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This is true but every recent president has expanded powers, and had their party agree. Due to my age, I first noticed it with Bush then when Obama continued it

by klik99 1mo ago

This is true but every recent president has expanded powers, and had their party agree. Due to my age, I first noticed it with Bush then when Obama continued it, it felt weird to be fine with allowing more power in the executive branch when it’s someone you support, because that’ll add to the precedent for the next person who you don’t support. The presidency has come a long way since Washington and Trump 2.0 is a clear result / continuation of what’s been happening for as long as I’ve been paying attention.

somenameforme 1mo ago
Exactly. People forget things like Obama signing a law into existence that allows for the indefinite detention of Americans without trial or charge if you claim they're connected to terrorism. [1] As far as I know that law has not yet been used. However that leads to two issues. (1) It could be at any time. The current issues with Israel are rife for abuse to the point that I'm somewhat surprised it hasn't yet been used. And (2) if the law hasn't been used then WTF did we even consider signing it into power, let alone actually doing it? Something like this should never be done, but if done one would think it would only be in the face of an imminent and urgent need. Instead we seemed to have just casually signed unconstitutional executive tyranny into power 'just in case.' The only way we're ever going to reign in executive power is if one party or the other starts rolling back executive power while they're in power. But when people are in power they seem to convince themselves that it will always be like this, and so when it comes to power all they can say is 'more, more, more.' [1] - https://www.aclu.org/press-releases/president-obama-signs-indefinite-detention-bill-law https://www.aclu.org/press-releases/president-obama-signs-in...
- cucumber3732842 1mo ago
  The legislature will never claw back power it gave to the executive unless overall federal power is seriously threatened IMO.
BurningFrog 1mo ago
Just a guess, but maybe this is a result of the dysfunction in Congress. Someone has to get things done, and if Congress won't do it, maybe the President has to.
- bobthepanda 1mo ago
  Realistically speaking, it is also because the nature of law and society has changed since the Constitution was drafted. Congress is not set up with so many experts in all the fields of society and cannot literally line by line specify all the regulations pertaining to, say, aviation.

by klik99 1mo ago

somenameforme 1mo ago

Exactly. People forget things like Obama signing a law into existence that allows for the indefinite detention of Americans without trial or charge if you claim they're connected to terrorism. [1] As far as I know that law has not yet been used. However that leads to two issues. (1) It could be at any time. The current issues with Israel are rife for abuse to the point that I'm somewhat surprised it hasn't yet been used. And (2) if the law hasn't been used then WTF did we even consider signing it into power, let alone actually doing it? Something like this should never be done, but if done one would think it would only be in the face of an imminent and urgent need. Instead we seemed to have just casually signed unconstitutional executive tyranny into power 'just in case.' The only way we're ever going to reign in executive power is if one party or the other starts rolling back executive power while they're in power. But when people are in power they seem to convince themselves that it will always be like this, and so when it comes to power all they can say is 'more, more, more.' [1] - https://www.aclu.org/press-releases/president-obama-signs-indefinite-detention-bill-law https://www.aclu.org/press-releases/president-obama-signs-in...

cucumber3732842 1mo ago
The legislature will never claw back power it gave to the executive unless overall federal power is seriously threatened IMO.

BurningFrog 1mo ago

Just a guess, but maybe this is a result of the dysfunction in Congress. Someone has to get things done, and if Congress won't do it, maybe the President has to.

bobthepanda 1mo ago
Realistically speaking, it is also because the nature of law and society has changed since the Constitution was drafted. Congress is not set up with so many experts in all the fields of society and cannot literally line by line specify all the regulations pertaining to, say, aviation.