Counterpunch, Satire?: Should We Rethink Presidential Powers?

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Excerpt:

 "On Dec. 21sthis nearsightedness emerges with even greater clarity. In order to secure $5 billion in funding for a completely unnecessary border wall Trump is willing to shut down the government just in time for Christmas. Forget the fact people don’t want it, and that it cannot get the votes to pass, the cost to taxpayers for a government shutdown is $6.5 billion per week. It is a repetition of his coercive practice. Trump has regularly used this terrorist tactic, earlier this year in an effort to block funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program is one example.

 But what if it is all much much worse? Trump is making everyone pay a huge price. His nuclear bomb on the economy could very well be another stunt. He has called himself a debt master, so I wouldn’t doubt that he has plans. He seems to have learned that destruction is easier than creation decades ago; he stole fortunes and left people in ruins by not paying his own bills. His echo chamber continues to get scarier, Sect. of Defense Mattis has just resigned in protest to what is ultimately Trump’s complete refusal to acknowledge expertise as he makes supreme mistakes in policy decisions. Putin and Assad are celebrating the victory Trump has gifted them this week.

 [...]

 Do we really trust Trump to resist deploying the military if he thinks it will be good for his investments? It isn’t just a matter of convincing ourselves that a serial liar will live up to the oath of office, every indication suggests the only work he has done as President has been to serve himself—he’s only ever been faithful to himself. Dedicated public servants, like Mattis with four decades of service, cannot do it, and it is time to consider the horrific possibility that a single Trump mistake could end life as we know it. It wasn’t good democracy, but at least we thought there were adults in the room to restrain a tantrum, but they’re all disappearing.

 We have a corrupt administration, and we should seriously limit the disastrous potential of such an administration or any other. If we survive, we should take the steps to protect future generations. It is just too much that life and death are abused in pursuit of selfish interests—What if he thinks starting a war could help him win an election or protect him from investigation? What if he decided to go out with a bang?"

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