General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsA friend posed this question at lunch yest. - if we could only have ONE in 2020 - POTUS, or Senate
(assuming we keep the house) - which would you choose?
My answer - all three of our answers, actually - was that if we could choose only one outcome, it would be the majority in the senate.
Thoughts?
Polly Hennessey
(6,817 posts)Heartstrings
(7,349 posts)Senate
jcgoldie
(11,662 posts)...my heart simply cannot withstand 4 more years of Trump.
scheming daemons
(25,487 posts)Think about the biggest problems we are facing.
Climate Change? A new President gets us back in the Paris Accord immediately and begins working with other nations.
Immigration? A new President ends "kids in cages" on day one, and puts an end to the silly wall.
Economy? A new President names a new Treasurer to replace Mnuchin, a new Labor secretary, a commerce secretary.
Election Security? A new President puts a new Attorney General in place, staffs the DOJ, prioritizes the CIAs mission.
Foreign Affairs? A new President makes new trade deals, revives old partnerships and alliances, holds Putin to task.
A new Senate, but with Trump still in place...... none of the above happens. At *BEST* a new Senate can simply thwart Trump naming new judges. That's a very valuable thing, but it is much less important than the powers of the Presidency.
scheming daemons
(25,487 posts)The POTUS has so much more direct power over important things. Especially with respect to our dealings with other nations.... that it is FAR more important - and it is not even close - to hold the Presidency than to hold the Senate.
- The ability to start or stop military engagements (war)
- The ability to negotiate trade deals
- Things like the Paris Accord
- Putting in place the heads of every cabinet department, that directly impacts our lives. The state department, The FBI, the CIA, the Dept of Education, the Pentagon.... ALL of these, staffed by the President.
I can't believe this is really a question. The Presidency is much more important than the Senate.
Think about Neilson as the head of DHS! You want to stop kids in cages? You want to stop the wall? A new President ends that on the first day in office.
Think about DeVos as the head of Education!
Think about who is the Attorney General!
Think about who is the Secretary of State!
I'm actually dumbfounded that people think holding the Senate is more important than holding the Presidency.
hlthe2b
(102,562 posts)That said, Trump is causing too much damage to our international reputation and with his unilateral (unconstitutional) acts, domestically too. There are not enough courts or time to reign him in.
So, I tend to think it a close call.
scheming daemons
(25,487 posts)Which isn't happening.
Taking the Presidency is FAR more important.
hlthe2b
(102,562 posts)OliverQ
(3,363 posts)Even if we had the majority in the Senate, we're unlikely to have the 67 needed to remove Trump, so he'd still be in office. And he'd still veto every bill passed by the Democratic Congress.
The only benefit to the Senate is blocking anymore judicial nominations. But, a Democratic POTUS would solve that problem too since they'd never appoint a Republican judge. And the POTUS has more independent ability to improve things than the Senate would.
Delmette2.0
(4,178 posts)We get McConnell out of the Senate.
lark
(23,199 posts)Besides if this SCOTUS approves drumpf's move that presidents can take any action they want as long as they call it a national emergency, the next Dem president can unilaterally implement effective reasonable gun controls, implement climate control, national day off for voting in all national elections, medicare for all, negotiating for Medicare drug prices, and they won't be able to stop him.
Hugin
(33,222 posts)But, I'm only a small note in a big jug band.
lagomorph777
(30,613 posts)Then we can fix that other thing.
Tommy_Carcetti
(43,232 posts)We have a literal madman in the office. That cannot be allowed to stand.
This is unprecedented in American history.