Elizabeth Warren weighs in with an Opinion for your consideration

[Jarqui]

Elizabeth Warren: One Way to Rebuild Our Institutions
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/29/opinion/elizabeth-warren-one-way-to-rebuild-our-institutions.html?_r=0

WASHINGTON — WHILE presidential candidates from both parties feverishly pitch their legislative agendas, voters should also consider what presidents can do without Congress. Agency rules, executive actions and decisions about how vigorously to enforce certain laws will have an impact on every American, without a single new bill introduced in Congress.

The Obama administration has a substantial track record on agency rules and executive actions. It has used these tools to protect retirement savings, expand overtime pay, prohibit discrimination against L.G.B.T. employees who work for the government and federal contractors, and rein in carbon pollution. These accomplishments matter.

Whether the next president will build on them, or reverse them, is a central issue in the 2016 election. But the administration’s record on enforcement falls short — and federal enforcement of laws that already exist has received far too little attention on the campaign trail.
...
Legislative agendas matter, but voters should also ask which presidential candidates they trust with the extraordinary power to choose who will fight on the front lines to enforce the laws. The next president can rebuild faith in our institutions by honoring the simple notion that nobody is above the law, but it will happen only if voters demand it.

It didn't change my mind because I already think I've picked the right horse but it may help those on the fence

[Metric System]

1. Why do you think this has anything to do with Sanders?

[Jarqui]

2. Why do you think I mentioned Sanders?

[Metric System]

6. You're a Sanders supporter posting this in GDP.

[Jarqui]

7. It's Elizabeth Warren, pretty liberal senator

I don't think her opinion is going to carry much weight with the Republicans

Republicans currently control the Senate and the House and with gerrymandering, it's going to be tough to get either of those bodies from them soon. If the president is a Republican, he isn't going to have to worry too much about using his administrative powers.

So it made sense to put it in the GD-P because it is much more likely that a Democratic president is going to encounter this issue.

But I didn't say anything about Sanders.

In terms of doing the things Elizabeth Warren wants with those powers, Sanders is much better aligned with Elizabeth on policy than Hillary is.

[loyalsister]

3. It's a great point

but should be handled carefully. Any candidate who runs on what kinds of unilateral actions they will take risks alienating the "local control" folks in both parties.

It's a useful thought experiment among very knowledgable, engaged voters. But, not a useful discussion for 24 hour cable news and the general public.

[Bluenorthwest]

4. Who are the 'local control' folks? Ammon Bundy?

You view here seems snobbish and elitist.

[loyalsister]

5. Lots of folks

People who don't want the state to force their kids to say the pledge of allegiance everyday.

Or those who have had to deal with state swat teams shooting their pets over marijuana.

People who want their cities and states (rather than the federal government) to have control over drug policies.

Yes, I know a POTUS action can make that possible, but you have to remember that there is a flip side that the opposition can jump on to scare people into a fear of a candidate who promises a lot of unilateral executive action. There is liberal and conservative opposition. It would be a stupid platform item.

[Karma13612]

8. thank you so much for providing a link to this great Op Ed Jarqui

I can see that Elizabeth wants us to understand not only what is possible by the President alone, but by what can be done by selecting powerful heads of agencies, something that was clipped from the above excerpt.

I read the full OpEd from the NYT.

For me, this was the crux right here:

Each of these government divisions is headed by someone nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate. The lesson is clear: Personnel is policy.

Elizabeth is reminding us to pick the candidate who is apt to select the most effective people to head the agencies that make such impacts on the 99%.

The full article is a must read.

Thanks again to Elizabeth Warren for her very eloquent endorsement of Bernie Sanders, for he is the one who will make the right decisions on critical appointments.

Now lets get Bernie in the oval office, and the Senate back in a majority of sane heads and get on with the reparation of America.