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.
So, every time I deduct points, it’s a sad occasion. Not only because it gets us closer to no lunch, but also because it means we're all screwed.
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.
BONUS VIDEOS – If you’ve made it this far, please enjoy these refreshers from Schoolhouse Rock … things we all learned in high school, and things we all need to remember. I only include these here, because surely they are old enough where none of you will blame them for being biased against Trump.
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.
It's like a political cartoon that I can seem to find and share, but I can describe it. And a little Gemini can help fill the blanks.Imagine a two-paned cartoon. In the first pane, an orange fish is chasing a whole bunch of blue fish who are yelling watch out! Here's Gemini's attempt to recreate this...
The idea is that a lot of people are scared and running every which way, yelling “Watch out!” But once things are said and done, we will happily follow, and it will make a lot more sense. Like my friends say -- we'll all be prosperous and happy. All racism and hate will be gone, and well ... I would have no problem affording several steak dinners.
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.
And in the second pane, the orange fish is in the lead, and all the blue fish were following him, making what looked like a larger happy fish. Here is the Gemini version ...
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.
So, okay ... who's ready to deduct a point?
Independence Lost
"Dismantles or lessens the independence of five or more federal agencies" -- 1 point total.July 4, 1776. That's when our country declared independence. It would take another 12 years to develop our Constitution, which would enshrine that same independence in a Bill of Rights and a series of checks and balances. And next year, in 2026, we will celebrate our 250th anniversary of independence. Will we still have our independence? Rome had lasted for almost 1000 years. Can we beat a quarter of that length of time?
These two executive orders working together seek to do exactly what I had feared -- to dismantle or lessen the independence of agencies. Basically Trump is declaring that he has the utmost and unquestionable authority to do whatever he pleases under the executive branch. He claims it as a safeguard guaranteed by the Constitution: a separation of powers between the branches. Thus, he claims the right to control the entire executive branch and to supervise the regulations issuing from said agencies. Each of these independent agencies must now be subjected to supervision and accountability.
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?
In mid-February, Trump issued two executive orders: Ensuring Accountability for All Agencies and Ensuring Lawful Governance and Implementing the President's "DOGE" Deregulatory Initiative. (BTW, does anyone else notice that the order numbers do not appear anywhere on these official websites? How can we cross-reference these guys? I digress.)
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?
My conservative friends tell me repeatedly how Trump is playing chess and everyone else is 10 moves behind. And I'm like -- a chess player at least sticks to the rules. I would further expect a chess player to be able to successfully run a business (can anyone name any of Trump's ventures that has succeeded?) Also I would expect a chess player to know the difference between “raw earth” and “rare earth.” But perhaps that’s just me. To me, it looks like he’s playing Chutes and Ladders, and he keeps going up the chutes. (But I digress again …)
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…
And again, independence can help us to avoid these issues. The Constitution gives Congress the sole power to declare war. This was an intentional stopgap to avoid a "king" from taking over other countries alone.
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.
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…
Ministry of Truth: Here, the leaders control the flow of information. They decide what is true. This is where Winston worked, where he mostly scrubbed old documents to reflect the new Truths. But the truth of these truths, as we can see from reading the book, is that these truths are lies … showing the strange juxtaposition of two opposites: Truth and Lies.
And Trump already has this. It's not lost on me that his social media outlet is called "Truth" Social. And each post is a "truth." Trump repeatedly denounces the independent press -- calls them the lamestream media. He has largely kicked them out of the White House, and ... well ... my conservative friends despise going to those news sources. Trump tells them not to go there. I don't know how many times I've tried to show very clear evidence to my friends, and they simply won't click on the link because ... they're told not to. And in this way, Trump has already succeeding in controlling his base.
He is further trying to sue media outlets that cross him, and may even take more official actions (but hasn't yet -- which is why I haven't deducted any points on that item). The truth is: he doesn't want y'all to know the truth. Because if the general people understood what he's doing, he'd lose all his power.
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.
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.
Ministry of Peace: Trump isn't fooling me here. He isn't looking for peace. Rather, he's looking for piece. A piece of Panama. A piece of Denmark (Greenland). A piece of the British Commonwealth (Canada). A piece of Gaza.
In 1984, this Ministry was all about war. Again -- the juxtaposition of two opposites: War and Peace.
In 1984, this Ministry was all about war. Again -- the juxtaposition of two opposites: War and Peace.
Ministry of Love: This ministry is all about controlling the will of the people. Winston gets to visit this place, gets tortured, so that in the end he could declare "I love Big Brother."
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?)
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?)
Ministry of Plenty: This is a strange one, whose job is to convince people there is plenty when in fact there is scarcity (or vice-versa). It sounds strange on paper -- in one instance, chocolate rations are reduced, but the announcement says, "We are raising the chocolate rations to X" and the people cheer -- except for Winston, of course, who can see right through it.
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.
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.
Conclusion
A lot of my conservative friends champion what Trump (and Musk) are doing. Gaining efficiencies. Doing away with fraud. Reducing the federal workforce. Saving money -- we might even get bonus checks from the savings! Getting rid of regulations so we can all prosper and live more freely. Trump only wants peace and prosperity and it's necessary for him to bypass all these annoying Constitutional stopgaps in order for him to accomplish his goals.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.
