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fandomhigh2019-10-11 09:21 am
imafuturist) wrote in fandomhigh2019-10-11 09:21 am
Practical Civics, 3rd Period - Friday
"Right," Steve said, "welcome back, fellow...fellows. Today we're going to delve a little more into Executive Branch functions when they aren't all being focused for reelecting a giant, felonious, orange Cheeto."
Steve was so righteously hacked off.
"The president is supposed to be the figurehead of the government, operating as a balance to the judiciary and legislative branches," Tony said. "Not as a dictator."
"Which seems to be news to this one," Steve huffed. "The Executive Branch, as it says in its name, is there to execute the laws passed by Congress and signed by the President--and declared Constitutional by the courts. Because the United States is so sprawling, though nothing on the scale of some of the galactic governments you all come from, those functions are sourced out to various departments. Justice, housing, defense, foreign policy, treasury issues, and so on, and each have their own budgets decided on by Congress. The thousands of people who work they have sworn oaths to the Constitution and not to the President, which also seems to be news to this one."
"So many surprises for him," Tony said, thriwing his hands up in the air. "Admittedly, this has happened after years of strengthening the unchecked power of the executive branch. And Mitch McConnell being a waste of space in the Senate. Welcome to the perfect storm of fascism."
Steve nodded in agreement. "Because the Congress is 535 people and getting them to go in any one direction is basically impossible, a lot of their authority has been transferred to the departments over the last, say, fifty years because of the assumption that the President wouldn't be an incompetent, felonious--" he coughed to not say "asshat" because of the children. "--idiot, with mutual agreed upon assumptions that were not turned into law. Which is now a huge problem."
"So, let's discuss," Tony said. "Pros and glaringly obvious cons yo a strong executive branch. What changes you would make. Again, please no murder."
Steve was so righteously hacked off.
"The president is supposed to be the figurehead of the government, operating as a balance to the judiciary and legislative branches," Tony said. "Not as a dictator."
"Which seems to be news to this one," Steve huffed. "The Executive Branch, as it says in its name, is there to execute the laws passed by Congress and signed by the President--and declared Constitutional by the courts. Because the United States is so sprawling, though nothing on the scale of some of the galactic governments you all come from, those functions are sourced out to various departments. Justice, housing, defense, foreign policy, treasury issues, and so on, and each have their own budgets decided on by Congress. The thousands of people who work they have sworn oaths to the Constitution and not to the President, which also seems to be news to this one."
"So many surprises for him," Tony said, thriwing his hands up in the air. "Admittedly, this has happened after years of strengthening the unchecked power of the executive branch. And Mitch McConnell being a waste of space in the Senate. Welcome to the perfect storm of fascism."
Steve nodded in agreement. "Because the Congress is 535 people and getting them to go in any one direction is basically impossible, a lot of their authority has been transferred to the departments over the last, say, fifty years because of the assumption that the President wouldn't be an incompetent, felonious--" he coughed to not say "asshat" because of the children. "--idiot, with mutual agreed upon assumptions that were not turned into law. Which is now a huge problem."
"So, let's discuss," Tony said. "Pros and glaringly obvious cons yo a strong executive branch. What changes you would make. Again, please no murder."
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Steve was Being Good and not checking Twitter for the latest bit of dumbassery.
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Well, she wouldn't call it 'murder,' at least? You could dress it up so much nicer than just plain old 'murder'.
"It's almost as if the idea of a government run on popular election is a naive and ineffectual system from the get-go," she said, as mildly as she could manage, but being back in her old body and having to talk about this stupid government again was making her cranky. "A strong executive leader is important, but only if that leader embodies the ideas that a nation desires to represent. If that leader is not representing those ideals, then that leader must be removed. If the systems in place don't work to remove her, then they are flawed and must be changed. Either way, something should at least be done."
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She gave Tony an apologetic look. "Assassination is a long-known tool of politics."