From Jeff Sachs at CNN.com. Complete with the obligatory Nazi reference near the end!

"Trump is Taking U.S. Down the Path to Tyranny


The United States was born in a revolt against the tyranny of King George III. The Constitution was designed to prevent tyranny through a system of checks and balances, but in President Trump's America, those safeguards are failing.

Donald Trump holds the grandiose belief that only he should rule America. Unchecked by cowed or complicit Republicans in Congress, Trump invokes executive authority to alter policies and practices long established by law and treaty.
Days after his summit meeting with Vladimir Putin, no one knows what the two autocrats agreed to, or even talked about -- not the President's top aides, nor the Pentagon, nor security establishment or Congress, never mind the rest of us. And in the midst of the ensuing uproar, Trump has invited Putin to Washington, without telling his top intelligence official and no doubt most other key aides and officials.

The list of one-man actions grows rapidly. Trump is single-handedly imposing hundreds of billions of dollars of tariffs -- that is, taxes -- on imported goods from key US allies and China, without any explicit or implicit Congressional backing.

Trump abrogated the Iran nuclear deal despite its unanimous support by the UN Security Council. Trump is in the process of imposing new and severe sanctions against Iran, including the cutoff of all of Iran's oil exports, against the international agreement with Iran and with no vote of Congress, presumably to try to topple the Iranian regime.

Not surprisingly, and perhaps as intended, Trump's drumbeat of belligerency triggered an ominous warning from Iran, and now an escalation from Trump, casting the increasingly ominous confrontation with Iran as yet another one-man Trump show.

Trump used executive authority without Congressional mandate to impose a travel ban on several Muslim-majority states; to announce the US withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement despite treaty-bound US obligations under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change; and to change the status quo regarding Jerusalem against the will of the UN Security Council and UN General Assembly. Trump extended the stay of US troops in Syria without oversight or approval by Congress.

Political scientists are documenting America's descent toward one-man rule. A recent ranking of democracies around the world by the Swedish academic think-tank the V-Dem Institute put the US at the 31st position in 2017, a precipitous fall from 7th place in 2015. According to the report, "There is clear evidence of autocratization [the movement towards one-person rule] on several indicators.

"The lower quality of liberal democracy stems primarily from weakening constraints on the executive."

Similarly, the Democracy Index of The Economist Intelligence Unit now ranks the US only as a "flawed democracy."

Trump supporters argue that Trump is merely using his legal authority to the fullest. Yet the situation is worse than that. Simply by invoking the phrase "national security," Trump can push the Congress and Supreme Court to give him almost any degree of latitude. Trump's tariffs (under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962), the travel ban and his abrogation of the Iran nuclear deal were all made under the incantation of national security.

The Supreme Court, by a 5-4 majority, upheld the travel ban because the majority refused to second-guess the President on a claim of national security. Congress is almost completely supine on matters that the President declares to be about war and peace.

The Constitution is not supposed to work this way. Under Article I, Section 8, the power to wage war rests with Congress. So does the power to levy taxes and tariffs. Yet in each case, an aggressive President may invoke national security to circumvent the Congress. Congress's chronic failure to oversee presidential war-making, prolonged troop placements and overseas bases, with this president and earlier ones, is similarly notorious.

And Congress's failure to challenge Trump on his claims that Canada's steel and aluminum exports or China's consumer product exports constitute a "national security threat" is unforgivable.

Two long-term trends are at play, both exploited by Trump in his grab for power.

The first is the relentless growth of the national-security state since World War II, with America's hundreds of military bases and nonstop war-making around the world, including covert wars and influence campaigns run by the CIA. For more than half a century, Congress and the Supreme Court have tended to give presidents an almost free hand in starting wars, which are checked only later by the gradual mobilization of public opposition.

The second is the rise of corporate power in driving federal policy. As presidents implement the corporate agenda, Congress stands back. The Supreme Court, starting in the 1970s and continuing under Chief Justice John Roberts, has also championed the corporate lobby, giving the President a wide berth in promoting the corporate agenda. The Congress, in thrall to corporate lobbies, is complicit in letting the President unilaterally dismantle environmental and consumer-protection regulations.

Not all is lost. Special Counsel Robert Mueller and lower courts may still stand up to the President, even though the Supreme Court has become a predictable 5-4 backer of almost limitless presidential authority. Trump's assertion of power would also be counteracted if the Democrats win at least one of the chambers of Congress in November.

Yet these are fragile reeds. The US may well be one major war away from the collapse of American democracy, most likely a war with Iran for the regime change that Trump seeks.

The Nazi henchman Hermann Göring explained in Nuremberg prison how easy it is to mobilize the public to war: "Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same way in any country."

Trump has started with a trade war, but we shouldn't be surprised if the trade war morphs into a hot one. We are far down the path to tyranny."

quote:

Trump has started with a trade war, but we shouldn't be surprised if the trade war morphs into a hot one. We are far down the path to tyranny."

Trump put all the tariffs in place in Canada and the EU?

Substitute the term "democrat" for Trump and you have the leftist true agenda.

Interesting spin. Many thing there that are true and within his lawful authority as President. Most all of it (if not absolutely all of it) seem to be examples of good things to me, yet the sky is falling for the spinmeister.

The thing that really gets me though, is where was this guy when Zippy the wonder putz was using his “pen and phone”?

Another example of how the Left continues to try and cook the books with polls to try and make it seem like the public doesn't like or want Trump:


I listen to a local conservative talk radio station out of Philly and the afternoon drive guy took a call from someone that went like this:

Hi Rich (the radio host) I got a call today that was very strange. It was a pollster who wanted to ask me questions about President Trump's performance. After he asked he which party I affiliated with and I told him "Republican", there was a pause and then "Oh, OK but we've reached our quota for today for you" and promptly hung up!

quote:

Originally posted by slosig:

The thing that really gets me though, is where was this guy when Zippy the wonder putz was using his “pen and phone”?

That;s the funny part. Executive power was great in service of the progressive agenda and GOP Congressional checks were "obstruction." Now executive power is tyranny and the lack of obstruction is a failure of the constitutional order.

Partisan hackery at its finest (worst).

If President Trump is becoming hitler, he's doing a horrible job!

• Supporting religious freedom
  
• Reducing government
  
• Decreasing taxation
  
• Still hasn't jailed his opposition, who are publicly advocating a coup
  
• Allows opposition propaganda to be broadcast
  
• Working on world peace
  

But what do I know....I'm already dead from:

1. U.S. removal from Paris Climate scam
2. No more Net Neutrality
3. Tax Cuts

quote:

from Jeff Sachs at CNN.com. Complete with the obligatory Nazi reference near the end!

Jeffrey Sachs is as establishment internationalist as they come. Doesn't surprise me that he's drifted over to domestic politics to keep his credibility as a Trump-hater.
Sachs supports huge foreign aid programs despite evidence they have done great harm.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news...r-on-interview-terms

President Donald Trump would agree to an interview with Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigators if it’s limited to questions on whether his presidential campaign colluded with Russia in the 2016 election, lawyer Rudy Giuliani said on Monday night.

Trump is demanding in return that he isn’t asked questions about obstruction of justice in the probe into election interference, under a proposal the president’s legal team submitted to Mueller, Giuliani said.

The president’s legal team is concerned that Mueller and his staff might believe witnesses who contradicted Trump’s account, such as former FBI Director James Comey, Giuliani said. That could leave the president vulnerable to a perjury charge, he added.

Mueller hasn’t yet responded to the proposal, Giuliani, a former mayor of New York, said on Monday.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I fear any interview w Mueller's team will be a huge risk. These Mueller rabid dogs are out for blood.

They know that as of right now, they look pretty pathetic. Mueller has spent over 20 million and he hasn't come close to "collusion" or obstruction.

Trump should not do it, keep them working and guessing and making up crap and then tweet about how bad these people are, there is no upside to doing this.

quote:

Originally posted by sdy:


President Donald Trump would agree to an interview with Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigators if it’s limited to questions on whether his presidential campaign colluded with Russia in the 2016 election, lawyer Rudy Giuliani said on Monday night.

1. I think Rudy needs to STFU, unless this is some kind of ruse to keep the Democrats guessing and going crazy.

2. I don't thing President Trump should go within 500 feet of the guy.

"The Proud Boys" are an alt-right group of Trump supporters. I don't know anything about them beyond that. This video shows one of them getting the crap beat out of him at a protest over a black woman who was shot by police.

Is it actually a member of The Proud Boys, or just some white guy who tagged as "a Trump supporter" in the wrong place at the wrong time? Whichever, it's more evidence of the growing political violence in the country.

http://dailycaller.com/2018/07...eo-proud-boy-beaten/

Polls don’t mean much, but FWIW…

“The new-all time personal best displays President Trump’s approval rating rose over two-percent from the previous quarter’s 39.1 percent average and beat his first three-month average of 41.3 percent.
…
Intense criticism from both Republicans and Democrats over President Trump dismissal of Russian election meddling during the 2016 election in a joint press conference with President Vladimir Putin failed to impact Mr. Trump’s 42 percent approval rating between July 16-22…”

www.breitbart.com/big-governme...t-approval-ever/amp/

President Trump speaking at the VFW National Convention in Kansas City, best part starts at 41:32




Link to original video: https://youtu.be/NEj2KjACB-I

This raises so many questions. I wonder how much, and to who, CNN had to pay a bucket load of money in order to obtain this hit job. And if this is apart of some kind of investigation, whoever leaked it should be looking at criminal charges.

CNN Obtains Cohen / Trump Recording

A little levity:




Link to original video: https://youtu.be/f9_ztVHAafk

quote:

Originally posted by Sr_Bull:
This raises so many questions. I wonder how much, and to who, CNN had to pay a bucket load of money in order to obtain this hit job. And if this is apart of some kind of investigation, whoever leaked it should be looking at criminal charges.

CNN Obtains Cohen / Trump Recording

Well, I'll post the article so no one else has to give those commies at CNN any more visits than necessary.

Exclusive: CNN obtains secret Trump-Cohen tape
By Chris Cuomo, Kara Scannell and Eli Watkins, CNN

Updated 9:50 PM ET, Tue July 24, 2018

(CNN)Presidential candidate Donald Trump is heard on tape discussing with his attorney Michael Cohen how they would buy the rights to a Playboy model's story about an alleged affair Trump had with her years earlier, according to the audio recording of the conversation aired exclusively on CNN's "Cuomo Prime Time."

The recording offers the public a glimpse at the confidential discussions between Trump and Cohen, and it confirms the man who now occupies the Oval Office had contemporaneous knowledge of a proposal to buy the rights to the story of Karen McDougal, a woman who has alleged she had an extramarital affair with Trump about a decade ago.

Cohen told Trump about his plans to set up a company and finance the purchase of the rights from American Media, which publishes the National Enquirer.
"I need to open up a company for the transfer of all of that info regarding our friend David," Cohen said in the recording, likely a reference to American Media head David Pecker.

Trump interrupts Cohen asking, "What financing?" according to the recording. When Cohen tells Trump, "We'll have to pay." Trump is heard saying "pay with cash" but the audio is muddled and it's unclear whether he suggests paying with cash or not paying. Cohen says, "no, no" but it is not clear what is said next.
No payment was ever made from Trump, Rudy Giuliani, the President's attorney, has said. Giuliani has previously acknowledged that the recorded discussion related to the buying the story rights.

The recording, which was provided to CNN by Cohen's attorney Lanny Davis, was made in September 2016.
"What is this about? This is about honesty versus false disparagement of Michael Cohen. Why is Giuliani out falsely disparaging Michael Cohen -- because they fear him," Davis said on "Cuomo Prime Time."

"What do they fear, Chris? Why am I representing him? They fear that he has the truth about Donald Trump. He will someday speak the truth about Donald Trump. The truth is that when Donald Trump said 'cash,' which Rudy Giuliani knows that only drug dealers and mobsters talk about cash, it was, you heard Michael Cohen ... say what? 'No, no, no, no.'"

Davis later added: "Ladies and gentlemen, if you voted for Donald Trump, listen to the tape and ask yourself: Is Donald Trump lying when he said he didn't use the word 'cash' and accuses Michael Cohen of using the word 'cash'? Cohen has been disparaged. Cohen has been insulted and called all sorts of things by people around Donald Trump."

Alan Futerfas, a lawyer for the Trump Organization, refuted that the tape shows Trump was offering a cash payment.

"Whoever is telling Davis that cash in that conversation refers to green currency is lying to him," Futerfas told CNN. "There's no transaction done in green currency. It doesn't happen. The whole deal never happened. If it was going to happen, it would be a payment to a large company that would obviously be accompanied by an agreement of sale. Those documents would be prepared by lawyers on both sides."

Cash, in the conversation, was in reference to how a deal would be financed, Futerfas added.
"The word cash came up in the context of the distinction between financing, which is referenced, and no financing, which means a full payment, a total one-time payment. That's the context in which the word cash is used," he said. "Anyone who knows anything about the company or how the President does business knows there is no green cash. Everything is documented. Every penny is documented."

Court filings said federal prosecutors have obtained 12 audio recordings from the FBI raids on Cohen earlier this year. CNN previously reported that Trump's lawyers waived attorney-client privilege on the President's behalf regarding the recording involving him personally.

The discussion relates to whether Trump should buy the rights of the story from American Media, which paid McDougal $150,000 in August 2016 for her story about an alleged 10 month affair with Trump. The story was never published by AMI.

In addition to discussing the McDougal payment, Trump and Cohen are overheard running through a list of potential legal issues, including contesting a New York Times request to unseal divorce records from Trump's first wife Ivana as well as more mundane matters such as polling numbers and Trump surrogate Pastor Mark Burns.

Again, another wishful dream by the leftists & never-Trumpers that they're going to take down the President...BFD....this reminds me of msnbc & DJT's tax return.

Do they really think that somehow, this is going to win elections for them...the people most salivating for this are already voting for the demoKKKrats.....it's not like suddenly Republicans who've supported the President as of today are suddenly going to stop supporting him.

Another nothingburger.
Tsk tsk.

quote:

Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:


Well, I'll post the article so no one else has to give those commies at CNN any more visits than necessary.

Thank You!