Separation of Powers

[prisonchaplain]

I'm an old soul. These days I'm actually an old person too, so there's that. I taught 7th grade history last year and have always appreciated the Separation of Powers. I even support the Electoral College. With that said, my understanding is that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches that the U.S. Constitution is uniquely inspired. I'm not knowledgeable about this area of instruction so would appreciate any insights. 

[NeuroTypical]

@mirkwood is probably our most expert resident expert on the topic.

[zil2]

In the meantime, the scriptures linked from this index entry on the Constitution might be of interest.

[mirkwood]

The Constitution—A Glorious Standard (churchofjesuschrist.org)

 

 

 

 

[mirkwood]

Our Divine Constitution (churchofjesuschrist.org)

 

[mirkwood]

Civic Standards for the Faithful Saints (churchofjesuschrist.org)

[mirkwood]

Defending Our Divinely Inspired Constitution (churchofjesuschrist.org)

[mikbone]

I think we should keep going.

The President and Commander in Chief should be 2 different people.

[NeuroTypical]

Who would answer to who?  We've already got the Joint Chiefs of Staff, we could add someone to be their, like, boss or something...

(It's sort of an important thing to have the details be clear to everybody.  Seems like every month or two, there's news about some military coup happening...)

[mikbone]

16 minutes ago, NeuroTypical said:

Who would answer to who?  We've already got the Joint Chiefs of Staff, we could add someone to be their, like, boss or something...

(It's sort of an important thing to have the details be clear to everybody.  Seems like every month or two, there's news about some military coup happening...)

Doesn't matter.  

I bet neither Trump nor Biden has been in a fist fight.

One person should be in charge of the economy and domestic issues

One guy should be in charge of foreign military decisions.  Someone that understands war and has at least previously been in a fist fight and didn’t dodge the draft.

 

[NeuroTypical]

Cool beans.   We could vote for two offices.  The Innie President and the Outie President.

[prisonchaplain]

I read through the statements @mirkwood linked. From an outsider's perspective, wow! You bear a great responsibility to protect our founding documents and institutions. At the same time, it is proper and good to recognize the meaning of American exceptionalism. It is not absolute nor is it a birthright. Instead, it is a duty, requires training, and it calls for thoughtful commitment. Color me impressed.

Concerning who should be the Commander in Chief, it must be a civilian, and the President is the right choice. Yes, the military and law enforcement are our protectors. However, democracy works because the "sheepdogs" serve the flock, rather than lording it over us. Power corrupts. We do well to equip our protectors properly, but to elect our leaders to watch over us--and them.

[mikbone]

13 minutes ago, prisonchaplain said:

Concerning who should be the Commander in Chief, it must be a civilian, and the President is the right choice. Yes, the military and law enforcement are our protectors. However, democracy works because the "sheepdogs" serve the flock, rather than lording it over us. Power corrupts. We do well to equip our protectors properly, but to elect our leaders to watch over us--and them.

Well companies have CEO & CFO for a reason.  

If one guy is doing a great job with the economy and the other guy has us bogged down in warfare we can make adjustments.  And vice versa.

It’s too much for one guy.

Like Moses in Exodus 18:17 And Moses’ father in law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good.

18 Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone.

Edited July 2, 2024 by mikbone

[prisonchaplain]

Moses was making the same mistake Carter did--putting in 16-hour days because he focused too much on minutia. Reagan supposedly put in 8-9 hours a day, and most believe he was more effective. It's not that handling the economy and defense is too much for one person, it's that sometimes the one person fails to delegate. POTUS vision casts and assigns. Those who try to manage quickly become overwhelmed. 

[NeuroTypical]

30 minutes ago, mikbone said:

It’s too much for one guy.

I don't disagree, but we do already have cabinets and VPs and whatnot.  I'm thinking specifically about how VP Cheney basically ran the Iraq war, gave all the briefings.  Lots of delegation from the commander in chief there.  

[mikbone]

4 minutes ago, NeuroTypical said:

I don't disagree, but we do already have cabinets and VPs and whatnot.  I'm thinking specifically about how VP Cheney basically ran the Iraq war, gave all the briefings.  Lots of delegation from the commander in chief there.  

But right now all this power is always concentrated in one person.  One party.  

Separation of powers is a great thing.  I wish the federal government had way less power than it currently does.  

The original members of the constitution convention would likely be horrified if they could see what we have done.

 

[mikbone]

Where in the constitution is this type of activity supported?

After you have a proven vaccine I can understand the government assisting in distribution and subsidizing.  But this? I smell pork.

 

Moderna Reports Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2023 Financial Results and Provides Business Updates

February 22, 2024

Posts fourth quarter revenues of $2.8 billion, GAAP net income of $217 million and GAAP diluted EPS of $0.55

Reaffirms 2024 expected product sales of approximately $4 billion

Edited July 3, 2024 by mikbone

[NeuroTypical]

14 hours ago, mikbone said:

Where in the constitution is this type of activity supported?

After you have a proven vaccine I can understand the government assisting in distribution and subsidizing.  But this? I smell pork.

Well, if we're going to shoot for the government we want, not the government we have:

I'd prefer if we went back to the size/scope of the pre-depression, pre-Herbert Hoover days.
For that matter, I'd be thrilled if we could revert to the pre-civil war size/scope of the federal government. 
On a bad day, I'll occasionally wish we could just go back to after we ratified the constitution, but before we started enumerating specific rights, thus restricting us to a mere ten.

Edited July 3, 2024 by NeuroTypical

[Carborendum]

19 hours ago, mikbone said:

Where in the constitution is this type of activity supported?

This falls under the commerce clause and the elastic clause.  Both have been used as justification for "emergency measures."

19 hours ago, mikbone said:

After you have a proven vaccine I can understand the government assisting in distribution and subsidizing.  But this? I smell pork.

Of course it is pork.  About 95% of federal government deficit spending is due to pork.  What are we supposed to do about it?

There is a reason why successful societies don't last long.  The Greeks and Romans were exceptional.  And in the modern Era with technology and the level of wealth and freedom we have?  It is a miracle that the US has lasted as long as it has.  

Free societies only last as long as it takes for the populace to realize it can vote for perks from the government coffers.  While a small amount of it has always been around (such is the nature of government in any mode) it was given a turbo charged engine under FDR.  And that engine was not fully utilized until the 80s.  Now we're in overdrive.

Since it usually takes about 4 or 5 generations for such things to finally kill an empire, I'd bet that there will be:

• An economic collapse will happen in my children's lifetime (probably not my own)
• Some sort of restructuring of America by the time my great-grandchildren are adults.  This could be a civil war, America breaking apart like the old USSR did, or major changes in borders of each state.  This would necessarily be at least four nations.  But it could be more.