Dear Friends,

LISTEN TO THIS WEEK’S PROGRAM:

(00:44) Is the US on the path to dictatorship?
(20:50) Try what in a small town?
(38:59) Things are heating up
(53:06) New study on dietary choices misses the mark, with Kathy Byrnes

Dr. Charles Goldman

“Unitary Executive” is the theory that the US president holds the power to control the entire executive branch. That’s not how it works now, of course. Agencies within the executive branch of the federal government operate in a semi-autonomous fashion, which puts them a step removed from undue political influence.

Ok, that’s how it’s supposed to work. Yet we all know that political pressure impacts policy. The EPA’s management of air quality standards. Or the FDA’s approval of new drugs. Or the FCC’s cancellation of the Fairness Doctrine.

But it could be worse, much worse. Charles argues that if Trump is again elected president, the puppeteers pulling his strings (e.g., Steve Miller, John McEntee, Russell Vought) would institute the unitary executive within Trump’s first year.

From 2016-2020, they couldn’t accomplish this since the puppeteers weren’t prepared for or even expecting Trump to win. Now, they’re ready, says Charles, and they’ve got all the pieces and many of the people lined up.

This change would be horrid. Why? Well, think of the EPA under Scott Pruitt, who orchestrated the rollback of Barrack Obama’s environmental regulations on climate change at the behest of fossil fuel interests. Then think of that approach across the vast spectrum of the federal government’s reach. Every agency, every key federal employee, marching in lockstep with the President’s corporate-friendly agenda — the ultimate big, wet, subsidized kiss to the special interests already adept at squeezing privilege out of our tax dollars.

While Charles sees the establishment of the unitary executive principle as significantly weakening the Constitution’s triad of federal power, he doesn’t see it leading to outright fascism — not yet, at least. Perhaps an equally power-hungry but less inept president than Trump could use unitary executive authority to become a genuine dictator. I hope we never have to find out.

Finally, as Charles points out, Trump doesn’t need to understand the details of unitary executive theory, save for the sweet reality that he will finally be The King. His second term would focus on: (1) pardoning himself, if needed, (2) satisfying his insatiable narcissism, and (3) most important, launching the Trump revenge tour to punish all his deep-state “enemies.”

We’ll see. While some of the writing on the wall is faintly legible, a lot of unknowns will transpire between now and the November, 2024, election. Keep hope alive, and keep fighting.

Thanks for reading, listening, and taking action.

*******

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Ed Fallon