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Hot Winds from Washington, the Press, the Imperial Presidency, and You
I’d like to speak to you today about how you are contributing to the fall of the republic. Yes, I do mean you. Oh, I don’t think that it’s intentional on your part. I’m certain you mean well and would like to see our republic strong and healthy for years to come. But, I’ve been watching you, and actions speak louder than words. Quite frankly, your words are also much too loud and supporting the demolition of the republic, but your actions are even worse. You act as if you have forgotten what it is to be a free and sovereign citizen of a republic.
In a republic, the sovereignty rests with the citizens. They are the deciders. They elect people to represent them in governments at various levels, but these representatives are merely citizens hired to do the business of their constituents. They are not elevated above their fellow citizens, they are selected and paid to serve, like you might hire a maid or a gardener or a plumber. Monarchy means the rule of one, and in a monarchy, the sovereignty rests in the monarch. A monarchy does not have citizens, the monarch has subjects. So, why are so many of you free and sovereign citizens acting as if you were subjects of a monarch?
“I’m doing no such thing!” you shout.
First, it’s useless to shout. We’re probably not even in the same state. You’re going to wear out your vocal cords. Second, it’s all this shouting that is the trouble in the first place. That’s especially true with what y’all are usually shouting about.
Shall we have some examples?
The President of the United States is asked about a local riot by the press. This is the first problem. Remember a few paragraphs ago where I mentioned how in a republic the officials are only elected and appointed for limited things, that they are our servants? If the maid you hire to clean your house holds the opinion that zebu are better than western cattle, do you care? Is this within the scope of her duties? I mean, if she is constantly spouting off on the greatness of zebu meat, all unsolicited, you might ask her to stop talking about it, especially if you’re a vegetarian. But are you going to ask her about it and give her opinion great weight on the matter just because you hired her to clean your house? I mean, she’s not even the cook. Who in Harry’s sweet acre cares what she thinks about cattle?
The President of the United States is hired by the people to defend the Constitution and to faithfully execute the laws that are properly passed. The Constitution restricts the Federal Government to a very limited list of things that they are supposed to do. Commenting on local riots is not on that list. Suppressing local riots is not on the list unless said locale happens to be on federal land. The President’s opinion on a local riot is no more important than my opinion or your opinion or, assuming your maid is a citizen, your maid’s opinion on the aforementioned local riot. The President is usually not even from the same state where the riot occurs. President Trump is certainly not from Virginia, for instance. Giving what the President says more weight than deserved on a subject outside of his jurisdiction is one step towards the fall of the republic.
Partially, this is the press not doing their job. Even a press in opposition is being sycophantic when they give our hired employee’s opinion on specific events more credence than is earned or associated with the position. You are understanding me correctly if you are reading this as calling out even the most Progressive elements of our press corps as Donald Trump’s sycophants. You should call them this, too. It feels good and brings a smile. “Hey, Jim Acosta! Why are you Donald Trump’s sycophant?”
Now you may question my use of the word. Doesn’t sycophant mean someone who is servile and a flatterer? But isn’t it servile, self-seeking flattery to act as if someone in power’s every word on every subject matters? They may be trying to tear him down, but they are in reality building him up to be much more important, much more monarchical, much more imperial than the position warrants.
So, what about you? Are you upset about how the President answered the question? Are you pleased over what he said? Have you been yelling either at the president or cheering for him as things unfolded? If you’ve been feeling those emotions, you, too, are supporting the imperial presidency and the fall of the republic.
On the other hand, if you think, “Who in Harry’s sweet acre cares what he thinks about that? We hired him to protect the Constitution and execute the properly-passed federal laws,” and are disgusted with the press for being sycophants, congratulations. You are one of the few still acting like the sovereign citizen of a republic.
No, I am not trying to tell you what to think. Think whatever you please. I am merely pointing out the consequences of your actions. Don’t look at me that way. Instead, let’s look at some other recent events in the news.
Mrs. Trump was seen boarding an aircraft wearing stiletto heels on her way to the flood zone in Texas. Again, the press acted as if this mattered. She is a private citizen. Yes, she is married to the guy we hired to protect the Constitution and blah-de-blah-de-blah-de, but so what? Most of the press are married to or siblings of or children of some official or another in Washington. Do they report on what they wear and how out-of-touch it means they are? They demonstrate it, they show it, but they never have to actually tell us. Again, although they are trying to tear down the President and everyone associated with him, this is elevating the couple up to imperial status. As a citizen of the United States, my footwear is just as important as Mrs. Trump’s, yet the press has never reported on the subject. I’ll have you know my shoes are much more interesting. They have character. And the right one is developing a hole in the sole.
Members of Congress, still the opposite of progress, are talking about a disaster relief funding bill. The press says there is a great controversy because Senator Cruz opposed the Sandy disaster relief bill, but now that his state is hit, it’s important to get funding. Therefore, they tell us, Cruz is a hypocrite. But the senator says that the Sandy bill was filled with ridiculous amounts of pork, and that was why he voted against it. He says he wants a clean bill with no pork for Hurricane Harvey disaster relief.
But why are we talking about federal disaster relief? I can’t find that as one of the enumerated powers within the Constitution. Seriously, it’s not in there. Look for yourself. That should be taken care of by the people, or if necessary the local government, or if and only if necessary, the state. So, how come we have FEMA and federal disaster relief? Well, it’s because our Federal Government has expanded in the fashion of an imperial bureaucracy. In systems terms, we call it “shifting the burden to the intervener.” It’s like having that guy constantly watching over your shoulder and telling you, “No, you’re not doing it right. This is what you ought to be doing.” After awhile, you shout, “Fine, if you’re so smart, you do it!” And so he does. Not as well as you were doing it, of course. But now he’s in charge and can do it however he wants to do it, even if it’s the wrong way. Federal disaster relief shows that the Federal Government is taxing you too much to do things it’s not supposed to be doing.
Let’s look at one more instance of what passes for news recently. Donald Trump told the North Korean dictator that his sending missiles over towards Guam would be a bad idea. President Trump used what some might call a strong formulation in what he said would happen. Guess what? These are foreign affairs and military matters. It’s covered by the Constitution. What President Trump says on this matters. It’s consequential. It’s like what your maid says about vacuuming. Guess what else? Despite the number of members of the press who set their hair on fire about how President Trump worded his warning, the President was right. Kim backed down. Sure, he later tossed a missile over Japan, but he hasn’t shot one near Guam as he had said he would. Maybe President Trump understands the psychology of Kim better than members of the press do. Thank goodness we didn’t elect Jim Acosta to anything…other than chief Presidential sycophant from CNN.
Being much more serious than the earlier tone of this article, if we wish the republic to continue and not fall into monarchy, we need to be vigilant in how we treat our elected servants. We need to insist that our members of the press also be vigilant in how they treat the servants. We do not need a sycophantic press building up an imperial presidency. George III exercised far less power than every president of the last eighty years has exercised over our lives. George III also exercised far less attention in the lives of his people than our modern presidents do. Please be careful as you are watching the news. For those in the admirable position of reporting the news, please use good judgment and do not contribute to the fall of the republic.
Finally, if by some chance this gets before the eyes of President Trump, Mr. President, you are wonderful at pushing back against the press. When they ask questions that are outside the bounds of your Constitutional authority, please push back and tell them your opinion on that issue is no more important than their opinion or the maid’s opinion.
Thank you.
Published in General
Do you think they want to be called Trump’s sycophants? That is step one. Make fun of them as the fawning lackeys they are, and explain to them and their editors regularly why this is true. If they hear enough of it, they will change their tune.
First, it’s useless to shout. We’re probably not even in the same state. You’re going to wear out your vocal cords.
Hahaha! Win them over with humor, I always say. Great post.
Thank you.
Reminds me of a line from Taming of the Shrew.
There’s small choice in rotten apples
That taste like derriere.
I think I’ll go back to Harry’s sweet acre now.
“The President of the United States is hired by the people to defend the Constitution and to faithfully execute the laws that are properly passed. The Constitution restricts the Federal Government to a very limited list of things that they are supposed to do. Commenting on local riots is not on that list.”
However, commenting on local riots that have been incited by and perpetuated by a conspiracy of government officials over many states in tandem with a band of well funded and nationally organized thugs that cross statelines is. In fact, the President as Chief Law Enforcement officer as well as his Attorney General Jeff Sessions should have not only commented but should have investigated this criminal travesty long ago.
I ‘m all for holding the President to the strict construction of the Constitution and particularly the Take Care clause which to my mind no President in modern times, including the otherwise great Ronald Reagan, has bothered to enforce. May I ask where were you during the term of our last President who seemed to purposely violate the Constitution at will?
Why don’t we start with some US Attorneys first? If the President is doing anything, it should be directing something be done behind the scenes. Likewise, the AG should be asking his US Attorneys what is being done…if Federal laws seem to be being broken. For a US Attorney to comment that there is an investigation is fine. For the President or AG (or FBI Director) to grandstand about it is quite another issue.
I was writing stuff like this on my own blog, now defunct, until I found Ricochet. By the time I came here, Obama had been in office for over three years, and my fiery rhetoric had cooled considerably, since it was doing no good to complain. I prefer to teach where I can rather than just carping. If you look through the 206 conversations I have started, you will find a few more like this. For instance, here is one on illegal immigration from before Trump was running on the issue.
I knew you weren’t sitting on your front porch on your rocker screaming. “GET OFF MY LAWN “. ?
He can do both.
You guys have no one to blame for the Federal Toilet Paper Service Agency’s creation but yourselves. I mean, how hard is it to:
A) put the seat down
and
B) go out to the linen closet and get a new roll to replace the one you just used up ?? We women didn’t wanna do it, but we created that agency out of bare necessity! (Very bare, sometimes.)
Step two is to stop calling them by titles after they leave office. Bugs the hell out of me that they call Gingrich Speaker, and Obama and Bush president, and so forth. With the practice going all the way down to dog catchers, you have millions of people by now demanding to be called by titles they don’t hold.
Yes, your Honor.
Or screech the fingernails all the way down the blackboard: “Secretary Clinton.”