The Failure of the Imperial Presidency

The Trump presidencies have laid bare a fact of the imperial presidency: with the president so powerful, the United States depends on an honest competent president at the head of the executive branch—the hope of a good king. This is especially important in foreign policy where a president has broad latitude, but it is also important in domestic policy where chief executive of the federal government has huge power to control how the government operates even when they stay within constitutional limits. We had an 80 year run, but it was inevitable that sooner or later someone of bad will would become president. Historically most presidents have been mediocrities; some have been truly awful. A corrupted Supreme Court and a Senate republican caucus full of cowards, incompetents, and perhaps even traitors helped.

If the United States comes out of this mess with anything like a democracy, I hope we consider governmental forms that are less vulnerable to the failings of a single individual.

The Compromise of 2025

To live between a rock
And a hard place
In between time —
Cruising in prime time —
Soaking up the cathode rays
– Rush, “Between the Wheels”

On AI and the Techbro Coup

Over on Fedi, Icelandic consultant Baldur Bjarnason writes, citing the following articles:

• ‘Things Are Going to Get Intense:’ How a Musk Ally Plans to Push AI on the Government (404 Media)
• Elon Musk’s DOGE Is Working on a Custom Chatbot Called GSAi (WIRED, paywall)

And comments:

Automated decision-making creates accountability sinks that can be used to excuse horrifying decisions. Much of the US budget is literally responsible for keeping people alive or protecting them from harm. Automated decision-making creates accountability sinks that can be used to excuse horrifying decisions. It may feel unfair to many of you, but this is going to be the legacy of anybody who is still working in “AI.” This is going to be the inheritance you leave to the future and nothing you do is likely to come close to offsetting it.

At Shinycroak: Nuclear Fusion, "AI," and Big Science

It's complicated. The post straddles the line between economics and politics, but I put it up there for Reasons.

Notes From the First Day of the Coup

(Distilled from my Bluesky posts)

MAGA: Who's Your Daddy?

I was reflecting on Driftglass’ characterization of Republicans as “reprogrammable meatbags” – people who have been soaked in right-wing propaganda for so long that they believe whatever their media or their church or Donald Trump) tells them. I realized this is what traumatized people do, this is what children do: believe only close family or trusted adults rather, even, than their own thinking or even experience. So taking this thought seriously, is that what happens? Are these people somehow so broken that their boundaries revert to childlike patterns?

Garland, Biden, Harris, and Trump

Should Merrick Garland have jailed Trump before the election? Could he? The legal experts say no, not without breaking the law. The Roberts Court, aka Taney Court II, put up a roadblock. Marcy Wheeler: