3 ms·
Trump was elected on a platform with only a few big goals, and one of them was "Build the wall." This became something of a chant for his supporters. Now that T
by simonsarris 8y ago
Trump was elected on a platform with only a few big goals, and one of them was "Build the wall." This became something of a chant for his supporters. Now that Trump is president, shouldn't it be his duty to try very hard to make it a reality? Isn't that one of the most democratic things that he could do, to try and enact what he promised to the people that elected him, regardless of how good or bad an idea it is?
(note that this is not an opinion on wall proposals, which from my skimming seem like a colossal waste of money, or the procedural hijinks involved which seem like the bread and butter of American politics)
- krapp 8y ago>Isn't that one of the most democratic things that he could do, to try and enact what he promised to the people that elected him, regardless of how good or bad an idea it is? Trump has been quoted as saying he didn't need to declare a national emergency to fund the wall. He just did it because it was more expedient and he didn't want to have to deal with all that democracy and the hassle of having to compromise over it. That's not democratic. If Obama had used emergency powers for such a petty reason, say to fund the ACA, there would already be blood in the streets. Trump is president of the entire country, not just of the people who voted for him. I would hope, although I don't expect, that he could see the bigger picture.
- beatgammit 8y agoDidn't Obama do this with the Flint water issue? That turned a local issue into a national one, likely to score points for the sitting president. I disagree with both usages of the "state of emergency", and I really wish presidents couldn't do it as easily as they can.