Curbing The Imperial Presidency

In Great Britan the duties that our presidents have are split between the monarch and the prime minister. Where the queen preforms all trditional, cerimonial and other sillier functions, the prime minister can focus more completely on the meat and potatoes of running the country. Brits can have a silly and almost mystical devotion to their queen, who can accept theri adulation without it effecting government policy. Here, in the United States, the silly devotion or extreme disrespect of the president has more to do with his cerimonial image than any objective view of his policies. Bill Clinton was far and away better at performing the cerimonial role of the president than Bush is. Clinton is good looking, well spoken, even likeable. Bush, unfortunately, just isn't up to that level of performance. On the other hand, Bush seems more interested in the meat and potatoes of running the country than Clinton was. Bush, at least, tried to get an energy policy passed so that the USA could become energy independant. Clinton vetoed any and all attemtps to mine oil in the United States. So there is the stark contrast between the two presidents. One who is beautiful and wonderful to listen to, but who didn't do much for the country. The other is actually painful to watch and listen to, but who seems to really care about his job. Do we want a lovely, though indifferent president, or do we want a hard working and boring president? Maybe this country really needs a monarch after all. Anyone want to vote for William the first?

The Presidents power is much the same as it was. The problem is perception. People percieve the President as having unlimited power and give him the praise or hate. Congress also has not done their part by not taking a more powerful stand and advocating their position.

You are right. Congress, and I mean both houses, are acting like children. They cannot be sostupid as to think that not tackling hard problems like enrgy independance and global terrorisim is somehow acceptable with the American People. They seem to have forgotten that they are running the country, not a popularity contest.