[Dean's World] Dean: Resolved: The President of the United States Has Too Much Power

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Posted by Dean:
Resolved: The President of the United States Has Too Much Power
http://www.deanesmay.com/posts/1154488438.shtml


   The President of the United States has far too much power.

   I love our Constitution. I love our democratic way of life. I also
   love the fact that 225 years ago (or so), our forefathers designed a
   system of government that both gave the people a voice in their
   government, but also militated against pure poplism, to make sure that
   America would never see the horrible ravages of the French revolution.
   Populism is important, and vital, but there must be some check on it
   lest the government do horrible things in a moment of passion.

   The Founders thought we needed a President who would militate against
   raw populism. This is why he must sign any important legislation. This
   is why he has the power of the veto. This is why in times of crisis he
   can call up the military and make them do his bidding whether Congress
   likes it or not.

   This worked in late 1700s America. Which consisted of a few million
   people living in the 13 original colonies.

   Now fast-forward to 2006: the President of the United States, one man
   and one man alone, is in control of one-third of the U.S. government.
   He is the Commander-In-Chief of the most powerful military machine
   that has ever existed in all of history. Theoretically he has to ask
   Congress to declare any war, but aside from that he can order American
   troops to deploy into any country on the map. He can order squadrons
   of B-52s to drop nuclear weapons onto any country he deems. Congress
   might gainsay him in retrospect, but he can just do that any time he
   wants.

   In fact, if he wanted to he could overthrow our entire democracy just
   by ordering the military to do certain things. Like lock up his
   critics, just because he decided they were threats to national
   security.

   Do you think this is mere paranoia? Abraham Lincoln did most of this.
   He even imprisoned people who disagreed with him. Americans revere
   Lincoln. We even put him on our $5 bill, and our penny. But he exerted
   an enormous number of autocratic powers while he was in office, just
   to save the Union. Indeed, he autocratically freed millions of slaves,
   just because he could. And we are all grateful to him. Indeed, when he
   issued the Emancipation Proclamation, millions of black Americans sang
   his name in praise. When he signed it, he said that if history
   remembered him for anything, it would remember him for that.

   And he was right.

   So it's worked out well so far, all things considered.

   Still though: isn't that an enormous amount of power to invest in one
   person? This one man (or woman) represents an entire third of the U.S.
   Federal government.

   As I have said in other places, if in the wake of 9/11 President Bush
   had announced that he was dropping nuclear bombs on Mecca, Tehran,
   Kabul, Tripoli, and several other cities besides, there is no one who
   could have stopped him.

   He's one-third of the American government all by himself.

   Isn't that incredible?

   Discuss.