Trump Presidency goals and positions

[BradStevens]

I talked to a left-wing friend yesterday and she was really scared of a second Trump presidency. She sent me this podcast to listen to:

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/29/podcasts/the-daily/second-trump-presidency.html

I'll provide a short rundown of the predictions/reporting:

1. Eliminating independence of, institutional pushback by, the executive bureaucracy--they call this dictatorial and authoritarian. They predict Trump will go after Comcast and use the FCC to hound news media that oppose him.

2. Immigration enforcement on a large scale including large deportations, possible creation of camps at the border to house either deportees or asylum seekers.

3. Independence of the Fed--Trump wants more/total control.

4. DOJ--wants to go after his political enemies, open investigations against them, and drop all fed charges against him.

I pointed out how (1) and (3) are actually more democratic, not less, since at least in those instances someone who is elected and is politically accountable would be in charge of those areas. Also re (1), the elimination of Chevron deference should mitigate that concern.

The Fed one, I think, is the most dangerous. Still, the Fed chair is subject to senate approval.

 

[ChicagoFineForNow]

2 needs to happen but the deportation piece is basically impossible on a massive scale. This isn't the 50's where Operation Wetback could actually work. So many of these immigrants have escaped into the dark corners of blue cities that will aid and abet them. Trump would need to federalize the national guard and go full jackboot authoritarian checking papers. Some may believe he would do that, but I doubt it.

4 I think is scaremongering, but I could be mistaken.