Many of my fellow LLP’ers have been answering the following question:
“By some bizarre set of circumstances, you are the president as of now. Name the first 5 things you?d do. Level of difficulty: it must actually be stuff the president is constitutionally allowed to do.?
In no particular order, here’s my list:
1 Immediately pardon all persons who have been convicted under federal law certain non-violent crimes. Specifically, I would include anyone convicted under the anti-drug laws, obscenity laws, and securities laws such as so-called “insider trading.”
2. Terminate the employment of as many employees of the Executive Branch and its various agencies as I was legally permitted to do. Unfortunately, most civil service employees will likely be exempt.
3. Terminate membership in all UN-related agencies with the exception of the Security Council and General Assembly. I would also issue an immediate statement that the United States will act to defend its national interests as warranted without regard to what the UN stated. The only reason I would retain a seat on the Security Council would be so that the US would be able exercise its veto to prevent the UN from doing anything incredibly stupid or dangerous.
4. Appoint Richard Epstein of the University of Chicago Attorney General (only a temporary appointment until a Supreme Court appointment opens up).
5. Rescind all executive orders not in compliance with a strict construction of the Constitution.
After that, I’d have a nice cocktail and go to bed early. There’s no reason that the President of a limited constitutional republic needs to work all day, after all.
Hat Tip: Say Uncle
