31 January 2025

The Mad King and tariffs

Huge mistake not to have removed the unilateral power of the president to impose tariffs while we had the chance. (Hard to think of a power more clearly intended to fall in the Article I power of Congress). Now, along with a myriad of other disasters, we will have to live with the consequences, at least until somebody convinces the Mad King that this isn't working out for him (which is all he cares about). I am so sick of this already. Starting to think about moving to a democratic country (since ours no longer is, but probably that train's left the station already!)

But, anyway, to make the point: if (not when) power is restored to a democratically elected government in this country, among the first agenda items should be sharply curtail all or nearly all of the foolishly-endowed emergency presidential powers which are in statutes, not the Constitution. Congress has for far too long ceded far too much of its power ot the Presidency, in unforced errors of monumental proportions. Tariffs being only one instance. And now that the Right Wing Supreme Court has removed much of the ability of agencies to impose regulations, Congress will need to step up and enhance its staffing to draft the regulations necessary to properly govern and regulate commerce and the environment through actual language attached to the statutes, not relying on provisions the court may permit future would be dictators to just ignore. We've got a big mess to clean up, if we ever get the chance. 

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