The reign of your new king begins soon -- "recess appointments" to skip oversight.

[Evangelicalhumanist]

Donald Trump has stated that he expects anyone vying to be Senate majority leader to agree to recess immediately afterwards for 2 weeks or more, so that he can use "recess appointments" to install high-level cabinet posts without Senate confirmation. As long as the Senate is in recess for a period of 10 days or more, the Constitution allows this for a period of up to 2 years.

After all -- I'm pretty sure nobody wants to look too closely at who he's appointing. I mean, why would you? He's only got your best interests at heart.

Oh, America! What have you done?

 

[It Aint Necessarily So]

Donald Trump has stated that he expects anyone vying to be Senate majority leader to agree to recess immediately afterwards for 2 weeks or more, so that he can use "recess appointments" to install high-level cabinet posts without Senate confirmation. As long as the Senate is in recess for a period of 10 days or more, the Constitution allows this for a period of up to 2 years.

After all -- I'm pretty sure nobody wants to look to closely at who he's appointing. I mean, why would you? He's only got your best interests at heart.

Oh, America! What have you done?

And the dictatorship begins. The first thing a dictator does is disempower checks and balances. He wants absolute power, and who will stop him? Not his simpering, slavering sycophants in Congress and SCOTUS.

 

[Twilight Hue]

Donald Trump has stated that he expects anyone vying to be Senate majority leader to agree to recess immediately afterwards for 2 weeks or more, so that he can use "recess appointments" to install high-level cabinet posts without Senate confirmation. As long as the Senate is in recess for a period of 10 days or more, the Constitution allows this for a period of up to 2 years.

After all -- I'm pretty sure nobody wants to look too closely at who he's appointing. I mean, why would you? He's only got your best interests at heart.

Oh, America! What have you done?

Big freaking deal.

It's perfectly legal and it's Trump's prerogative to choose the cabinet he likes.

 

[Twilight Hue]

And the dictatorship begins. The first thing a dictator does is disempower checks and balances. He wants absolute power, and who will stop him? Not his simpering, slavering sycophants in Congress and SCOTUS.

And of course the world will end tomorrow.

 

[Heyo]

And of course the world will end tomorrow.

Christians have been telling that joke for 2000 years, it gets a bit stale.

 

[Wandering Monk]

Donald Trump has stated that he expects anyone vying to be Senate majority leader to agree to recess immediately afterwards for 2 weeks or more, so that he can use "recess appointments" to install high-level cabinet posts without Senate confirmation. As long as the Senate is in recess for a period of 10 days or more, the Constitution allows this for a period of up to 2 years.

After all -- I'm pretty sure nobody wants to look too closely at who he's appointing. I mean, why would you? He's only got your best interests at heart.

Oh, America! What have you done?

Aileen Cannon, who dismissed the classified document theft case against Trump in Florida will be a Supreme Court Justice.

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

Aileen Cannon, who dismissed the classified document theft case against Trump in Florida will be a Supreme Court Justice.

Eminently qualified: she's corruptible and loyal to Trump. What else does a Supreme Court Justice need?

 

[Mock Turtle]

And the dictatorship begins. The first thing a dictator does is disempower checks and balances. He wants absolute power, and who will stop him? Not his simpering, slavering sycophants in Congress and SCOTUS.

More like SCROTUS these days.

 

[LuisDantas]

Big freaking deal.

It's perfectly legal and it's Trump's prerogative to choose the cabinet he likes.

Legal, yes.

Fascistic, too.

Checks and balances are not a minor need if a democratic republic is what you want to have.

 

[Clizby Wampuscat]

Donald Trump has stated that he expects anyone vying to be Senate majority leader to agree to recess immediately afterwards for 2 weeks or more, so that he can use "recess appointments" to install high-level cabinet posts without Senate confirmation. As long as the Senate is in recess for a period of 10 days or more, the Constitution allows this for a period of up to 2 years.

After all -- I'm pretty sure nobody wants to look too closely at who he's appointing. I mean, why would you? He's only got your best interests at heart.

Oh, America! What have you done?

You are upset about a constitutional process that both parties use. Ok.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

You are upset about a constitutional process that both parties use. Ok.

Both parties use recess appointments to fill mid-term vacancies that happen to come up during recesses.

Neither party - so far - schedules a recess first thing so that a president can appoint his whole new cabinet without them appearing before the Senate.

Why do you think Trump is afraid to have his cabinet appointees answer senator's questions in front of the media? Do you think he realizes that they won't stand up to scrutiny?

 

[Clizby Wampuscat]

Both parties use recess appointments to fill mid-term vacancies that happen to come up during recesses.

Neither party - so far - schedules a recess first thing so that a president can appoint his whole new cabinet without them appearing before the Senate.

Why do you think Trump is afraid to have his cabinet appointees answer senator's questions in front of the media? Do you think he realizes that they won't stand up to scrutiny?

Ok, I see your point. Trump wants to get people installed quickly and this is his constitutional method to do that. The senate would more than likely confirm his selections anyway. If the senate has an issue with this they can just not adjourn. The House also has to agree to a senate adjournment longer than 3 days.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Ok, I see your point. Trump wants to get people installed quickly and this is his constitutional method to do that.

Actually, now that I read the actual wording, I don't think it is constitutional. Here's what Article II, Section 2 says:

[The President] shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by Law[.]

[...]

The President shall have Power to fill up all Vacancies that may happen during the Recess of the Senate, by granting Commissions which shall expire at the End of their next Session.


Notice the part that I bolded. Cabinet position terms generally align with congressional terms, so on the day that the new Senate meets to get sworn in, all the cabinet positions will already be vacant. If that new Senate immediately holds a recess, none of the vacancies will have happened during that recess, so Trump wouldn't have the power to fill them.

The senate would more than likely confirm his selections anyway. If the senate has an issue with this they can just not adjourn.

I imagine that the Senate Republicans might be okay with going along with the plan, and I'm sure that all the appointments will be confirmed.

I think the main difference - and why this end run around normal process would appeal to someone like Trump - is that a confirmation hearing allows the opportunity for a Democrat senator to ask a challenging question and the nominee to give a foolish answer in full view of the TV cameras.

I think this plan is about avoiding the very real risk of having the news cycle for a few weeks be filled with stories about how the cabinet that Trump picked are a load of muppets.

The House also has to agree to a senate adjournment longer than 3 days.

Interesting. Didn't know that.

 

[Revoltingest]

Christians have been telling that joke for 2000 years, it gets a bit stale.

They urge repentance using fear,
and say the end moves ever near.
But then they must
their date adjust
to float so that it's never here.