I’m going to assume Democrats and maybe a few Republicans will obstruct him in Congress. The judiciary will still be active. Media will still exist.
So what’s the worst he can do? Piss off allies and enemies? Can he bomb anyone without Congress? Fuck up treaties?
Forty years of darkness! Earthquakes, volcanoes! The dead rising from the grave! Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together… mass hysteria!
Well, yes, under the War Powers Act, the President can order emergency military action without Congress’ approval.
And, yes, the President can screw up treaties. (Ronald Reagan single-handedly disavowed U.S. obligations under a signed and ratified treaty. Unconstitutional, but there was no push-back from Congress or the Judiciary.)
We don’t know how far Trump would actually go in bypassing the Constitution and ruling by decree. He has said this is what he would do, in many specific circumstances.
One example: “One of the first things I’d do in terms of executive order, if I win, will be to sign a strong, strong statement that would go out to the country, out to the world, anybody killing a police man, a police woman, a police officer, anybody killing a police officer, the death penalty is going to happen.”
(This vastly exceeds Obama’s proposal to grant limited immunity to forced repatriation of some classes of illegal immigrants. But there’s no GOP outrage over this specific assault on the Constitution.)
he does have a way with getting people to go along with him despite what media thinks. Also, a Trump presidency could see Russia try to expand thru Europe and perhaps Asia again.
Its hard not to be suspicious why Trump is so popular in Russian and Chinese polls.
How much damage could he do? The Republicans have just shown us how far they are willing to bend over and take it to get into office-Do you think they would suddenly get a conscience and oppose him no matter what he proposed if there was the slightest chance of losing face?
He’s not going to turn America into Fury Road, but things still could be damaged. Some recent abortion cases have been close, like when some of the abortion restrictions in Texas were struck down. Just two appointees from Trump and things would be different. And there have been a lot of iffy abortion laws passed in the last few years as a lot of pro-life people have been chipping away at abortion rights, so there are definitely cases that could come in front of the Supreme Court.
It’s the same with gay rights, after gay marriage was passed, a lot of states have been trying to chip away at things. And Trump isn’t wildly anti-gay, but he’s definitely not hugely pro-gay rights. And his VP nominee Pence is very anti gay rights, so depending on how much Trump actually does or lets Pence do instead, we could see some gay rights roll backwards. And just forget about trans rights.
I don’t know if he can or would bomb anyone, but he’ll definitely insult allies and enemies, and also get hugely hurt by any tiny insult. He has the thinnest of skins.
Any relations with Middle East or other countries with large Muslim countries will be hugely damaged. I doubt we could even have civil negotiations with any of those countries.
Trump has essentially said that he will let the Vice President look after all foreign and domestic policies, while Trump will look after “making America great”
So Pence would effectively be president, while Trump would be a glad-handing figurehead.
I worry about Paul Manafort’s long game. Whatever bombastic stupidity Trump would be stirring up is just the distraction so we don’t notice what Manafort is quietly orchestrating on behalf of the highest international bidder.
Obviously media will continue to exist, but Trump has been vocal about his reservations about the First Amendment:
It’s possible that if Trump is elected, the media would be more restricted. Not that the current media has really kept Trump from saying or doing what he wanted. There are some things that can and would keep Trump somewhat in check, but the media is not one of them.
Like Dick Cheney and George W Bush – on steroids.
Trump as a figurehead would be great if he actually had great people working for him. But considering how many dumb mistakes his campaign has made, and the people he’s had working for him, and how he’s chosen super conservative Pence as his VP and the list of people he would consider for the Supreme Court, Trump being a figurehead could be just as bad as Trump being an active president.
He wants no criticism, no dissent, no negative stories, nothing but praise.
It’s not just about Trump anymore; it’s about the entire fringe of the republican party that has hijacked what was once a disciplined, main-stream party and turned it into a right wing cult.
This republican party, with Donald Trump as its figurehead, represents American fascism. In the past we could have used the word “fascism” with the understanding that it’s a bit of hyperbole. But that is no longer the case – they really and truly are bordering on a fanatical brand of WASP nationalism that is extremely dangerous. Some of the speeches and the floor chants at this year’s RNC absolutely reminiscent of Hitler’s speeches in Nuremburg and Berlin. It’s WASP America’s last stand, their counter-revolution – and they’re not going to go down without going for the jugular.
Hillary is a flawed candidate – deeply so. But now is not the time to lament the failure of the democratic party to inspire its liberal base with a better candidate.
It’s hard to say. But the more I read about Mike Pence, the more scary a potential Trump presidency seems. Similar to how McCain’s candidacy was a lot scarier with a theoretical president Palin lingering around in people’s minds.
Very destructive. I would compare it to the governorship of Paul Lepage. Lepage’s flippant disregard for the opiate crisis has caused hundreds of deaths. His racist remarks often embarass the state. I’ve seen what a racist, narcisstic blowhard can do as governor. I don’t need one as President.
That’s assuming, of course, that Trump was telling the truth. (Actually as I understand it, it’s that someone who worked for John Kasich said that Donald Trump Jr said that about Donald Trump Sr – so it’s a matryoshka doll of possible truth.)
I close my eyes, and see nothing but Skelingtons!
Skelingtons on FIRE!:eek:
The president has no direct effect on the economy as a whole (see this and this, but markets aren’t rational.
I think the markets of the world would be so fearful of what a President Trump would do–remember he’s proud of his unpredictability–that direct effect or not, Trump would cause a worldwide economic panic. Incredible volatility, wild swings, and most likely a depression.
So ya
Thought ya
Might like to
Go to the show.
To feel that warm thrill of confusion,
That space cadet glow.
I’ve got some bad news for you sunshine,
Pink isn’t well, he stayed back at the hotel
And they sent us along as a surrogate band
We’re gonna find out where you folks really stand.
Are there any queers in the theater tonight?
Get them up against the wall!
There’s one in the spotlight, he don’t look right to me,
Get him up against the wall!
That one looks Jewish!
And that one’s a coon!
Who let all of this riff-raff into the room?
There’s one smoking a joint,
And another with spots!
If I had my way,
I’d have all of you shot!
Much of the US and UK political process is grounded on democratic norms. Trump cares less about these things than the today’s Republican Party does.
Increase the number of Supreme Court judges to 20? No problem (though that would run into problems in the Senate). Order parts of the military loyal to him to torture or bug opponents? Why not?
If somebody is caught, just pardon them. The President’s power of the pardon is basically unlimited. Remember: Trump doesn’t care about downballot effects. There are no applicable personal or electoral constraints until 2020.
Trump might even be able to pardon himself. Unclear on that.
Cronyism would happen at a massive scale as Trump awards his family contracts for construction of The Great Wall of Awesome.
Then there are the nuclear codes. Trump lacks focus and is ill-tempered. It’s easy to imagine him blundering into and out of armed conflicts, empowering our enemies and alienating our allies.
Expect to see a lot of executive orders of dubious constitutionality.