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Could you give an example of how the President could "very easily accomplish huge strides with a single stroke of a pen?" The government is specifically design

Could you give an example of how the President could "very easily accomplish huge strides with a single stroke of a pen?" The government is specifically designed against what you are stating is/should be the norm. This is literally the antithesis of the American government's mandate and design.

mkempe 11y ago
Abolish the surveillance state, for one.
- ethanbond 11y ago
  Can you outline more specifically what that means? Just dismiss and lay off the NSA? What about the CIA? How about the DIA? What prevents DEA/ATF from taking up the reins? What about the FBI? Welcome to government, the only ecosystem designed to kill productivity for fear of tyranny.
  - mkempe 11y ago
    You could, if you wanted to. He and his consiglieri could too, if he wanted to. The obstacle is not the means, it is the end. He likes the Surveillance State.
pdeuchler 11y ago
The President managed to authorize a taskforce of 500 software engineers without much fuss, I don't see your point here. But even assuming your premise, First Ladies are very often tasked with lip service public good projects, it probably wouldn't hurt to add some Presidential oomph to the existing forays. That seems like very easy low hanging fruit.
- ethanbond 11y ago
  A power that's delegated to him by the Constitution. There are very specific guidelines surrounding what a President (or any other member of government) can and cannot do. You're saying the President should spend more time putting his name behind social initiatives? Something tells me you'd be unimpressed. Not that he shouldn't do it, but, as you said, he's assembled a 500-person strong startup to rebuild gov't infrastructure and numerous people here find it futile.
- crdb 11y ago
  Looking at the top comment though, it does not look like these 500 software engineers have much power. If they had, they could effect real change. Finding budget for 500 programmers is a drop in the ocean of the current Federal budget. They probably could get a few of the drivers moving parts around for the JSF program to drive a little slower for a couple of days and use the fuel savings.

mkempe 11y ago

Abolish the surveillance state, for one.

ethanbond 11y ago
Can you outline more specifically what that means? Just dismiss and lay off the NSA? What about the CIA? How about the DIA? What prevents DEA/ATF from taking up the reins? What about the FBI? Welcome to government, the only ecosystem designed to kill productivity for fear of tyranny.
- mkempe 11y ago
  You could, if you wanted to. He and his consiglieri could too, if he wanted to. The obstacle is not the means, it is the end. He likes the Surveillance State.

pdeuchler 11y ago

The President managed to authorize a taskforce of 500 software engineers without much fuss, I don't see your point here. But even assuming your premise, First Ladies are very often tasked with lip service public good projects, it probably wouldn't hurt to add some Presidential oomph to the existing forays. That seems like very easy low hanging fruit.

ethanbond 11y ago
A power that's delegated to him by the Constitution. There are very specific guidelines surrounding what a President (or any other member of government) can and cannot do. You're saying the President should spend more time putting his name behind social initiatives? Something tells me you'd be unimpressed. Not that he shouldn't do it, but, as you said, he's assembled a 500-person strong startup to rebuild gov't infrastructure and numerous people here find it futile.
crdb 11y ago
Looking at the top comment though, it does not look like these 500 software engineers have much power. If they had, they could effect real change. Finding budget for 500 programmers is a drop in the ocean of the current Federal budget. They probably could get a few of the drivers moving parts around for the JSF program to drive a little slower for a couple of days and use the fuel savings.