By Karen Tumulty:
The early days of Donald Trump’s presidency have been marked by an aggressive and unapologetic effort to banish dissent.
Less than two weeks in, there are a growing number of examples of a give-no-quarter approach: Trump’s blistering language in firing the acting attorney general who refused to defend his controversial immigration order; his press secretary’s declaration that career diplomats “either get with the program or they can go;” his chief strategist’s labeling of news media as an “opposition party” that should “keep its mouth shut.”
The pattern — and particularly efforts to shut down discordant voices within the government — is raising alarms.
“The whole thing is scary,” said David Boaz, executive vice president of the libertarian Cato Institute. “They have no appreciation for the Constitution, much less the unwritten norms of liberal democracy.”
To some degree, the posture reflects the management philosophy of Trump, who once described effective leadership as being “a one-man army. . . . You must plan and execute your plan alone.”
The Full Story (February 1, 2017)
No comments:
Post a Comment