Rewriting the Limits of Presidential Powers

[RussBLib]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by applegrove (a host of the Latest Breaking News forum).

Source: CBS News

(snips)
As Mr. Trump stated in March, "I have the right to do a lot of things that people don't even know about."

We can't know for sure, but what the president appears to have been referring to are his presidential emergency action documents, often referred to as PEADs.

They originated in the Eisenhower administration as part of an effort to try to plan for a potential Soviet nuclear attack," Goitein said. "But since then, they've expanded to address other types of emergencies as well. No presidential emergency action document has even been released, or even leaked. Not even Congress has access to them, which is really pretty extraordinary when you consider that even the most highly-classified covert military and intelligence operations have to be reported to at least eight Members of Congress, the 'Gang of Eight.'"

Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/rewriting-the-limits-of-presidential-powers/

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Saw this on the lead segment of CBS Sunday morning. They are claiming that there are these things called PEAD's that allow a president to do ANYTHING, including suspend the Constitution.

How is it that this is the first I've ever heard of these PEADs? And, I don't want to be alarmist, but under Trump?! All I can say is, you better not do it, Donald.

[NonPC]

1. Some Wild Hair Idea Run Amuck

I can't believe that some mysterious document gives a President the power to suspend the Constitution. Was this something that Bill Barr wrote?

[RussBLib]

2. You should watch that segment

On CBS Sunday Morning.

Chilling as fuck. And those powers, in the hands of this lunatic, become absurd.

Seems to me these powers should be enumerated somewhere, and short of a Constitutional Amendment, they don't seem legal.

[Newest Reality]

3. No...

Last edited Sun Aug 16, 2020, 12:44 PM - Edit history (1)

It has been around for a long time. Read up about them.

I have come across references to the PEADs over the years and most references to them are that there are sealed, secret documents that do give a President almost unlimited power and that virtually suspend our Constitution. They are supposed to allow for quick action during a REAL emergency, but we can see that they would be tools for this dictator's slow-motion coup and that makes them very dangerous.

I would venture that, if the Tyrant in Chief does use them and acts to suspend the Constitution, all bets are off in this country. It may give him all the power and take ours completely away, but that's going to create a huge schism and a lot of chaos. If there is no Constitution holding this together, then what, other than a military-style, imposed martial law binds the people themselves? Big mistake.

[iluvtennis]

7. Wow. This is scary shit. nt

[Newest Reality]

8. Yes. It is very unsettling, to say the least.

[iluvtennis]

11. It amazes me that he can spend umpteen hours of staff hours digging up arcane policies

like these PEADs. He could of used those staff hours to develop detailed national plan to handle this pandemic.

If he tries to pull this off, all of from the 50 states need to march on Washington DC - pandemic or no pandemic.

[RussBLib]

9. Funny how you can totally miss things

That other people know about. I try to stay informed, but I guess there are always limits.

This kind of emergency power seems too absolute for a democracy. We should have a national conversation about it.

But, all bets are off when you get a criminal madman in charge.

[Newest Reality]

12. Yes...

Yes, there is just a barrage of information these days and things can easily be missed or drowned out.

For myself personally, I draw a line in the sand on the abuse of those secret powers and I think it is a point for Constitution supporting Americans to ponder as a potential response:

If a rogue President uses those powers in any way that is to abuse his powers or to hold office, then their authority comes into question and there is only brute, military action left.

What I mean is that it is the Constitution itself that outlines and creates the various branches of government and the powers they have. If the Constitution is sufficiently suspended by a dictator, then we have to ask just what authority they then have.

An important question is what legitimacy power has and it can't just be a "because I say so". If the power supported by the Constitution is used to subvert or even eliminate the protections and rights of the people, that, to me, puts the powers being used to do that in question. I would consider it illegitimate because we are now just talking words on paper. Those secret documents, sealed and unavailable, are even questionable if they put our liberty as a people at stake.

I know for myself, all bets are off and certain reckless uses of power could put everything up for grabs and bring the real question of legitimacy on the forefront. That's why it is not a good idea for Hair Furor to use them for his own power grab. If the people agree, generally, then we are on a new threshold for better or worse.

[ashredux]

4. Claim some false national emergency, and shut down the election process.

[TryLogic]

5. Just watched that segment which we had recorded.

Terrifying. Seriously, we the people need to have emergency plans to deal with what Trump, Barr, and YOO (attorney who justified torture) might try.

I think individual states need to band together, not only for legal action but to stop all possible efforts of someone who wants to be a dictator and president for life.

Remember, if he looses power, he most likely goes to jail for a very long time.

[oldsoftie]

6. Just remember, GOP, any powers you claim trump has, a future Dem Pres would also have.

[TomVilmer]

10. Some more info about PEADs

http://rockyanderson.org/rockycourses/Thronson_Emergency_Powers.pdf#page=28

https://williamaarkin.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/arkins-contingency-plans-of-the-us-government.pdf#page=6

https://www.governmentattic.org/4docs/FBI-Presid-Emerg-Action-Docs_1958-1979.pdf#page=4

https://www.nrc.gov/docs/ML1501/ML15016A333.pdf#page=2

[icymist]

13. Well we have several Presidents still alive. Anyone think to ask one of them about PEADS?

You would think Presidents would know about these.

[applegrove]

14. After discussion with hosts ... LOCKING

Alert: analysis

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