Unfortunately, though I agree with Connor’s assessment of the situation and the solutions he has laid out (congress properly focusing legislation, the principle of impoundment, presidential outing of porky congressmen, and impeachment of a president neglecting his duty), I find myself shaking my head in hopelessness.

There’s too much of an “I’ll-scratch-your-back-you-scratch-mine” mentality (combination) that has a strong hold in our government. In order for the things Connor has proposed to work, there has to be a higher moral code on both sides. Business as usual would have to cease being about power retention. In addition, there would have to be a constituency who was actually knowledgable about what was going on and actually cared so that when the pork-promoting congressmen were “outed,” the people would remove them or pressure them to do the right thing.

Perhaps we can make a note of these things, and implement them after we have solved the problem of lack of character and morality in the Congress and the Presidency and ultimately, in the people who elect them.

I expect power to be used in the interests of the powerful first. I can’t think of a strong enough check on this one.

That’s just it, though—it’s not any power he doesn’t already have. He (the President) is charged with executing laws that are passed. This “power” (impoundment) is simply the refusal to exeucte a law. In essence, it is civil disobedience implemented when the President thinks that something is wrong. I am all for civil disobedience as it relates to opposing un-constitutional measures.

Well, if the President makes a habit of publicly shaming them, they’ll just refuse to fund his administration. This is a hole the president can’t easily dig his way out of. Frankly, the president needs to have good will of congress; that’s the way things should be.

Threatening to veto makes it hard enough to pass personal interest legislation. If congresspersons are able to tack this stuff onto major policy bills, then the president is derelecting his duty.

Frankly I feel that impoundment is just too powerful. The President still has a limited ability to do this by stalling policies with bureaucratic handwavery. At least he can’t ignore the rule of law with impunity. It strikes me as uncharacteristic, that you would advocate this kind of arbitrary executive power, Connor. Wouldn’t you reject this sort of thing on principle?

One thing I can say about Congress, like any sociopath, they are quick to respond collectively if they believe there is a collective threat. (Remember how easy it was for G.W.B. to pass all of his draconian policies in the wake of 9/11.)

Sociopaths are pathologically insecure. Public shame is probably the thing they fear (and also anticipate) the most. Appealing to their insecurity influences them much more than inflaming it.