Politics
No president should have unlimited power
“Slaves need leaders. Free people stand up and claim their rights.” I have never forgotten these words from a prominent Virginian in the civil rights movement who did not want to be identified as “a black leader” by the media.
Sadly, many Americans today seem to have a servile mindset. They want a strong leader to tell them what to think about national and international issues and they are happy that the leader’s whim is the only determining factor in what these policies should be. This trend has been evident for some time and is not confined to a single political party.
We have seen a glaring example of the spread of this rot in the action of the Republican National Convention. For the first time since the Whigs called for “Tippecanoe and Tyler, too” in their 1840 agreement, there was no platform committee to weigh the pros and cons of a position on this or that. question, no draft of their findings. submitted to delegates for approval or amendment.
Instead, delegates pledged to support President Donald Trump in whatever he may decide to say or do. Alexander Lukashenko, Vladimir Putin or Xi Jinping would expect no less from their party congress, but it is shocking that Americans are following their model.
The drafters of the Constitution were aware of the danger of entrusting too much to a single national leader. George Mason of Virginia, for example, said: “If strong and extensive powers are vested in the Executive, and this Executive is made up of one person, the government will of course degenerate into a monarchy.”
Reading article II of the Constitution, I am surprised at how little independent authority they granted to the executive. He is “Commander-in-Chief of the United States Army and Navy and of the Militia of several States, when called up to present United States service.”
He has the power to grant pardon for misdemeanors, except in cases of indictment, and “he will receive ambassadors and other public ministers.” It can recommend to Congress for consideration “such measures as it deems necessary and appropriate”.
By identifying “enemies” and fomenting proxy wars, successive Democratic and Republican administrations have used “national security,” a term that can mean anything and nothing, to increase the authority of the commander-in-chief.
With the current administration, National Security allows for inroads into immigration and naturalization, trade with foreign nations, appropriation of funds, and a host of other areas constitutionally assigned to Congress. A congress lying on its back seems content to allow the executive to repeal treaties, impose tariffs and import duties, often for frivolous reasons or to favor a particular American company.
There is a clear and present danger in giving unlimited power to a president of either party, left, right or centrist. In the face of a global pandemic, a global climate crisis, a global economic stalemate, it makes no sense to allow an ill-informed leader to set policy based on quack medical theories, climate denial and petty grudges.
When President and Congress united in 1798 to pass the Alien and Sedition Acts, restricting the freedom of foreign-born residents and restricting freedom of speech and of the press, James Madison and Thomas Jefferson proposed a remedy. in the Virginia and Kentucky resolutions. They proposed state intervention to suspend the legislation. If ever this were a remedy, its adoption by segregationists to thwart school integration and the rights of African-American citizens has permanently erased this possibility.
How to respond to a national party which offers itself as a buffer to the presidential whim and to an accomplice Congress which looks elsewhere? I think it’s obvious.
We must elect members of Congress and senators who will stand alone and claim their constitutional rights. We need representatives who are committed to the interests of their constituents, not waiting to be told what to think and do when they arrive in Washington. We need representatives who reflect the diversity of ideas in our vast country and who are ready to debate it.
Richard MacMaster, retired history professor, lives in Gainesville.
What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online
LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos
picture credit
to request, modification Contact us at Here or [email protected]
 |  |  |
