Brimstone – if I understand it correctly*, it's the other way around. The way you describe is the way it is in a parliamentary democracy, like the UK. In the US, the President is the #1 most powerful person in the Executive Branch.

If our system of government is functioning the way it's supposed to, with separation of the three branches (Executive, Legislative, and Judicial) and with the branches serving as checks and balances on each other, he's not the single most important person in government. Really, if it's functioning the way it's supposed to, there shouldn't be any one person who could be identified as the single most important or powerful person.

*I am a victim – er, I mean, s...

Brimstone – if I understand it correctly*, it's the other way around. The way you describe is the way it is in a parliamentary democracy, like the UK. In the US, the President is the #1 most powerful person in the Executive Branch.

If our system of government is functioning the way it's supposed to, with separation of the three branches (Executive, Legislative, and Judicial) and with the branches serving as checks and balances on each other, he's not the single most important person in government. Really, if it's functioning the way it's supposed to, there shouldn't be any one person who could be identified as the single most important or powerful person.

*I am a victim – er, I mean, survivor – of the American public educational system, so I may very well have gotten this wrong. Social Studies and Civics have not been given terribly high priority by the people who design our schools' educational programs.

Brimstone...Lexica's summary is good.

It's rather amusing how regular folks, in the course of this L-O-N-G election have found ourselves knee deep in explaining the powers of the president, checks & balances (and how Bush has violated and abused this set-up), socialism, concepts like Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Religion.

It makes you wonder: "Who let the dogs out?"

In this ongoing discussion I have one thought to add: the President, besides his normal political involvements, is also the USA's 'Commander-in-Chief'

His more normal political power is to Veto legislation, he can also introduce legislation for consideration, and he can delete items from the budget.

But, as 'Commander-i...

Brimstone...Lexica's summary is good.

It's rather amusing how regular folks, in the course of this L-O-N-G election have found ourselves knee deep in explaining the powers of the president, checks & balances (and how Bush has violated and abused this set-up), socialism, concepts like Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Religion.

It makes you wonder: "Who let the dogs out?"

In this ongoing discussion I have one thought to add: the President, besides his normal political involvements, is also the USA's 'Commander-in-Chief'

His more normal political power is to Veto legislation, he can also introduce legislation for consideration, and he can delete items from the budget.

But, as 'Commander-in-Chief', this means he's boss of the whole Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines (and more). Obama can walk into the Oval Office in the White House on his first day and on his very first day he could say: Send an aircraft carrier with 100 jets and 50 cruise missiles over to Japan...or down to Cuba, Venezuela, or whatever.

He wouldn't have to give anybody a single reason.

Of course, George Bush abused this power, because, eventually (after 90 days) the President is suppose to go to Congress and ask for their approval for his military actions -- but Bush ignored this rule among many other rules he broke.

It appears another power of the President is he can break rules and get away with it.

Plus, like Bush has also been doing, we have all sorts of "secret wars," going on around the world, covert actions, etc.

As Bush has shown this power, among others, can be abused and do great harm here at home and overseas. We're lucky Obama appears to be an honorable man and we certainly expect him to do better than Bush.

__And, not a joke, we're in deep in a world of wars and hurt.

It's amazing how quickly the (*hit has hit the fan.

Iran now not happy about Obama's "nuclear criticism."

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/11/08/iran.obama/index.html

Russia will be moving up some of it's nu