This is what happens in China now. The Chinese people give their freedom away for what they conceive as prosperity. American evangelicals give their souls away for conservative federal judges. For us, it totally worths it. We think having conservative judgeships would give us laws of God. Doesn't that conflict us with what we snickered as shariah laws?
In many respect, it's not the laws of God we want, but the ways of Satan. In the end it's lawlessness and strongmanship became what we got in Donald Trump. Actually, many evangelicals do not even care about conservatism, we consider Trumpism patriotism and the ultimate of God's inscrutable ways. We put ruffianism and boorishness as mysterious ways God working out His plan. And in the end we will get Stalinism and Satanism. That's not God's way!
Confess and Repent!!!
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Trump Leaps to Call Shots on Combating Coronavirus, Setting Up Standoff With Governors
The president’s insistence that only he can decide if the country should reopen for business was disputed by constitutional scholars and contrasted with his earlier message that it was not for the federal government to take the lead in fighting the virus.
WASHINGTON — There once was a time when President Trump made clear that governors were the ones mainly responsible for the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. But that was Sunday. On Monday, he declared that he was really in charge and would make the decision about when and how to reopen the country.
The president’s reversal raised profound constitutional questions about the real extent of his powers and set him once again on a potential collision course with the states. For weeks, he sought to shift blame to the governors for any failures in handling the virus, presenting himself as merely a supporting player. Now as the tide begins to turn, he is claiming the lead role.
“The president of the United States calls the shots,” he said at his evening news briefing. “They can’t do anything without the approval of the president of the United States.”
Asked what provisions of the Constitution gave him the power to override the states if they wanted to remain closed, he said, “Numerous provisions,” without naming any. “When somebody’s the president of the United States, the authority is total.”
The schism threatens widespread confusion if the president and governors end up at loggerheads over how and when to begin resuming some semblance of normal life in the country once the risk of the virus begins to fade sufficiently. Conflicting orders by Washington and state capitals would leave businesses and workers in the untenable position of trying to decide which level of government to listen to when it comes to reopening doors and returning to their jobs.
The shift was just the latest of many conflicting messages sent by Mr. Trump during the course of the pandemic. At various points, he has played down the seriousness of the coronavirus, then called it the most serious situation the nation has ever confronted. He has defended China for its handling of the original outbreak, and assailed China for its handling of the original outbreak. He has called for strict social distancing, then called for reopening by Easter, then called off the plan to reopen.
Just Sunday, he took aim at Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the federal government’s top infectious disease specialist, provoking widespread concern. Hours after the doctor acknowledged that earlier action could have saved lives, Mr. Trump reposted a Twitter message that said, “Time to #FireFauci.” On Monday, the president said he would not fire Dr. Fauci and dismissed the idea that anyone would think he would do what he retweeted.
The tension with the governors over reopening comes at a critical moment in the crisis as national and state leaders facing the dual calamities of a deadly pandemic and a cratering economy try to calibrate when it would be safe to resume business and social life without resulting in a second wave of disease and death.
The president spent Monday assembling advisory committees with officials like Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and a host of other cabinet secretaries, but he later ruled out his eldest daughter, Ivanka Trump, and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, despite earlier discussion about including them.
Outside figures could also be seated, including investors and executives like Stephen A. Schwarzman from Blackstone, according to a person familiar with the discussions. It was unclear whether any public health officials like Dr. Fauci would be part of the new task force, which may be announced as early as Tuesday.
'Total authority': Trump's claim about presidential power gets pushback across political spectrum
Savannah Behrmann, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump's claim that he has total authority over governors to "reopen" states drew pushback Monday, including from some fellow conservatives.
During Monday's press briefing on the coronavirus pandemic, Trump said, “When somebody’s president of the United States, the authority is total. And that’s the way it’s got to to be. It's total. It’s total. And the governors know that."
"They will agree to it," Trump said of the governors. "But the authority of the president of the United States, having to do with the subject we’re talking about, is total.”
Federal law allows the federal government to impose quarantines in some circumstances and limit travel
between states, but the Trump administration has not invoked those powers. The Supreme Court has struck down attempts by the federal government to intervene within states and Trump would not offer specifics about the source of this power when pressed by members of the press.
Rep. Liz Cheney, R-WY., third-highest ranking Republican in the U.S. House, quoted the 10th Amendment in a tweet, seemingly responding to the president's comments:
"The federal government does not have absolute power," she wrote.
Jonathan Turley, a constitutional law professor at George Washington University who was the sole witness called by Republicans before the Judiciary Committee in the impeachment inquiry into Trump, refuted Trump's claim in a tweet: "The Constitution was written precisely [to] deny that particular claim. It also reserved to the states (& individuals) rights not expressly given to the federal government."
Bill Kristol, a conservative commentator who worked for Vice President Dan Quayle but is a consistent critic of Trump, tweeted a portion of the oath president's take when inaugurated. " 'I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.' I don’t see “the authority is total” in this oath, or in the Constitution." he wrote.
Rep. Justin Amash, I-MI, who left the Republican party last year and supported Trump's impeachment, tweeted that "Americans who believe in limited government deserve another option," while quoting Trump's tweet about authority.
In a response to someone replying that person should be him, Amash appeared to entertain the idea, saying he was "looking at it closely this week."
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, also responded to Trump’s remarks in an interview with CNN on Monday night, saying, "The President doesn't have total authority. We have a Constitution. We don't have a king."
And presidential historian Michael Beschloss ironically pointed out on Twitter that Monday was Thomas Jefferson's birthday, noting the former president's belief in "limited executive power."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Total authority': Trump's claim about presidential power gets pushback across political spectrum
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