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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe Immigration Ban is a Headfake, and Were Falling For It
I obviously cant pretend to know the intentions of the new President, but lets pretend the power consolidation move is whats actually happening. In fact, lets pretend were the Trump administration (not necessarily Trump himself, more likely his inner circle) for a second. Heres our playbook:
1. We launch a series of Executive Orders in the first week. Beforehand, we identify one that our opponents will complain loudly about and will dominate the news cycle. Immigration ban. Perfect.
2. We craft the ban to be about 20% more extreme than we actually want it to be say, lets make the explicit decision to block green card holders from defined countries from entering the US, rather than just visa holders. We create some confusion so that we can walk back from that part later, but lets make sure that its enforced to begin with.
3. We watch our opposition pour out into the streets protesting the extremes of our public measure, exactly as we intended. The protests dominate the news, but our base doesnt watch CNN anyway. The ACLU will file motions to oppose the most extreme parts of our measure, thats actually going to be useful too. We dont actually care if we win, thats why we made it more extreme than it needed to be. But in doing so, the lawsuit process will test the loyalty of those enforcing what we say.
4. While the nations attention is on our extreme EO, slip a few more nuanced moves through. For example, reconfigure the National Security Council so that its led by our inner circle. Or gut the State Departments ability to resist more extreme moves. That will have massive benefits down the road the NSC are the folks that authorize secret assassinations against enemies of the state, including American citizens. Almost nobody has time to analyze that move closely, and those that do cant get coverage.
5. When the lawsuits filed by the ACLU inevitably succeed, stay silent. Dont tell the DHS to abide by the what the federal judge says, see what they do on their own. If they capitulate to the courts, we know our power with the DHS is limited and we need to staff it with more loyal people. But if they continue enforcing our EO until we tell them not to, we know that we can completely ignore the judicial branch later on and the DHS will have our back.
6. Once the DHS has made their move, walk back from the 20% we didnt want in the first place. Let the green card holders in, and pretend thats what we meant all along. The protestors and the ACLU, both clamoring to display their efficacy, jump on the moment to declare a huge victory. The crowds dissipate, they have to go back to work.
7. When the dust settles, we have 100% of the Executive Order we originally wanted, weve tested the loyalty of a department well need later on, weve proven we can ignore an entire branch of government, and weve slipped in some subtle moves that will make the next test even easier.
Weve just tested the countrys willingness to capitulate to a fascist regime.
putitinD
(1,551 posts)Mc Mike
(9,115 posts)Lucinda
(31,170 posts)dalton99a
(81,578 posts)enough
(13,262 posts)drray23
(7,637 posts)However there are plenty of observers such as the aclu who do not go simply by whatever the headline news are.
The election of Donald Trump has spurred such groups and you can be sure they are not going to be distracted by shinny objects unlike the general public.
Pacifist Patriot
(24,654 posts)I'm considering that a litmus test of how Congress is going to capitulate to having their authority usurped by essentially repealing the Administrative Procedures Act without the legislative body having any say whatsoever.