First three weeks
The close of business on Thursday, February 9, 2017 marks the end of the first three weeks of the presidency of Donald J. Trump. It's been an interesting few weeks. We have a new term, alternative facts, created by a woman who has told so many falsehoods many now refer to Kellyanne Conway as Kelly Con-Job. We've had a crisis over conflicting claims about how many people were in attendance at the inauguration of our current president.
But those pale in comparison to other issues that have arisen. The extremely poorly execution and implementation of what appears to be an unconstitutional executive order, barring people from seven mostly Muslim-populated nations. Nations whose residents have yet to commit a terrorist act in the U.S.
People who support and oppose the current president argue on social media, without any apparent interest in truly hearing the opposing viewpoint. They merely seek confirmation of their own assumptions, no matter how inaccurate they might be. Those rantings are not productive.
Petitions seeking to effect change have yet to have any significant impact. One petition, calling on Congress to investigate Donald Trump with an eye to impeaching him has more than 650,000 signatures. It is almost certainly a waste of time, as the Republican-controlled House isn't going to pass a resolution of impeachment.
In 1972, before the Watergate break-in, an impeachment resolution was introduced into the House. It went nowhere. Two more pre-Watergate break-in resolutions also went nowhere. Then in July of 1973 another was introduced, calling for Nixon's impeachment for the allegedly illegal bombing of Cambodia. Tip O'Neill wrote in his autobiography what a disaster it would have been had that resolution come up for a vote; as it would have gone down to an overwhelming defeat. The House, having once failed to pass such a resolution would not have done well with another.
Remember that at that time, Democrats were in control of both the House and Senate. If the opposition party is cautious about impeaching the president, just imagine what it would take for his or her own party to begin that process.
Petitions calling for Donald Trump to release his tax returns are also probably doomed to fail. But there is a different path worthy of exploration to achieve that end. Professor George K. Yin of the University of Virginia penned an op-ed piece for the Washington Post. In it he pointed out how a Congressional committee could receive the Trump tax returns and if they feel it appropriate, release them to the full membership.
One last thought. Donald Trump sent out a tweet criticizing Nordstrom's for dropping Ivanka's line of clothes, shoes and other stuff. Now this is a man who thinks he is the world's best businessman and yet he can't wrap his head around a business making a business decision. Whether because of weak sales or boycott threats, Nordstrom's made a business decision to drop Ivanka's product line. It isn't about whether or not she is a "great person." It's about the Nordstrom's bottom line. If Donald Trump can't see that, then he isn't the business genius he keeps telling us he is.
But those pale in comparison to other issues that have arisen. The extremely poorly execution and implementation of what appears to be an unconstitutional executive order, barring people from seven mostly Muslim-populated nations. Nations whose residents have yet to commit a terrorist act in the U.S.
People who support and oppose the current president argue on social media, without any apparent interest in truly hearing the opposing viewpoint. They merely seek confirmation of their own assumptions, no matter how inaccurate they might be. Those rantings are not productive.
Petitions seeking to effect change have yet to have any significant impact. One petition, calling on Congress to investigate Donald Trump with an eye to impeaching him has more than 650,000 signatures. It is almost certainly a waste of time, as the Republican-controlled House isn't going to pass a resolution of impeachment.
In 1972, before the Watergate break-in, an impeachment resolution was introduced into the House. It went nowhere. Two more pre-Watergate break-in resolutions also went nowhere. Then in July of 1973 another was introduced, calling for Nixon's impeachment for the allegedly illegal bombing of Cambodia. Tip O'Neill wrote in his autobiography what a disaster it would have been had that resolution come up for a vote; as it would have gone down to an overwhelming defeat. The House, having once failed to pass such a resolution would not have done well with another.
Remember that at that time, Democrats were in control of both the House and Senate. If the opposition party is cautious about impeaching the president, just imagine what it would take for his or her own party to begin that process.
Petitions calling for Donald Trump to release his tax returns are also probably doomed to fail. But there is a different path worthy of exploration to achieve that end. Professor George K. Yin of the University of Virginia penned an op-ed piece for the Washington Post. In it he pointed out how a Congressional committee could receive the Trump tax returns and if they feel it appropriate, release them to the full membership.
One last thought. Donald Trump sent out a tweet criticizing Nordstrom's for dropping Ivanka's line of clothes, shoes and other stuff. Now this is a man who thinks he is the world's best businessman and yet he can't wrap his head around a business making a business decision. Whether because of weak sales or boycott threats, Nordstrom's made a business decision to drop Ivanka's product line. It isn't about whether or not she is a "great person." It's about the Nordstrom's bottom line. If Donald Trump can't see that, then he isn't the business genius he keeps telling us he is.
posted by me at 7:58 PM
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