POTUS does not understand the limits of his power.

Donald Trump  is frustrated in his inability to move legislation.  He said in a recent interview that the form and function of the US Constitution are "archaic" and should be restructured so that it would be "modern."  He also says that he would like to change the libel laws, evidently for the purpose of controlling dissent.  So far as I know there are no federal libel laws.  They are all state laws.  The federal constitution protects freedom of speech but the law, so far as I know, does not offer the opportunity to sue for defamation in the federal Article Three courts.  Does DT not understand that he does not control the state courts or legislatures?  He is frustrated with his inability to move legislation in the US Congress?  By analogy, if he were still in business, the response by a CEO type to a business plan for the company that obstructed his planning would be to seek to change the business plan at a stockholders meeting.  Well, pilgrims, the US Constitution is not a business plan and the US Congress is not a stockholders' meeting.   The US Constitution contains provisions for its own modification through amendment or a constitutional convention.  Neither of these processes is anything like a stockholders' meeting.  In fact the constitution was designed to make its modification difficult, and not easy at all.  An amendment required 2/3 approval in BOTH houses and 2/3 ratification by the state governments.  This was necessary in framing because a number of the original states would not have ratified the document without that approach.  Yes, that means that the Union is an agreement among the states.

The extent to which DT understands the US government system is, IMO, doubtful.  He appears to this lay observer of humans to have a number of learning disabilities; a form of Asperger's syndrome perhaps, ADHD, and dyslexia are among the possibilities.  The comedian Hassan Minhaj told the press at the White House Correspondents; Dinner on Saturday that their responsibility is greater now than it has been in previous administrations because this president does not read briefing papers, cannot endure protracted oral briefings and has little knowledge of world affairs in his mental "library."  It seems to be the case that he gets his information from 24/7  TV news .   That is really unfortunate since most 24/7 news is merely a mouthpiece for someone's information operations whether left or right.

At the same time he has watched a lot of movies  What a combination of influences!  pl

Comments

[ex-PFC Chuck]

I'm reminded of this quote of President Truman's regarding President -elect Eisenhower: “He’ll sit here, and he’ll say, ‘Do this! Do that!’ And nothing will happen. Poor Ike—it won’t be a bit like the Army. He’ll find it very frustrating.”

[Hood Canal Gardner]

Pat, I'm wondering where you pulled the "constitution are archaic and should be restructured" language? When you have time...

[turcopolier]

ex-PFC Chuck

Truman was wrong. Eisenhower recognized the difference and organized his staff t osupport efficient decision making and liaison with Congress. that's why you have the Interstate Higway syste amnog other things. pl

[turcopolier]

HCG

One of his recent TV interviews. http://www.salon.com/2017/05/01/donald-trump-doesnt-like-the-archaic-constitution-its-really-a-bad-thing-for-the-country/

pl

[Bill Herschel]

Great article in Sputnik about "imitation aggression". In this scenario, McMaster would be playing a political role fully supporting the President. The author says he prefers imitation aggression to Clinton's real aggression.

https://sputniknews.com/politics/201705011053171333-trump-policies-smokescreen/

But Krugman's article is undoubtedly correct. The levee will break. The question is what will get washed away.

[Babak Makkinejad]

Col. Lang:

Is Trump not then a good representative of US electorate; in as much as they also have a poor grasp of US system of government as well as receiving their information from 24/7 TV (propaganda) news?

More generally, was not the so-called "Tammany Hall" system a more reliable system for producing worthy elected officials?

[turcopolier]

All

One thing to remember is that there is an actual mutual defense treaty between the US and South Korea. This is US law and would come into immediate play if the NoKos act against South Korea. pl

[Mel]

Ike, having dealt with Monty, was used to the idea (that is, the idea of dealing with contrary opinions.)

[turcopolier]

Babak

clever. As you know we were better off when WASPs and other elites ran the country. pl

[John Minnerath]

DT seems prone to endless gaffe's. I was surprised when he ran and even more when he won, but now he's POTUS and I'm willing to give him some benefit of the doubt.
I'm sure he is genuinely surprised at the road blocks he runs into, even from his own party. I can't believe though, that someone his age and with his background, doesn't have a basic understanding of the Constitution and what it's all about.

I'm hoping a rocky shake down cruise by an outsider will lead to better performance soon.

The DPRK is a powder keg, but I do believe he and his advisers know it and are aware of just how much NK can be taunted.

[Edward Amame]

R Priebus gets on national tv to say that the WH is considering amending the constitution. Seriously?..the WH is looking at re-writing the First Amendment because Trump hates his press coverage? When is Priebus gonna say "enough" and get the hell outta there?

[ex-PFC Chuck]

I agree with you, Col. As I see it one of Eisenhower's most effective qualities was his ability to get real and potential rivals to underestimate him.

[sid_finster]

Where is Troy? I forget his name, but I am referring to the individual who produced so many impassioned and eloquent defenses of Trump and Trumpism in the time before Trump took office.

That is NOT snark or gloating, BTW. I am genuinely interested in his take and whether he is still on the Trump bandwagon.

@Hood Canal Gardner: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/donald-trump-us-constitution-archaic-really-bad-fox-news-100-days-trump-popularity-ratings-barack-a7710781.html

[Annem]

Trump's wishes with regard to governance may explain why he is curious to meet Erdogan
and his counterpart from the Philippines, two guys who don't let mere laws stand in their way. In the case of Erdo, he changes the whole system. In the case of the Philippines, he simply ignores it. Does he envy the control that El Sisi enjoys?

[doug]

Oh my. Describing the Constitution as archaic, aside from indicating what he really thinks of how the US governance should work, is perhaps the biggest political mistake Trump has made. It will lose him a significant fraction of his base, especially on the Republican side.

From a business POV he is used to being not only CEO, but in control of the board. He will find neither works as POTUS.

Quite an eye opener as he obviously didn't pay much attention in civics class as this appears to be new to him. The Democrats will exploit this to high heaven.

He will be used by the borg as they see fit then discarded. Otherwise he will be a huge drag on the Republicans in a year and a half, let alone the next presidential election.

[turcopolier]

james

In a parliamentary system like yours Trump would be altogether in charge so long as he maintained his majority in parliament and we do not have a king so there would be no need for the royal assent in anything. pl

[Edward Amame]

Babak Makkinejad

More generally, was not the so-called "Tammany Hall" system a more reliable system for producing worthy elected officials?

A more reliable system for producing "reliable" candidates. Both FDR and Fiorella LaGuardia were vehemently anti-Tammany Hall.

[Apol]

I am inclined to suspect that DT is playing the buffoon to hide some deadly serious
stuff going on behind this smokescreen. Am I alone in having this impression?

[LG]

tyler??

[Lars]

Donald Trump:

"I mean had Andrew Jackson been a little later you wouldn’t have had the Civil War. He was a very tough person but he had a big heart. He was really angry that he saw what was happening with regard to the Civil War, he said “There’s no reason for this.” People don’t realize, you know, the Civil War, if you think about it, why? People don’t ask that question, but why was there the Civil War? Why could that one not have been worked out?"

I guess he missed some parts of high school history.

[turcopolier]

Lars

I guess I missed parts of high school history because, I too, think that the US Civil War was unnecessary. pl

[Old Gun Pilot]

Colonel, a small correction-ratification of a proposed amendment requires a 3/4 majority of state legislatures or state conventions.

[turcopolier]

Even better. 

Sent from my iPhone

[Old Gun Pilot]

Jackson was more remarkable than we knew. He was clairvoyant: being angry about what was happening 16 years after his death. He died in 1845.

[ambrit]

Sir;
How unhinged, if he is, is the Fearless Leader of the NKs?
Wouldn't any serious aggression from the North towards the South be in essence, "suicide by cop?"
The North Koreans used to be adept at brinksmanship games. Have they miscalculated here, or is their "bluster" still useful?