What good's democracy when the President can do whatever he wants?

Question

Most Americans want a pullout from Iraq, don't they matter?
Aren't the democrats supposed to be in charge? I felt that it was all a sharade when the President used the Veto, no such thing as Democracy, What do you think?

Answer 1

The veto can be over-riden. Depending on which, the house and senate there are different veto over-ride rules. The president can't do whatever he wants. But I do agree I don't believe this is what John Locke had in mind for the executive power. Although the president cannot declare war, it's the congress that does that, he has the right to send troops in for a specified amount of time. ( i believe it's 30 days) However realize the president needs funding from Congress for this usually to happen, there are checks and balances, but you're right the executive branch holds a ton of power, and it's shown because it's essentially one person who holds the power as compared with the legislative branch which has the senate and house with a bunch of members.
I think it's important to note that it is possible to impeach a government official, look at Gray Davis the governor of California, it helped set a legal precedence for this type of action in the future.

Answer 2

Well the BIG varience from the intent of the Constitution was the 2000 and 2004 shamlections. The formality of the Constitution was observered in the use of the veto, if you pretend that UNelected Dumbya had the right to use it. But the sad thing is that the Repukes care more about their party than the USA as a whole such that there were not enough to join the Democrats to make 66% to override. Down with Dictator Dumbya!!!

Answer 3

First we don't live in a democracy we live in a constitutional republic. The fact there hasn't been a true democracy since the Roman empire kind of proves that true democracies don't work. We have a representative government ruled by the constitution not the will of the people. If the people had total say in way the country was run a lot of the freedoms would have taken longer to come about, like the right for blacks to vote and the end of slavery remember most of the country didn't want either at the time they happened

Answer 4

First thing's first, we're a republic, not a democracy. Second, it's an entire check and balance system that was designed so that no one branch of government would have absolute power. The Congress can still override the President with a 2/3 majority vote, but they didn't have the support for it. And the court system can still say that that law is unconstitutional and strike it down.

Answer 5

I agree. This administration is looking more like a dictatorship or monarchy more than a democracy and has exposed flaws in the American system of government. What's even worse, is that when the Congress is of the president's party as it has been for the past 6 years, it simply rubber stamps all of the president's legislation making him a defacto dictator. Whatever he wants, the Congress will give him. Its telling that he's only used the veto twice in 6 years! The Bush administration has proven that the American system of government has serious flaws.

Answer 6

Democracy still works.. but there is one thing about war.. when the congress has granted him war time powers it isn't easy to shut that down by design.. even when a new congress comes in.. their only trump card is the power of the purse.. and to use that power would be the end of the democratic party most likely... so they would only make that move if there were no other choice.. great thing is in 2 years we get to vote for a new Commander in Chief of the armed forces.. and the new President will have the power to change the course in Iraq.. so vote wisely.

Answer 7

While I hate to say this, Bush isn't immediately to blame.

Bush made it painfully clear that he was going to veto this bill. Not much could be dome about that. However, the House of Representatives didn't have enough votes to override the Presidential veto. At this moment, you should be more upset with the majority of the 203 Democrats & Republicans who didn't vote to overturn it.

Answer 8

The President has the right to veto any legislation he doesn't agree with. if he feels a set pullout date is bad for the troops he has an obligation to veto it.

The Democrats are only in charge of 1/3 of the government. They obviously haven't taken their responibilties seriously. they pass bills they know will be vetoed and waste time debating and voting on issues that they have no control over.

Answer 9

America is a Republic, not a democracy.

Remember the words "Republic for which it stands" in the Pledge of Allegiance?

People unfamiliar with the constitution are not aware that presidents have a lot of power.

Any high school graduate knows the constitution give presidents a lot of power. The executive branch has always been the most powerful branch. In the last several decades, the Supreme Court has become the most powerful branch of government (that was the ideology of Chief Justice Rehnquist).

Here are some things you should know. Presidents control the military, the CIA, the Justice Department, the treasury, the border patrol, the department of Homeland Security, etc. Also, a president's powers expand during the time of war.

Presidents also have the right to attack other countries anytime they deem it necessary (and congress has the right to declare war). High school graduates know F.D.R. and Truman decided the out come of World War 2, not congress.

Many people say Democrat Clinton abused his presidential powers. For example, Clinton was sued by people when he used force to return refugees to haiti. The Supreme Court rightly said Clinton did nothing wrong.
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/s/supreme_court/index.html?query=HAITI-INTERNATIONAL%20RELATIONS-US&field=des&match=exact

The constitution gives presidents the right to attack countries without the permission of congress (Article II Section 2). Any attempt by congress to limit a president's constitutional right would violate "separation of powers"

1) Constitution:
Article II, Section 2
"President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States."
Article II, Section 1.
"The executive power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America."

2) SUPREME COURT RULINGS:
a) Johnson v. Eisentrager, 339 U.S. 763, 789 (1950) (President has authority to deploy United States armed forces "abroad or to any particular region")
b) Fleming v. Page, 50 U.S. (9 How.) 603, 615 (1850) ("As commander-in-chief, [the President] is authorized to direct the movements of the naval and military forces placed by law at his command, and to employ them in the manner he may deem most effectual")
c) Loving v. United States, 517 U.S. 748, 776 (1996) (Scalia, J., concurring in part and concurring in judgment) (The "inherent powers" of the Commander in Chief "are clearly extensive.")
d) Maul v. United States, 274 U.S. 501, 515-16 (1927) (Brandeis & Holmes, JJ., concurring) (President "may direct any revenue cutter to cruise in any waters in order to perform any duty of the service")
e) Massachusetts v. Laird, 451 F.2d 26, 32 (1st Cir. 1971) (the President has "power as Commander-in-Chief to station forces abroad"); Authority to Use United States Military Forces in Somalia, 16 Op. O.L.C. 6 (1992).

Answer 10

Most Americans dont agree with Iraq. This doesnt mean the want pullout. Besides we can impeach a Pres if he done something illegal or we can vote for someone else.
What good is a president if he is tied down with Political BS?