The Republic is dead, a would-be-dictator simply hasn't noticed yet (or has and simply hasn't finished building their power base).
Or you are just a sensationalist![]()
1 day soon we'll have a president that finally notices that Congress has a lower approval rating then President Mugabe of Zimbabwe and they'll just start ruling by decree (after filling the SC with their supporters to prevent a legal challenge). If they're competent the American people will us go along with it.
The Republic is dead, a would-be-dictator simply hasn't noticed yet (or has and simply hasn't finished building their power base).
Listen, I'm a politician which means I'm a cheat and a liar, and when I'm not kissing babies I'm stealing their lollipops. But it also means I keep my options open.
Or you are just a sensationalist![]()
The result of all this is that the American people expect a dictator.
I erred in the OP - the House is holding pro forma sessions, and therefore is not in recess. obama's appointment is therefore unconstitutional. Imagine if a republican president did that, the lib media would be bleating like a herd of sheep.
It is not unconstitutional: "The President shall have Power to fill up all Vacancies that may happen during the Recess of the Senate, by granting Commissions which shall expire at the End of their next Session." Article II, Section 2
Republicans have also done it- Bush made over 100.
I am not defending Obama here, but just fact-checking your statement.
That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. Do yourself a favor and stop psychoanalyzing people. You are worse than the Freudians.
What do you mean by "this is only fair". It is not about fairness. You want to destroy a whole republic (or think it would be "fair" to do so) because you find some cognitive biases and politics (among other things) as unfair? In that case, I guess you are for the extermination of the human race because guess what: we all inherently demonstrate certain cognitive biases.People give equal credit and blame to the president for anything and everything, this only fair if the president had the power to directly effect policy. Americans may not want a dictator but the expect 1 all the same.
What does that even mean? The Congress is not symbolic, it has tremendous power, and the President cannot make it symbolic. Even the masses understand the Congress is important, hence the importance placed on mid-term elections and their disapproval (if your theory that they only think the President matters was true, then they would be indifferent to Congress and it would not have as low a approval rating).As I said, filling the SC with supporters and keeping Congress symbolically would allow an charismatic and competent president to become a dictator.
You UNDERESTIMATE so many things and like to make flashy statements based on nothing but small variables in complex, multi-variable equations. It is absolutely sensationalism. Go to any major news website and submit your theory as an op-ed piece- the few that don't dismiss you as a nutcase will probably tell you it does not go in line with their publication and if they explain why it will be because it is not a substantive or plausible theory/idea. Or go ask political scientist or strategist. Or even go make a blog post about it and submit it to reddit, digg, or whatever and watch the downvotes pore in and people call you a nutcase because even the masses that you suggest do not understand the power structure of the government will say that your theory is absurd and that YOU do not understand it.As long as the don't actually call themselves a dictator they'd get away with it. It's not sensationalism, it's reality. You overestimate the strength of our democracy.
David, et al,
I use to watch these Congressmen and Senator flight into Baghdad and Kabul quite frequently. The really do strut around like little potentate. The people have simply allowed them too much power and authority, without holding them to any meaningful performance standard.
(COMMENT)
Being a member of Congress (House or Senate) has become an occupation predicated on fooling the people. We all understand that the integrity of a politician is merely one step below a hungry Used Car Salesman. They are aspiring sheep, following the party and working in the best interest of the party; and, not the American people.
The only way you will ever effect change in Congress is if we hold to some set of standards that have repercussions. For instance, if the Unemployment rate exceeds 8%, then the pay and allowance of Congress are reduced by 20%. If the unemployment rate moves into double digits, the pay and allowances for Congress is reduced a further 20%. I think you will see a significant change in performance.
If Congress enacts a national Healthcare Program, then, they are subject to it. There should be no special program just for Congress to use. Members of Congress should be subject to the same Joint travel regulation as other government employees. The should not have special flights aboard special aircraft.
They represent us, and they should understand what "us" means.
Most Respectfully,
R
Very well said. Most of the postings are partisan bickering just like typical Repug or Dem politicians.