Article from For Liberty by Norm Leahy.
The president caused a stir when he asserted he had total authority to order the country back to work, and the federal government has “absolute power” to override state decisions on quarantines.
While legal experts and even a few members of his own party quickly pushed back on these bold claims of government power, Elizabeth Goitein, and Andrew Boyle, scholars from the liberal Brennan Center for Justice, wrote Mr. Trump’s words may not be as crazy as they sound.
Since the 1950s, they say, White House lawyers have prepared so-called “presidential emergency action documents” that would give presidents exactly the sort of sweeping authority Mr. Trump says he has.
The problem is, these documents are also secret:
These documents consist of draft proclamations, executive orders and proposals for legislation that can be quickly deployed to assert broad presidential authority in a range of worst-case scenarios. They are one of the government’s best-kept secrets. No presidential emergency action document has ever been released or even leaked. And it appears that none has ever been invoked.
It’s estimated 50 to 60 such documents exist, and they have been routinely updated.
But how do we know any of this? By following a trail of executive branch budgetary requests over the years, analysts have concluded the documents are real. The bigger proof, though, comes from historical examples that have made it into the public realm.
The bottom line: the president may have tipped his hand about the contents of these documents when he said:
“We are going to write up papers on this. It’s not going to be necessary because the governors need us one way or the other. Because ultimately it comes with the federal government.”
The Brennan Center’s Goitein and Boyle said:
It is not far-fetched to think that we might see the deployment of these documents for the first time and that they will assert presidential powers beyond those granted by Congress or recognized by the courts as flowing from the Constitution.
This may bee off topic;but important. A cursory of the English language dictates that the word president is common;but, where it refers to the leader of the United Stated the “P” is capitalized as in President. Just something I learned in the 9th Grade.
I HAVE FELT THAT EVER SINCE DONALD TRUMP,BECAME THE PRESIDENT OF USA,THAT HE HAS MORE POWER THAN HE IS USING TO HELP ALL AMERICANS AND COULD SHUT DOWN A LOT OF WHAT THE CONGRESS IS DOING.AND COULD ALSO VETO A BUNCH OF THE CRAP THAT IS BEING USED ON HIM.
THE HAPPIEST DAY FOR ME AND A LOT OF OTHER AMERICANS ; IS WHEN PELOSI AND HER BAND OF CUT THROAT BASTARDS IS A PART OF OUR PAST HISTORY.
SPOT ON!
If since day one the Dems and the media would have treated him like all other presidents Trump would not have to go to extreme measures to run the government. Every thing this man has tried to accomplish since he has been in office has been protested. If I were him I would also go to the extreme. Just get along with this President and help to govern this country and look to see how much more he can accomplish for all of us. Otherwise lose your seats in Congress in November. Remember we may forgive but we will never forget.
Actually, a copy of those powers, signed by Bill Clinton, were leaked once. They are very comprehensive.