One BIG problem with our system of government ...

[Jeebo]

Our system is set up with checks and balances, so that different branches watch over each other to make sure they all behave themselves. The executive branch (president) nominates cabinet members and judges, and the legislative branch (Senate) confirms or rejects those nominees. The judicial branch approves or overrules various actions of the other two branches. They all have different levels of power that they can exercise over each other.

The problem is, that's not where the oversight needs to happen. Instead of different BRANCHES checking and balancing each other, the way it actually works, what we need is for the different POLITICAL PARTIES to exercise those oversight powers over each other. Look at all the party-line votes that happen in the House and the Senate and also on various boards and commissions. When the branches are controlled by the same party, the executive branch rubber-stamps whatever the legislative branch does, and the judicial branch rubber-stamps whatever the legislative and executive branches do. No checks and balances there, no oversight of one branch over another, because they're all in lockstep because they're of the same political party. When checking and balancing actually happen, it's because the different branches are controlled by different parties, and it's those parties checking and balancing each other, not the branches doing so which is the way it's supposed to happen.

Thom Hartmann talks sometimes about the founders not liking what they called "factions" and I think this is what they were talking about. Political parties subvert the original intent of the system of checks and balances. I'm straining my brain, though, and I don't know what could be done about this.

-- Ron

[ymetca]

1. Hence the need for a free press

The so-called "Fourth Estate", which exposes the corruption for all to see.

"Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely", as the saying goes.

Although Kissinger made it more succinct with his pithy remark that "power is the ultimate aphrodisiac".

Also, the three branches have co-equal power, not different levels of power. That's what they keep trying to usurp from each other --the most power.

[MichMan]

2. So you would favor Republicans winning back the legislature in 2022?

To provide checks and balances on President Biden? Is that what you posted?

[Jeebo]

3. Of course not.

That's not what I was talking about at all. If the national legislature (the legislative branch) is to check and balance the executive branch, it should be because it's another branch of government, not because it's controlled by another political party. That was the intent of the founders when they established our system of government, wasn't it?

-- Ron

[brush]

4. Getting rid of the filibuster would go a long way in solving it all.

That would move us to a majority rule system all the way through. The US Senate is the only body where the minority can stop the will of the majority.