by David Boaz

Cato Institute

01/18/05

Advocates of an imperial presidency ask who comprehends the general will of the American people. Their answer: the one official elected by all the people -- the president of the United States. Unlike Congress, they believe, he represents the national interest, not just the parochial interests of states and vested interests. The voters have chosen the president, and Congress should carry out his Sun God-like 'mandate.' If Congress refuses to execute the general will, then presidents increasingly claim the power to rule by decree, through executive orders. Such an idea is poisonous. It would replace the constitutional safeguards against majoritarianism with a president virtually unconstrained in his ability to do good, as he sees it, for the people.

http://www.cato.org/dailys/01-18-05.html


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp