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There are obviously strong emotions on both sides regarding the actions of the first few weeks of the Trump administration. Whether you believe the goals are wo

There are obviously strong emotions on both sides regarding the actions of the first few weeks of the Trump administration. Whether you believe the goals are worthy or not, one must acknowledge that the manner in which all of this is being done is deeply disturbing. Trump will be gone in a few years, one way or the other. However, the foundations that are being poured for legitimizing a strongman, authoritarian role for the executive and almost eliminating the role of the other two branches is deeply dangerous. If you believe the goals are worthy enough that the ends justify the means, think of the worst president ever(in your opinion) and consider whether you'd want them to have the same power? Because politicians never let power go willingly. They will certainly point to Trump's precedent as a means of legitimizing their actions. My fervent hope is that our institutions are strong enough to weather this assault and that enough people make it clear to the administration that there are lines they are not willing to cross. Whether that happens remains to be seen.

russellendicott 2y ago
I just see this as an experiment to see if the system can survive without the bloat. If we need the bloat, the next person can just put it all back in. It's only 4 years.
- acdha 2y ago
  That’s like saying your car’s airbags and turn signals are bloat because you’ve never used them. It will already take more than 4 years to repair the immediate damage by firing so many people: in addition to the lost institutional knowledge, consider how much more you have to pay them to come back after proving to be an unreliable employer. If a scientist goes to Europe, they’re not lightly moving to the United States in a couple of years. Some of the long-term consequences are permanent: everyone in Europe unambiguously knows that the post-war dynamic is gone, and if they invest in their own alternatives they won’t want to throw away that investment. As an example, allies who bought F-35s are wondering if they should’ve followed the French path now that they’re faced with the prospect of being on the other side from America. If they decide to move to European control of key infrastructure, they’re not moving back for at least a generation.

russellendicott 2y ago

I just see this as an experiment to see if the system can survive without the bloat. If we need the bloat, the next person can just put it all back in. It's only 4 years.

acdha 2y ago
That’s like saying your car’s airbags and turn signals are bloat because you’ve never used them. It will already take more than 4 years to repair the immediate damage by firing so many people: in addition to the lost institutional knowledge, consider how much more you have to pay them to come back after proving to be an unreliable employer. If a scientist goes to Europe, they’re not lightly moving to the United States in a couple of years. Some of the long-term consequences are permanent: everyone in Europe unambiguously knows that the post-war dynamic is gone, and if they invest in their own alternatives they won’t want to throw away that investment. As an example, allies who bought F-35s are wondering if they should’ve followed the French path now that they’re faced with the prospect of being on the other side from America. If they decide to move to European control of key infrastructure, they’re not moving back for at least a generation.