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TRUMP’S POLITICAL MASTERSTROKE
Powerline ^ | August 8,2020 | BY PAUL MIRENGOFF

Posted on 08/08/2020 2:41:07 PM PDT by Hojczyk

President Trump says he will sign an Executive Order to ease the suffering of those harmed by the pandemic-related shutdowns and to stimulate the economy. Congress has failed to agree on a new package to accomplish these things.

Trump’s Executive Order would include these four components: (1) a payroll tax holiday until the end of the year, (2) an extension of enhanced unemployment benefits until the end of the year, (3) an extension of the eviction moratorium for federal subsidized housing, and (4) a suspension of student loan payments until further notice.

Questions surround the legality of accomplishing at least some of these things via executive order. Trump’s response to that might be, “so sue me.”

There are also questions about the fiscal impact of some of the measures, at least for those who still care about the national debt. In addition, there are questions about the efficacy of a payroll tax cut and the wisdom of extended generous unemployment benefits.

However, as a political matter, Trump’s move looks like a masterstroke. Since the days of FDR, the public has always seemed to approve of presidents who act to ameliorate suffering while Congress diddles. A flurry of activity, even of the futile or potentially counterproductive kind, makes a president look energetic and caring.

In this instance, Trump’s move might well force congressional Democrats to reach a deal. That outcome, too, would be a political win for the president.

(Excerpt) Read more at powerlineblog.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: bloggers; debt; deficit; dsj03; medicare; powerlineblog; ssi; trumpeo
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To: NRx
It's not illegal or unconstitutional until ultimately the SCOTUS says it is.
We are not even close to that yet.
Meanwhile, the Dems who have shamelessly ruled like communist dictators in Michigan, New York, New Jersey, etc for five straight months, are now going to complain about “dictatorship”?
Will you excuse me while I laugh?
161 posted on 08/08/2020 4:37:46 PM PDT by SmokingJoe
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To: SomeCallMeTim
How about: Going out and winning an election and then following the constitution? There IS a right way to change tax law. This, it NOT it.

How about, you know that is not a viable option as these people need help right now. Why do you continue to deny that fact?

If you have all the answers, why the eff aren't YOU running for POTUS?
162 posted on 08/08/2020 4:38:15 PM PDT by Pox (Eff You China. Buy American!)
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To: DoodleDawg

Did you not watch the press conference? POTUS specifically addressed waiving the pay back.


163 posted on 08/08/2020 4:38:26 PM PDT by StolarStorm
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To: Hojczyk

Keep on Trumping


164 posted on 08/08/2020 4:39:23 PM PDT by spokeshave (White Confederate statue kills black man......Another month of protests.... (HT to seawolf101))
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To: SomeCallMeTim

and the unemployed? Let them eat cake?


165 posted on 08/08/2020 4:39:42 PM PDT by loucon (Quarintine by choice is freedom. Quarintine by mandate is ... well you know ... that thing ...)
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To: Recovering Ex-hippie

You’ve recovered well.


166 posted on 08/08/2020 4:39:46 PM PDT by HighSierra5
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To: jeffersondem

“If we win, we have to break the back of the communists running our primary and secondary schools.”
___________________________________

How? We’ve had three plus years and I see nothing done.


167 posted on 08/08/2020 4:40:27 PM PDT by xenia ("In times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act." George Orwell)
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To: SomeCallMeTim
Hm. He probably knows it will be knocked down in court. But the people who will be filing suit to knock it down are likely on the Left, and when it gets knocked down...as I think the President expects it to, he can point to it and say to the American people:

"I wanted to do this for people being hurt by this lockdown, and the Democrats, who want their own bill full of hundreds of billions of pork dollars for Democrat cites, pork dollars that have nothing to do with COVID-19 or people out of work and have everything to do with Blue Democrat cities that didn't do anything to stop this destruction, and now want you, the taxpayers of America, to bail them out. I didn't think that was right, so I tried helping America this way."

That is the way they slander us, and it is done dishonestly. This is at least honest, because he wants to alleviate the pressure on hurting Americans and doesn't want to drive us even deeper into unrecoverable debt with pork for blue states which the Left has put in the bill.

I understand your view, but Trump and people advising him know how this is supposed to work.

168 posted on 08/08/2020 4:41:00 PM PDT by rlmorel ("Truth is Treason in the Empire of Lies"- George Orwell)
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To: Recovering Ex-hippie
... since when in trumps term has Congress ever ever ever ever worked with him they’re trying to get rid of him and you want him to play nice like Bush?

Like I said, it’s hard. But if you really want to make a difference you do what you have to do.

If you just want to spin up your base you issue a pointless EO.

169 posted on 08/08/2020 4:41:44 PM PDT by semimojo
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To: loucon
and the unemployed? Let them eat cake?

I don't know about where you live, but here in Louisville, employers are BEGGING people to come back to work. GE is running ads all day, every day offering $15+ per hour with full benefits.

Many unemployed have been making more NOT working than working. I personally several in this group. Now, they're looking at going back.

170 posted on 08/08/2020 4:42:48 PM PDT by SomeCallMeTim ( The best minds are not in government. If any were, business would hire them!it)
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To: SmokingJoe

Annnnd SCOTUS doesn;t come back until October...Gosh,2 more whole months before you can even see them


171 posted on 08/08/2020 4:42:59 PM PDT by Hambone 1934
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To: SmokingJoe
How many times did Obama ever do that?

It turns out that Obama hasn’t been President for quite some time now,

172 posted on 08/08/2020 4:43:46 PM PDT by semimojo
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To: meyer
Given the democrats actions for the past 3.5 years, I would say that he's much wiser to not try to negotiate with terrorists.

Unless he really wants to change things.

173 posted on 08/08/2020 4:45:43 PM PDT by semimojo
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Fun part is how Trump boxed the Libtards into a deal for Corona.

States can 25% of the $400 for their citizens and if they want to increase those benefits to Oh, I don’t know, ($600) then the Feds will cover 75% of that.

They can’t say no to $400 and maybe not $600 and litigating the whole thing is a No Va

So, they lost again and Team Trump gets to crow about it til Nov 3 and again in January when he extends it further....


174 posted on 08/08/2020 4:48:39 PM PDT by Vendome (I've Gotta Be Me https://youtu.be/wH-pk2vZG2M)
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To: linear

You may be a bit late to this party... Obama set the precedent and good ole Chief Justice Roberts upheld it.

Good or bad, this is now de facto law of the land.


175 posted on 08/08/2020 4:48:44 PM PDT by monkeypants (It's a Republic, if you can keep it.)
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To: Hojczyk

It’s very amusing to watch the low IQ doctrinaire conservative morons screaming the Trump must obey the law while the rats obey no law and make shit up.

The war has started. There are no laws in war.


176 posted on 08/08/2020 4:49:02 PM PDT by sergeantdave (Teach a man to fish and he'll steal your gear and sell it)
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To: SomeCallMeTim

“This cannot end well.”
_____________________________

It wont. I am so sad to come to the realization after reading these comments that there is now “conservative socialism.” Oxymoron.

If you oppose these EO measures you are told you don’t care about people who are suffering. Seems I’ve heard that a lot over the years from democrats.

Sad.


177 posted on 08/08/2020 4:50:39 PM PDT by xenia ("In times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act." George Orwell)
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To: linear

POTUS is acting like a CEO now.
These actions are supported by the precedent set by Obama and upheld by the Supreme Court.

I did not agree with this practice during Obama, but I agree that President Trump needs to use every legal tool available to him given the stakes of this election.


178 posted on 08/08/2020 4:51:21 PM PDT by monkeypants (It's a Republic, if you can keep it.)
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To: sergeantdave

Alls fair in war...Do what you gotta Trump.....


179 posted on 08/08/2020 4:51:41 PM PDT by Hambone 1934
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To: SomeCallMeTim
Uh.. yea.. right. I'm troll that's been hiding here for 22 years. Just waiting for the right time.

We've had plenty of those too. We call them sleeper cells. The KGB had been using them for decades. Nothing new about that.
I don't set much score about longevity. Just what people post and ideological bent.

No. Congress couldn't get it done. Fine. Go out and campaign against them. Try to get enough decent Congress Critters elected to do the right thing.

That is ongoing too. We haven't stopped campaign for the 2020 elections since the 2018 elections.

I don't want a President writing tax law by fiat. Call me crazy.

No new tax laws have been written.
The President has used his emergency powers to suspend some payroll taxes till the end if the year. Ultimately it will be up to the SCOTUS to decide if it's constitutional or not, not you.

180 posted on 08/08/2020 4:52:41 PM PDT by SmokingJoe
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