Political discussions about everything
By snakeoil
#103576
Trump's main problem with his administration has been his lack of understanding of the many "unwritten rules" of our government. To ignore these rules invites disaster.

Dear Mr. President:

1. Our system of government is composed of three separate but equal branches. You do not tread on other's turf nor do you embarrass or scold the other branches in the press. To do so belittles your own branch of government and makes working with the others problematic.

2. You do not belittle nor berate other members of government. To do so hinders their ability to do their job and creates chaos.

3. Freedom of the press is written in the Constitution. you do not attack the free press and accuse it of publishing fake news. The libel laws are very strict in this country and if the press libels you there are remedies. Attacks of the free press invites repercussions from them.

4. You are supposed to pick the most qualified people in the USA to be cabinet leaders. In the past, most citizens could name very few cabinet secretaries. The departments just did their job with little fanfare. A wild cabinet such as you have takes much of the focus off of your accomplishments and focuses it on their mismanagement.

5. Congressmen and Senators are proud people and very proud of their service to the country. You should never berate or belittle an individual member of Congress in the press. Remember, you need them to advance your agenda.

6. The citizens of the USA look to the President to set the moral tone of the nation. The seemingly endless scandals of yourself and your cabinet, the disdain of the Emoluments Claus, the endless rounds of golf at your country club, your avoidance of the moral issues such as the gun debate and women's health issues inflames segments of the citizens and creates distrust and disgust with the government.

7. Our state department is tasked with advancing US interests and keeping us out of wars. It is customary for the State Department to be up and running very early in an administration. To date their are many Ambassadorships that have not been filled and many careen (non-partisan) State Department officials have been forced out.

8. Our cherished institutions such as the FBI, the Intelligence Community, the Military and the Justice Department are essential to the success of our system. Belittling them or berating them in the press or at political rallies serves to create doubt in those institutions and hinders the advancement of our democracy. If there is a problem, fix it as quietly as possible. Remember, as the leader of the Executive Branch, these institutions are under your guidance.

9. There have always been fringe groups that have views not held by the majority of the citizens. they have a right to be heard but your administration should be at arm's length to these groups and not foster any group over another. To roil a group for your political gain invites disaster.
By johnforbes
#103577
Every president has tried to tread on the turf of the other branches of govt.

Remember FDR's attempt to pack the Supreme Court?

Remember Obama admitting on video that he lacked the constitutional power to give amnesty to "Dreamers" but doing it anyhow?

We all remember when the press did not consist solely of Left Wing ideologues who try to destroy every Republican and help every Democrat.

As to picking the best people, did JFK pick the best lawyer in the country when he picked young and inexperienced RFK to be Attny General?

Do Members of Congress in general serve the country or serve themselves? Sadly, we all know the answer.

Did Bill Clinton set the moral tone of the nation when he got oral sex from an intern the age of his daughter while on the job in the Oval Office?

The FBI was hardly a "cherished institution" under Hoover. Or Comey.

It certainly is alarmingly clear that Brennan and Clapper were partisans who hated Trump, and it looks like Comey protected Hillary with a phony investigation (she CLEARLY broke 18 USC with her email) while abusing the FISA process to wiretap Trump.

As to improving public discourse, we have Obama's preacher -- Jeremiah Wright -- who made racist remarks about Jews and Italians and referred to God damning America.
8th Amendment

Speaking of lard-encased posteriors as johnforbes […]

Committee Suppressed

AGAIN AGAIN, what johnforbes is trying to say once[…]

See? I told you johnforbes had no justification fo[…]

After Stewart slammed Trump, which showed Stewart […]

The Best Man for the Job?

Surprisingly, Scientific American has leaned to th[…]

Mr Forbes does have the strength of a machine. An[…]

Had Kamala been an apple/tomato/cherry/peach pick[…]

8th Amendment

We have all been wondering, in the context of the […]