Comments on: Trump and Consolidation https://www.habitablezone.com/2018/02/04/trump-and-consolidation/ Fri, 03 Apr 2026 22:41:18 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Robert https://www.habitablezone.com/2018/02/04/trump-and-consolidation/#comment-41039 Robert Wed, 07 Feb 2018 20:38:11 +0000 https://habitablezone.com/?p=69240#comment-41039 Similar to the "broken windows" school of policing, "lawn order" devotees believe that tidy front yards make for tidy communities. Nirvana is an abundant supply of manure and a Mexican with a leaf-blower. Republicans have long declared themselves the "Party of Lawn Order", but because this was widely misheard as "law and order", most people have incorrectly believed that Republicans held the rule of law to be a sacred pillar of society. Ironic, as the manure piles ever higher. Similar to the “broken windows” school of policing, “lawn order” devotees believe that tidy front yards make for tidy communities. Nirvana is an abundant supply of manure and a Mexican with a leaf-blower.

Republicans have long declared themselves the “Party of Lawn Order”, but because this was widely misheard as “law and order”, most people have incorrectly believed that Republicans held the rule of law to be a sacred pillar of society.

Ironic, as the manure piles ever higher.

]]> By: hank https://www.habitablezone.com/2018/02/04/trump-and-consolidation/#comment-41038 hank Wed, 07 Feb 2018 16:00:27 +0000 https://habitablezone.com/?p=69240#comment-41038 Its a lot like the so-called "free market". Skilled businessmen do everything they can to frustrate free market forces, just like unscrupulous politicians do everything they can to pervert constitutional safeguards. Its a lot like the so-called “free market”. Skilled businessmen do everything they can to frustrate free market forces, just like unscrupulous politicians do everything they can to pervert constitutional safeguards.

]]> By: hank https://www.habitablezone.com/2018/02/04/trump-and-consolidation/#comment-41037 hank Wed, 07 Feb 2018 15:53:56 +0000 https://habitablezone.com/?p=69240#comment-41037 The electoral college made President Trump possible, and President Bush before him. In fact, that seems the only way Republican Presidents CAN get elected in this century. The electoral college made President Trump possible, and President Bush before him. In fact, that seems the only way Republican Presidents CAN get elected in this century.

]]> By: RobVG https://www.habitablezone.com/2018/02/04/trump-and-consolidation/#comment-41036 RobVG Wed, 07 Feb 2018 15:46:00 +0000 https://habitablezone.com/?p=69240#comment-41036 Included in "preventing majority rule" is preventing the rise of a demagogue. They had their chance. Some Republican electors expressed a desire to vote for Clinton. Included in “preventing majority rule” is preventing the rise of a demagogue. They had their chance. Some Republican electors expressed a desire to vote for Clinton.

]]> By: RobVG https://www.habitablezone.com/2018/02/04/trump-and-consolidation/#comment-41035 RobVG Wed, 07 Feb 2018 15:34:54 +0000 https://habitablezone.com/?p=69240#comment-41035 We've seen "chex-n-balances" at work the past year. Lower courts and the supreme court restricted the travel ban. State AGs and Govenors defied the federal government and declared their states "sanctuaries" and a so called Republican controlled Congress hasn't given much to the Executive branch. We’ve seen “chex-n-balances” at work the past year. Lower courts and the supreme court restricted the travel ban. State AGs and Govenors defied the federal government and declared their states “sanctuaries” and a so called Republican controlled Congress hasn’t given much to the Executive branch.

]]> By: RL https://www.habitablezone.com/2018/02/04/trump-and-consolidation/#comment-41033 RL Wed, 07 Feb 2018 11:28:00 +0000 https://habitablezone.com/?p=69240#comment-41033 Cadet bone-spurs now wants us to spend millions so tanks can drive down streets that cant support them.... If he wanted to see military equipment so badly, maybe he shouldn't have dodged the draft? https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.washingtonpost.com/amphtml/politics/trumps-marching-orders-to-the-pentagon-plan-a-grand-military-parade/2018/02/06/9e19ca88-0b55-11e8-8b0d-891602206fb7_story.html Cadet bone-spurs now wants us to spend millions so tanks can drive down streets that cant support them….

If he wanted to see military equipment so badly, maybe he shouldn’t have dodged the draft?

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.washingtonpost.com/amphtml/politics/trumps-marching-orders-to-the-pentagon-plan-a-grand-military-parade/2018/02/06/9e19ca88-0b55-11e8-8b0d-891602206fb7_story.html

]]> By: podrock https://www.habitablezone.com/2018/02/04/trump-and-consolidation/#comment-41032 podrock Wed, 07 Feb 2018 05:28:49 +0000 https://habitablezone.com/?p=69240#comment-41032 The guy wants a Military Parade! The guy wants a Military Parade!

]]> By: RL https://www.habitablezone.com/2018/02/04/trump-and-consolidation/#comment-41031 RL Wed, 07 Feb 2018 04:50:11 +0000 https://habitablezone.com/?p=69240#comment-41031 Yeah, its not like we have torch bearing neo-nazis marching in our streets killing people and chanting "Jews will not replace us"... We just have what Trump calls 'very fine people'.... God DAMN you are so intentionally blind! Yeah, its not like we have torch bearing neo-nazis marching in our streets killing people and chanting “Jews will not replace us”…

We just have what Trump calls ‘very fine people’….

God DAMN you are so intentionally blind!

]]> By: hank https://www.habitablezone.com/2018/02/04/trump-and-consolidation/#comment-41029 hank Wed, 07 Feb 2018 04:24:04 +0000 https://habitablezone.com/?p=69240#comment-41029 Sounds a lot like that other fairy tale, "The Invisible Hand". You know which one I mean, the one that is making a very rude gesture. Sounds a lot like that other fairy tale, “The Invisible Hand”.

You know which one I mean, the one that is making a very rude gesture.

]]> By: Robert https://www.habitablezone.com/2018/02/04/trump-and-consolidation/#comment-41028 Robert Wed, 07 Feb 2018 04:19:06 +0000 https://habitablezone.com/?p=69240#comment-41028 I almost hate to burst the bubble, Rob. But "check and balances" isn't one of the articles in the Constitution. Not even an amendment. I's just a metaphor for the Founders' hope that the three independent branches of government would naturally rein in each others' excesses, because of the natural ambitions of men. Especially politicians. But note that "checks and balances" doesn't just happen, it requires a lot of actions by ambitious and independent politicians. The Founders were afraid of the power of political parties, and justly so. A strong, disciplined political party, when it gets hold of two or more branches of the government, essentially forms a conspiracy to nullify "checks and balances". That's what we're seeing today, and that's what's so worrisome. The "system of checks and balances" won't work if Congress refuses to act to rein in the Executive branch when it gets out of line. This is one of the basic "norms" of American democracy that Trump and his Republican enablers are torching, thoughtlessly and stupidly. "It can't happen here" is a dangerous faith, and a futile one in the long run. We have to actively resist tyranny, not just when it arrives, but when it's on the horizon. We have to act to force things back into balance, not trust in some supernatural force called "chex-n-balances" to come to our rescue. I almost hate to burst the bubble, Rob.

But “check and balances” isn’t one of the articles in the Constitution. Not even an amendment. I’s just a metaphor for the Founders’ hope that the three independent branches of government would naturally rein in each others’ excesses, because of the natural ambitions of men. Especially politicians. But note that “checks and balances” doesn’t just happen, it requires a lot of actions by ambitious and independent politicians.

The Founders were afraid of the power of political parties, and justly so. A strong, disciplined political party, when it gets hold of two or more branches of the government, essentially forms a conspiracy to nullify “checks and balances”.

That’s what we’re seeing today, and that’s what’s so worrisome. The “system of checks and balances” won’t work if Congress refuses to act to rein in the Executive branch when it gets out of line. This is one of the basic “norms” of American democracy that Trump and his Republican enablers are torching, thoughtlessly and stupidly.

“It can’t happen here” is a dangerous faith, and a futile one in the long run. We have to actively resist tyranny, not just when it arrives, but when it’s on the horizon. We have to act to force things back into balance, not trust in some supernatural force called “chex-n-balances” to come to our rescue.

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