Hindsight is 20-20. Coulda woulda shoulda. So now Trump's lawless and egregious wreckage of democratic norms is Biden's fault? Where is your post about the laws Trump has broken, and another about the abdication of the Legislative and Judicial branches of their responsibility to provide a check on the Executive Branch? What-about-ism should reflect both sides, if you claim to be truly balanced. I try to keep an open mind to your efforts to be balanced, but I don't remember reading such posts, so I looked back a bit in your archive. You make allusions here and there within other topics, but I don't see anything like a clear-eyed, factual catalogue of Trump's anti-democratic actions, similar to this accusatory hit piece on the Biden administration. Perhaps you are worried about protecting your own journalistic access?
Why is it always a Democrat's responsibility to manage the Right's hateful, Fascist, lying, conspiracy loving, anti science impulses? I don't remember anyone making us their "Mommy or Daddy". I blame the millions of uninformed, (I could add a long string of other less kind descriptors here but I won't), people that voted for this train wreck of a government. If we're lucky and enough people come to their senses soon it may only set us back a few generations (and that assumes we get legitimate elections). I can't even interact with people any longer because if I find out they supported Trump I can't be civil, my angers too great. This mess wasn't Biden's fault, it wasn't his responsibility to fix either, it was ours! I've been reading you for years Gabe but you're losing me with this kind of effort.
I do find it frustrating that there wasn't a "common sense consensus" after Trump was elected again that these reforms were bipartisan expected reaction by Congress.
We got a cycle where iirc will the senate just not advise on appointments and let Trump do that unilaterally lol
I'm sorry to hear that, Jessica. I've been reading Gabe since he was in high school, and while I disagree with his approach in this column, I'm not going to cancel my subscription because of it. I have learned a lot from him. I would like a response from him to my question, though...why make it Biden's fault?
That’s great. I think Gabe is brilliant. However, I’ve tried to give the benefit of the doubt and challenge my own biases, but I’ve noticed the same thing in multiple pieces. And if I have to keep wondering 1) why he is treating this administration’s activities as normal (which encourages his readers who are Trump supporters to normalize Trump’s actions) and 2) if critical pieces of information are left out purposely, because of bias, or because of error, I’m then left with the fact that I can get more consistent and trustworthy information elsewhere that is worth it for me to spend $80 a year.
How many hours are there in one day? I agree that Biden could have focused some of his efforts on Trump proofing more of the government, but his most urgent focus-as I think it should have been- was to try to repair some of the damage Trump did to the lives of the American people in his first term. The infrastructure and other major bills passed by Congress helped all the states address issues that benefited everyone. No one knew when Biden started his presidency in January of 2020 that Trump 2.0 would smash through so many guard rails. Not sure that your suggested Trump proofing wouldn’t have suffered the same.
I think Trump has conclusively shown that it would have been impossible to Trump proof the presidency. No matter what roadblocks you put in his way he would have found a way to get around them. Putting cronies in high places lets you circumvent a lot of rules and regulations. Just look at the notion of a third term. You would think the fact that the Constitution specifically limits the president to two terms would be sufficient, but no, apparently it is not and we are hearing more and more about Trump’s third term. I am curious though about why you are even writing about Trump proofing in the first place. Do you actually think there are aspects of the Trump presidency that should not have been allowed? That’s important. But please, don’t you think the blame should go to Trump himself rather than that convenient whipping boy Joe Biden?
If your in charge, and could have done something, and didn't , due to your own priorities and family, that is on the person in charge, not the party or its members.
I am afraid that all comers keep forgetting the most basic fact about public misconduct.
There is no prevention against it if the law doesn’t expose the offender to any meaningful liability.
In theory the impeachment clauses provided for executive and judicial officers to become liable to prosecution upon removal. In practice, it has only ever worked against those officers who do NOT have a significant partisan following. Everyone with such a following who wins an election or a confirmation gains a license to steal.
So I have little confidence that the problem can be solved with this procedural rule, that disclosure requirement, or the other regulatory action. The problem can only be solved with law enforcement that is fully independent from the executive. But nobody anywhere knows how to achieve that.
Let’s remember how President Clinton committed perjury, about sex, in a sexual harassment case from another woman. Was impeached, not convicted. Partisan Democrats voted for no liability for lying, in the 90s.
Wow. You are blaming Biden for this train wreck of an administration. Look again. The blame is totally on the current guy who does not follow laws and procedures.
I agree with a large portion of what you said but lay the blame on my fellow Americans. We do need a President who can bob and weave and straight jackets don’t help…but then it’s on us to elect someone who won’t abuse that authority.
So, in summary, Biden was more interested in building up his own power than in “saving democracy.” The fact that Trump was an authoritarian threat was viewed as convenient, not existential.
Bob Bauer and Jack Goldsmith have done a lot of work /including a book) on this topic, focusing on Congress”s failures. See https://www.execfunctions.org/ if interested in more on this disgraceful failure.
If Biden & prior Presidents “lawfully” did stuff, doing so becomes the norm. Each President wants more power to more easily fulfill heir promises.
The Biden objections to reform are exactly why Trump has the powers Biden had. It is precisely because the other party will sometime win and have the powers to do what they want, that such powers should be limited. Like the excellent automatic sunset unless confirmed by Congress.
I notice top comment by Blue Femme carefully avoids giving any specific law Trump violated, merely claiming it, blah blah blah.
Hindsight is 20-20. Coulda woulda shoulda. So now Trump's lawless and egregious wreckage of democratic norms is Biden's fault? Where is your post about the laws Trump has broken, and another about the abdication of the Legislative and Judicial branches of their responsibility to provide a check on the Executive Branch? What-about-ism should reflect both sides, if you claim to be truly balanced. I try to keep an open mind to your efforts to be balanced, but I don't remember reading such posts, so I looked back a bit in your archive. You make allusions here and there within other topics, but I don't see anything like a clear-eyed, factual catalogue of Trump's anti-democratic actions, similar to this accusatory hit piece on the Biden administration. Perhaps you are worried about protecting your own journalistic access?
Why is it always a Democrat's responsibility to manage the Right's hateful, Fascist, lying, conspiracy loving, anti science impulses? I don't remember anyone making us their "Mommy or Daddy". I blame the millions of uninformed, (I could add a long string of other less kind descriptors here but I won't), people that voted for this train wreck of a government. If we're lucky and enough people come to their senses soon it may only set us back a few generations (and that assumes we get legitimate elections). I can't even interact with people any longer because if I find out they supported Trump I can't be civil, my angers too great. This mess wasn't Biden's fault, it wasn't his responsibility to fix either, it was ours! I've been reading you for years Gabe but you're losing me with this kind of effort.
I do find it frustrating that there wasn't a "common sense consensus" after Trump was elected again that these reforms were bipartisan expected reaction by Congress.
We got a cycle where iirc will the senate just not advise on appointments and let Trump do that unilaterally lol
This. Thank you. I’m done with this Substack now.
I'm sorry to hear that, Jessica. I've been reading Gabe since he was in high school, and while I disagree with his approach in this column, I'm not going to cancel my subscription because of it. I have learned a lot from him. I would like a response from him to my question, though...why make it Biden's fault?
That’s great. I think Gabe is brilliant. However, I’ve tried to give the benefit of the doubt and challenge my own biases, but I’ve noticed the same thing in multiple pieces. And if I have to keep wondering 1) why he is treating this administration’s activities as normal (which encourages his readers who are Trump supporters to normalize Trump’s actions) and 2) if critical pieces of information are left out purposely, because of bias, or because of error, I’m then left with the fact that I can get more consistent and trustworthy information elsewhere that is worth it for me to spend $80 a year.
How many hours are there in one day? I agree that Biden could have focused some of his efforts on Trump proofing more of the government, but his most urgent focus-as I think it should have been- was to try to repair some of the damage Trump did to the lives of the American people in his first term. The infrastructure and other major bills passed by Congress helped all the states address issues that benefited everyone. No one knew when Biden started his presidency in January of 2020 that Trump 2.0 would smash through so many guard rails. Not sure that your suggested Trump proofing wouldn’t have suffered the same.
He found the time to actively oppose a couple of listed bills, one would think that supporting doesn't take much more time.
I think Trump has conclusively shown that it would have been impossible to Trump proof the presidency. No matter what roadblocks you put in his way he would have found a way to get around them. Putting cronies in high places lets you circumvent a lot of rules and regulations. Just look at the notion of a third term. You would think the fact that the Constitution specifically limits the president to two terms would be sufficient, but no, apparently it is not and we are hearing more and more about Trump’s third term. I am curious though about why you are even writing about Trump proofing in the first place. Do you actually think there are aspects of the Trump presidency that should not have been allowed? That’s important. But please, don’t you think the blame should go to Trump himself rather than that convenient whipping boy Joe Biden?
Of course, it's always Biden's fault. Or some other Democrat
If your in charge, and could have done something, and didn't , due to your own priorities and family, that is on the person in charge, not the party or its members.
I am afraid that all comers keep forgetting the most basic fact about public misconduct.
There is no prevention against it if the law doesn’t expose the offender to any meaningful liability.
In theory the impeachment clauses provided for executive and judicial officers to become liable to prosecution upon removal. In practice, it has only ever worked against those officers who do NOT have a significant partisan following. Everyone with such a following who wins an election or a confirmation gains a license to steal.
So I have little confidence that the problem can be solved with this procedural rule, that disclosure requirement, or the other regulatory action. The problem can only be solved with law enforcement that is fully independent from the executive. But nobody anywhere knows how to achieve that.
Let’s remember how President Clinton committed perjury, about sex, in a sexual harassment case from another woman. Was impeached, not convicted. Partisan Democrats voted for no liability for lying, in the 90s.
We need more leaders that are prepared and willing to curtail their own powers
“More”? How about “some”?
Agree, though I do think we have at least 1 or 2 in congress that would if given the chance.
Wow. You are blaming Biden for this train wreck of an administration. Look again. The blame is totally on the current guy who does not follow laws and procedures.
I agree with a large portion of what you said but lay the blame on my fellow Americans. We do need a President who can bob and weave and straight jackets don’t help…but then it’s on us to elect someone who won’t abuse that authority.
So, in summary, Biden was more interested in building up his own power than in “saving democracy.” The fact that Trump was an authoritarian threat was viewed as convenient, not existential.
Very good article! We need this kind of neutral view! Keep up the good work Gabe!
Bob Bauer and Jack Goldsmith have done a lot of work /including a book) on this topic, focusing on Congress”s failures. See https://www.execfunctions.org/ if interested in more on this disgraceful failure.
Intriguing.
If ever there were any doubt that both parties are equally corrupt, this should put that to bed.
If Biden & prior Presidents “lawfully” did stuff, doing so becomes the norm. Each President wants more power to more easily fulfill heir promises.
The Biden objections to reform are exactly why Trump has the powers Biden had. It is precisely because the other party will sometime win and have the powers to do what they want, that such powers should be limited. Like the excellent automatic sunset unless confirmed by Congress.
I notice top comment by Blue Femme carefully avoids giving any specific law Trump violated, merely claiming it, blah blah blah.
Biden could have still pardoned his son, but only before his Constitutional Amendment was approved, if it had gotten that far.
Is there any way anyone can sue or any kind of judicial review to block Trump getting this giant payout from the Justice Department?