Law be damned, Trump asserts unilateral control over executive branch, federal service (3 Viewers)

[superchuck500]

Following the Project 2025 playbook, in the last week, Trump and his newly installed loyalists have moved to (1) dismiss federal officials deemed unreliable to do his bidding (including 17 inspectors general) - many of which have protections from arbitrary dismissal, (2) freeze all science and public health activity until he can wrest full control, (3) freeze all federal assistance and grant activity deemed inconsistent with Trump's agenda, and (4) moved to terminate all federal employee telework and DEI programs.

The problem is much of this is controlled by federal law and not subject to sudden and complete change by the president through executive order. Most notably is the Impoundment Control Act of 1974 that simply codifies what is the constitutional allocation of resources where Congress appropriates money to the executive branch for a specific purpose, the executive branch must carry out that statutory purpose. This is indeed a constitutional crisis and even if Congress abdicates to Trump by acquiescing, the courts must still apply the law - or rule it unconstitutional.

And meanwhile the architect of much of this unlawful action is Russell Vought, Trump’s OMB nominee who the Senate appears ready to confirm.

120. The Impoundment Crisis of 2025

The Trump administration's Monday spending freeze is likely to provoke a crisis over the constitutionality of "impoundment"—one that the justices could well have to resolve *very* soon.

www.stevevladeck.com

 

[superchuck500]

I mentioned it earlier,but she's becoming the Anthony Kennedy of the current court. He vote will have to be earned. I have
no problem with that. That said, I do hope she changes her opinion on Roe Vs Wade,

I was quite loud about opposition to ACB - she just didn't seem to have the pedigree or the experience in my opinion, but I'll admit that I didn't read many of her opinions at the Sixth Circuit. I think she is a very thoughtful, very bright jurist and I do indeed appreciate she she seems to have no tribe in this . . . she's independent and I think thoughtful and independent are very high up there on the attributes for SCOTUS. But I'm highly doubtful of her changing her view on abortion, I think that's a core value for her as a solid catholic and I think it's why she's on the Court.

That said, perhaps as she gets older and sees how Dobbs is far more impactful than simply the abortion question - and that she's basically fed women's reproductive health to the wolves, I suppose it's possible that her view could evolve.

 

[DaveXA]

"I don't want the president to be powerful"...yet you and your ilk in Congress are enabling the idiot in chief at every turn. What exactly have you done to keep him from becoming too powerful? Not a goddamm thing that I can tell.

 

[MT15]

I don't want the president to be powerful...yet you and your ilk in Congress are enabling the idiot in chief at every turn. What exactly have you done to keep him from becoming too powerful? Not a goddamm thing that I can tell.

He is talking out of both sides of his mouth. You could see the arrogance he has toward his constituents with his snide comment along the lines of - if you yell at me you won’t get any answers at all, and I’m the closest thing you have to a representative.

Sheer arrogance.

 

[superchuck500]

 

[faceman]

I was quite loud about opposition to ACB - she just didn't seem to have the pedigree or the experience in my opinion, but I'll admit that I didn't read many of her opinions at the Sixth Circuit. I think she is a very thoughtful, very bright jurist and I do indeed appreciate she she seems to have no tribe in this . . . she's independent and I think thoughtful and independent are very high up there on the attributes for SCOTUS. But I'm highly doubtful of her changing her view on abortion, I think that's a core value for her as a solid catholic and I think it's why she's on the Court.

That said, perhaps as she gets older and sees how Dobbs is far more impactful than simply the abortion question - and that she's basically fed women's reproductive health to the wolves, I suppose it's possible that her view could evolve.

Remember David Souter was appointed by Bush 1. he was thought to be a win for the right wing. He later became one of
the most liberal judges . ACB may backfire in Trumps face like Souter did Bush. We'll see.

 

[DaveXA]

Remember David Souter was appointed by Bush 1. he was thought to be a win for the right wing. He later became one of
the most liberal judges . ACB may backfire in Trumps face like Souter did Bush. We'll see.

Doubtful. At least where abortion is concerned. But yeah, in everything else, she seems pretty independent on the issues that come before the Court. Much more than I can say for the other Justices.

 

[bird]

Doubtful. At least where abortion is concerned. But yeah, in everything else, she seems pretty independent on the issues that come before the Court. Much more than I can say for the other Justices.

Possibly. I am more concerned regarding religionism.

 

[efil4]

 

[superchuck500]

 

[DJ1BigTymer]

I...feel...safer now??? This...is...something that kept me, a citizen of the US, up at night!?!?

 

[MT15]

Doesn’t he just lay out in writing that this is retaliatory in nature? Will they sue? What recourse do they have?

 

[MT15]

The Supreme Court, barely, upholds our three-branch system of government

A bright light — and several dark warnings — in Wednesday's 5-4 vote rejecting the Trump admin's request to toss out a district court order requiring USAID payments.

open.substack.com

 

[Optimus Prime]

Scientists are banding together for a major rally in the face of the Trump administration’s mass layoffs and the dismantling of research and federal institutions.

Following weeks of demonstrations against devastating cuts at the National Park Serviceand National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, they’re gathering for a major protest Friday in the nation’s capital and at state capitals around the nation, which is expected to draw thousands of participants.

The goal is to “Stand up for Science,” and speakers at the event include prominent figures across several disciplines.

“If ever there were a time to ‘stand up for science,’ it is now,” Dr. Michael E. Mann, the director of the Center for Science, Sustainability, & the Media at the University of Pennsylvania, told The Independent in an email.……

Scientists launch major protest against ‘devastating attacks’ by Trump

Thousands are expected at rallies in defense of science on Friday in Washington, D.C., and nationwide

www.independent.co.uk

 

[Optimus Prime]

Guess this can go here
=================
The Texas governor, Greg Abbott, and, later, Elon Musk showed support on Wednesday for the firing of a state employee who refused to remove his pronouns from his work email signature.

Frank Zamora, 31, was let go from his job as a program manager at the Texas real estate commission (TREC) last month because he refused to comply with a mandate from the organisation to employees to remove gender pronouns from email signatures.

“I actually anticipated this coming, just because we knew that many changes that were being made at the federal level were being mimicked at the state level,” Zamora said.

Abbott celebrated the move on X, sharing a report from the Austin American-Statesman on the firing and writing: “A Texas state employee refused to remove pronouns from email signature. He was fired before noon.”

Musk, who was appointed by Donald Trump to lead the so-called “department of government efficiency” tasked with reducing federal spending, replied to Abbott’s post with two fire emojis……

Elon Musk and Texas governor celebrate firing of worker over pronouns in email signature

Billionaire Trump ally and Greg Abbot tweet about Frank Zamora, who was let go after refusing to remove pronouns

www.theguardian.com

 

[Mr. Blue Sky]

We need more chyrons, and more judges, like this….

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[Optimus Prime]

The state department has ordered an immediate pause on most US foreign assistance to South Africa, according to a cable seen by the Guardian, officially implementing a contentious executive order by Donald Trump.

The directive, issued on Thursday, implements Executive Order 14204 targeting what the administration called “egregious actions” by South Africa. It orders all state department entities to immediately suspend aid disbursements, with minimal exceptions.

“To effectively implement EO 14204, all bureaus, offices and missions shall pause all obligations and/or dispersion of aid or assistance to South Africa,” reads the cable, signed by the secretary of state, Marco Rubio.


The cable follows the 7 February order, amid a broader reassessment of US foreign aid which paused certain foreign assistance pending review.

The order specifically cites “unjust racial discrimination” against white Afrikaners – descendants of Dutch colonizers who implemented the segregationist regime that denied basic rights to the Black majority until 1994.

The South African-born billionaire Elon Musk, a Trump super-ally who heads the administration’s government efficiency team and has condemned his homeland for “openly racist policies”, is widely seen as influencing the administration’s stance toward a country where white South Africans, just 7% of the population, still disproportionately control most wealth and land

According to the cable, Rubio has delegated authority to Pete Marocco, a Trump loyalist who presided over the administration’s eviscerationof foreign aid programs at USAid and the state department, to determine whether specific aid programs should continue. The guidance emphasizes there is “a very high bar for such requests”.……..

US suspends aid to South Africa after Trump order

President’s decree claims white South Africans being unjustly discriminated against and orders end to foreign aid

www.theguardian.com

 

[Optimus Prime]

WASHINGTON (AP) — References to a World War II Medal of Honor recipient, the Enola Gay aircraft that dropped an atomic bomb on Japan and the first women to pass Marine infantry training are among the tens of thousands of photos and online posts marked for deletion as the Defense Department works to purge diversity, equity and inclusion content, according to a database obtained by The Associated Press.

The database, which was confirmed by U.S. officials and published by AP, includes more than 26,000 images that have been flagged for removal across every military branch. But the eventual total could be much higher.

One official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to provide details that have not been made public, said the purge could delete as many as 100,000 images or posts in total, when considering social media pages and other websites that are also being culled for DEI content. The official said it’s not clear if the database has been finalized.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had given the military until Wednesday to remove content that highlights diversity efforts in its ranks following President Donald Trump’s executive order ending those programs across the federal government……..

War heroes and military firsts are among 26,000 images flagged for removal in Pentagon's DEI purge

References to a World War II Medal of Honor recipient, the Enola Gay aircraft that dropped an atomic bomb on Japan and women and minorites are among the tens of thousands of photos and online posts marked for deletion as the Defense Department works to purge diversity, equity and inclusion content.

apnews.com

 

[Mr. Blue Sky]

My favorite reply from the comments:

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