Why Who is President Shouldn’t Matter As Much as It Does

Eight years ago when President Obama took office, much of what was thought and is happening today was happening on the other side.  Many wondered if Pres. Bush would declare martial law and prevent Obama from taking office. There were people on the right scared of what Obama would do with the country– those that had read Alinsky and others and feared the worse.

I consoled myself, like I have done with every change in power, that the President often doesn’t get all that he wants– checks and balances help to prevent that and things in Congress are not so lopsided to let truly partisan methods through.

Then President Obama extended what President Bush had done with signing statements and executive orders.  He started legislating unopposed with the backing of the American people (so we were told) and with a republican opposition afraid of their own shadow.

Now it is the liberal’s turn to fear because that extension that Bush and Obama made is being undone and one wonders whether President Trump will take it further.  He certainly talks a lot about what he will or can do that we all know he’ll need Congressional support for– or will he?

The President of the United States was never meant to be a king, and I fear that the current culture war, in its efforts to ram through societal change that the people don’t want, have perverted the Presidency and the Judiciary in an attempt to get around the fact that it would be impossible to legislate their changes though the Congress because they are forced to make compromises and/or reflect the will of the people.  So the President takes executive action (which is great if they agree with you and terrible if they don’t) and the Judiciary makes laws by interpreting things otherwise and eventually it will all fall apart.

Who is President shouldn’t matter as much as it does.  Unfortunately, this is not the case.  And so for four years non-establishment Republicans will be happy, maybe the populists will be happy, but what then?