want insurance?

    Does anyone want to go to the Dr?

    Ben burn (b3d5ab)

  30. i only have insurance cause i get the HSA tax advantages

    other than that it’s effing useless

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  31. I would add the DeVos reversal regarding Title IX Star Courts to the Pruitt “starve the Watermelons” reversal as important advances in accelerating progressive necrosis. Neither have the impact of the gangrenous self inflicted wounds of ACA or the OWS/BLM hyper-stupidity but every little bit helps.

    Rick Ballard (7a8059)

  32. I would add the DeVos reversal regarding Title IX Star Courts to the Pruitt “starve the Watermelons” reversal as important advances in accelerating progressive necrosis. Neither have the impact of the gangrenous self inflicted wounds of ACA or the OWS/BLM hyper-stupidity but every little bit helps.

    i’m starting to think a big part of the reason nevertrump’s so whiny and butthurt is cause President Trump’s doing all the stuff they assured us only harvardtrash Ted could or would do

    and they were wrong huh

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  33. Trump needs to fire goober Sessions, this pathetic punk along with Pence never did a fu##ing thing while they were senators. Swamp mother fu##ers.

    mg (31009b)

  34. Jeffy Sessions is a neutered pekinese dog

    corrupt harvardtrash Attorney General Rosenstein rollin’ large now all up in it

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  35. meanwhile sleazy ohiotrash rep Pat Tiberi joins the exodus of the retiring congresstrash that are members of odious stinky war hero John McCain’s soros-funded Republican Main Street Partnership

    Along with Tiberi so far these minions of slicked-up dishonest coward John McCain are bailing from “public service” as well:

    Ileana Ros-Lehtinen
    Lynn Jenkins
    Dave Trott
    Jim Renacci
    Charlie Dent
    Dave Reichert

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  36. old Thad and the no trumpers that kept this sick man in office down in Mississippi should burn in hell.

    mg (31009b)


Powered by WordPress.

Page loaded in: 0.0963 secs.