December 10, 2020

"President-elect Joe Biden expressed skepticism about his powers to implement his agenda by executive action Tuesday in a private virtual meeting with civil rights leaders..."

"...according to a recording reported Thursday by The Intercept. Biden told a group of seven leaders of civil rights organizations that some progressive Democrats are urging executive actions that are 'way beyond the bounds' of a president's legal authority.... In the meeting, Biden said he planned to roll back everything President Donald Trump has done through executive action, rather than with the approval of Congress. He said he would use his powers 'to undo every single damn thing this guy has done by executive authority.' 'I am not going to violate the Constitution. Executive authority that my progressive friends talk about is way beyond the bounds,' he said."

CNN reports.

Here's the Intercept article. Let me give you the whole Biden quote, which I like a lot because of the respect for separation of powers:
So there’s some things that I’m going to be able to do by executive order. I’m not going to hesitate to do it, but what I’m not going to do is I’m not going to do what used to — Vanita [Gupta], you probably used to get angry with me during the debates, when you’d have some of the people you were supporting saying, ‘On Day 1, I’m gonna have an executive order to do this!’ Not within the constitutional authority. I am not going to violate the Constitution. Executive authority that my progressive friends talk about is way beyond the bounds. And as one of you said, maybe it was you, Reverend Al [Sharpton], whether it’s far left or far right, there is a Constitution. It’s our only hope. Our only hope and the way to deal with it is, where I have executive authority, I will use it to undo every single damn thing this guy has done by executive authority, but I’m not going to exercise executive authority where it’s a question, where I can come along and say, ‘I can do away with assault weapons.’ There’s no executive authority to do away that. And no one has fought harder to get rid of assault weapons than me, me, but you can’t do it by executive order. We do that, next guy comes along and says, Well, guess what? By executive order, I guess everybody can have machine guns again. So we gotta be careful.

71 comments:

rehajm said...

GOVERN LIKE YOU STOLE IT, JOE!!!

Birkel said...

NARRATOR: He is lying.

YoungHegelian said...

By executive order, I guess everybody can have machine guns again.

Good Lord, I'm not a big gun guy, but I seemed to have picked up a lot by osmosis growing up in Alabama, and my reaction is: Machine guns! Machine guns! Just how ignorant of guns can these guys be?

No need to tell me. I already know.

But, it'll be interesting to see if the Courts block some of Biden's attempts to role back executive orders just like they did some of Trump's attempts.

Owen said...

Young Hegelian @ 4:54: "...Just how ignorant of guns can these guys be?"

Excellent question, although obviously it's rhetorical and we will never get an actual answer, except through an unending string of utterances that range from careless to deliberately moronic.

If I were a politician (and I thank my stars that I am not) I would look at 2A/gun violence and say, "Complex issue, something of a third rail, I need to spend at least 10 minutes understanding some facts here before I start declaring How It's Gonna Be." I might even stir myself to review the laws which, IIRC, since 1934 have made getting a fully automatic weapon pretty much a non-starter; and how background checks work; and why Fast and Furious might not have been such a genius idea. And I might also learn the difference between full auto and semi and bolt action and lever action and muzzle loader. I might further try to understand why black paint and a bayonet lug invariably lead to atrocity.

But none of this applies to real politicians. They already have all the answers.

Michael said...

About these machine guns we used to have, Joe. Where are they now?

Drago said...

"Let me give you the whole Biden quote, which I like a lot because of the respect for separation of powers:"

"Respect for separation of powers" now includes having intelligence agencies spy on the other branches of government...then lie about it under oath.

It sure does seem to be good to be a democrat.

Drago said...

Maybe it was just good old fashioned "boring" spying on other branches of government....

Joe Smith said...

Give him 30 seconds...

Michael K said...

Ann is back to her hippie Democrat roots.

Biden has no idea where he is. Ask him if he is in the Senate again.

walter said...

The desperate attempt to make things less ICKY!

Ann Althouse said...

Respect for separation of powers is conservative.

Lewis Wetzel said...

If that is really what Biden thinks, he will be steamrolled.
Biden is surrounded by steamrollers.

walter said...

Yeah..his word is bond. All bets are off if clashes with Kamala and exits via disease.
It's all good.
Definitely NOT icky.

walter said...

His "word as a Biden".

mccullough said...

Separation of powers died in 1928 when The Supreme Court signed off on the executive branch making laws through administrative agencies.

The agencies, ensconced in the executive branch, make most of the rules.

There’s nothing left to conserve after that..

DINKY DAU 45 said...

Here's a guy Righties say dint know what's going on and yet defeated trump and his minions by a landslide electoral vote(ask trump same numbers and over 7,ooo,ooo votes from his basement.What an accomplishment and now he is the 46th president and SDNY waiting for trump crime family.Not bad for a guy who dont know where he is what's that say about the other guys! BAM hes outta here

walter said...

Yes, by way of the urinal powerful enough to halt counting in key states.
A real triumph by Joementia.

walter said...

It helped to have media and tech squashing the Hunter story before election.
China very happy to have Biden Inc at helm.

BUMBLE BEE said...

More Kool aid Professor? Joe has always kept his word?

mccullough said...

Joe is going to issue Executive Orders and legislate through the administrative agencies like every president has done for almost a century.

Earnest Prole said...

Wait, I was reliably promised Joe Biden was some kind of Secret Socialist King with a hard-on for BLM and Antifa.

Rabel said...

Come on, Man.

Listen to the preceding questions and the angry, shouted response. There's nothing there that equates to respect for separation of powers. He simply says that he won't blatantly issue clearly illegal EO's implementing some of the more extreme changes that were demanded, because even in his sad and deteriorating condition he appreciates the impossibility of meeting some of those demands by executive fiat.

But if reading transcriptions rather than listening to Biden's rants helps you bury your head deeper in the sands of abstention then - you be you. It's all good.

Browndog said...

You're about to see the power of the office of the President of the United States unleashed.

FDR would be jealous.

Trump was elected President, but never allowed to "be" President. The courts, media, bureaucracy, military, world leaders, the whole shebang--There is nothing left to restraint a democrat White House.

Y'all are in for a ride....you stupid fuckers that thought any sort of norms would return to the federal government.

Duke Dan said...

I’m sure the Supreme Court will prevent him from overturning Trump’s executive actions the same way they prevented Trump from undoing Obama’s. DACA anyone?

Rabel said...

Do you overstand what I'm saying?

Gahrie said...

By executive order, I guess everybody can have machine guns again.

Good Lord, I'm not a big gun guy, but I seemed to have picked up a lot by osmosis growing up in Alabama, and my reaction is: Machine guns! Machine guns! Just how ignorant of guns can these guys be?


Until the 1930's, you could buy a fully automatic machine gun from a newspaper advert and have it delivered to your house through the mail.

Matt Sablan said...

"Trump was elected President, but never allowed to "be" President."

-- This example is the one that infuriates me the most. I'm fairly moderate and not a firebrand, but that? I would entertain an argument that *lying to the President about troop deployments in an active zone where people might be killed or maimed is treasonous.*

PB said...

Just undo executive orders, Joe? DACA was implemented via executive order, but the courts said Trump couldn't undo it without an acceptable excuse.

MikeR said...

Maybe he's just giving some excuses to some people where he doesn't want to do what they want.

Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...

Rabel 5:52 - cuts thru the BS.

Michael K said...

Blogger Earnest Prole said...
Wait, I was reliably promised Joe Biden was some kind of Secret Socialist King with a hard-on for BLM and Antifa.


You were that gullible ? And you admit it? Now, if you mean Joe and the Ho want sex with BLM and Antifa, that could be.

320Busdriver said...

Joe is on his way out. All part of the plan. Kamala, now, she is unrestrained. Part of me hopes they take the senate where they then wrap the government around the tree at 180 mph. We need a good cleanse.

I Have Misplaced My Pants said...

What Rabel and Browndog said.

Lots of nice ladies who’ve had nice lives and who have no grandchildren to worry about have no idea how much fucking trouble we are in.

Michael K said...

Grandchildren are a complicating factor. Those of us who have them and who care, are at a great disadvantage with respect to retired law professors with a gay son.

Brand said...

Isn't that cute. The Professor believes Biden.

Joe Smith said...

With all of this talk of 'President-elect' Biden, I fear there will be a shortage of dash marks.

As a skilled grammarian, this should concern our gracious hostess...

Howard said...

Pants and doc Mike are in sink with hysteria. Their moon time is waxing.

Howard said...

I agree it's silly to believe Biden when he is under promising actions to his core constituency. According to Amazon tone analysis he was winking and had his fingers crossed when he talked down to the low IQ BLM antifa saturated crowd who was there just for the free stuff.

Rt41Rebel said...

I caught just a few minutes of Rush today. His take on why the MSM did a 180 and is suddenly covering the Hunter investigation is that the fix is in to remove him now that he is not needed. Don't have to trouble with the 25th this way.

Achilles said...

Funny, did the article also mention BLM is pissed that Biden froze them out of this meeting?

Achilles said...

Matt Sablan said...

"Trump was elected President, but never allowed to "be" President."

-- This example is the one that infuriates me the most. I'm fairly moderate and not a firebrand, but that? I would entertain an argument that *lying to the President about troop deployments in an active zone where people might be killed or maimed is treasonous.*

What do you mean entertain?

That one seems pretty cut and dried.

Achilles said...

Earnest Prole said...

Wait, I was reliably promised Joe Biden was some kind of Secret Socialist King with a hard-on for BLM and Antifa.

Nope.

Just a typical purveyor of government/corporate fascism.

DavidUW said...

And you believe that...I’m sorry but only an idiot would believe that.

Richard Aubrey said...

Good Lord. Some MAGA operative hacked Biden. Now what?

iowan2 said...

Administrative Rules Act will shut Harris down.

Or, is that just something judges used against Republicans? Legal Eagles here, will inform me

Tina Trent said...

Pandering to Al Sharpton is idiotic and violates every standard of decency.

Greg The Class Traitor said...

"Just undo executive orders, Joe? DACA was implemented via executive order, but the courts said Trump couldn't undo it without an acceptable excuse."

Yep. And with a 5 member conservative majority, I expect them to ram that down Biden's throat, repeatedly. With great amusement as the 4 weasels who blocked Trump from dumping DACA whine about their precedent being enforced in ways they don't like.

Other than that, what Biden said was great. I expect it's a lie, but I'll be happy if it isn't

Birkel said...

Althouse believes, without evidence, Biden who, without evidence, made claims about beliefs he has never followed.

Althouse will like the coming corporatist fascism.
She has an Amazon Portal.

Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...

Collective left:

Be happy and calm...

The swamp filling - you won't feel a thing.

Kevin said...

1. Biden would never violate the Constitution.

2. Therefore anything he does must be Constitutional.

3. Profit!

Known Unknown said...

The President-Elect from MBNA.

He's a corporatist through and through.

Tom T. said...

Was the actual recording published, or do we just have the Intercept's say-so that this is what he said?

unknown said...

Didn’t the courts tell Trump he can’t simply issue an executive order to undo his predecessor’s executive order?

Tom T. said...

I don't think it makes much sense to say that Biden is or is not a "corporatist." This statement is just one faction of his staff maneuvering against other factions.

Skippy Tisdale said...

"In the meeting, Biden said he planned to roll back everything President Donald Trump has done through executive action"

I recall a recent SCOTUS ruling that said Trump can't overturn Obama's EOs as they are effectively written in stone.

Chick said...

Ask Biden to recite the Alphabet.

Known Unknown said...

"I don't think it makes much sense to say that Biden is or is not a "corporatist." This statement is just one faction of his staff maneuvering against other factions."

I'm talking mainly about his own political POV (for the most part.) I don't disagree with what you have postulated, either.

todd galle said...

If Biden pushes the tax plan for 'assault weapons', and adding magazines with over 10 round capacity to a tax bill, 2012 will be wonderful if you're a conservative. I did my math figuring (always dangerous), and concluded I would owe the IRS about $12,000, but my boat accident, which I thought a bother and troublesome, actually will have saved me a bunch of money going forward. So I have that going for me.

walter said...

Splanky said...Ask Biden to recite the Alphabet.
--
"You know the thing!!"

daskol said...

Biden nominated a Secretary of the Health and Education the other day, some Dem hack. Fine, except that we replaced that with DOE and HHS some decades ago.

daskol said...

So much drama and pathos in these stories of decrepit old leaders attending to the destruction of the political institutions that nurtured them for so long:

-the gleeful malice some exhibit taking these oldsters down
-the dishonesty of the press and inner circle in pretending all's good
-the donors for other deep state power centers who probably like having a weakened, elderly, easily controlled official
-the vanity and ambition, the hubris of folks who refuse to hang up their spikes

Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...

buying anything CNN sells?

Why?

They have no credibility.

LA_Bob said...

Some of you folks forget that Biden pushed back against Kamala Harris's gun control executive order proposal in a 2019 Democratic debate:

https://reason.com/2019/09/13/theres-only-1-democrat-talking-about-the-constitution-and-its-shudder-joe-biden/

I thought it was a pretty good response. Now, whether he actually believes in that sort of thing and will behave that way (and will be allowed to get away with it) is another matter. But, at least the sentiment is there. I know of no other Democrat who talks like that.

jaydub said...

I'll believe Slow Joe is serious about separation of powers when he tries to roll back all of Obama's executive orders too - you know, the ones he supported when he was VP. Instead, Joe will pick and choose his executive orders so as to advance his political agenda just like every other president. Joe's agenda does not mesh with Trump's EOs, and trying to ascribe some lofty constitutional principles to his stated intention to negate Trump's EOs is either naive or excessive cruel neutrality.

Rusty said...

Michael said...
"About these machine guns we used to have, Joe. Where are they now?"
In the hands of private collectors. You can be one too for 200$ a couple of photos and a fingerprint card. It can be very lucrative.
Remember. Before the end of January if not in the first 24hrs, Biden will issue gun control executive orders. In the first 100 days he will issue orders on raising taxes and hate speech.

Another old lawyer said...


If you don't have "respect for separation of powers bullshit" like you have "civility bullshit", you need one ASAP.

This is a signal to his audience that they've been played. Again. They won't be the last Democrat constituency that learns that.

stlcdr said...

While on the face of it, there is ‘respect for the constitution’, it is actually a call to work out a way to destroy the things the constitution explicitly enumerates. Why are democrats always butting heads with the constitution?! It’s as if they don’t realize that they are the reason it exists.

h said...

I recall thinking during the Obama administration: "This governing with a phone and a pen is overreach (unconstitutional?). But the only way to stop it is to elect a Republican president who will use the same mechanisms to achieve results that are abhorred by liberal Democrats." If Biden follows through, I will be proven correct. Unfortunately I have a new corrolary: "This widespread election fraud is seriously detrimental to our civic life. But the only way to stop it is have conservatives use the same mechanisms to achieve results that are abhorred by liberal Democrats."

dbp said...

"I will use it to undo every single damn thing this guy has done by executive authority..."

Trump tried to undo some of Obama's executive orders, but judges stopped him:

https://www.google.com/search?q=judge+blocks+trump+plans+to+reverse+obama+executive+order&rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS820US821&oq=judge+blocks+trump+plans+to+reverse+obama+executive+order&aqs=chrome..69i57.28222j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Don't worry though, this won't happen to Biden.

Bilwick said...

Dementia Joe may find that he does, in fact, have such authority under the little-known Trunalimunumaprzure clause of the Constitution.

Unknown said...

> which I like a lot because of the respect for separation of powers:

He did not use any of the words
RESPECT
SEPARATION
POWERS

Maybe you are reading the wrong mind?