But first, I need to make something perfectly clear. I love my conservative friends. I understand them and their concerns. Most of them are good people who know how much I despise Trump, but still keep me around. They know that I do not condemn them because of the way they voted. (After all, when did voting ever become a sin?)
Honestly, I want this lunch to happen, because I want to be wrong. Four years from now, I want to be surrounded by my friends at a big steak dinner, and have fun. I think I'd like a cake with my prophecies written on it, so we can all enjoy eating my words. And everyone can join the chorus to tell me how wrong I've been.
Today, even after the very interesting first few weeks of Trump's presidency, my friends invite me to have patience -- that it will all make sense later -- that everyone will see and be happy.
But I remain skeptical. In fact, at this point of time, I believe it is much worse than I had originally feared. I think it would take a miracle for the lunch to happen, but so far it's still on.
He further claims that the President and AG (subject to the President's supervision and control) shall provide authoritative interpretations of law for the executive branch.
In one sense, Trump is correct. According to the Constitution, the President is supposed to supervise the executive branch. He is, after all, their leader. And in a sense, these executive orders are not illegal. It is one of the powers given to the President by the Constitution.
However, the content of many of Trump's executive orders may be illegal or unconstitutional, including the two listed above. For example, Trump seems to be confusing the roles of the different branches, their separations, and their checks and balances.
It is the Judicial Branch that is supposed to interpret laws. It's rather the job of the Executive Branch to execute the law. Sure, the very act of executing may require the action of interpreting, but the Judicial Branch has the ultimate say in interpretations -- it is their Constitutionally-given check on the other two branches.
Also, it's not usually the role of the Executive Branch to issue regulations and laws, but rather ... you guessed it ... the Legislative Branch. That second executive order listed above is thus a bit problematic, because most of those regulations were passed by Congress. So, technically the Executive Branch must enforce said laws until Congress decides to do away with them. And yes ... corollary: the vast majority of what Trump and DOGE are doing right now are technically illegal. But if the checks and balances don't kick in, then it's ... well ... the other Branches had their chance, so it implicitly becomes legal. Just think back to past presidents and how many of their executive orders were stopped by judges.
I'm sure some of you may be thinking ... these are just technicalities. Nobody cares if the ends justify the means. But no -- that's what the Constitution gave to us for protection from doing really stupid things. If we're just going to ignore the Constitution, then what good is our country?
Or said differently: if Trump is such a great leader, why can't he accomplish all these great tasks while staying within the boundaries that the Constitution has set? Why does he have to feel like he must threaten judges with impeachment who try to stop him? Why does he give Congress orders to stand down and let him just do these things?
Let's bring this back to independence ... why do I care about this so much? Well -- I did only give this item 1 point, so maybe not as important as other items? But then again, if we lose independence, some of my bigger items will happen next. It's like that tiny door that lets in a flood of water that sinks the Titanic. (That was a door -- wasn't it?)
What does independence give us? Protection! If Trump receives all the powers he thinks he should have, and he's watching over the independent agencies, and he's controlling the judges and Congress ... then who watches over the President? What's to stop him from becoming king?
Let’s compare this with some concepts from the book 1984. Independence protects us from the four Ministries…
Even if you disagree with me, I hope you at least see that an independent press is one important protection against any Ministry of Truth.
In 1984, this Ministry was all about war. Again -- the juxtaposition of two opposites: War and Peace.
I don't think we have anything like this quite yet, and yes -- because we're protected by laws passed by Congress (independence). Though, Trump often uses HATE and anger to control his people and thus direct their will. It's not quite torture, but the results seem to be the same. Ask his base, and they'll proclaim quite loudly that they "love Trump." Such devotion to one man is often off-putting. And at the same time, it does seem that specific groups are being singled out, tortured, and threatened in all of this, which is the MAIN CLUE to me that -- no -- the bad fruits of Trump are not indicative of any good will he may actually have. (How can EVERYONE be happy and prosperous when SOME are suffering direct from Trump's actions?)
And I see it happening today to a small degree in an unofficial capacity. During Biden's term when we actually had an excess of plenty and energy independence (we produced more primary energy than we consumed over the past 6 years, and broke oil production records the last 2 years), Trump had his people believe that "Bidenflation" was destroying our economy and that only Trump could save us, drop prices and stop inflation. This tactic was so successful it easily won Trump the election.
But now a little more than a month into Trump's 2nd term, prices haven't dropped. Gas prices have fluctuated around even since 1/20, and inflation has started to rise again. Stock markets have fallen somewhat due to tariff and other concerns, and are now UNDER where there were on 1/20. And a lot more people are losing their jobs. We’re even looking at NEGATIVE GDP growth for 1Q2025.
Even with all this going on, my conservative friends are posting strange rosy pictures. One of them says: "It was never about lower prices, but rather stopping DEI, etc." (Deflection.) Another person posts: "I got gas at this random gas station for $2.40. Thank you Trump!" And I just have to think: this strange Ministry of Plenty stuff must be coming from Truth Social and bots trying to deceive us.
Again, an independent press could protect us from this nonsense. Stats are readily available for all to study for themselves.
But if you would oblige me for a moment, I would like to paint a different picture. Trump does have a plan, but it's not about us. Rather, it's all about himself. He desires power, and he doesn't want anyone to stop him. That's why he's reducing the federal workforce (less people to get in his way). That's why he's taking away the independence of agencies underneath him (which independence was given by Congress through laws). That's why he firing independent watchdogs. Because with no one overseeing him, he can do whatever he wants. That's why he wants the Judicial Branch out of the way -- so he can own them and earn the right to interpret law. And he also wants to own Congress so they can pass his laws -- or stay out the way as he breaks their laws. So, as he owns the judges and the law, then ... yes, my LDS friends ... he really is a Gadianton Robber. Everything he's doing these past few weeks has been done with the sole goal of increasing his ability to corrupt EVERYTHING.
Trump claims that he's draining the swamp, but he is the swamp. He claims that he's destroying corruption, but he's filled his cabinet with people who are taking advantage ... such as Musk trying to cancel existing contracts so that his own private business can take over. Trump is trying to install cryptocurrency, a haven of corruption and Ponzi schemes that have already hurt many poor people, and has enabled much money-laundering and drug trafficking.
And lastly, Trump does not want our independence. He wants to have full control over ALL of us.
Sure -- I could be wrong here, but at least I can let you think about this possible other view. To me, it can't be more than clear -- I think the evidence all speaks for itself, and it's all there for anyone to see ... it's always been there.