u/YugiohXYZ

My first thought, this gets struck down by a court somehow.

But then I thought, if it is not struck down, it​ allows the next Dem president to use the same power to pay compensation to anti-ICE protesters.

Then I think bigger.

If a court authorizes​ ​Trump's action, it will establish the r-word power for any​ president.

That r-word is reparations.

Trump is asking for limitless, unregulated reparations payment power.

Oh, he wants reparations only for his supporters, but a Dem president can ​essentially use the power to ​pay any group that can argue it has been victimized by the government.

Black Americans, Native Americans, Latino Americans, Gay Americans, maybe the token White American (Hunter Biden).

My first thought, this gets struck down by a court somehow.

But then I thought, if it is not struck down, it​ allows the next Dem president to use the same power to pay compensation to anti-ICE protesters.

Then I think bigger.

If a court authorizes​ ​Trump's action, it will establish the r-word power for any​ president.

That r-word is reparations.

Trump is asking for limitless, unregulated reparations payment power.

Oh, he wants reparations only for his supporters, but a Dem president can ​essentially use the power to ​pay any group that can argue it has been victimized by the government.

Black Americans, Native Americans, Latino Americans, Gay Americans, maybe the token White American (Hunter Biden).

2 scenarios:

1. Dems have the majority even with Florida (majority Republican) seated.
2. Dems have the majority only if Florida were not seated.

They make the case Florida rigged its own ​elections by violating its own Constitution (the anti-gerrymandering provision). This assumes FL Supreme Court approved De Santis's maps.

There is a provision in the Constitution stipulating that Congress alone decides its own composition, which introduces a circular definition.

On the face of it, I don't see why Dems should not try this.

2 scenarios:

1. Dems have the majority even with Florida (majority Republican) seated.
2. Dems have the majority only if Florida were not seated.

They make the case Florida rigged its own ​elections by violating its own Constitution (the anti-gerrymandering provision). This assumes FL Supreme Court approved De Santis's maps.

There is a provision in the Constitution stipulating that Congress alone decides its own composition, which introduces a circular definition.

On the face of it, I don't see why Dems should not try this.

Red for the "r​ed pill" in The Matrix and not ​red for Republican.

There's a nuclear option that Virginia Democrats can try now their map is struck down and that is to ignore their Supreme Court ​and just institute the maps.

That's what Republican states have done when courts struck down their maps, although to a lessen extent.

It will lead to a constitutional crisis, but that's a problem for future Americans, to borrow a Homer ​Simpson quote.

But I don't suggest Democrats try that right now. Maybe in 2028 if necessary.

Why? Because Trump is still president in 2027.

Which gets me to the red pill. I predict as American politics gets more dysfunctional, ultimately the final arbiter of power will be the president and his popularity. Not the courts, not the legislature, not the Constitution.

The president is the ultimate instrument of power because​ t​he president controls the military. He controls the men with guns and the group the public accepts has the power to wield state violence.​

So ultimately, power in the legislature and other places matter, but the ultimate control goes to whichever party controls the presidency.

My nomination is​ pro-choice vs ​pro-life.