ON MY WATCH
By MANUEL L. CABALLERO
In view of the countless Executive Orders coming out of the Trump administration since Jan. 20, I am compelled to review one of my Political Science textbooks. The book is titled "The American Presidency" authored by Richard M. Pious, a former Political Science professor at Bernard College in New York.
Let me begin by citing two relevant quotes by two distinguished Americans which are relevant to current events around us here in the US.
From John Kennedy
"The men who create power make an indispensable contribution to the nation's greatness...the men who question power make a contribution just as indispensable."
From Former US Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis
"The doctrine separation of powers was adopted by the Convention in 1787, not to promote efficiency, but to preclude the exercise of arbitrary power...to save the people from autocracy."
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From theories, let's move to practice.
Historically, what Pres. Trump and Elon Musk have been doing since Jan. 20 is part of election rhetoric by almost all presidents, including Mr. Trump, "versus Washington". Every new president pledges "to clean up the mess" left by his predecessor (if belongs to the opposite political party). Each announces to the American people he wants ro make government more efficient and responsive to the public, to cut its size and reduce the benefits of the bureaucrats.
In the chapter on the Administrative Powers of the president, Prof. Pious cited the following when they assumed the US presidency: "Truman and Eisenhower instituted "loyalty-security" programs to review the records of offi cials and recommended dismissals of individuals who were thought to be risks.
Kennedy and Johnson in the 1960s, emphasized citizen involvement . In the 70s, Nixon, Ford and Carter, similar to Trump and Musk, made an issue of "bloated bureaucracy". Nixon reduced department staffings by 80,000. Ford , by close to 100,000.
Therefore, what Messrs. Trump and Musk are doing are not novel. What brought them to answer 74 legal cases is, perhaps, the manner they are doing their "thing."
Pope Francis and a top Bishop in the Vatican criticized the Trump policies on undocumented aliens. One of the prelates said Mr. Trump needed to be taught "how to be caring" for others.
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It is our opinion that under the PH Constitution, by virtue of separation of powers doctrine, the Supreme Court has no jurisdiction on an impeachment case instituted by Congress. The only role of the Supreme Court in a congressional impeachment is for the head of the SC to sit as non-voting
presider of the impeachment trial.
In addition, it is an accepted dictum in constitutional construction and interpretation that if something is not in the Constitution, don't even attempt to put it in. In the instant case filed by VP Duterte's supporters before the Supreme Court, the filers want the Suoreme Court to intervene in impeachment process by the two houses of Congress as clearly defined in the impeachment provision of the Constitution.
contributedmlc250218
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