by Karl Denninger, Market Ticker:
…. be willing, to be President, that is.
But — as always I refuse to “run”; therefore, if the people of this nation want me to be President they’ll have to draft me.
I believe any citizen should be willing to accept being drafted in that sort of fashion. I’m 60, so hardly a spring chicken, but its entirely reasonable to believe that I’ll live out two terms in office without going either demented or dying outright. Unlike most these days I don’t have an extra 100+lbs hanging around, I require no prescribed medication of any sort but I will tell you right up front that I’m not going to submit to the poking and prodding that some people think should be routine nor is any such going to be published if I was to win the office. If you need to see up my ass in order to vote for me, in short, you can go screw a goat right now — vote for someone else. There shouldn’t be a “White House physician” and in my opinion you shouldn’t vote for someone who needs one.
TRUTH LIVES on at https://sgtreport.tv/
Feel free to judge my general medical fitness by my Athlinks profile however, along with the results, or just come to the next race I enter in the future and debate with the clock if you’d like. I’m good with that and you should be too.
In addition I will execute a binding legal document containing my pre-election resignation from office which will give any citizen (and only citizens) the right to bring suit to eject me from said office if I violate any of the platform planks below. Again, I view public office as a contract where politicians view it as a mechanism for grift, scam, fraud and self-enrichment.
Speaking of platform, here’s what you get if you draft me. Note that unlike the other candidates all this is within Executive power and none is a “flex” or expecting to get away with anything. I’d argue that to claim that which you can’t do without cooperation is fraud in the inducement and you won’t find any of that here.
- I am a strict Constitutionalist. There currently is a presumption that a bill is Constitutional within the Executive; I specifically state, in advance, that I intend to dishonor that. Therefore all bills presented to me must, as their first clause(s), cite the specific authority under the Constitution that enables them. Any bill missing this clause, or which contains language outside it, will be vetoed. Any and all agencies or departments operating under the Executive shall comport with the clear language of the Constitution (as currently amended) in all respects.
- There is no right of entry into the United States unless you are a citizen or lawful permanent resident. Further, the forcible entry into the United States by foreign nationals on an organized basis is legally an invasion and shall be treated as such and repelled as required. Any nation facilitating such an invasion shall lose all trading status with the United States, without exception. America shall treat those who disrespect our border yet claim to be “partners” as co-conspirators. Those who believe they can bully America in this regard are wrong and will pay for it. Yes, I understand there are many business interests who will “implore” me not to do this. They should be imploring the other nations to cut that crap out, and if they don’t or fail in doing so, well, there is risk in offshoring production into nations that are hostile toward America’s interests. Welcome to paying the costs because I mean it and will do it. On my inauguration day the current invasion will end, one way or another, and all who are here illegally will find that my Executive will enforce, to the maximum extent permitted by long-standing law, all sanction against persons here illegally. There are long-standing laws, for example, that forbid money laundering and tax evasion; those who attempt to use “remittances” as part of such a scheme to work under the table and expatriate funds will find themselves arrested, deported and barred on a permanent basis from re-entry into the United States as such is already a felony and it will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. There is and shall remain a lawful process for entry into the United States and those who follow it shall have priority at all time and in all respects, with no deference given to those who have entered on an unlawful basis. I will solicit a change to the 14th Amendment via the proper process to clarify that birthright citizenship shall only extend to the circumstance where the mother is either a lawful permanent resident or citizen at the time of said birth and that such an event shall not, under any circumstance, confer a right of citizenship or permanent residency for any other genetically-related person.
- I will not sign any bill I have not read, in full. Yes, every single word on every single page will be personally read first. The American people deserve no less than a President that fully understands every single law and all of its impacts that he or she signs into law while in office. Since as President I must either sign or veto a bill within 10 days any bill that cannot be reasonably read, including all cross-references to existing law and be understood within the rational workload of the Presidency will be immediately vetoed as having been presented with obviously-fraudulent intent to obtain my signature without my knowing what’s actually in said bill.
- Any attempt by Congress to “sneak” a provision into a bill that, during any negotiation I might have participated in with the members of Congress prior to it reaching my desk, but which I was not apprised of or which is materially altered will result in the bill being vetoed — without exception. I will not stand for attempted fraud in the legislative process under any circumstances and irrespective of the excuses made for it. This is a long-standing practice in Washington DC and it shall never be seen within the Executive during my term.
- I will sign no budget bills that do not include a primary and operating surplus of at least 3%, except in time of declared war. If Congress demands deficit spending then they will have to override my veto. I will of course negotiate exactly how we will reach said primary and operating surplus, but we shall or I will not sign into law any appropriation bill. Attempts to back-door that by presenting bills “piecemeal” will result in the later ones being vetoed, and yes, I mean it — and it shouldn’t be a surprise since I’m putting it right here.
- I will not sign any bill, nor take any Executive Action, to prosecute or assist in a war without a vote of Congress to enter said war and delineate the terms on which we are in it, irrespective of who the alleged beneficiary is. The War Power is reserved to Congress, not the Executive. This does not prevent me from “hot pursuit” and should such be required I will warn all foreign governments and non-government actors: There will be no warning and no second chances if you pull something that demands such a response. You’ll get it, immediately. But beyond that, nope. If I have reason to believe we should do more then I’ll go to Congress and get it authorized and it will be paid for unless Congress authorizes a direct war declaration.
- All entities violating 15 USC Chapter 1 will be prosecuted, criminally so and shall name every director and officer individually if said is a corporation. The existing DOJ “guidelines” that prohibit criminally charging said companies and the refusal to charge directors and officers in nearly all cases will be rescinded by Executive Order immediately upon taking office. Any US Attorney who refuses to bring said charges will be summarily dismissed and replaced, without exception. The current practice of allowing firms to break felony laws and merely pay fines which they can force customers to eat shall end on my first day.
- No person in my Administration nor any immediate family member will trade any security, in any form, while in office and all information gained will be treated as “inside information” and, upon evidence that said individual disclosed it to a third party who then traded upon it they will be, if possible under existing law, prosecuted and in any event such an act will lead to summary dismissal from their position. Period. All persons desiring to serve in my Administration will sign a legally-binding contract that prohibits them from consulting or working for any entity that has had business before my Administration and where they have had contact with said policy for a period of five years after leaving said employment. There will be no exceptions to this policy; you serve the people and you shall not be part of any “revolving door” nonsense using your position as a means to personally enrich yourself as soon as you leave said employment nor will your wife or husband have an incredibly prescient trading record as a result of you working for the American people. This scam will not continue during my term in office within the Executive under my control.
- I will direct CMS such that no entity that imposes any form of disparate billing of any sort may receive funds from CMS, without exception, and all such prices must be publicly posted and charged evenly. Everyone pays the same price for the same goods and services in any entity that receives funds from Medicare or Medicaid. No exceptions, no ifs, ands or buts. I can’t do it everywhere via Executive action but I can do it within CMS, and will. That will end medical tyranny in the United States on my first day in office. I would like to see this bill passed, but I’m President, not the Speaker of the House so what I can do on my own in the Executive I will, and then we’ll sort the rest out.
- To the extent that I can do so via CMS policy, I will enact “no cure, no pay” within Medicare and Medicaid. There are likely limits on how far this can go under existing executive authority, but if there is a future pandemic or other health emergency during my term this absolutely can be part of the response and, it is likely, it can be imposed for many routine circumstances as well. Your tax money should not be used for worthless — or even harmful — medical measures and under my administration it won’t be to the maximum extent I can implement this change.
- All existing emergencies at the Federal Level that have been in existence for more than 12 months will be revoked on my first day in office. The remainder will be reviewed within 30 days and all that do not have a demonstrable reason to remain will be revoked upon completion of each review. No emergency during my term will have an initial term of more than 30 days; any authority beyond that must come from Congress and I will promote and attempt to pass a bill codifying this into law. Enough of the “government by emergency”; there are an insane number of existing, non-terminated emergency declarations and they’re all gone on my first day.
- I will demand that Congress revoke the EPA, and any other federal agency, capacity to regulate carbon emissions of any sort. Until they do not one bill will pass my desk with other than a veto. Energy independence and carbon-based fuels are why we have a modern society; you may not like it but I’m quite sure you prefer to have both heat and transportation over not. There are few issues where I am willing to put this sort of marker on the table; this is one of them. There are many good things that have come from environmental regulation but carbon is not a pollutant; it is plant food. In addition we cannot, and will not, manage to stop Africa and Asia, particularly India, from advancing their societies — nor should we. If there is an argument to make on energy efficiency it has to be made in the marketplace on the economic benefits. People will buy more-efficient things if they’re cheaper on a total life-cycle basis including impacts on durability, comfort and the discounted time value of money. If you can’t make the argument on that basis then the so-called “improvement” is a lie and the ability to impose it by force will be removed.
- I will demand that Congress revoke all criminal and civil immunity from every branch of private industry under every circumstance, and will issue targeted vetoes against any bill touching any industry benefiting from same until it occurs. The pharmaceutical industry is a large part of this — but not all of it. If an industry argues that it “won’t” produce a thing our society needs without that then let them withdraw and as soon as they do the government will fund said production, subject to the right of first refusal by said private firms. Holding people hostage (as the pharmaceutical industry did with the DTP fiasco) will be met with the government stepping in and criminal charges if any sort of organized action occurs as such is a violation of 15 USC Chapter 1. Executives will go to prison if they try to get around this with various forms of arm-twisting. I have no problem with throwing rich and powerful people in prison if the break the law and you shouldn’t either.
- The DEA will be directed to de-schedule cannabis. It does not meet the legal requirements to be scheduled and never did; this was an outrageous fraud and said frauds must end. This has to go through formal process (e.g. notice in the Federal Register, etc.) but it will happen starting on my first day in office. All other scheduled drugs will be similarly reviewed for compliance with the actual statute and those that do not meet the requirements will be shifted into the correct category or de-scheduled as appropriate.
- I shall solicit Congress to revoke the bankruptcy exemption on student loans and remove from the Federal Government all involvement in same on an immediate and permanent basis. This requires an act of Congress but it has to be done. Post-secondary education is a racket and has been driven by the incremental policy moves of Congress and the Federal Government in regards to student lending. Obama’s federalization of student lending is a proven failure and must be reversed and all such loans ejected from the federal portfolio. This will end the FASFA scam as well; an adult is just that, and it is none of a university’s business how much their parents make or have. Only Pell and Stafford will remain as federal programs pending review of their efficiency and distortions on the educational marketplace. We cannot end the various forms of discriminatory conduct in education nor the raw exploitation of young adults without doing this. Existing borrowers should be able to discharge said debt, and I will promote a change in the Bankruptcy Code that provides that if one does so all credits so-earned and the degree is also revoked to provide a strong disincentive for strategic default. Those who got talked into $100,000+ of debt for what proves to be a worthless degree, on the other hand, should be able to discharge same. At the same time PSLF and related programs must and to the extent can be eliminated by Executive action will be ended; non-profits should have to compete in the marketplace like everyone else for employment and suppressing wages in the public sector is damaging to the economy and individual people.
- Roe has been stuck by the Supreme Court. I shall neither attempt to reinstate it nor will I take any Executive action to enact federal bans on what the Supreme Court has returned to the States. This is a debate that has to happen at the state level and the determination as to whether common ground can be found must take place there. It may be that this is where it stays forever — that I do not know, but what I do know is that attempting to enact a federal abortion ban is exactly the same sort of tyranny that was in place on the other side with partial birth abortions where a child half-born could be killed with impunity. Corner cases make bad law and I will not participate in either side of this debate’s attempt to ram said corner cases down the American people’s throats.
- I will impose Wage and Environmental Parity Tariffs on imports from all nations, whether directly or via intermediary nations, that despoil the environment, use forced or otherwise coerced labor, and that subsidize or otherwise tamper with pricing via state support, including but not limited to those nations that engage in or suborn intellectual property theft and/or destruction. This will be imposed without fear or favor; no nation will be exempt. Those nations that trade fairly and freely with the United States will find the same is extended to them. Those that have not, or do not, will be paying the entire laden cost they attempted to shift off via tariffs on everything that is sourced or passes through their country.
- I will immediately end all involvement within the power of the Executive within Ukraine. Congress of course may not concur, and they do have the capacity to override spending vetoes, but where the Executive has unitary capacity to make decisions that bear in this area said withdrawal will occur starting on my first day in office. We were largely responsible for creating this mess all the way back to Maidan and we will, within the limits of my power, stop doing so. All sanctions related to said activity will be immediately dropped. If foreign nations wish to fight they ought to make that determination on their own merits, such as they are, and bear the consequences.
- I will establish a Presidential Commission with a mandate to report on the engineering steps required to bring the ORNL LFTR prototype to production and then will present that to Congress on a crash-program basis with the intent of commercial power production within five years. This will undoubtedly include expedited permitting and review processes that will require immediate sign-off or rejection — and no delays. No Federal agency under the Executive will be permitted to sit on any such review during my tenure. It is my expressed intent that the United States have a closed civilian nuclear fuel cycle and all such measures necessary to do so, along with extraction of liquid fuels from coal, will be undertaken with appropriate budgetary requests to Congress to do so. We can be entirely energy independent in the United States and within my two terms, assuming I get a second one, we will be .
- All renewable fuel mandates (e.g. Ethanol and biodiesel) will be allowed to sunset or, if not subject to sunset within the next two years, be dropped. The emissions reductions from ethanol in particular disappeared once closed-cycle engines were introduced and essentially all road engines are and have been for more than 20 years. This program no longer has a benefit in the form of pollution reduction but it imposes wild expanses of cost both on transportation fuels and food. If ethanol makes sense on a per-BTU basis to put in fuel then it will be done by the market itself, not on federal mandate. If it does not make sense then it will disappear as it should.
- I will endeavor to abolish the GSEs entirely through Congressional action. Until they are anyone who participates in any form of fraud — including attesting they are buying a house to live in when they intend to or do rent it in whole or part — will find themselves defending an indictment against them. All parties to said fraud will be named and charged, including the Realtors, Title firms, lenders, attorneys and any other entity who has reason to know or does know of said abuses. This is a significant factor that has driven the unaffordability of single family housing and in each and every case it is criminal act. Strengthening families means making sure they can afford a place to live. If you’re a part of these abuses and extraction industries you will go to prison and forfeit the property in question upon conviction. Period.
- The best defense against potential changes in climate, which we cannot control for multiple reasons (which I’m happy to debate) is to have a strong economy and apply engineering to the challenges rather than attempt that which cannot succeed as we are a mere 330 million people out of 8 billion on this planet. We have no more right to tell others how to live than they do in the other direction. What we can do is mitigate to the extent reasonable and possible — and in many cases, it is not only possible it can be done with benefit to the economy and productivity of our nation as a whole.
- The Armed Forces are supposed to be a fighting force that we hope never need be used. There is no place in it for “woke” anything, whether predicated on race, sex, gender or anything else. Any members of leadership who are not best-suited for the job will be removed and replaced. Standards will not be lowered to suit “social values.” We hope and pray that we never need lift weapons in anger, but hope is not a strategy and thus we must always be prepared for the possibility that indeed we will be called upon to do so.
- The office of the President has often issued “dietary guidance.” Here’s mine and you get it in advance: Stop eating fast carbohydrates. The “food pyramid” was a scam and almost-exactly inverted as to what you should and should not consume. This was driven by commercial interests, not the health of Americans. I’m a living example of what I believe in this regard and we will destroy the obesity epidemic in America without pharmaceuticals. It is simply a matter of what goes in your pie hole; your body knows, like every other animal, how to regulate food intake all on its own if you stop poisoning it.
- The FDA has apparently claimed “sovereign immunity” with regards to claims they are concerned will be proved false in open court. To the extent this case is still under litigation I will expressly disavow same on my first day by Executive declaration. If the case has been disposed of an Executive Order will be issued on said first day to specifically disavow same on a forward basis government-wide. No federal agency will ever, during my Administration, claim a right to lie to the American people. If such an agency does lie not only will it be legally accountable for the harm but I will further strip any personal liability shield that said individuals may otherwise claim and the individuals involved will be forced to answer for said lies in their personal capacity. There is a clean argument to be made for qualified immunity for mistakes and that I will permit to continue but that does not extend to deliberate acts and no person will commit such an act in a department I have control over, directly or otherwise, while I am in office and get away with it.
- Judicial nominations will be made on the basis of strict construction of the Constitution and a demonstrated capacity and record in doing so. Appointments in all other respects will be made only upon merit with all other characteristics explicitly disregarded. All “quotas”, whether soft or hard, with respect to race, sex and similar are not only repugnant to the position they’re federally illegal as discriminatory conduct for or against a protected class and have no place within my Executive or the nominations it produces — period. Merit comes back to the Executive on my first day in office in all respects.
If you believe that something else ought to be added make your case in the comment section. I’ll edit this Ticker as appropriate and will pin it until the time of the election. I very much doubt there are even five percent of the American people who want an actual Constitutionalist in office who puts America first, will defend our borders including with deadly force and trade sanctions if necessary, will stop inflation on an immediate and permanent basis and will not allow any sort of “special interest” or Congressional game-playing to ram-rod provisions of law through an Executive signature issued without knowing every single word contained in a bill and what it does. I also suspect almost-nobody wants an Executive that both respects the boundaries and tripartite system of government we have even when its inconvenient for whatever position they wish to advance.
