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Comment Re:did he use an auto pen on this? (Score 1) 102

I can't think of any Washington engaged in, but Jefferson for sure impounded Congressionally allocated money- though not for the purpose of trying to dictate policy to the States, and Congress didn't fight him on the matter. i.e., it wasn't contentious.
In fact, many Presidents have done that. It wasn't really a problem until Nixon. Impound Control Act was a result of that, and the Supreme Court authorized it as legal. Today, it looks like Impound Control may be about to collapse to the pre-Nixon state, depending on what SCOTUS says about the Harvard case- assuming Trump's DOJ appeals it.

Ultimately, Congressional authorization isn't required for all things. The President is individually empowered along side them for many things- like impoundment- it was considered a normal Presidential power until the 1970s- 200 years after its first assertion. Took us that long to get a real crook in office. I think that actually you misjudge how broad the job description is. I think modern people would perhaps be terrified of the Constitutional Convention debate notes. They envisioned a very powerful "Chief Magistrate" (President) that would be controlled by the impeachment power. They hadn't experienced the Party-over-Country politics of political parties yet- they literally didn't exist.

The theory behind checks and balances required that control of the 3 branches wouldn't be united by any common cause other than those which an independent thinker would come to. Party politics shot that out of the water 200 years ago. System was broken by the time its second President was inaugurated.

Comment Re:Rooting for google (Score 1) 38

No, it's more like saying it doesn't matter that content is stored in an unreadable format if can produce the same content back. It's no different than taking a Disney dvd into mp4. Look at the raw mp4 and it's not readable. But pass it through a video decoder and it is. With AI it is just a query and the calculation that follows instead of a video decoder.

Submission + - Germany covers nearly 56 percent of 2025 electricity use with renewables (cleanenergywire.org)

AmiMoJo writes: Renewable energy sources covered nearly 56 percent of Germany’s gross electricity consumption in 2025, according to preliminary figures by energy industry group BDEW and research institute ZSW. Despite a “historically weak” first quarter of the year for wind power production and a significant drop in hydropower output, the share of renewables grew by 0.7 percentage points compared to the previous year thanks to an increase in installed solar power capacity.

Solar power output increased by 18.7 percent over the whole year, while the strong growth in installed capacity from previous years could be sustained, with more than 17 gigawatts (GW) added to the system. With March being the least windy month in Germany since records began in 1950, wind power output, on the other hand, faced a drop of 5.2 percent compared to 2024.

Comment Re:Okay. (Score 1) 102

Which he doesnt have the power to do either under the impoundment control act, as thats a congressional power, not an executive power.

Where in the hell have you been?

Trying? Dude has succeeded. The ICA is dead. All he has to utter are the words, "foreign policy", or "national security". But yes- it was the protection from this kind of bullshit happening, before it had been entirely neutered by the Supreme Court.

Comment Re:Probably gonna be a lawsuit (Score 1) 102

There is no regulation. Read the order.
There is no organ of the executive that is not obligated to follow an executive order, as long as it does not surpass the executive's constitutional or statutory power.
You're probably referring to the very gray area in "independent" agencies, but it's pretty clear at this point that the theory of independent agencies within the executive is a fiction.

Comment Re:Probably gonna be a lawsuit (Score 1) 102

I'm definitely ready to see Democrats fight back.
The era of gentlemanly pool has been gone for a long time, and they didn't get the fucking message.

There have been many times in my life where I've agreed with Republicans more than Democrats on issues that I felt were important (never social issues though, sadly), and the Dems and I stand apart on a good many things today- but this country needs more than 1 party acting. The Republicans have had effectively, at several levels, 1 party government since the early 90s.

It's how we end up with best-effort shit like the ACA, which is just riddled with poison compromises.
It's time for some FDR energy, but hopefully with the wisdom, temperance, and concern for the full aspects of the future of an Eisenhower

Comment Re:Probably gonna be a lawsuit (Score 1) 102

Ya- States absolutely can fight back.

A good example is the Emergency Highway Energy Conservation Act of 1974, which did a similar thing- compelling states to set maximum speed limits, lest the Government start taking away their money.
Several states never complied.

And ya, I think you're basically correct with how it will turn out with regard to who will ignore, and who will capitulate.

Comment Re:Okay. (Score 1) 102

Aye. That was the first thing that came to mind for me as well. It's close to the same blueprint.

I think that the action feels dirtier coming from just the Executive, though I can't really imagine any reason why he wouldn't have the power to do it.
It still feels like a dictator wannabe trying to find new lines he can draw in.

I think the complete eradication of the Power of the Purse will be the thing that haunts us the most about this Presidency.
It's carte blanche for an American-style dictatorial executive.

Of course, maybe as the other person who replied to you says, we'll wean ourselves off of it someday. One can dream.

Comment Re:3m accuracy (Score 1) 32

I'm wondering about that, because for years Google has had better resolution, but not 97% coverage.

Maybe that's the worst case, and it's better in areas with better satellite photographs available. I think Google uses aerial photography too, to get views from different angles.

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