# The Biden Administration - the first 1,500 days \[NOT an Afghanistan discussion\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 8, 2020, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biden-administration-the-first-1-500-days-not-an-afghanistan-discussion/925057 "2020-11-08T15:09:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 47
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2021, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biden-administration-the-first-1-500-days-not-an-afghanistan-discussion/925057/923 "2021-07-10T00:21:51Z")
Biden today [fired the head of the Social Security Administration, Andrew Saul](https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/09/politics/social-security-commissioner-fired-by-biden/index.html), a Trump holdover whose fixed term was not due to expire until 2025. Saul is claiming that Biden has no authority to fire him because statutorily the SSA Commissioner is appointed for a fixed six-year term, and he plans to show up to work on Monday. Biden is almost certainly correct, however, due to a couple of Supreme Court rulings recently that found that statutes protecting the director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and Federal Housing Finance Agency from removal were unconstitutional breaches of separation of powers. Biden removed the later the very day the court ruled. There’s no significant difference between the SSA and those agencies in this regard. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2021, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biden-administration-the-first-1-500-days-not-an-afghanistan-discussion/925057/924 "2021-07-10T01:38:08Z")
> [@flurb](#): > > Biden is almost certainly correct, however, due to a couple of Supreme Court rulings recently that found that statutes protecting the director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and Federal Housing Finance Agency from removal were unconstitutional breaches of separation of powers. Biden removed the later the very day the court ruled. There’s no significant difference between the SSA and those agencies in this regard. Biden is also certainly correct because the admin sought an opinion from the OLC, who yesterday said, “Go ahead, Joe.” FYI, Saul’s firing offense was refusing to provide the IRS with information needed to send SS recipients stimulus checks authorized under the ARP law passed in March. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2021, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biden-administration-the-first-1-500-days-not-an-afghanistan-discussion/925057/925 "2021-07-10T02:10:34Z")
> [@squeegee](#): > > Biden is also certainly correct because the admin sought an opinion from the OLC, who yesterday said, “Go ahead, Joe.” Yes, based on the Supreme Court precedents I cited. Ultimately all OLC can offer is an opinion, and Saul could still challenge the action in court. But the SC is pretty clearly disposed against Congressional attempts to shield executive branch appointees from removal through things like statutorily-fixed terms, requirements that removal be “for cause,” etc. I’m actually a bit ambivalent on this. These kinds of protections are usually given to leaders of agencies that you want to have some independence from the political process because they serve an investigative or quasi-judicial function. Biden’s using his authority to clean house of odious Trump appointees, but the next guy will be able to do the same to his. Maybe that’s for the best but it makes me a little queasy. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2021, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biden-administration-the-first-1-500-days-not-an-afghanistan-discussion/925057/926 "2021-07-10T06:06:56Z")
So why is the Trump appointee Christopher Wray still FBI director (he was appointed to a 10 year term)? ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2021, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biden-administration-the-first-1-500-days-not-an-afghanistan-discussion/925057/927 "2021-07-10T14:29:07Z")
Great question. President Clinton fired Bill Sessions in 1993, after allegations of ethical improprieties were made against Sessions. President Trump fired James Comey in 2017, because reasons. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2021, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biden-administration-the-first-1-500-days-not-an-afghanistan-discussion/925057/928 "2021-07-10T15:05:31Z")
Because Trump got duped into appointing a decent FBI director. He tried to fire Wray during his term but backed down when even Bob Barr threatened to resign if he did. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2021, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biden-administration-the-first-1-500-days-not-an-afghanistan-discussion/925057/929 "2021-07-10T18:49:15Z")
I haven’t heard any particularly persuasive reasons why Wray should be fired (no reasons at all, actually), and I’m sure Biden doesn’t want to needlessly do so and then draw unfavorable comparisons to his predecessor and Comey. On a lighter note: > **[Paris Fashion Week: Ella Emhoff's debut and more highlights from the couture...](https://www.cnn.com/style/article/paris-couture-fashion-week-highlights-autumn-winter-2021-2022/index.html)** > > The latest run of shows in Paris signaled a return to relative normal, as the balance between digital and in-person events tipped in favor of the latter, and more international guests returned to the city this week to soak up the atmosphere. ---
**Author:** ![lum\_s\_husband](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lum_s_husband/32/3698_2.png) [@lum\_s\_husband](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lum_s_husband)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2021, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biden-administration-the-first-1-500-days-not-an-afghanistan-discussion/925057/930 "2021-07-10T23:41:35Z")
Funny that that was not true regarding torture, for example. In that case the OLC “opinion” was the final and only word. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2021, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biden-administration-the-first-1-500-days-not-an-afghanistan-discussion/925057/931 "2021-07-12T11:40:58Z")
> [@flurb](#): > > when even Bob Barr threatened to resign if he did. Why _did_ Barr make that threat? Wouldn’t having a pet at the FBI be amazingly useful? ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2021, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biden-administration-the-first-1-500-days-not-an-afghanistan-discussion/925057/932 "2021-07-12T14:52:32Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > Why _did_ Barr make that threat? Wouldn’t having a pet at the FBI be amazingly useful? First of all [Bob Barr](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Barr) is not [William Barr](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Barr). But secondly the problem with being a whore is everyone assumes you are up for anything, when the fact is most people have some lines they won’t cross. Unless you are a full-on sociopath and William Barr does not appear to be. He was at least somewhat respected, if very conservative, before he took the Trump appointment. But as that wiki notes his personal philosophy is one in which presidents should have [near absolute authority over the executive branch](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unitary_executive_theory). A philosophy Trump obviously found attractive. And Barr’s tendencies when he served under H.W. Bush fit in with what Trump wanted in an AG. But Barr had lines, even if not nearly enough for anyone not named Trump: > **[Inside William Barr’s Breakup With Trump](https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2021/06/william-barrs-trump-administration-attorney-general/619298/)** > > In the final months of the administration, the doggedly loyal attorney general finally had enough. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2021, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biden-administration-the-first-1-500-days-not-an-afghanistan-discussion/925057/933 "2021-07-12T16:12:42Z")
Barr had a pretty good rep coming out of the first Bush Administration, from his first stint at AG - but it’s all in tatters now, having stood with Twitler, and the man’s headlong attack on the Constitution, as long as he did. But better late than never. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2021, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biden-administration-the-first-1-500-days-not-an-afghanistan-discussion/925057/934 "2021-07-14T23:27:53Z")
Glad to see action on this. > **[House Dems Launch Probe Of Sham Arizona Election Audit](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/house-dems-investigate-arizona-audit_n_60ef4cede4b0b2a04a1ff7f8)** > > The Oversight Committee will look into a "highly unusual" audit seemingly designed to foster conspiracy theories and undermine confidence in elections. > [@](#): > > “The Committee is seeking to determine whether the privately funded audit conducted by your company in Arizona protects the right to vote or is instead an effort to promote baseless conspiracy theories, undermine confidence in America’s elections, and reverse the result of a free and fair election for partisan gain,” Reps. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) and Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) [wrote in a letter](https://oversight.house.gov/sites/democrats.oversight.house.gov/files/2021-07-14.CBM%20JR%20to%20Logan-Cyber%20Ninjas%20re%20Arizona%20Election%20Audit.pdf) to Cyber Ninjas CEO Douglas Logan on Wednesday. Not sure why non-Arizonan democrats drafted this letter, but, 'tis a quibble - gladder than fuck they’re gonna be lighting some fires under butts. > [@](#): > > The committee requested that Cyber Ninjas provide it with documents detailing its past business deals and its current arrangement with Arizona state Senate Republicans, as well as any record of post-election communications between the company and Trump, any Trump administration or campaign official, and members of Trump’s various legal teams, including Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell or Michael Flynn. Yeah, sure, in two weeks. > [@](#): > > The committee also requested specific evidence the company may have about any of the numerous versions of “fraud” it has claimed to unearth or suspect, including the presence of bamboo paper ballots or the involvement of CIA agents in carrying out a massive fraud scheme. Which I’m sure the Cyber Ninnies will be amenable to show as much transparency as possible on that. 🤢 ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2021, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biden-administration-the-first-1-500-days-not-an-afghanistan-discussion/925057/935 "2021-07-14T23:31:06Z")
I think anyone who takes out that much money for college loans is nuts. Actually, considering the amount I took out to complete grad school, I’m probably a bit nutso myself. But triple digit debt is insane – unless you’re graduating with a Harvard MBA or Yale Law, and even then, there are no guarantees. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2021, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biden-administration-the-first-1-500-days-not-an-afghanistan-discussion/925057/936 "2021-07-15T15:32:21Z")
This is big: > **[Biden touts 'historic' effort to reduce child poverty through expanded child...](https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/15/politics/biden-expanded-child-tax-credit-remarks/index.html)** > > President Joe Biden on Thursday touted the expanded child tax credit, a provision of his administration's Covid-19 relief package aimed at reducing child poverty that he believes could change the lives of working-class families. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2021, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biden-administration-the-first-1-500-days-not-an-afghanistan-discussion/925057/937 "2021-07-16T18:09:51Z")
> **[Trump showerhead rule on more water flow goes down the drain](https://apnews.com/article/trump-showerhead-rule-reversed-biden-6b6dc448e974a948cdcad3d43bfccbe3)** > > WASHINGTON (AP) — So much for Donald Trump’s quest for “perfect” hair. The Biden administration is reversing a Trump-era rule approved after the former president complained he wasn’t getting wet enough because of limits on water flow from... Good sense takes over again! ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2021, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biden-administration-the-first-1-500-days-not-an-afghanistan-discussion/925057/938 "2021-07-21T13:20:36Z")
“I like Ted Cruz better than a lot of his Republican colleagues do. And I _hate_ Ted Cruz.” - Al Franken > **[Ted Cruz is blocking diplomats from being confirmed, and it has nothing to do...](https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/21/politics/cruz-state-department-nominations/index.html)** > > An extraordinary effort by Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz to block nominees from being confirmed to vital jobs in the State Department is creating hurdles for the Biden administration and hindering US diplomacy, according to Democrats and Republicans... ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2021, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biden-administration-the-first-1-500-days-not-an-afghanistan-discussion/925057/939 "2021-07-21T13:42:21Z")
This says it all: > …creating hurdles for the Biden administration … ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2021, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biden-administration-the-first-1-500-days-not-an-afghanistan-discussion/925057/940 "2021-07-21T16:29:22Z")
Oh, man. I love this: > **[Catholic Monsignor Who Wanted to Deny Biden Communion Resigns After Cellphone...](https://hillreporter.com/catholic-monsignor-who-wanted-to-deny-biden-communion-resigns-after-cellphone-links-him-to-gay-dating-app-107426)** > > Catholic Monsignor Who Wanted to Deny Biden Communion Resigns After Cellphone Links Him to Gay Dating App ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2021, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biden-administration-the-first-1-500-days-not-an-afghanistan-discussion/925057/941 "2021-07-21T16:33:23Z")
My God is into irony… hehe. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2021, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biden-administration-the-first-1-500-days-not-an-afghanistan-discussion/925057/942 "2021-07-22T12:51:51Z")
POTUS goes to the people: > **[5 takeaways from President Joe Biden's CNN town hall | CNN Politics](https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/21/politics/biden-town-hall-takeaways/index.html)** > > President Joe Biden arrived in Ohio on Wednesday mindful the days for actual bipartisan governing in Washington are quickly waning. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biden-administration-the-first-1-500-days-not-an-afghanistan-discussion/925057.md?page=46) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biden-administration-the-first-1-500-days-not-an-afghanistan-discussion/925057.md?page=48)