Friday, May 12, 2017

Norms

Rather obvious point but our executive has too much power and it really is a mixture of culture, unwritten norms, rules that can be changed somewhat at whim, a somewhat stable and professional civil service, press and public pressure, and of course some hope that Congress and the Judiciary aren't simultaneously corrupt, that keeps that power in check. Magically that has worked pretty well! Not that there isn't all kinds of corruption in the government (and bad things generally), but there isn't that particular kind of corruption, the corruption that emanates from the heart of the presidency, from the president himself. There was, with Nixon, and the system kinda worked. He resigned and Jimmy Carter had to sell his peanut farm.

And if the Republicans in Congress just roll over, and the press isn't putting up a "resignation watch, day X" banner, and people don't camp permanently outside the White House, the Cabinet doesn't have a 25th amendment moment, and noble civil servants in and out of the White House don't resign and speak loudly, etc..., etc..., we're unlikely to get that back.