When I was in Iraq, periodically somebody at higher headquarters would send an email down and then act offended when the unit in the field didn't get right on it as if it had been an order. Military orders between units follow a formal procedure, and are issued (usually as a 'FRAGO,' or 'fragmentary order' that updates a larger OPORD, or 'operations order') according to formal processes. So issued by the higher headquarters' operations officer, and signed by the commanding officer of that unit, it is a legally binding order that must be obeyed. An email from some staff officer to someone at a subordinate unit is not a legally binding order. Thus, occasionally some overeager staff dude would have to be reminded that "We don't task by email."
There are two processes for amending the Constitution, and the office of the President has no role in either of them. The Archivist who records the changes does work for the Executive branch, but their job is only to record changes proposed by Congress and ratified by the states, or else proposed and ratified by the states alone. The President's opinion, however expressed, is entirely irrelevant to this process.
UPDATE: To whit.
1 comment:
The ERA basically died when it was not ratified in 1977-78. Some states ratified it in 2017-2020, but another state revoked their ratification. It's dead as far as legislation, and the president's staff should know that. (I know there are parts of the Internet that say since it had no sundown or deadline, it is now in force, but most scholars and sources disagree.)
LittleRed1
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