Guest opinion: Prime Minister Donald Trump
by Gordon S. Jones
During the recently concluded presidential campaign, Democrats were fond of warning the voting public that Republican Candidate Donald Trump was set and determined to destroy âour democracy,â by making it clear that they thought he considered himself âabove the law,â which no one is.
At its root, the charge was (and is) that Donald Trump wanted to make himself an Absolute Monarch, in the manner of a 17th century Tudor or Bourbon monarch. It is true that those dynasties claimed to rule by Divine Right, but I think the Democrats have mistaken their autocracy. The real pattern for the Trump model is not Absolute Monarchy, but the British Parliamentary system of a ruling party in parliament led by a Prime Minister...
Under Donald Trump, what we are seeing is the emergence of a unified government with the president proposing measures to Congress with no toleration for dissent from his will. Dissenters are threatened with primary opposition, financial support of opponents, personal attacks in the press and social media, withdrawal of some of the perquisites of seniority in the House and Senate, even threats to their personal safety. Few are able to resist these pressures, particularly in view of the fact that dissenters often agree with much of the Governmentâs policy agenda...
I do not impute to President Trump any nefarious desire on his part to destroy the balance of power that has prevailed in this country since its inception. I do not think he thinks very much about such âdetailsâ at all.
Nevertheless, that is the direction in which things are moving. There is only one hope, and that is that Congress will recognize that direction, and assert its right to question, challenge, modify, amend, improve, even reject, proposals and nominations by the Executive Branch. (Read More)
News Releases
Lee introduces DEFUND Act to pull USA from UN
Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) has introduced the Disengaging Entirely from the United Nations Debacle (DEFUND) Act, which calls for the United Statesâ complete withdrawal from the United Nations (UN). This legislation addresses grave issues of national sovereignty and fiscal accountability which have plagued US involvement in the UN. (Read More)
Lee introduces Modernizing Retrospective Regulatory Review Act for 119th Congress
On Thursday, Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) introduced the Modernizing Retrospective Regulatory Review Act, which directs the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) to leverage technology to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of reviews on outdated and redundant regulations. The legislation is co-sponsored by Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-WY). Congressman Andy Biggs (R-AZ) has introduced the companion bill in the House of Representatives. (Read More)
GOEOâs Startup State and Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute hold first official business idea competition
Yesterday, the Governorâs Office of Economic Opportunityâs (GOEO) Startup State Initiative and Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute hosted the first official Get Started: Business Idea Challenge. The challenge, which will occur monthly, invites entrepreneurs to share their business idea and compete to receive up to $500 in micro-funding to help in the vital early phases of starting their business. (Read More)
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