The Presidency 27
Voters and political parties became additional sources of presidential power and accountability.
voting
The Presidency 26
The power to pardon creates some overlap in the powers of the presidency and those of the court.
The Presidency 25
The Twentieth Amendment largely removed the need for power to convene or adjourn Congress.
The Presidency 19
To faithfully execute the laws of the land, the presidency was assigned executive power that was mostly undefined.
The Presidency 18
Faithfully executing the laws of the land is one of the most important obligations of the presidency.
The Presidency 17
The framers feared that a president could be seduced by a foreign power to harm the country.
The Presidency 13
The framers agreed that the President would command the armed forces – with several explicit reservations.
The Value of Voting
Does voting make any difference? Is it worth the trouble? The answer depends upon you. If you and enough other people vote for someone who has pledged to represent your interests and to work with your opposition to solve problems, then, yes, absolutely your vote will make a difference. Politicians are highly tuned to what …
Keeping Our Republic
In general, constitutions are written by people who expect to live and work together for generations to come. It’s when enough people no longer feel this way that Constitutions are weakened or destroyed. One of the reasons they might feel that way is because they have become divided and no longer trust each other. …
A Tale of Two Countries
Clashes in Berkeley and Portland bring to mind an interesting story about two countries where people who felt frustrated with each other and their governments. Citizens in Columbia and Venezuela (both republics) were fed up with the inability of their governments to solve their problems. In both cases, they were willing to try the leadership …
Are You Well Served by the USPS?
The U.S. Constitution provides for nearly universal adult access to the ballot. The pandemic is making that difficult. Most voting precincts had historically depended upon retirees to administer the system, many have to shutdown as this high-risk population is reluctant to participate this year. Younger people need to step up. If you want to …
Time to Restore Big Tent Politics
In times that strain our system of checks and balances, trying for more party purity – meaning moving the two major parties even further apart – is the wrong way to go. Instead, it is time to restore big tent politics.
The End of Partisan Gerrymandering? Fingers Crossed!
One of the most fundamental aspects of a democracy is that citizens vote for their leaders rather than politicians selecting their voters through partisan redistricting (gerrymandering). On October 3, 2017, the US Supreme Court heard a case that could end this practice forever. It is hard to know how the justices will rule on this issue but one thing is certain: anything that leads to more political competition will be welcome. As noted in our August 14, 2017 blog, too many states, and too many districts within those states are currently noncompetitive. More than a few districts don’t even provide voters with a choice: no-one wants to waste time and money running as an opposition candidate, knowing they are doomed to lose. Americans deserve better. Let’s hope the Supreme Court justices lend a hand.
Cyber Attacks and Election Integrity
Democracy truly is under attack. Cyber techniques are the latest weapons. They are aimed directly at us, seeking to stimulate emotion over thought, sowing doubt and distrust. More computerization is not the answer.
