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People overestimate a president’s power
Thursday, Oct. 16, 2008 | 2:03 a.m.
The amount of misinformation, exaggeration and outright lies in the presidential campaigns is staggering. Take the claims that a President Obama would raise your taxes, or take away your weapons.
People who believe this nonsense don’t know how our government works. You see, we have the legislative branch, made up of the Senate and the House of Representatives. They pass the laws, approve expenditures, cut or raise taxes, and could limit the ownership of weapons.
Then you have the executive branch, the president, who carries out the wishes of Congress, enforces the law and wages war when it is approved by Congress. The president is limited in what he can do, and has no magic wand that would allow him to act on his own.
The final branch is the judicial branch, the Supreme Court, which hears cases that involve the constitutionality of laws, and can rule against the president if he exceeds his authority.
It’s been working well for more than 200 years, and Barack Obama or any other president is bound to honor the law and obey Supreme Court rulings.
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Sound like somebody is trying to pre-generate excuses for Obama.
The Democrats will most likely control all three branches of the government.
They have made a ton of promises.
For example, Obama has promised to kill Yucca.
I am sure in 2 years from now and 4 years from now the excuses will be generated a rate of 1,000 per second.
So Queen Nancy will take everything. With Nancy Pelosi pushing the San Fransisco agenda and harry Reid doing as he's told, there is no one to say NO. There is no one to say, we can't afford that. There is no one to say, take a breath. Democrats in control of Congress with Obama in the White House will get us a fundamental change to the economy as he promises. It's called socialism. The American way is becoming history as we speak.
Jim, if Obama wins the election, the Democrats will only control TWO branches of government unless a supreme court justice dies or steps down (two actually) AND the Congress confirms left-leaning successors.
As to "excuses", your side's been making excuses for Dubya since BEFORE he took the White House (set the bar low -- how do think they got the idea for Palin).
Projection .... it's all you have.
neiman, "the American way" became history on or about December 12, 2000.
Did you just notice?
PatriciaLV, thanks for catching my error on all three branches......you are right they will only control two branches at first...perhaps later all three.
I guess it will be your turn to start making excuses for your Hussein dude.
No, he's right. THe president CANNOT raise your taxes. He cannot change or fix healthcare, and his "mortgage crisis plan" is really just a recommendation.
Now Presidents do have considerably power with executive orders. Those have gotten out o fhand.
So, I guess KDR81 is blaming the current Senate and US House for not doing anything about preventing the current mortgage crisis.
The Democrats control both the Senate and the US House.
Both Dems and the GOP have their hands in creating the crisis.
and that still does not prove that the president has the power to raise taxes... All Obama's plan can do is "suggest" All McCain can do is "suggest"
That is true.
I wasn't saying the president can raise or lower taxes. I was simply correcting him on how many branches of government the democrats would control if Obama is elected.
EOs can be necessary, but I would consider them almost a necessary evil. They've been WAY overused during this administration ..... and usually right before a weekend or holiday when no one's really paying attention.
What scares me more than anything, though, and Cheney is STILL talking about it, is the unitary executive horror.
Words fail me.