Patch Laws

Welcome to Patch Laws, a platform for exploring and proposing new legal ideas in order to patch the innumerable litany of loopholes that are enabling the United States of America's frightening and illegal conversion to an autocratic dictatorship.

PROPOSED LAW #1: Federal agency identification

Federal agencies, in any and all public presentaton, cannot call themselves anything other than what their actual legal name is, as determined in some standard way.

Also, federal officials with official titles like "Secretary of Defense" must only use such legal titles in correspondence and identification, the only exception would be for bona fide undercover work where an assumed given name is also being used.

Citation: Trump signs executive order rebranding Pentagon as Department of War The Guardian

PROPOSED LAW #2: TARA: Tariff Abuse Reduction Act

Tariffs must be agreed upon by a majority of the Congress and must be reauthorized in the same way every 90 days. Any tariff rejected by the Congress may not proposed again for 90 days.

PROPOSED LAW #3: Use of National Guard in cities

The use of the National Guard on US Soil must be restricted to truly emergent situations only,

PROPOSED LAW #4: Irrevocable post-election security

Anyone entitled to receive a security detail from the secret service must receive that benefit for the entire duration prescribed and such benefit can only be terminated by the receipient.

In other words, the president must not be able to cancel your secret service protection because he was having a bad day.

PROPOSED LAW #5: End the abuse of so-called "moral turpitude"

According to Wikipedia, "Over time, U.S. law has diverged from historical and commonsense notions of moral turpitude. What was once a phrase alluding to grave, shameful immorality now covers a wide spectrum of felonies and misdemeanors in immigration and professional regulation. This evolution reflects policy choices as much as linguistic ones: Congress deliberately left the term undefined, trusting agencies and courts to interpret it (see Jordan v. De George, 341 U.S. 223, 229–30 (1951)). The result is vagueness and perceived overbreadth. "

Immigration officials are now using the petty misdemeanors of permanent residents as an excuse to deport them. This is a perversion of the original intent of the law and must be stopped.

Citation: Inside the raid: How a monthslong federal immigration operation led to 475 arrests at a Hyundai plant in Georgia CNN

PROPOSED LAW #6: Country of Origin Deportation Only

An individual subject to deportation must only be sent to their country of origin where they have citizenship. Deportation or detainment in any unrelated country shall be illegal.

Citation: Trump administration tells Abrego Garcia he now faces deportation to African country of Eswatini CBS News

PROPOSED LAW #7: Secretary of HHS Credentials

The secretary of the HHS must hold some kind of legitimate medical credentials.

Citation: RFK Jr. is not a doctor. But he will play one at HHS. Rhode Island Current

PROPOSED LAW #8: Law Enforcement Officer Transparency/Visibility

Law enforcement officers must not wear masks or other devices that obfuscate their identity, and must wear a vest, jacket, or other item that identifies their agency.

Citation: Rise of ICE agents wearing masks creates opportunity for imposters to conduct crimes PBS Newshour

PROPOSED LAW #9: Prevent Censorship of News

Make it illegal to instruct, demand, or otherwise request any news organization to suppress or otherwise withhold any information not otherwise illegal to disseminate.

PROPOSED LAW #10: Equal & Respectful Treatment of Past Presidents

Any display consisting of presidential portraits must solely consist of such portraits and make no subsitutions.

The fact Trump did this, and the time we now have to waste patching it, are both remarkably sad.

Citation: Trump White House hangs image of Biden autopen signature in new ‘Presidential Walk of Fame’ CNN

PROPOSED LAW #11: Prevent White House Spokepeople from Editorializing

It is inappropriate and disrespectful for White House Spokespersons to editorialize in their remarks.

When someone speaks in their official capacity, their speech is considered "government speech," not private speech. The government is generally allowed to control and regulate its own official messaging. So passing a law to prevent such editorialization is permissible.

Citation: Eight-foot-tall ‘Dictator Approved’ sculpture appears on National Mall Washington Post (see remarks from "Abigail Jackson, a White House spokeswoman")

PROPOSED LAW #12: Codify Government Shutdown Processes

"Beyond the Antideficiency Act, which says the government cannot spend money or incur debts without Congress’ authority, the shutdown process has historically been guided by traditions, not laws."

Study government shutdowns that have occurred under past presidents and codify shutdown processes into law, to better guide future presidents and deter would-be autocrats.

Citation: How a government shutdown could give Trump more power PBS Newshour

PROPOSED LAW #13: Presidential Library donations

Prohibit fundraising for one's presidential library until out of office.

Citation: Presidential Libraries: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver HBO