Questions about Barack Obama as the Democratic President Nominee

[Boozy]

So basically, if both houses and the President belong to the same party, you really have no checks or balances at all? Is this rare?

[AFPheonix]

It is actually pretty rare to have a sitting president to share the same party as the majority of the congress. And as has been shown under both Clinton and Bush, people get sick of a particular party and vote out the old and give the other party majority instead in midterm elections.

The president has veto power over Congress. If there is a law he doesn't like, or a portion of legislation he wants out, he can threaten to veto the whole thing. At this point a line item veto is not allowed. If he does veto it, then Congress can come back with a certain majority to override the veto and it can still become law. This was the case recently with a new Medicare law that would restore the amount of money doctors are paid out on medicare patients. Good on congress, I say.

The president can also nominate Supreme court justices. However, his picks have to be ratified by congress before they can be seated. The Court can strike down unconstitutional laws passed by Congress.

Here's another reason why Bush is an ass: http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Side-Insi...6191623&sr=8-1

It's an investigative journalism piece on torture committed by the CIA on various detainees in the name of the War On Terror. It's no secret that Bush gave his blessing to some of the stuff the CIA did, and it's possible that he and other members of his administration could be held accountable for war crimes.

[SimplyAnother]

With all due respect, I'm not so worried about him not knowing what Memorial Day is for, but the fact that he bowled a 36. Do they not have bowling alleys in Illinois?
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The apartment building I grew up in is literally right behind a bowling alley. I have never ever bowled, EVER. I'm just saying.

I'll admit, as a Canadian I am not as well-versed in the US government process as some others here. But I thought it was the president who got to veto stuff? Does it go both ways? How the hell do you folks get anything done?

President can Veto. Congress can try to overturn a veto, but they have to have a certain number of votes.

We have checks and balances within out government. The 3 branches check & balances themselves. [...] Then the vetoed bill goes back to the Houses & they can override the veto if they want to. .

No, they can TRY to over-ride, if they want to. I think it's a 2/3's majority to have get an override. Which is damned hard, when the majority in Congress is just over 50%.

So basically, if both houses and the President belong to the same party, you really have no checks or balances at all? Is this rare?

I think so. We had it the past few years, before the Dems got the slim majority in Congress, and you saw what resulted there. Not that it's changed much, but the opposition is there and Congress isn't just saying "ooh yeah" to whatever the President wants. Much.

[AdminAssistant]

To me, the President is really a....cheerleader of sorts. (Okay, let's get the image of Bush in a skirt and pom poms out of our heads...) But, he*'s an image, an icon. Someone who gives speeches and inspires the American people. He is a representative of our country on the global stage. Yes, he does have a political role, but there's a whole other side to the Presidency that's very important.

* I'm using 'he' because it's easier and because there hasn't been a female president. YET.