General Discussion

True Blue Door

(2,969 posts)

76. Presidential power has gone up and down with time.

Thu Sep 18, 2014, 01:45 PM

Sep 2014

Wilson and FDR's powers were theoretically absolute in total war, but never came close to trying to exercise it as such, and they were careful to maintain most of the forms of democracy even where they were assured of getting their way by the public mood.

Reagan wasn't especially powerful, he just appointed a lot of criminals who ignored the law. (Most felony convictions of any administration's appointees to date)

Bush was the opposite of FDR, and was sort of a logical extension of Reagan. His legal powers were not that extensive even with the Patriot Act, but he completely ignored the law and did whatever he wanted that was within his regime's practical capability. But ironically you lose some level of power when you abandon the pretense of law, so it weakened itself a lot more than was necessary.

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Facts Our Party Will Not Officially Admit, That It Must [View all] True Blue Door Sep 2014 OP

Whaaaaat?!! The Emperor is naked?!!! No way! librechik Sep 2014 #1

"Nobody's perfect." True Blue Door Sep 2014 #3

the Dems just don't want to call them out. They think they'll get killed. Literally. librechik Sep 2014 #5

I agree, our leaders are physically afraid of the GOP's terrorist leanings. True Blue Door Sep 2014 #7

Yep! ^ world wide wally Sep 2014 #8

Right, but can't the bad guys be given the anthrax this time? nt valerief Sep 2014 #10

Oh baloney. People like Diane Feinstein are not afraid of being killed by truedelphi Sep 2014 #94

Really, if the status quo is treating you fine BuelahWitch Sep 2014 #145

+1 merrily Sep 2014 #182

who got anthrax? Where's Paul Wellstone today? How is President Kennedy enjoying his retirement? yurbud Sep 2014 #101

They KNOW they Will Get Wellstoned if they Don't Go Along AndyTiedye Sep 2014 #114

"Wellstoned" chervilant Sep 2014 #156

Are you suggesting these points should be part of the Democratic Party Platform? el_bryanto Sep 2014 #2

That would be one option, not exclusive to anything else. True Blue Door Sep 2014 #4

Than what exactly should be done - el_bryanto Sep 2014 #6

The historical issues would need to be broached as secondary comments True Blue Door Sep 2014 #9

Well I agree that we need to make voter suppression a key issue in the upcoming election el_bryanto Sep 2014 #18

Sounds like a manifesto or declaration of independence. Nuclear Unicorn Sep 2014 #36

+10000, thank you for uncomplicated TRUTH heaven05 Sep 2014 #11

Lack of spine ...noted. L0oniX Sep 2014 #13

Let's all accept full responsibility. True Blue Door Sep 2014 #16

The Democratic Party leadership are cowards and have been since November 22, 1963. Scuba Sep 2014 #31

no problem with that, statement heaven05 Sep 2014 #42

If they are corrupt then they aren't necessarily cowards. stillwaiting Sep 2014 #62

Interesting idea. As a block to better Democrats. Never considered that. merrily Sep 2014 #181

+10000000 noiretextatique Sep 2014 #122

USA ...the place where everyone tries to fuck over everyone. Old news. L0oniX Sep 2014 #12

I don't think it would be possible to miss the point any more than that. True Blue Door Sep 2014 #19

Your snark is evidence of my statement. L0oniX Sep 2014 #20

Your statement is a self-fulfilling prophecy. True Blue Door Sep 2014 #83

Enjoy your extended stay. L0oniX Sep 2014 #120

They've been dreaming of a "permanent Republic majority" since Nixon starroute Sep 2014 #14

I think we have to create our own opposition. True Blue Door Sep 2014 #26

I don't think these things can be done artificially starroute Sep 2014 #41

Good points, very depressing. True Blue Door Sep 2014 #84

Democracy only works as long as nobody gets greedy starroute Sep 2014 #87

Until we as a species return greed from the list of virtues Jackpine Radical Sep 2014 #135

Just a Republican thing, huh? woo me with science Sep 2014 #15

Excellent. Some of us know... ballyhoo Sep 2014 #17

Thank you for the linked summary.... n/t xocet Sep 2014 #22

Nice list. I agree. GliderGuider Sep 2014 #23

make a list heaven05 Sep 2014 #24

Your inability to see the forest for the trees is duly noted. True Blue Door Sep 2014 #28

So, you're only blind in one eye. Fuddnik Sep 2014 #39

You're blind in both eyes. True Blue Door Sep 2014 #54

I think trying to build street cred is a subtle thing... Dreamer Tatum Sep 2014 #59

? True Blue Door Sep 2014 #73

2+2=5! woo me with science Sep 2014 #64

Reminds me of a Libertarian I once had to deal with a lot. True Blue Door Sep 2014 #70

That must have been quite a struggle for you. nt Dreamer Tatum Sep 2014 #74

Where did that come from? True Blue Door Sep 2014 #78

In case you are series, your post can be taken in more than one way. It appears to me that you rhett o rick Sep 2014 #184

+1 L0oniX Sep 2014 #123

This message was self-deleted by its author Maedhros Sep 2014 #77

Obama did not try to CLOSE the Guantanamo Bay prison, Maedhros Sep 2014 #75

He ordered the facility closed, not "moved." True Blue Door Sep 2014 #82

he wanted Gauntanemo closed and moved to the Thomas Correctional Center in Illnois. m-lekktor Sep 2014 #90

That's not a military facility. It has no institutional connection to Gitmo. True Blue Door Sep 2014 #92

Our biggest danger is the meme that Republicanism is our biggest danger. rhett o rick Sep 2014 #110

yep. corporate control and influence is not solely a republican problem. cali Sep 2014 #170

It really seems to make you uncomfortable to have people disagree with you.... Oktober Sep 2014 #151

Don't worry. Hillary will save us. RufusTFirefly Sep 2014 #49

The good news is there seems to be fewer willing to pretend... polichick Sep 2014 #69

Don't forget Goldman! Octafish Sep 2014 #111

Yeah, I didn't notice all of that stopping when Obama became president. cui bono Sep 2014 #129

"before they assume the powers they grant to themselves via money, corrupt courts, and guns" Triana Sep 2014 #21

Pretty much. Their internet cesspools are usually full of unmoderated threats of assassination. True Blue Door Sep 2014 #30

When the State issues orders to disarm, will you? Eleanors38 Sep 2014 #45

The only arms I have are firmly attached to my shoulders. True Blue Door Sep 2014 #80

You won't mind if I don't? The mechanical ones? Eleanors38 Sep 2014 #143

If half of the OP is true, I'll never disarm. Eleanors38 Sep 2014 #44

people still believe this wonderfully effective commercial branding from the gun industry? LanternWaste Sep 2014 #105

I merely called for clarity; instead I get a surface burst. Eleanors38 Sep 2014 #142

Dictators don't typically serve out their term geek tragedy Sep 2014 #25

Forget it, he's rolling... Dr Hobbitstein Sep 2014 #32

You seriously believe they didn't exhaust every option before satisfying themselves True Blue Door Sep 2014 #38

They knew it would be guillotine time mwrguy Sep 2014 #56

Damn skippy. True Blue Door Sep 2014 #85

I seriously believe they didn't have any plans of blocking Obama or an election cali Sep 2014 #57

LOL. Fine, play that game. True Blue Door Sep 2014 #88

Oy. Those dudes were ITCHING to take the money and run. Dreamer Tatum Sep 2014 #65

Who said they were "prepared to kill every American"? True Blue Door Sep 2014 #91

So you think then that the Emperor does have clothes. truedelphi Sep 2014 #96

Was that comment meant for me? True Blue Door Sep 2014 #98

Most certainly. truedelphi Sep 2014 #139

We elected a President, not a dictator. True Blue Door Sep 2014 #146

The opening paragraph from Reagan's first inauguration address philosslayer Sep 2014 #140

Hey, I can admit I was reading from context rather than intent. True Blue Door Sep 2014 #147

IMO Bush was tired of presidentin', but it also served their purposes CJCRANE Sep 2014 #40

Chimpy and The Dick hifiguy Sep 2014 #48

"Irreversible course" - I don't see what purpose fatalism serves. True Blue Door Sep 2014 #157

It's a mistake to see them as omniscient. True Blue Door Sep 2014 #67

+1! Let me set the record straight, Democratic politicians Dustlawyer Sep 2014 #27

+1 It's corruption, not fear, that leaves the Democratic Party silent on these issues. Scuba Sep 2014 #35

oh please. cali Sep 2014 #29

Finding one who agrees with me on every single one of my 8 points would be challenging. True Blue Door Sep 2014 #148

seriously? you make the claim that finding any for EACH would be easy, and you don't cali Sep 2014 #159

Now you're just trolling. True Blue Door Sep 2014 #175

here's what I can find-very quickly- on your assertion that bush was a dictator cali Sep 2014 #160

In other words, you were just trolling when you asked rhetorically True Blue Door Sep 2014 #176

trolling? YOU have a lot of nerve, dear. No, as I point out they're scarcer than hen's teeth. cali Sep 2014 #185

Good OP. CJCRANE Sep 2014 #33

Wow! Eight for Eight! Hari Seldon Sep 2014 #34

If everything you say is true, then rusty fender Sep 2014 #37

Agreed R.Quinn Sep 2014 #46

What part of saying that Democrats need to change do you interpret as True Blue Door Sep 2014 #149

fuckin' A d_b Sep 2014 #43

Well said. hifiguy Sep 2014 #47

Jeez louise. Dreamer Tatum Sep 2014 #50

well done. I want to add that this is in the realm of will never ever happen cali Sep 2014 #55

I served twice on alerts on your reply. That's odd. NYC_SKP Sep 2014 #61

I said the statements were ridiculous, not the person. Dreamer Tatum Sep 2014 #63

Of course alerters aren't necessarily the OP. NYC_SKP Sep 2014 #66

Fair point. nt Dreamer Tatum Sep 2014 #71

#4 may be hyperbolic but it is hardly stupid. Hissyspit Sep 2014 #112

Excellent! No doubt you could have done even more. BKH70041 Sep 2014 #125

You again? Oy. True Blue Door Sep 2014 #150

9. George W. Bush wasn't the last President. Cheney was. Spitfire of ATJ Sep 2014 #51

Probably, but Bush was heinous enough on his own to justify calling him a dictator. True Blue Door Sep 2014 #97

Then there was the glee he showed when they told him the price of gas at the pump. Spitfire of ATJ Sep 2014 #99

Which brings up a whole other memory of regime fuckery. True Blue Door Sep 2014 #152

And the first thing Ahnold did was stop the Enron investigation. Spitfire of ATJ Sep 2014 #166

This cynic remains cynical Cartoonist Sep 2014 #52

The Carter administration trained and funded Savak, the Shah of Iran's secret police torturers. True Blue Door Sep 2014 #95

You get what you vote for Cartoonist Sep 2014 #121

I disagree that you've never voted for an honest man. True Blue Door Sep 2014 #179

Me and Diogenes Cartoonist Sep 2014 #183

I have to disagree with #7. Every two years there are 435 separate elections for totodeinhere Sep 2014 #53

yup, voters failed to understand the importance of 2010 election and the Dems failed to tell them librechik Sep 2014 #72

Specious rationalization. True Blue Door Sep 2014 #81

No, a majority of people in a majority of House districts voted for the Republican. totodeinhere Sep 2014 #100

Let's be clearer about this concept. True Blue Door Sep 2014 #177

No your analogy doesn't work because by law each House district must have totodeinhere Sep 2014 #190

Not even close. Population per Rep. varies by as much as 59% from state to state. True Blue Door Sep 2014 #191

lol. your entire OP is filled with "specious". It claims opinion as fact cali Sep 2014 #169

All you have is denial and alternate history. No shred of reason. True Blue Door Sep 2014 #178

lol. YOU are the one making claims of opinion as fact. It is incumbent on you to cali Sep 2014 #186

One of the "facts" I see is the OP delete_bush Sep 2014 #189

I will sign on to that. zeemike Sep 2014 #58

"Rights must be asserted and defended" Jester Messiah Sep 2014 #60

Non-violent protest works just fine under most circumstances if people are committed. True Blue Door Sep 2014 #79

occupy is far from dissolved questionseverything Sep 2014 #109

correct. nt navarth Sep 2014 #131

A loan buyback program is pretty far removed from a mass street-protest. True Blue Door Sep 2014 #162

Two things that set the Civil Rights marchers apart from OWS Jester Messiah Sep 2014 #133

What separated Civil Rights from OWS was, as I said, commitment. True Blue Door Sep 2014 #163

the difference in the civil rights protests of the 60s and ows questionseverything Sep 2014 #167

Again, no. True Blue Door Sep 2014 #174

On your #1, I would say the Presidency became a dictatorship. mmonk Sep 2014 #68

Presidential power has gone up and down with time. True Blue Door Sep 2014 #76

you admit bush was lawless questionseverything Sep 2014 #103

I "square" it by the fact that Obama, unlike Bush, is not a dictator True Blue Door Sep 2014 #193

Agreed. mmonk Sep 2014 #192

Lol. n/t jtuck004 Sep 2014 #86

MUST. LOOK. FORWARD. blkmusclmachine Sep 2014 #89

MUST. IMPROVE. READING. COMPREHENSION. True Blue Door Sep 2014 #93

indeed stupidicus Sep 2014 #118

In (y)our dreams 99th_Monkey Sep 2014 #102

The real problem viInd_340 Sep 2014 #104

Wish I could Duval Sep 2014 #106

agree. hopemountain Sep 2014 #132

K&R#82 n/t bobthedrummer Sep 2014 #107

As much as I agree with most of what you say, Obama is not blameless in all of this. Welibs Sep 2014 #108

there's 5 mins 1dogleft Sep 2014 #113

And 8 years of mine. grahamhgreen Sep 2014 #115

K.... Oktober Sep 2014 #116

Whatever you say, Ari Fleischer. True Blue Door Sep 2014 #155

Gee, what happened to the biggie stupidicus Sep 2014 #117

Bush was not a dictator Calista241 Sep 2014 #119

he was appointed by judicial coup noiretextatique Sep 2014 #124

kick Dawson Leery Sep 2014 #126

The continuous tantrum of the Republicans during the Clinton years resulting in his bogus impeachment Denis 11 Sep 2014 #141

Agreed. nt cstanleytech Sep 2014 #127

"Saying stuff like this just makes us look like idiots" delete_bush Sep 2014 #138

That one... Oktober Sep 2014 #153

Fallacious interpretation. True Blue Door Sep 2014 #154

So, you're saying he wanted to be a dictator Calista241 Sep 2014 #165

His opposition was cowardly and pathetic. True Blue Door Sep 2014 #172

Federal law was not in effect? Calista241 Sep 2014 #180

bwahahahaha. you live in an alternate "reality" and your knowledge of history is slim. cali Sep 2014 #187

oh for the love of reason. no, he didn't respect legal boundaries. cali Sep 2014 #171

The Government doesn't work for us. We work for them. We are thoroughly owned and operated. whereisjustice Sep 2014 #128

So none of that is happening any more now that Obama is president? cui bono Sep 2014 #130

Excellent rant. Jackpine Radical Sep 2014 #134

Am I missing something? LostInAnomie Sep 2014 #136

One of the most brilliant posts I've seen Pharaoh Sep 2014 #137

Even if all you say were proven factual, I sadly suspect only a precious few would give a rat's ass indepat Sep 2014 #144

I find it hard to believe that so many DUers are taking this seriously. Firstly, cali Sep 2014 #158

Having been on DU for over 10 years myself NewJeffCT Sep 2014 #164

thanks. you're right; hyperbole is rampant on DU cali Sep 2014 #168

Your FEMA Reeducation Camp has wifi? Dreamer Tatum Sep 2014 #173

I managed to hack into NewJeffCT Sep 2014 #188

And it will take over 100 yrs to correct the disaster of the Bush Regime. baldguy Sep 2014 #161