One thing about it, we are all in this soup together. The Donald Trump administration—otherwise known as the Fiat Presidency—seems to be hell-bent on bullying its way through an improper management of the U.S. government. Mr. Trump, as measured by accomplishments, efficiencies and common sense—was not a good, effective or efficient POTUS his first time around, and this second time he is starting off as if to lower the reputation of that deficit administration even more.
Sitting behind the Resolute Desk proudly displaying his signature on at least 13 pieces of presidential perfidy, Mr. Trump laid out a roadmap of federal lawsuits upcoming. For one thing, he issued an executive order outlawing birth place citizenship (also known as birthright citizenship) in the U.S., which instantly begat a slew of lawsuits attacking the legality of that executive order. The POTUS simply does not have the legal authority to single-handedly eviscerate a U.S. constitutional guarantee (the 14th amendment), but he is trying it anyway. He has already begun acting as if he intends to be King of the U.S., rather than mere POTUS (remember in his prior presidential stint, he sent to Queen Elizabeth II, just before a visit to England, a copy of his fictionalized House of Trump list, in a pretentious display that was laughed at.)
He also recently eliminated over 16 inspector General positions , which were a part of the U.S. government intended to provide non-partisan analysis of the legality of a large part of governmental business. Inspector Generals conduct independent investigations and audits into any potential malfeasance, fraud, waste or abuse by a government agency or its personnel, and issues reports and recommendations on its findings that can then be acted on. Inspector generals are intended to operate independently and not be directed by the POTUS’ Office. As expected, Mr. Trump’s order to eliminate them is already being challenged in Court and will probably be overturned (it violates the 2022 bipartisan Inspector Generals Act), as the vast majority of such orders from him were during his first term. In fact, his ratio of success in such endeavors was only 20/100 the last time. And he does not seem to have learned much from his first administration. This is sort of like his 6 bankruptcies in the casino business. He never learned how to make that business a success—experience has not been a good teacher for him, apparently.
The inspector generals dispatched by Mr. Trump (but most likely to be restored by court order very quickly) include the Inspector Generals for the Department of Health and Human Services, the inspector general of the Small Business Administration, and watchdogs at the departments of agriculture, commerce, defence, education, housing and urban development, interior, labor, transportation and veterans affairs, as well as the Environmental Protection Agency.
Created by Congress because of the Watergate scandal, and intended to curb corruption, waste and fraud, the inspector generals are independent watchdogs who work within federal agencies but are not controlled by the head of those agencies. They are meant to be guards against mismanagement and abuse of power. Clearly, Mr. Trump does not care for those kind of controls but may have to live with them regardless.
As the Trump administration battles with California officials over whether FEMA and other federal help will be sent to California in the wake of the recent wildfires, it will remain interesting how Mr. Trump fares in keeping prying public eyes on what his administration does and does not do.
After his first administration, he is ranked dead last in terms of the best-worse POTUS in history. This new term is already starting off as if he will renew his stranglehold on that last place assessment. He will, doubtless, not be remembered as either a great man or a great POTUS.
By the way, Mr. Trump also seems to be trying to cancel Head Start and Medicaid funding, as we finish this article. We’ll see what happens. A bull in a China shop indeed!!
Professor David L. Horne is founder and executive director of PAPPEI, the Pan African Public Policy and Ethical Institute, which is a new 501(c)(3) pending community-based organization or non-governmental organization (NGO). It is the stepparent organization for the California Black Think Tank which still operates and which meets every fourth Friday.
DISCLAIMER: The beliefs and viewpoints expressed in opinion pieces, letters to the editor, by columnists and/or contributing writers are not necessarily those of OurWeekly.
