The Opposite of Progress

With another Presidential election coming our way this November, we must brace ourselves from the constant political mudslinging both within and across party lines.  It is wont for the incumbent, in this case President Obama, to convince the nation we are better off today than we were under the previous administration of George Bush.  Likewise, the eventual Republican nominee will attempt to persuade us that the last four years were a disaster (my personal opinion as well) and that we can no longer afford to suffer under President Obama.  In doing this, both parties will no doubt point out the pro's of their nominee and the cons of their adversary. All this while we the masses are manipulated and sold a bad bill of goods. 

 
The truth is, our forefathers, through the US constitution, extended very little power to the President over domestic affairs.  In particular, Article II of the US Constitution outlines the authority given to the President. 

• The President shall be commander-in-Chief of the US armed forces and has the power to grant reprieves and pardons to offenses against the US.
• The President shall have the authority to make treaties however the treaties must be ratified by a 2/3's vote in the Senate.
• The President shall have the authority to appoint ambassadors, judges and other public officers not explicitly called out in the constitution. All which must have the consent of the Senate.
• The President shall from time to time provide congress with information on the state of the union and recommend to them matters that the President deems expedient.
• The President shall approve or disapprove (veto) all legislation passed by Congress however congress can with a 2/3rds vote can override a Presidential veto.  

That is the extent of the of the powers granted by the US constitution to the President. As this list implies,  the woes of our nation during any administration cannot fully stem from the President.  That is not to suggest that the President cannot have an influence on domestic affairs, he most certainly does but ultimately, the fortunes or misfortunes of an administration sprout forth from another source.
 

What powers do the Constitution provide to Congress?  Article 1 of the US Constitution defines the powers granted to the Congress. Congress shall have the power to:

• Collect taxes (BTW, for those of you who still think that federal tax collection is not a law,  look no further than Section 8.1 of the Constitution), pay debt and provide for the common defenses and general welfare of the United States. 

… I could probably stop here but lets look at a few more...

• To borrow money on the credit of the United States
• To establish immigration rules (naturalization)
• To coin money and regulate US currency
• To establish the post office
• To promote the progress of science and useful arts.  (Yes the word "useful" is in the Constitution)
• To declare war
• To raise and support an Army, provide a Navy and to train and arm the armed forces.
• To make all necessary laws. 

It appears our Congress is responsible for all the things that we as a nation are struggling with right now.  High taxes,  crippling foreign debt, cuts to our military, rampant illegal immigration, all of these issues are distinctly the responsibility of the Congress, not the President. So why then, do we continue to elect the same candidates over and over again that are directly responsible for the lack of progress our nation has succumbed to?  Has our Congress created a more perfect union?!. Insured domestic tranquility?!  Not lately.

We, the people, vote congress into office.  That means we, the people, truly have the government that we earned.  (It would have been so easy to use the word deserve here).  When heading towards the ballot box this election day keep in mind that:

1. President Clinton was in office while Newt Gingrich led the Republican controlled Congress
2. President Bush was in office while Nancy Pelosi led the Democrat controlled House of Representatives
3. And for the first two years of President Obama's incumbency when Pelosi led congress, the recession only got worse. 

So as we watch the Presidential debates unfold and listen to the candidates grapple with why our nation cannot move forward, remember that the opposite of progress is Congress!