Yesterday’s Supreme Court ruling was the latest iteration of Trump’s Muslim Ban… now renamed a “Travel Ban”... ruled NOT unconstitutional due to “National Security” powers conferred to the “Commander-in-Chief”. This marks (by my count) at least the third time Trump has used “National Security” in his short presidency to push through policies that otherwise would never survive a vote in Congress… even THIS Conservative-controlled Congress.
Two other instances are (of course) his despicable citing of the Mexican gang “MS-13” to distract from his unconscionable policy of separating children from their parents as they cross our Southern border. The other, citing “National Security” to justify imposing steel tariffs on Canada (of all countries.)
More and more often, we are seeing Trump using “National Security” to circumvent opposition to his ridiculous, otherwise unjustifiable policies. And I fully expect him to continue doing so because Trump has proven over & over again that he has no patience for “process” and doesn’t like being told he can’t do something. He has even proclaimed (on numerous occasions) his admiration of strongman dictators and how they don’t have to seek anyone’s approval to “get things done.” Xi of China, Un of North Korea, Erdogan of Turkey and (most conspicuously) Putin. And Trump finally got approval of his Soviet-style “Military Parade” next November.
And despite campaigning on his disgust of President Obama’s use of “illegal & unconstitutional Executive Orders”, Trump has issued more EO’s by this point in his presidency (77) than President Obama had (57).
Beware. The more often Trump finds abusing his power as “Commander-in-Chief” for political expediency works, with a friendly Congress unwilling to reign him in, and a compliant Supreme Court that has now established “National Security” is a justifiable excuse for everything a president wants to do, we are going to see more of it.
...and America continuing it’s disturbing slide toward Fascism.