Category Archives: Politics

General, Politics

Response to Response

Mr Crank;

Looking at the aspects of the Trade Promotion Authority Act you referenced in your response of August 11, 2025, as a defense of the Congress not doing anything about the Administration’s unilateral tariffs, I notice that Congress is supposed to have a final say on how these Trade Promotions are implemented.

Key elements of TPA—

(1) TPA outlines Congressional guidance to the President on trade policy priorities and negotiating objectives.

(2) TPA establishes Congressional requirements for the Administration to notify and consult with Congress, with the private sector and other stakeholders and with the public during the negotiations of trade agreements.

(3) TPA defines the terms, conditions and procedures under which Congress allows the Administration to enter into trade agreements, and sets the procedures for Congressional consideration of bills to implement the agreements.

I also saw at the Congressional website that the TPA expired in 2021. https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IF10038

Jack Heneghan

General, Politics

A response from Mr Crank

August 11, 2025
Hello Jack,
Thank you for contacting me regarding tariffs. I appreciate hearing from you and welcome the opportunity to respond.

As you may know, tariffs are taxes that are imposed on goods that are imported from other countries. Over time, Congress has passed legislation like the Presidential Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) Act to grant the President the authority to set tariffs and regulate trade with other countries. This provides the President the ability to react to changes in the global market to promote fair trade arrangements for the benefit of the American economy. Please know that I am tracking the tariffs announced by the President in April and will keep your views in mind should legislation related to this topic come to the House floor for a vote.

Again, thank you for contacting me. If you would like more information, or to request help with a federal agency, please visit my website at crank.house.gov. There you can sign up for my newsletter or keep in touch with me through my social media.

Sincerely,
Jeff Crank Signature.
Jeff Crank
Member of Congress

JCH Addendum: I looked up the Trade Promotions Authority act. It doesn’t seem to say what Mr Crank thinks it says.
General, Politics

Yet another Post to Mr. Crank

Mr. Crank;

I see, today, that the President has taken on the responsibility of managing the District of Columbia. Once again this seems to be Executive overreach, since the oversight of the District falls under the purview of the Congress, per Article I, section 8, of the Constitution.

I would call upon you, and your colleagues, to slap the Presidents wrist and tell him to keep out of matters that don’t concern him. That would include setting tariffs.

Jack Heneghan

Economics, Politics

A note on Tariffs, to my Rep

Mr Crank,

I would be interested in hearing your rationale on how the Executive Branch is allowed to set tariffs on every country in the world without the input, advice, or consent of Congress. My understanding is that imposing taxes, tariffs, imposts, excises, and the like, are within the purview of Congress, per Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution, and not within the Executive (see Article II).

Jack Heneghan

Politics

Note on the Clawback

Mr. Crank:

“A republic, if you can keep it.”

–Benjamin Franklin’s response to Elizabeth Willing Powel’s question: “Well, Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?”

Looks like we didn’t keep it. You might as well come home.

Jack Heneghan

Politics

Another Note to Mr Crank.

Mr. Crank;

From what I have been reading recently our President seems to be engaging in remarkably petty temper tantrums that threaten the very integrity of our democracy. His tariff actions against Brazil, alone, leads one to question his fitness to office. His tariff actions against the EU, Canada, and the rest of the world smack of pettiness beyond belief. Please talk to your colleagues on the Hill about taking back the power of the tariff and leaving it in Congress where it belongs.

I am also concerned about his recent threats to Rosie O’Donnell, a native-born American citizen, about taking away her citizenship. Are these the ramblings of a sane President? Can you identify a more anti-American sentiment? You should also discuss with your colleagues the possibility of invoking Amendment 25.

Jack Heneghan

Politics

Another note to my rep

Mr. Crank;

I have been reading some disturbing news items about our President and was wondering if Congress is looking into these possible issues.

One, he doesn’t know that he is supposed to “to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States”. Would this not count as perjury when taking the oath of office and thus be an impeachable offense per “The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.”?

Two, he wants to reopen Alcatraz? Is this the action of a sane person? Also, his ongoing flip-flopping on tariffs; who gets them and how much they will be, seems to indicate mental instability. Congress should investigate.

Three, this whole $Trump meme coin business smacks of bribery (see above) and emoluments. Is Congress reviewing this activity?

Jack Heneghan

Politics

A Note to Mr Crank: IRS under attack

Mr. Crank;

I commend to you Paul Krugman’s article of April 15th, 2025. https://paulkrugman.substack.com/p/happy-tax-evasion-day

The article notes how the Republican Administration is undermining the ability of the IRS to collect all the revenues due from incomes and may be actively encouraging some high-income citizens to under-report their income.

Please do what you can to stop the Republican Administration from stifling the collection of revenues that fund our Government, especially collection from folks making more than a Congressman.

Jack Heneghan

Politics

A note to my Congressman

April 6, 2025

Mr Crank;

I read with great trepidation that DOGE and the hackers are being unleashed on the IRS systems. I don’t know what a mere Representative can do in the face of such an onslaught from the Republican Administration, but please find the fortitude to keep them away from sensitive personal data. I can not see any reasonable reason for these parties to be rampaging through IRS data, much less the delicately-balanced systems that maintain our tax/revenue collections.

Ditto for SSA.

Jack Heneghan